The politics of gun ownership

Is the gun debate in America changing?

Guns are often portrayed as a symbol of conservative identity. Yet, as NPR reports, gun ownership and training have been rising among people with liberal political views, a trend especially noticeable since President Donald Trump’s second inauguration.

The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis has complicated the narrative further — as some conservatives criticized him for legally carrying a weapon at a protest, and the National Rifle Association and prominent Democrats came to his defense.

“Nothing is sacred in Trump’s America; not the First Amendment, not the Second, not even life itself,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom, pushing back against the Trump administration’s handling of the incident.

So what does all this say, if anything, about America’s political views about firearms?

Today on Studio 2, we parse the data that exists, alongside the anecdotal evidence, with a panel of guests with diverse ideas on the topic.

Guests:

• James Reeves, executive producer of The Firearm Blog TV – “Guns, Not Politics,”
• David Yamane, professor of sociology at Wake Forest University and author of Gun Curious: A Liberal Professor’s Surprising Journey Inside America’s Gun Culture,
• Lara Smith, national spokesperson for The Liberal Gun Club.