American Gun Rights: Past, Present, and Future
Stephanie Kimmell
Each July, fireworks crack across the sky as Americans come together to celebrate liberty. For many, that means cookouts and sparklers. It also means reflecting on the unalienable rights secured through revolution, enshrined in our Constitution, and defended through generations. Chief among those rights is the right to keep and bear arms—a distinctly American freedom, unique in scope and origin.
This Independence Day, we borrow a literary framework from A Christmas Carol to reflect on American gun rights through the lens of its Past, Present, and Future. Not to mourn its challenges, but to celebrate how far we’ve come, where we stand today, and what a brighter tomorrow could look like if we continue to exercise and defend this essential freedom.
To do this, three of our best writers have worked in collaboration to create an overview of American gun rights. Let’s dig in.
Firearm Freedom Past
By Bucky Lawson
When James Madison drafted the Bill of Rights, he didn’t create new liberties—he recognized existing ones. The Second Amendment, like the First, is a shield: a prohibition on government interference in a right already understood to be vital.
The founders knew firsthand the danger of a government that fears an armed populace. The American Revolution began when British troops attempted to seize colonial arms in Concord, Massachusetts. The resulting confrontation sparked a movement that birthed a nation. That moment matters—not just because it led to the United States, but because it set the tone for what kind of citizens Americans would be.
Citizens, not subjects.
Unlike the English Bill of Rights of 1689—which granted arms to Protestants “as allowed by law”—our Second Amendment protects the right of all people, regardless of religion, class, or circumstance. It assumes that individuals are best suited to determine their own needs for defense and self-preservation. Our Constitution enshrines that idea in language stronger and simpler than any government edict: “shall not be infringed.”
This philosophical foundation, combined with a practical necessity for self-reliance on the frontier, built a unique American firearms culture. Firearms were tools of survival, symbols of autonomy, and soon, sources of innovation.
Names like Colt, Winchester, Remington, and Maxim didn’t just manufacture guns and gear. They defined American ingenuity, creating technologies that shaped global history.
Hiram Percy Maxim, for instance, developed the first commercially successful firearm suppressor not for war, but for the sake of being a considerate neighbor. His “Dr. Shush” silencers were made for sport shooters and hunters. Yet by 1934, his invention was placed under burdensome restrictions in the National Firearms Act, the unintended consequence of a failed experiment in alcohol prohibition.
Despite setbacks, the right to bear arms has endured. Americans fought in courtrooms and legislatures to undo decades of erosion. Landmark decisions like District of Columbia v. Heller and NYSRPA v. Bruen have reaffirmed what the founders intended: that the Second Amendment protects an individual right. Today, 29 states recognize permitless carry. Suppressors, once demonized, are legal in 42 states. The tide is turning.
Our history isn’t perfect. But it’s proof that when Americans fight for their rights, those rights can be restored.
Firearm Freedom Present
By David Higginbotham
Freedom today wears a complicated face. We’re still free—arguably more so than nearly any other people on Earth—but those freedoms live within a framework of laws, regulations, and increasingly, social expectations.
Where once kids rode bikes with .22s strapped to their backs, today we have school policies banning the depiction of guns in media shown in class. The landscape has changed, shaped by shifting norms and reactionary politics. Still, the right remains.
While the loudest voices may dominate headlines, gun ownership is expanding. Concealed carry is legal in all 50 states, and a growing number recognize constitutional carry. Reciprocity maps evolve, and while some states remain hostile, the broader trend is clear: Americans still believe in the right to self-defense.
Suppressors have followed a similar path. Thanks to education and advocacy from groups like SilencerCo and the American Suppressor Association, the myths of Hollywood are giving way to reality. Suppressors are hearing protection devices. They’re practical tools for safer, more responsible shooting. They’re legal in most states, and increasingly accepted for hunting and sport.
Even within the framework of the National Firearms Act, ownership is possible. Machine guns, SBRs, SBSs, and even tanks are still legal—albeit heavily regulated. But the very fact that Americans can own them, despite restrictions, says something profound about our system: that liberty still finds a way.
We are, in many ways, freer than we appear. Especially when compared to our friends in the UK, Australia, or Canada. There, the conversation isn’t about how to responsibly expand rights—it’s about managing their loss.
So today, this Independence Day, we celebrate the fact that we can speak freely, travel widely, and yes—carry firearms. It’s not perfect. But it’s worth protecting.
Firearm Freedom Future
By Travis Pike
Now imagine a future where suppressors are no longer burdened by red tape and $200 tax stamps. A future where Hiram Percy Maxim’s vision of responsible, quiet shooting is realized nationwide.
In that future, suppressors are commonplace. Affordable, effective, and readily available. Innovation explodes—from niche cans for obscure calibers to integrally suppressed firearms sold off the shelf.
Threaded barrels and suppressor-height sights become standard features. Subsonic ammo becomes mainstream. Police forces adopt integrally suppressed carbines to reduce hearing damage and improve communication. Hunters shoot without ear protection, preserving their hearing and respecting the peace of the wilderness.
The stigma is gone. Hollywood finds new tropes. New generations grow up understanding that suppressors aren’t sinister—they’re smart.
But freedom never rests.
Even in this brighter world, vigilance is necessary. The removal of suppressors from the NFA won’t end the fight. Anti-gun politicians will attempt to reinstate bans. Lawsuits and ballot initiatives will test the will of the people.
The lesson? Celebrate victories, but prepare for counterattacks.
Freedom is not a destination—it’s a direction. Every generation must walk the path again.
Time to Celebrate!
This Independence Day, let’s raise a glass to what we have. Yes, we live in a complex world. But we still live in the only nation where the right to bear arms is enshrined at the highest level of law.
We honor that right not only by defending it in courts and legislatures but by living it: through safe and responsible carry, thoughtful political engagement, and passing these values on to the next generation.
Buy that suppressor. Take someone shooting. Teach the next generation what it means to be a citizen—not a subject.
Freedom isn’t a relic of the past. It’s alive. It’s here. And if we have anything to say about it, it’s here to stay.
God Bless America
Stephanie Kimmell
