Gun rights aren’t negotiable.

We’ve given and given to anti-gunners throughout the years and they have continued to demand more and more. There’s been no effort to meet us partway on anything. They simply want us to capitulate to their demands and none of us are interested in going that direction. Not anymore, especially since their idea of compromise is to just not take as much as they really wanted to in the first place.

Refusing to give up ground isn’t a bad thing. It’s how we’re going to hold onto our right at this point and how we’ll get back those that were lost in days gone by.

However, sometimes, we need to take a long moment and recognize when the gun rights side might be going a little too far.

Lewiston City Councilor Bob Blakey showed up to City Hall on Monday evening to greet the people who want to throw him out on his keister.

At issue was a recent comment Blakey made about separate June 6 demonstrations in Lewiston. On that Saturday, a large group of Black Lives Matter supporters marched on the levee in protest of police brutality against minorities. Meanwhile, heavily armed members of the Liberate Idaho group patrolled downtown, proclaiming they were there to protect the city from rioting that had marred some otherwise peaceful Black Lives Matter protests in other cities.

But Blakey noted that the result was that many people downtown felt intimidated by all the guns, and some people stayed away altogether, hurting businesses. He drew the group’s ire, including a recall effort, when he proposed a resolution asking the Legislature to give cities greater authority to regulate open carry of firearms during such protests.

“I want to have some conversations,” Blakey said of why he came. “But some of these people have their minds made up and probably don’t want to listen to me.”

Blakey sat on the City Hall steps, but not many of the 15 or so people supporting the recall spoke to him. A couple of supporters stood across the street, holding signs of support for Blakey. Recall organizer Heather Rogers handed out cupcakes, and a few people openly carried rifles and handguns. Any anticipated tension failed to materialize, however, and soon Blakey had to hurry off to the council’s regular 6 p.m. meeting at the Lewiston City Library. The Liberate Idaho contingent followed to offer their comments to the council.

Now, I get being upset by Blakey’s comments. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to have that conversation with him either, simply because there’s nothing to talk about.

However, I’m not sure I can agree with recalling him because of his comments.

Look, right now, our entire society is tense and ready to blow up at every perceived slight. Blakey’s comments were ridiculous, but trying to remove him from office now is nothing more than a right-leaning attempt at Cancel Culture, something so many of us decry when leftists try it.

Sure, vote him out of office next election. Find someone who recognizes the importance of our right and support them to take his seat. Voting Blakey out will get the message across just fine.

Removing him from office, however, won’t do anything except encourage leftists to keep up their Cancel Culture ways.

Granted, they don’t need much encouragement these days, to be fair, but still, I don’t think this is the way to get the point across.

Further, what if the recall effort fails? Blakey can then act with impunity knowing full well that his opponents can’t do anything about it. It also means he’ll be emboldened come next election. After all, if you couldn’t recall him, why would anyone believe they can beat him in a straight-up election?

Or, maybe not.

Either way, though, I’m not sure this is a good idea, not because Blakey was right with what he said, but because I don’t think it benefits gun rights in any way.