American Gun Rights are on the Ballot in Midterm

Why Free Americans Own Guns: The Second Amendment

People around the world often wonder why Americans are so attached to their guns, especially in places where gun violence is rare. This connection to firearms goes back to the earliest days of America. When the British Empire ruled the colonies, Americans were taxed without representation. The Boston Tea Party, led by Samuel Adams and other patriots, was a direct response and a bold act of rebellion. But the real question was: how could ordinary people hope to stand against the world’s strongest army? The answer was personal firearms. With muskets and revolvers, everyday Americans joined the Continental Army, led by people like George Washington, who had once served as a British officer. These weapons were not handed out by the government; they belonged to the people. This is where America’s deep connection to guns began. Free People Power!
Men from taverns, towns, and settlements joined the fight, while women fed them and healed them. People used guerrilla tactics they had learned earlier wars. The guns that powered the revolution of 1776 that is 250 years old today, were not given out by the government; they came from the people. Guns and American identity have been linked from the very beginning. When the Founding Fathers discussed citizens’ rights, free speech was their top priority. To protect that freedom, they added the Second Amendment to the Constitution, making sure Americans would never have to ask for permission to speak freely or own guns, not even from their own government.

For 250 years, connection to guns has shaped its way of life. But this has a serious downside: criminals also have guns, and the impact of gun violence is well known both in the U.S. and around the world. As Republicans People of Color, we recognize the urgency of reducing gun violence and believe it is possible to do so while respecting the Constitution. That is why Republicans support solutions like strengthening mental health care, funding community-based violence prevention programs, improving background checks to stop dangerous individuals from getting firearms, and encouraging responsible gun ownership through safety education.

What makes these policies distinctively Republican is commitment to protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens while targeting the real sources of violence. Unlike Democratic proposals that often call for bans on popular firearms, restrictions on magazine capacities, or mandatory federal registries, Republicans focus on practical steps that keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill without punishing responsible gun owners. Republicans approach avoids sweeping regulations or outright bans that fail to respect individual freedoms. These steps allow us to address the problem directly, preserve the Second Amendment, and uphold our tradition of personal responsibility.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracks gun deaths, which shows how serious the problem is.
In 2024, 44,447 people died from gun-related injuries in the United States, with the country averaging about 46,686 gun deaths annually in recent years.

Breakdown of Annual Gun Deaths

The vast majority of firearm deaths in America are suicides and homicides.
• Suicides made up 62% of all gun deaths in 2024, totaling 27,593 fatalities. Guns were involved in about 57% of all U.S. suicides.
• Homicides accounted for 35% of gun deaths that year, or 15,364 fatalities. Firearms were used in about 76% of all U.S. homicides.
• The remaining 3% of gun deaths were due to law enforcement shootings, accidental discharges, and undetermined causes.
Recent Yearly Trends
Annual gun deaths reached a 40-year high of 48,830 in 2021 but have gone down in recent years as homicide rates have dropped, even though suicides with guns are still high.
• 2022: 48,204 deaths
• 2023: 46,728 deaths
• 2024: 44,447 deaths
• 2025 (Preliminary): CDC data shows gun-related deaths are about 8.2% lower than the year before, continuing the downward trend.
The CDC National Center for Health Statistics collects this data each year from official death certificates. Besides deaths, more than 200 Americans survive and get emergency care for nonfatal gun injuries every day.
Yet, Americans continue to buy guns at striking rates.
In 2025, Americans bought an estimated 14.6 to 15.5 million guns, based on FBI background check data.
The exact final total depends on the metric used to filter the background check data:
• Retail Sales Estimate (14.6 million): The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the firearm industry’s trade group, adjusts FBI data to reflect only actual retail purchases. They reported exactly 14,612,314 background checks for retail gun sales in 2025. This number excludes unrelated checks, such as those for concealed carry permits.
• Some estimates, accounting for private transfers, put the total number of guns purchased at over 15.5 million.
Historical Context and Key Trends
• 2025 was the fifth year in a row that firearm sales declined, but demand remains high after the record surge during the pandemic in 2020.
• Even with the downturn, Americans have purchased over a million guns per month for years, making 2025 one of the strongest years for lawful firearm sales in modern history.
• Total Background Checks processed: According to the raw data, the FBI handled 25.05 million firearm background checks in 2025. This number is much higher than actual sales because many checks are done for permit renewals and other administrative reasons.
Full disclosure: Mohamed Ahmed, Author of this article is one of America’s gun enthusiasts. A proud second amendment defender.

AR 15

GLOCK 5 Series

Coming from the gun range where I learn safety and utility of Guns.

Are we crazy for loving guns, as the world sees us?
Yes, maybe, but we have good reasons.

Americans come from many warrior cultures, including Germanic, Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, Aztec, Mayan, Native American, African and Asian, and European backgrounds. We are the New World, a mix of old worlds, and an experiment in freedom and self-determination. Many countries once had armed citizens, but their governments took away their weapons, often with terrible results. The Nazis, the Bolsheviks, and the Khmer Rouge all disarmed their people before oppressing them. In recent times, we have seen modern examples of why armed citizens still matter. During the Arab Spring, some communities were able to defend themselves against oppressive regimes because they still had access to arms. In Ukraine, when the nation was invaded, citizens stood alongside their military and received weapons to protect their neighborhoods and defend their freedom. In the United States, there are also moments where law-abiding gun owners have helped protect their communities from violent riots or during natural disasters when normal law enforcement is overwhelmed. These modern instances remind us that the right to bear arms is not just a historical relic but remains vital.
We see the cost of gun ownership in America, with lives lost to suicide and crime. Still, we insist on keeping our guns legal because we trust ourselves to protect our rights, property, and loved ones more than we trust any central government. We hunt, we train, and we value the right to bear arms. Free speech is our first right, but the Second Amendment makes sure we can defend it, especially now, when censorship is rising even in Western democracies. Unarmed citizens cannot resist. History shows that governments that do not fear their people can become tyrannical.
Many Americans share this fear. We do not easily trust those in power. We question authority and hold it accountable. An armed citizen is an asset to society.
Still, some people in America, especially in the Democratic Party and parts of the government, believe that disarming citizens is the best way to protect them from gun violence. Their intentions are good, but as Republican people of color, we stand by our right to bear arms. People of color in America know too well what happens to disarmed communities. American History is full of examples, from segregation and lynching to the genocide of Native Americans. Our nation’s past is marked by the harm done to unarmed citizens by those in power. America is a nation of all peoples, and these hard truths shape our belief in the right to bear arms.
We keep our arms not because we are enemies of our government, but because we believe in the power of free people. Our government is by the people and for the people, but we must stay alert. For 250 years, Americans have been armed as the last safeguard of freedom, a tradition that goes back to the Revolution of 1776.
Law-abiding, armed citizens are an asset to society. Of course, criminals must be held accountable, and we should address gun violence with mental health programs and practical, rights-respecting safeguards. These include measures like strong background checks to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals, red flag laws that allow courts to temporarily remove firearms when someone poses a real threat, and stronger enforcement against illegal gun trafficking. With red flag laws, due process is still protected: a judge must review evidence and decide before any action is taken, and gun owners have the right to challenge the court’s decision and present their side. This helps balance public safety with respect for constitutional rights, ensuring these laws cannot be used as a blanket excuse for government or bureaucrats to overreach. People at risk of suicide, those who commit domestic abuse, and known criminals should not have access to guns. Families, communities, and law enforcement can help spot risks. But making law-abiding citizens into criminals or taking away guns from everyone is not the answer. Like our colonial ancestors, we reserve the right to keep our guns.
The truth is that evil exists in the world. Even if every gun were taken away, evil would still be here. If we give up our rights to try to stop evil, we risk losing the freedoms that make America exceptionally special as the best damn free country humanity put together, with citizens armed to the teeth. Law-abiding citizens should never give up their guns, because self-protection is a basic right. If our guns are taken, our speech could be next. Who or what would stop that then? History shows that trying to “protect” people by disarming them often leads to more powerful, less accountable governments.
This midterm election, the question of gun rights is on the ballot. Democrats in Congress have proposed measures like a new federal assault weapons ban, limits on magazine capacity, expanded background checks for every gun sale, mandatory waiting periods, and even creating a federal gun registry. Some have pushed for mandatory buyback programs for common rifles and supported repealing protections for gun manufacturers. If you want to keep your guns in America, vote Republican. If you believe in disarming the citizenry and restricting Second Amendment rights, vote Democrat.
We want to keep owning our guns legally, without being treated like criminals by government or bureaucratic overreach. Responsible gun owners play an important role in keeping our neighborhoods safe. We store our firearms securely, follow the laws, and step forward when our communities need us. In fact, studies have shown that communities with high rates of lawful gun ownership often experience lower rates of burglary and other violent crimes, because criminals know that residents can defend themselves. Programs that encourage safe storage and firearm training have also been linked to reductions in accidental shootings and misuse. We believe we can protect ourselves and our families better than anyone else. We are not against our government, and many who serve are heroes, but we trust ourselves with guns more than we trust the government.

www.rpoc.org

Let’s keep our guns for the next 250 years.
Vote Republican to support the Second Amendment and continue the spirit of 1776. We can reduce gun violence without surrendering our constitutional rights. We, as Republicans, can address these issues responsibly.

Past campaign at Game Fair in Minnesota for Our 2nd Amendment Lion Congressman, Tom Emmer.

You can vote to keep your guns, or vote Democrat and give them up gradually, one law proposed at a time—and hope that help arrives when you need it. The choice is yours, America. This midterm, guns are on the ballot! If you own one, come out and vote for the local elephants running in your city and state.
Let’s go, elephants.
Protect your family; Keep your freedoms, rights and liberties: keep our guns legal.
Come out this midterm and vote Republican!