The 119th Congress is one of the most diverse delegations in the history of the U.S. One-quarter of the members are people of color, and it represents the first time two black women have simultaneously served in the U.S. Senate. This delegation will also see the first Korean American in the Senate, among other firsts.
The breadth of backgrounds and beliefs in the 119th Congress reflects the diversity of America, and so do our nation’s gun owners.
In fact, the firearm community today is the most diverse it has ever been. More than 25 million people have become first-time gun owners since 2020, bringing with them a surge in gun ownership among communities that historically hadn’t been as keen to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
Female firearm ownership increased by 77% between 2005 and 2020. Firearm purchases by Hispanic people grew by almost 50% between 2019 and 2020. The year 2020 also saw a 58% increase in black people purchasing firearms. Even Democrat firearm ownership jumped from 22% in 2010 to 29% in 2022.
People aren’t buying guns just for the sake of having them, either. Professor William English at Georgetown University conducted a survey in 2022 that sought to determine “patterns of gun ownership and defensive gun use.” The results show that black, Hispanic, and Native American gun owners all report a higher rate of defensive use of firearms than white gun owners. A year later, Pew published research that shows a whopping 81% of gun owners say they feel safer owning a gun, while 72% indicate that protection is a major reason for their firearm ownership.
Gun owners have often been depicted as being older, conservative white males, yet that’s no longer the story of firearm ownership in America. These long-held stereotypes are not only outdated but are actually harmful to ensuring that all Americans are able to legally, safely, and responsibly own firearms.
That’s why the National Shooting Sports Foundation launched “Faces of Firearms,” a project celebrating the diversity of gun owners and their unity in advancing safe, responsible ownership. Some of the featured gun owners are domestic violence survivors, “stop Asian hate” advocates, Olympians, and Purple Heart recipients. Some live in big cities, some identify as gay, some utilize mobility devices, and some work in white-collar jobs. Many of the featured gun owners describe themselves as parents or grandparents, brothers or sisters, sons or daughters, and neighbors or friends — a reminder that our similarities are just as worth celebrating as our differences.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
What unites tens of millions of gun owners, though, is their desire to protect themselves and their families through firearm ownership. Because being safe transcends race, gender, religion, income, and any other facet of individual identity.
Some members of the 119th Congress may choose not to exercise their Second Amendment rights, but they made their choices based on their unique situations. Law-abiding Americans shouldn’t be robbed of the ability to make their own choices.
Joe Bartozzi is the president and CEO of NSSF, the firearm industry trade association.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
