This paragraph from the article above was excellent.
Another point worth noting is that while most gun owners could never see themselves not owning a gun, they have no desire to force others to possess them. Conversely, many Americans who do not own firearms have an almost compulsive desire to disarm law-abiding gun owners even as proof mounts against the efficacy of confiscation and disarmament. When guns are regulated away from those who seek them lawfully, only the criminals are armed.
The point that strikes home is the difference between wanting to force others to be like you, and allowing others to choose on their own. For me, this crystallizes the progressive vs. the conservative philosophy.