How to get politicians to listen to you

There is a lot of activity, at the federal, state and local levels, on various bills of interest to those of us concerned with personal liberties. Because of the unsettled political climate, we’re seeing more and more calls to “write your elected representatives”, but no one ever explains just how to do so effectively (if […]

Posted by Grant Cunningham
On August 16, 2019

Is “Constitutional Carry” good for the rest of us? Let’s make sure it is through education!

So-called “constitutional carry” is becoming more popular around the country. This refers to being able to carry a concealed handgun in public without any sort of permitting or licensing process, assuming that the person is legally allowed to possess the handgun. (The term “constitutional carry” is itself a reference to the Second Amendment’s wording of […]

Posted by Grant Cunningham
On March 28, 2016

Criminals don’t obey gun laws. Not here, not in Europe. Surprised?

We keep saying this, but the prohibitionists don’t get it — no matter where they’re from! Every time a new gun control law (or any other law, really) is proposed it’s always predicated on the notion that criminals will magically obey the laws. Pass a law against any act and those who pass the laws […]

Posted by Grant Cunningham
On February 25, 2015

Is this how “responsible” gun owners behave? I don’t think so, and neither does Starbucks.

In case you missed the news yesterday, the President/CEO of Starbucks finally got fed up with conflict stirred up by the open carry faction of the shooting community and said, in effect, “no more.” In a statement on the company’s blog he posted a note (which you need to read to understand clearly what this […]

Posted by Grant Cunningham
On September 18, 2013

What are “gun rights”?

On Sunday, I tweeted this: If there is no such thing as “gun violence”, there can be no such thing as “gun rights”. Be consistent – owning a gun is a HUMAN right. Let’s delve into what that means. I noticed that those in the shooting community bristle at the term “gun violence”. It’s the […]

Posted by Grant Cunningham
On February 11, 2013

The concept of ‘need’.

I’m a bit concerned about a trend in the gun community, one borne from defending against the prohibitionists who have gotten their second wind courtesy of the Newtown tragedy. That trend is arguing ‘need’. The prohibitionists (gun-grabbers, if you prefer) like to ask the question “why do you NEED” some specific gun or feature on […]

Posted by Grant Cunningham
On February 4, 2013

How to contact your elected representatives and actually have an impact. It might not be how you’ve been told.

This article has been updated for 2019. Here’s the new link.

Posted by Grant Cunningham
On January 2, 2013

The open carry debate rages anew, and a different way to look at the question.

Open Carry (OC) is a subject of nearly religious zeal for some people. It’s also something of a “litmus test” for second amendment advocates; if you don’t support open carry, you’re not a “real patriot”. There are, in my mind, two aspects to the OC debate: application in self defense, and political leverage. Let’s get […]

Posted by Grant Cunningham
On September 7, 2011

Gun-free school zones: the research (as usual) is on our side.

David Kopel at the Independence Institute has a new research paper forthcoming in the Connecticut Law Review. Titled “Pretend ‘Gun-Free’ School Zones: A Deadly Legal Fiction”, it deals with the subject of concealed firearms carry on school campuses. From the abstract: Most states issue permits to carry a concealed handgun for lawful protection to an […]

Posted by Grant Cunningham
On May 6, 2009