What's Your Story?

If you haven’t been following, there are a lot of things happening on the legal front these days. It seems like every day a press release from the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA), Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) or NSSF arrives in my inbox — announcing legal challenges to draconian legislation, wins in securing injunctions and other important updates.

In states like Washington, Illinois, Maryland and, of course, California, the anti-gun movement has been very active. However, they’ve faced stiff resistance from the four organizations mentioned above, as well as manufacturers, dealers and other companies impacted by the proposed measures in those states.

Recently, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo recognized precedent set by other legislative wins for the industry when he vetoed two bills that would have restricted residents’ ability to self-manufacture firearms and banned young adults from possessing common rifle and shotguns.

“We’re pleased not only did the governor veto these unconstitutional and immoral measures, but that the years of effort of our members, supporters and litigation team contributed to the decision,” stated Richard Thomson, FPC VP of programs. “The tide continues to turn toward individual liberty and respect for fundamental rights.”

Our own Ashley McGee attended the 2023 NSSF Marketing & Leadership Summit and came away with five very insightful takeaways, which she shared with Shooting Industry’s readers. (Story is available here: https://shootingindustry.com/5-takeaways-nssf-summit.)

One of Ashley’s takeaways relates to the legal battles mentioned above — we, as an industry, need to “tell a better story.”
NSSF President and CEO Joe Bartozzi offered this perspective to attendees during a panel discussion: “We always only hear the negative when it comes to guns,” he stated. “If we were any other industry, we’d be touted as a success story for all the lives we’ve saved and changed.”

The industry has had a lot of success over the past few years — such as welcoming millions of first-time gun buyers and crossing the $16 billion threshold in excise taxes to support conservation efforts (which, when adjusted for inflation, would be $25 billion) since 1937. In addition, industry-led programs, such as Project ChildSafe, continue to influence communities and encourage secure storage efforts.

“If we don’t talk about the positives, all everyone will continue to hear is the negative,” Bartozzi said.

So, it’s up to all of us to share how active the industry is in empowering those who are vulnerable, leading the charge to preserve the public lands for future generations and promoting a steadfast approach to safety.

Have a success story to share the industry should know about? Drop me a line anytime: jade.moldae@fmghq.com.

CLICK HERE for more June 2023 FMG Inside News