And yet, with a 2nd ammendment,(incorporated or not) with it's legitimate restrictions on the federal government's ability to 'infringe' on the RKBA, they go ahead and do it anyway. Clinton, Feinstein, Schumner, et. all.
The lesson: that one's constitution is only as good as those whose job it is to enforce it and it's being raped every day at the federal level, so, what hope exists that 'natural' rights would be better protected by any state government? Answer: none.
One might think (given the heavy media attention to gruesome crimes) that 'the people' would be clamoring for their right to own and carry weapons totally unrestriced, but they aren't. They've been dumbed-down. Solution: get the media and the state out of the 'dumbing-down' business.
Which brings us full circle to the question: Why do liberals exist?
State government is closer and more responsive to the people. People within a state have more in common with each other, such that their laws reflect the majority will. A violation of "natural" rights would/could lead to an exodus of citizens (and their taxes) to a friendlier state. Fifty different states represent fifty different "laboratories" to see what works.
Off the top of my head.
"that 'the people' would be clamoring for their right to own and carry weapons totally unrestriced, but they aren't."
Sure they are. 35 states allow CCW, and that number has been growing, not declining.