On American gun culture
On American gun culture
It’s not always what you think
This week, Mark Harvey, 97Percent’s newest board member, writes about his experiences as a sport shooting competitor and firearms instructor, and what brought him to 97Percent.
A few years back, I was at the USA Shooting shotgun national championship, watching an International Trap squad finish their round, when one of the shooters had a malfunction with his trigger. Without hesitation, someone waiting for his round to start pulled the trigger from his gun and offered it up so the shooter could finish the round. This wasn’t just any other competitor; it was one of the top shooters there, who went on to the finals and earned a spot on the national team. How many other sports are there where your competition goes out of their way to help you?
At another point in that match, during one of my rounds, a strong storm blew in. It’s an outdoor sport, so we’re used to competing in rough conditions. We had about four targets left to go when someone on the squad raised their hand to alert the marshal to lightning in the distance. We immediately called a ceasefire and offered shelter to each other in nearby cars to ensure everyone was safe. It didn’t take an order from the Range Master or Range Safety Officer; we all took responsibility for each other’s safety and felt confident to act on a ceasefire that anyone called.
These are just two small examples of the “gun culture” I grew up in. From the time I learned to shoot when I was five, to shooting rifle matches as a teenager and becoming a range safety officer, shotgun instructor, and active competitor in the years that followed, I’ve been privileged to be surrounded by safe and responsible shooters who share their knowledge and passion for the art, science, and sport of firearms. People that go out of their way to be welcoming while firmly committed to safety on and off the range. It’s led to great friendships, experiences, and many opportunities to see people develop a passion for the sport.
Unfortunately, gun ownership in the U.S. comes with a much darker side, too. Today, it’s impossible to be a responsible gun owner without recognizing the catastrophic toll that gun violence takes on families and communities. Especially the historically disadvantaged and underrepresented communities that bear a vastly disproportionate share of gun violence and its aftermath. The culture of responsibility, service, and safety should be central to identifying ways to reduce suicides, homicides, and shootings. I am thrilled to be a part of 97Percent because it is focused on exactly this challenge: bringing people together to find practical ways to reduce gun violence.
While I’ve had many positive experiences with firearms throughout my life, I’ve also experienced how hard it is for public safety professionals to secure their communities from irresponsible gun owners. I’ve lost colleagues to gun violence, responded to mass shootings, and seen the lasting toll on families who have lost loved ones at the hands of people who never should have had access to a firearm. I’ve seen where the absence of meaningful laws, sensible restrictions, and robust enforcement has been abused by people to cause harm.
The causes and impacts of gun violence are varied and complex, and soundbite solutions rooted in overly partisan debates have led to many arguments and little progress. 97Percent represents a real path forward to make progress on gun violence. We know that there are no easy answers and no single solution. Being a firearms instructor, I know that education and training are vital to encourage safe firearms handling. As a national security official, I also know that good data can inform effective solutions. That’s why I look forward to working with 97Percent to help combine data, education, and practice to show where we can make meaningful enhancements to public safety that build on the culture of safety and responsibility I grew up around. Just like at the national championships, gun owners know when to help out, and we all count on each other for the safety of everyone. —Mark Harvey, 97Percent Board Member
On the Hill
The deal struck by congressional leaders to avert a partial shutdown of the federal government includes a measure that would loosen restrictions on gun ownership for some U.S. veterans. The bill would eliminate a decades-old ban on gun ownership for veterans unable to manage their finances. “We need to ensure the government does not infringe on veterans’ Second Amendment rights and that they are afforded due process protections,” said Sen. Jon Tester of the bill. “It is not right that a DC bureaucrat at the Department of Veterans Affairs could take away a veteran’s legal right to firearms simply because they needed assistance managing their finances.”
We say: We fully agree with Senator Tester. No one’s Second Amendment right should be capriciously taken away without their day in court, particularly a veteran who has honorably served our country.
More on the Hill:
In the Courts
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in Garland v. Cargill last week. Unlike previous high-profile cases the court has taken up in recent years, Cargill doesn’t touch Second Amendment rights, but rather the legality of the federal regulation banning bump stocks, which modify semiautomatic weapons to speed the firing mechanism. The Trump administration banned the devices following the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed 60 people; President Biden's Justice Department is now defending that ban in court. While the justices offered divided thoughts on the case, they appeared to lean in favor of upholding the ban. A decision in the case is expected this summer.
We say: Bump stocks effectively convert semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic weapons, which have been banned in the U.S. for decades. We believe the ban should be upheld. However, at the heart of this case is the question of whether federal agencies have the authority to impose such a ban in the first place. We’d ideally prefer to see Congressional debate and action on these matters.
More in the courts:
Judge sides with gun-control group against Biden ‘ghost gun’ rule —The Reload
Federal judge rips California for denying gun purchases to ex-felons —Courthouse News Service
Federal judge blocks California law allowing suits against out-of-state gunmakers —The Reload
Judge OKs Cook County, Illinois’ ‘assault weapons’ ban, agrees that bans only apply to guns not protected by 2nd Amendment —Cook County Record
Baltimore reaches $1.2M settlement in lawsuit against 'ghost gun' manufacturer Polymer80 —CBS News
Baltimore is suing ATF for blocking local officials from seeing where guns used in crimes came from —CNN
'Ghost gun' companies fail to end New York attorney general's lawsuit —Reuters
A judge has dismissed Fargo's challenge to North Dakota restrictions on local gun control —AP News
In the States
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed two gun control bills into law yesterday. The first prohibits carrying firearms within 100 feet of polling places and ballot drop boxes, with exemptions granted to law enforcement personnel and concealed carry permit holders. The second extends the state’s waiting period for purchasing firearms to seven days. Republican lawmakers argued that the bills don’t address the root causes of violence, but merely restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens. The new laws represent just a handful of the governor’s priorities, as a long list of other gun control proposals were not addressed. Lujan Grisham has said she may call a special legislative session to debate these additional measures.
We say: Given the volatile political climate, the measure restricting firearms at polling places, with fair exceptions, makes sense. However, the law extending the waiting period for firearm purchases to more than double the three days required by the federal government seems excessive.
More in the states:
Arizona: Bill would make shooting and killing migrants on property legal —NBC News
California: California takes up White House call to toughen gun storage rules —Los Angeles Times
Florida: House passes bill that would lower minimum age to buy rifles, shotguns to 18 —WSVN Lauderdale
Iowa: House Republicans pass a bill to make it easier to arm teachers in Iowa schools —Iowa Public Radio
Louisiana: Louisiana passes permitless gun carry —The Reload
Maine: Mass shooting spurs additional gun control proposals —NECN
Maine: Governor moves to update yellow flag law, expand gun sale background checks —Portland Press Herald
Minnesota: Minnesota bills requiring safe storage, mandatory reporting of stolen guns get a second look at the capitol this year —CBS Minnesota
Minnesota: 7,500 more Minnesotans sought permits to carry guns in 2023, 1% were denied, BCA report says —Star Tribune
New Jersey: Microstamping is effective in connecting cartridges to guns that fired them, live fire test finds —Police1
Utah: Advocates want Gov. Cox to veto bill meant to arm more teachers —The Salt Lake Tribune
Virginia: General Assembly passes historic ban on assault weapons —13NewsNow
Washington: Legislators are pushing new gun bills. Here’s what could pass —Crosscut
In honor of Women’s History Month, how many women gun owners are there in the U.S.?
According to a Statista survey conducted in 2022, 21% of American women, or approximately 35 million women, personally own a gun. Men are still more likely to be gun owners—46% of American men, or about 75 million men, own a firearm. However, in 2005, only 13% of gun owners were women; now that number is closer to a third, meaning women make up the fastest-growing group of gun owners in the United States. In fact, most gun purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic were made by women, according to a Harvard survey. (Sources: Los Angeles Magazine, Baltimore Magazine)
Some thoughts on women gun owners
“I was around when the Gabby Giffords incident happened, and so that’s when I first started carrying, after that happened. Because if it can happen to a congresswoman on a Saturday at Safeway, it can happen at any time. So that’s when I started carrying and training for myself and my children.” —Lisa Golembiewski of Delta Defense, which manages operations for the U.S. Concealed Carry Association
“Women have been seen for many generations as sitting ducks. You have a lot of single moms who are raising multiple kids who are working around the clock. … I think women have just decided, ‘I don’t want to be a victim anymore.’ Women have decided enough is enough.” —Shanea Daniels, Director of Chapters and Membership at the National African American Gun Association
“Especially now with the incidents we’ve had lately, people are wanting to defend themselves, and we love that, but we encourage that you get training with that because with that comes a lot of liability and responsibility.” —Preshie Ronquillo, a firearms instructor at The Hub Gun Store in Tucson, Arizona, who teaches a class for women gun owners
“With rising awareness and empowerment, women are stepping up to take their safety into their own hands. The surge in female gun ownership signifies a broader societal shift towards self-reliance and independence, especially in matters of personal security.” —Brett Klein, President of Hinterland Outfitters
Do you have a comment about any of these critical issues? Do you have a story to share? We’d love to hear from you. Please include your first name and state, and we may publish it in a future issue. Thank you for reading!
For more information about 97Percent, please visit our website at 97Percent.us.
Join our growing community of gun owners and non-gun owners united to reduce gun deaths in America.
Mark keeps referencing “culture.”
But 97Percent is not advocating for ways to expand a positive gun culture such as bringing firearm education into schools, pouring money into PSAs or advocating for free online CCW classes. They are pushing gun control lite in the guise of common sense . . . I mean “sensible restrictions.”
97Percent is nudging gun owners into embracing gun laws. They are weaponizing stats and the emotions of those that believe in a positive gun culture to vote against there own interests. The gun culture they are trying to change is one where gun control is accepted and embraced by those it will ultimately be used against.
Without our right to bear arms in our state and U.S. Constitution, groups like 97Percent will lead us down the path of Canada where the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association is battling Trudeau and his gun control tendencies, including his national “freeze” on handgun sales.
We need to increase America's positive gun culture, not increase gun laws that can and will be abused by those in power . . . especially against the historically disadvantaged and underrepresented communities.