Though they rarely practice what they preach, Democrats often pretend that America could be a better place for all if everyone could simply put their differences aside in the name of love, peace, unity, harmony, and all that jazz.

Once he made it past the presidential primary campaign, this was more or less Joe Biden’s entire mantra, which his supporters in the mainstream media enthusiastically picked up on and ran with well beyond Election Day.

What he (and they) mean, of course, is that they would prefer their political opposition abandon their principles and shut up while the left does all the governing and ruling and making the laws.

In the real world, however, things just don’t and will never work that way as long as there is even one conservative or Republican left willing to stand up to the left and, when necessary, use their own arguments against them.

Which brings me to Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy. In 2007, Kennedy – who was state treasurer at the time – left the Democratic party and never looked back after growing “increasingly at odds with his party — getting into public disagreements with [then-Gov. Kathleen Blanco] and with one of the party’s main power brokers, Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom.”

Of his party switch, Kennedy told Roll Call in 2016 – the year he was elected to serve in the U.S. Senate – that “I believe that the primary role of the government is to protect people and not run their lives. You used to be able to believe that in the Democratic Party. You can’t anymore.”

Kennedy also firmly believes in gun rights. Case in point, this recent NRA-touted ad from Kennedy where he gets right down to the point in talking about how he believes “love is the answer, but you oughta own a handgun just in case”:

Outstanding ad for @JohnKennedyLA. #LASen pic.twitter.com/ED3mYGyEck

— Jake Cox (@GOPJake) May 24, 2021

Naturally, the ad triggered anti-gun activists like David Hogg:

Not only do your emojis look stupid, taken out of context this sounds like he’s about to kill his wife and also you spelled “believe” wrong. https://t.co/KzlOzmCIev

— David Hogg (@davidhogg111) May 25, 2021

Aww. Bless his heart.

It’s a statement Kennedy’s made for years, going back at least to his 2016 Senate campaign, if not further:

I believe love is the answer, but I also own a handgun just in case; that’s my right as an American citizen. I’m interested in having a discussion about gun legislation, but we shouldn’t make decisions to curtail Constitutional rights based on emotions. I want to see facts. pic.twitter.com/uF6BISsGa7

— John Kennedy (@SenJohnKennedy) September 12, 2019

Though Sen. Kennedy won’t be up for reelection for another couple of years, I’m hoping that his characteristically folksy way of getting his point across never changes and never goes out of style, regardless of what other changes are in store for this country in the years to come. Because sometimes, oftentimes, really – change is not always a good thing, and that’s especially true when it comes to frequent displays of Southern charm and mannerisms.

Flashback: Tucker Carlson, Sen. Kennedy Discuss What a ‘Cynic Might Say’ About National Guard’s Continued Presence in DC