[Dewhitewolf]

In the college environment, professors often take advantage of the fact that college students are oblivious, and "push" their political views. Students often don't question it because it comes from the mouth of an educated professor. I have seen this phenomonon happen many times myself.

Students hear the "good sense" argument from the professor, and if there are students that have an opposing view, they are often ill equipped to take on a well knowledgeable professor. In fact, professors often take advantage of someone by singling him out in front of class in an effort to make him look "wrong" or "extreme." Other students that share the opinion of the professor now have validation to their prejudice, because a professor is backing them up.

The problem is that it is easy for people to hate what they don't understand. Trying to "educate" your professor and classmates right then and there would probably have been an exercise in futility, only because you may not be prepared with sufficient research to counter his arguments, which he may have memorized. You may also not have as much debate experience as he has, so he is in the position of out maneuvering you.

In order to get through to people, you have to stay away from the strategy of proving people wrong. Generally, people don't want to admit they're wrong about anything, even in the face of irrefutable proof. Instead, focus on changing their opinions: start a club with like-minded students to promote awareness of 2nd Amendment issues; find a gun club to sponsor a "students' day at the range; have guest speakers come in and speak first hand about gun issues. And above all, shy away from the rhetoric ("from my cold dead hands"), which only serves to isolate you from the audience you're trying to win over.

Remember the words of Abraham Lincoln, "If I make friends of my enemies, do I not in effect destroy them?"