While listening to David Codrea on the Michael Dukes Show, https://waronguns.com/firearms-friday-redux-3/ they came upon an interesting subject, age within the 2A movement. Codrea specifically pointed out how the people active in 2A groups, and rallies and meetings are all middle aged or older.
I think the reasons are many, but a few stand out. Nobody knows civics anymore. Even me, there’s lots I don’t know, and everything I’ve learned about civics and history, I’ve taught myself, my own reading, my own watching and listening to various programs and things. None of it from school. The lack of civics, the lack of understanding how our government works goes back decades, and gets worse with each new decade of alleged “schooling”. So I’m not at all surprised there’s a lack of people say under 40 or 50 involved in the 2A movement.
And on a related note, how many 2A groups acknowledge the “M” word? Militia? Or “common defense”? No, we just hear, “self defense”- important as it is, that’s not the whole picture. We can argue the why later, but let’s face it, 2A groups do not educate the 2A world, nor their own membership on what 2A really is. They offer the idea that 2A rights are about “guns”. They think 2A is about concealed carry permits, a semi auto AR15 with no mag capacity limit, with a suppressor and that’s about it. But that’s not all of it. The Second Amendment is also about we the people, the Militia, having “arms”, that means all the terrible and deadly implements of the soldier, so that we can utilize them in common defense against tyranny. Where in the Second Amendment does it say “guns” or “firearms”? No where. So 2A groups themselves, have much work to do, in educating the 2A world on what the Second Amendment truly means.
Now the following’s purely from personal observations, but from gun owners I know that are under 40 to 50 years old, it seems one of the biggest stumbling blocks to involvement in the 2A movement is the NRA. They grew up, with their dads and grand fathers all being die hard NRA members. Then they saw the massive implosion, when the corruption became public, and began to realize just how pathetic the NRA had been on 2A issues, despite what the NRA had been telling members for decades. Most of these people are now, after having grown up, and being lectured that they must be NRA members and the image that the NRA’s the only 2A group out there, are now gun shy to join and donate to other 2A groups. They’re afraid of being taken for a ride again.
Another thing, again, purely personal observations from people I know, most despise the Republicans, for many reasons. Some voted the last election, some didn’t. I’d say it’s 50/50 who voted and who didn’t. No one supported the Dems. But, most if not all, even the ones who voted for Trump and the GOP were worried about Trump’s 2A record. All brought up during his first term, “take the guns first”-aka red flag laws, and the bump stock ban. They were also worried about his being a New Yorker, former Democrat, and his anti 2A stances from 20-30 years ago.
And also about voting, the most common thing said was, both by those who did and didn’t vote, something to the effect of, “Nothing ever changes.”.
Another thing is these people all seem to be much more pro 2A, than older generations. They don’t seem to tolerate compromises like previous generations. The “mather may I” slips, the ATF, various bans, and things. Which is a good thing. But of course, having a belief doesn’t matter if you don’t work to advance it.
Now from the interview mentioned above, Codrea and Dukes talked about “apathy”, and a lack of the under middle aged crowd understanding what “self government” is. I’ve heard and read others say the same thing countless times. And while I think it’s true, I think it’s only part of the problem. I don’t think the under 40 or under 50 crowd knows how to get involved. And I don’t see a, “face” talking to them. I’ve brought this up Jeff Knox an NRA director, that nobody’s from the NRA’s talking to the 2A world. To be fair, is there anyone that comes to mind when you think of 2A? Whatever one thinks of Charlton Heston and the NRA, that was brilliant marketing. Even Wayne LaPierre, the crook himself, was a brilliant promoter.
Someone will no doubt bring up this writer, this gun tuber, this guy from that 2A group, etc. But that’s the point, there’s no “face”. Now do we want one “face”? No, just look at what Wayne LaPierre did when he became the one face. We must always have talk and debate and healthy argument. But we don’t seem to have anybody who can lead one of the 2A groups and be a “talker”, let alone several or all. And most of what you see on “gun tube”, is, typically what some refer to as “gun porn”, it’s of no value, offers no information about shooting, techniques, or the 2A movement, let alone how to get involved. And the few serious 2A writers seem to get drowned out by the click bait and the MAGA “cult of personality”, which the original 3%er warned people about, https://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/search?q=Trump+cult+of+personality
I have seen this “cult of personality”, on various forums. If I bring up some disappointments with Trump’s 2A stances, I get, the digital version of shouted down, because, “You wanted Kamala Harris!”, “You’re woke!”, “Libtard!”, “Dem troll!”, and one troll calls me a “muslime”. Probably the dumbest and most dangerous of the common replies is, “Give Trump more time.” Time? When has the 2nd Amendment ever had the luxury of time? Never! Similar things happen if you question a 2A group’s policy as well. I’ve seen it happen to countless other readers. And while I don’t know their ages, it’s no doubt a huge turn off to people who go onto those sites and try to engage with other 2A supporters, only to be trolled relentlessly, for daring to post a comment that goes against someone’s “team”. The world now runs on the internet. If 2A supporters, don’t tolerate alternative ideas and pull their hair out over inconvenient facts, as opposed to debating, it’s 2A supporters who are hurting their own cause, as it’s fellow 2A supporters who’re chasing away people who might otherwise attempt to find a way to get involved.
All of the problems I’ve raised, end up being massive turn offs, and reasons why the under 50 crowd especially, isn’t getting involved.
How do we fix it? I don’t know. It’s human nature to cling to a “hero”, or a “team”. What 2A supporters, especially those involved in the movement, seem to lose sight of is that the thing we should be clinging to, the Second Amendment we’re forsaking because we cling instead to this “cult of personality”. We should be holding politicians and 2A groups accountable. What’s wrong with that? Nothing, yet the “cult of personality”, all too often gets in the way. How will politicians know what voters want or don’t want if the voters just make excuses for their guy as opposed to telling him, we want this, or we don’t want that ?
Other than setting an example, speaking up when the opportunity arises, and introducing people, especially kids to guns and shooting, I don’t know.
Speak up, let’s hear your ideas.
Equip, train, pray and never disarm.
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