The ban on assault weapons happened because people started *talking* about it. That's my first practical suggestion.

Now there's political will and opportunity, though it would be hard to beat down the state's rights issues (plus the problems of having to negotiate gun laws between the areas like Chicago that have super-tough gun laws and places like, oh, Fairbanks, Alaska, where guns are given out in Cracker Jacks boxes).

But to begin suggesting it, talking about it, would be the first step. The gun rights people would agree that the inconsistencies are very, very annoying (especially those in states like Maryland where guns are more tightly controlled, who hate the "nyah-nyah, hahahah, we don't have to get an anal probe" attitude from their friends in Virginia).

We also need to start showing up to legislative sessions where hearings are held on gun control. Right now, only the gun rights people attend those. So that's my second practical suggestion.

And right now my gun rights friends are totally on board with widening access to mental health care. So there's my third practical suggestion.