What are the biggest issues facing firearms owners today?

Turbulent times are nothing new for the U.S. As a country, we’ve seen volatile times of war and times of peace; a booming economy and crippling recessions; horrific acts of terror and communities coming together around the flag. Societal norms are often referred to as a pendulum swinging from one side to the other, which, theoretically, would slow down somewhere in the middle.

From supply shortages and COVID restrictions to political upheaval, the start of the 20s has seen a return of socio-economic turbulence. That turbulence is not going unnoticed by firearm owners.

What do you think is the most important issue facing firearms owners today?

  • Misinformation in the media
  • Firearms supply shortages
  • Inconsistent firearms laws from state to state/lack of reciprocity
  • New, untrained firearms owners
  • Proposed new firearms laws
  • Other, please share your thoughts below

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How can firearms owners positively overcome the issues facing responsibly armed Americans?

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Media disinfo and political left.

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  1. We need to be on the same page. There are too many different views on 2A, even within the community. This means consistent talking points on legislation and issues. in the words of Ben Franklin, “we must all hang together, or most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.”
  2. We need an effective counter to the left controlled media.
  3. We need to do everything in our power to respectfully and responsibly represent our views.
  4. We need to reach out and encourage new shooters to get proper training, and this doesn’t usually mean Uncle Jack or Aunt Felicia taking people to the range. I have seen a plethora of bad habits taught by well meaning friends and family. People, let’s remember the 4 safety rules!!! (Sorry, personal gripe).
  5. Take a new shooter under your wing. Everyone needs a mentor with this. Involve them in the NRA and the USCCA.
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The idea that other Americans are the “enemy” because they disagree with you.
Rather than shutting them out, have a respectful, open discussion.
What has a better chance of changing minds-
Yelling “shall not be infringed” or showing them how rewarding it can be to put holes in paper? Watching their skills & comfort level improve in as little as an hour at the range.
With the plethora of new gun owners lately, I could not care less what someone’s political leaning is. I would teach Gandhi to shoot if he asked. That is how we will win the war on guns.

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Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

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All of the above plus ignorant politicians! Sorry to be the “Debby downer”, but we are not going to overcome any of the issues facing us as a society let alone gun rights! The media, his pen and their adoration for violence and blood is mightier than anything our small community can achieve over the next 50 years. Violence is the order of the generation, sincerely, if we are not part of the solution, we are the problem. They made that very clear, criminals are the heroes and gun owners (even when exercising their God given rights) are the pariahs! We’ve been put in a corner and told to do as we are told. We’ve been rioted into submission! Law and order is a thing of the past. C’mon you all know it’s true, it’s why your neck hurts when you come home from the supermarket, your head is on a swivel that hasn’t had time to be greased!
We have terrorists from around the world, terrorism in our country, it’s come as close to the family unit. And it came in the form of a microscopic virus intentionally unleashed on us by those seeking to rule the world! Mission accomplished!
We as a community of responsible armed AMERICANS have been sidelined, worst of all we are sitting here twiddling our thumbs and typing about it, It’s exactly why we are in the situation we are in.
We as responsible ARMED Americans, have been derelict in our fundamental duties to our Constitution. We are silently letting them slow burn the our rights.
If court decisions can be decided by violent mobs, streets and highways shut down and communities ruled by thugs, we have absolutely no chance! They read the “Art of War” and they played it well! This is the new normal!
Pardon me, but there are 2 views of the 2A, “shall NOT be infringed” and shall be infringed. We will never be respected until we earn it back! Agreed, the respect we deserve cannot be taken back, it must be earned!

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To me, one word can be associated with many of our country’s issues.

Media

Their job in the past was to read the news. Now it’s all done with their opinion on everything. I can come my own opinion. Just read the news.

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For me, it’s two words: Social Media

We all seek our own echo chambers. I call it the Archimedes Principle of Social Media.

I find in the real world most people aren’t nearly as divided about things as we are led to believe, and that the fringes are far smaller than portrayed on TV or in folklore. But it sure serves some people’s self-interests and egos to portray the world as a powder keg looking for a spark.

And it sure is fun sometimes to pretend we are John Wick dodging an omnipresent Yakuza…

I think most of the issue is that we’ve built a society in which we’ve agreed to let our job titles define us. I’m Glad I’m unemployed and “worthless”. :wink:

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Agreed. And social media is fueled by media.

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All of these combined is really the big issue. Inconsistent firearms laws from state to state/lack of reciprocity would be the second one.

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Most important issues?: I think you nailed most of them.

Positively overcoming the issues?: Though I can appreciate that our own 2A community is diverse and rich in knowledge; But maybe by our uniting “our own 2A community” more, as opposed to dividing, could help us overcome. Humility can go a long way. IDK.

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That’s a great outlook, if it didn’t mean that we are considered a nationalist paramilitary group hell bent on destroying democracy. Some have even gone so far as calling the NRA a terrorist group. How do you overcome that?
Every time we come together as a peaceful group to make some sort of change, we are summarily dismissed, ie Virginia peaceful protest and every other peaceful protest we’ve been involved in. They’ve proved to me that it takes violent out breaks to achieve goals. We witnessed it daily for over a year and a half.
This community (the 2A community), is small and has no voice left. It’s very hard to make a point over the flames of defunding movements, we’ve become a whisper.

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“Politicians are a lot like diapers. And should be changed frequently for the same reason”- some Robin Williams movie.
At the speed our government moves vs the frequency with which it changes, I am focused on the long game. Anything done by 1 administration can be undone by the next if enough people want it.
As I said in another thread, since the lockdowns started I have taken 6 people from the ‘never own a gun’ side through buying their 1st. If enough of “us” get through to enough of “them” then in 17 months we don’t have to worry about gun control. Except in the original meaning- hitting your target! :laughing:

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Political violence has worked since the beginning of politics. Biased enforcement of law is a major problem.

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New firearms laws, inconsistent laws state to state, and media lies, in that order.

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All of the above. We are being bombarded left and right

The gun grabbers use divide and conquer. Stay on guard and message!

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Based on what my students say, and I must agree, the lack for readily available ammo.

Followed by the draught in firearms for sale.

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1 Misinformation in the media
2 Firearms supply shortages
3 Inconsistent firearms laws from state to state/lack of reciprocity
4 Proposed new firearms laws

1 This is going to be around for a long time.

2 We should have all seen this coming and been prepared for it.

3 & 4 Just pray we wake wand get the right people in office to make this correct. Quickly.

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I have to agree with @Scott52 and the others that say ALL of these are Most Important.

I will add a bit more to the new and untrained owners. I work part time at a gun range/store, and have had numerous first time gun owners come into the range to shoot. Some have never handled a gun before and want to rent one. I have also had gang members and other shady characters come in to shoot. Since I can’t discriminate, I am a little worried about them going out on the range.

I remember reading that the CCW holders are the most law abiding citizens out there, and with some of the new crop of gun owners, I wonder if that statistic will go down. Hopefully not.

There are also folks coming in who can barely afford this sport. When you add in range fee, ammo, targets, etc it becomes pretty expensive and not sure some will every pay for good training. Tons of guns are being sold every week, and for some people that is all they can afford, so probably won’t train much or practice much.

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Thank you for sharing Robert. Your points resonated with me. Did visit a range a few times over the last several months. Thanks for recognizing the Carry Permit holder; I can see how they can add more responsibility to our community. I do wish training was more affordable; On my citizen bucket list per se. Be well.

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