Gun Appreciation Day, a grassroots movement started in response to President Obama and Washington Democrats' recent rhetoric on gun control, drew big crowds to state capitols nationwide that consisted of strong supporters of the Second Amendment. The show of strength by gun supporters couldn't go unnoticed.

In Boston, the large and well-organized crowd served as a reminder that in even the deepest of blue states there are gun rights supporters who will show up and take a strong stance against gun control overreactions by Democrats and progressives. One supporter's impassioned plea resonated powerfully with the crowd:

"It's not enough to just be mad, it's not enough to just be angry at the loss of our rights or the threat to lose our rights. It's better that we organize. It's better that we let them know that we are not the sum of the stereotypes that the media clings to. We are your neighbors. We are your friends. We are your coworkers. We are entrepreneurs. We are attorneys. We are in construction, academia and everything in between. We will not be ignored. we will remind them with respect with dignity and above all an unwavering dedication to preserving our rights."

In West Virginia, a place more naturally hospitable to Second Amendment rights, one gun supporter reminded that the typical canards thrown around by progressives - about hunting and self-defense - miss the larger point of the Second Amendment, and miss the point that the framers intended.

"The reasone we have a 2nd amendment is not so we can hunt. It's not so we can protect our homes. it's so we can protect ourselves against an overbearing government."

At the Texas State Capitol, a huge crowd turned out to organize and demonstrate the strong support for Second Amendment rights in that state, as well.

Gun show promoter Marvin Kraus, who promoted a show in Carter Lake, Iowa, noted that there's a huge interest in firearms sales due to the "national conversation" going on in Washington. "People are coming out and wanting to buy guns because they feel they're in jeopardy of losing the privilige to own them... they're still legal now, so it's possible to still buy them. They could be banned in the future.