Commoners Rising Against the Establishment
In the vast landscape of American politics, the right to keep and bear arms, enshrined in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Bill of Rights, continues to be a contentious issue. Despite a full-court press from high-profile figures in media, academia, Hollywood, and the political class, voters have consistently refused to acquiesce.
This resilience is not without reason. The inclusion of the Second Amendment has played a crucial role in protecting the right to bear arms, a privilege that is not as readily available in other nations. This protection has been evident in the steady growth of constitutional carry across the United States, with 29 states adopting the system as of now.
Opposition to the Second Amendment comes from organizations like Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action, backed by significant donors such as Michael Bloomberg and other wealthy philanthropists advocating for gun control. However, it's important to note that not one of the states that have adopted constitutional carry has held a hearing to discuss repealing or paring back its changes.
The defense of the Second Amendment has been a grassroots enterprise, with the political activity of pro-Second Amendment campaigners distributed across the country. The National Rifle Association (NRA), a prominent institution in the gun rights movement, is funded by membership dues, small-dollar donations, and volunteers.
Contrary to a persistent talking point, the American public is not clamoring for stricter gun control. In fact, over the past few years, the coalition of people buying guns has become more diverse. Between 2020 and 2023, approximately 26.2 million Americans bought a gun for the first time. This growth is evident in the demographic shifts, with women accounting for around half of all new gun purchases, while purchases by blacks increased by nearly 60%. Over the same period, purchases by Hispanics and Asian-Americans also saw substantial increases.
The political activity surrounding gun control has been a recurring theme in presidential elections. However, when the topic has been prominently raised, as in the cases of Michael Dukakis in 1988, Al Gore in 2000, Hillary Clinton in 2016, and Kamala Harris in 2024, the results have spoken for themselves. There has been no documented case of a governor or lawmaker losing his seat over the policy of constitutional carry.
The sheer physical size of the United States makes gun control a presumptive dead letter. The right to keep and bear arms has been a populist staple since before the time of the Founding, and the strongest protection for this right has been the citizenry itself, which has refused to relinquish its guns.
In 2008, 80% of voters understood that the Second Amendment protected an individual right, according to a Gallup poll. This understanding, coupled with the grassroots support for gun rights, suggests that the Second Amendment will continue to be a cornerstone of American democracy for years to come.
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