Phobia - that's an irrational fear to lay people. The DSM-IV specifics are:
DSM-IV criteria for 300.29 Specific phobias
1.Marked and persistent fear that is excessive or unreasonable, cued by the presence or anticipation of a specific object or situation (e.g. flying, heights, animals, receiving an injection, seeing blood)
2.Exposure to the phobic stimulus almost invariably provokes an immediate anxiety response, which may take the form of a situationally bound or situationally pre disposed panic attack. Note: in children, the anxiety may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing or clinging.
3.The person recognises that the fear is excessive and unreasonable. Note: in children this feature may be absent.
4.The phobic situation is avoided or is endured with intense anxiety or distress.
5.The avoidance, anxious anticipation, or distress in the feared situation(s) interferes significantly with a person’s routine, occupational (or academic) functioning, or social activities or relationships or there is a marked distress about having the phobia.
6.In individuals under the age of 18 years the duration is at least 6 months.
7.The anxiety panic attacks or phobic avoidance associated with the specific object or situation are not better accounted for by another mental disorder such as OCD (e.g. fear of dirt in someone with an obsession about contamination), post traumatic stress disorder (e.g. avoidance of school), social phobia, panic disorder with agoraphobia or agoraphobia without history of panic disorder).
- As you can see, it's not simply supporting gun control. Thus the usage may be common in the vernacular but not to the professions. Col. Cooper was just using it incorrectly, if he meant it to more that metaphorical.