Future Generation Gun Ownership

[Wimbo]

So this is something I have pondered since getting married (I'm in my early to mid twenties):

What do you think the future of gun ownership will be for my children and generations after? Do you think kids will have interest in guns? Do you think attitude of future gens will shift towards disliking guns? Do you think guns will be banned at any point?

I have this overwhelming fear that before I die, I will see the end of private gun ownership and there will be a generation of kids that grow up not knowing the joy of firearms. Why I feel that way, I am unsure...I pray each day I am wrong because it's such a fun hobby and guns are one of our god given rights. What do you see as the end? Or do you see an end?

 

[GEM]

Given the massive sales of new gun to new owners outside of the normal demographic, I don't see a need to worry at the current time. Now, the new folks are more interested in self-defense than hunting. They might be drawn to the more SD oriented competitions but if you look at the number of competitors vs. gun owners now, I don't expect massive growth.

However, we don't need another doom and gloom thread and OMG this or that politician will ban everything in sheer speculation. Let's wait to see. In the meantime, try to be an ambassador for responsible gun usage across the wide demographics of this nation.

 

[LaneP]

I'm terrible at prognosticating but believe we will have a healthy respect for the 2A for quite some time, though it will be eroded at any opportunity by "common sense gun control measures". Of equal if not greater concern for me is erosion of the very right to self-defense itself. There seems to be a prevailing mentality that safeguarding one's life is a questionable reaction to a potentially life threatening event.

There may come a day when we resemble what the UK is now, in which handguns have to have foot long extensions so they fit within some arbitrary OAL parameter, but again this is just baseless speculation on my part. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Hrbie22]

I will take a more optimistic approach. While I have no doubts the 2A will continue to be attacked, I do believe we are seeing a paradigm shift in how it is looked at from the mass public POV.

The gun sales show people would like to be armed. Even if half of the estimated 7 million new gun owners take a different look at the 2A, we are ahead in the game. I don't necessarily like the turmoil we saw over the summer. But I do like that people have enough brain power to understand help isn't always three digits away. And that gives me some hope.

 

[Typetwelve]

I'll be honest here.

I think we're outnumbered in the "social conditioning" dept. With schools, social media, movies, television all pounding it into kid's brains that "guns are evil", I feel one or two generations and the drive to protect our 2A rights will erode greatly.

Heck, some firearm owners are even in favor of banning certain items and we all know the "slippery slope" tactics in Washington.

Politicians and those behind the scenes are aiming at children. Get them to feel that guns are evil and in time, they'll allow you to ban anything you like.

 

[25-5]

The future population is produced by the education system. Even the military academies.
On the firearm forums I notice mostly older folks as well.

 

[.308 Norma]

I have this overwhelming fear that before I die, I will see the end of private gun ownership and there will be a generation of kids that grow up not knowing the joy of firearms.

Wimbo, while it hasn't been "overwhelming," I've had that same fear since shortly after JFK was shot in 1963. I'm 72, my grandkids are your age now, and like you, my grandkids are continuing the fight.
Do I ever "see an end?" Frankly, I don't. I'm grateful to young people like yourself (and my grandkids) though for continuing the fight for our freedoms, because I'm pretty darned sure what the end will be if you don't - even though I probably won't be around to see it.
As for myself, I'll continue to vote pro-gun, I'll continue to support pro-gun organizations, I'll continue to speak-up for our rights and I'll continue to try to educate people who simply don't understand. But I'm tired, man. 1964 to 2021 is 57 years!

 

[daniel craig]

I figure if times change I’ll adapt to the times instead of trying to hold on to the past.

 

[Typetwelve]

Wimbo, while it hasn't been "overwhelming," I've had that same fear since shortly after JFK was shot in 1963. I'm 72, my grandkids are your age now, and like you, my grandkids are continuing the fight.
Do I ever "see an end?" Frankly, I don't. I'm grateful to young people like yourself (and my grandkids) though for continuing the fight for our freedoms, because I'm pretty darned sure what the end will be if you don't - even though I probably won't be around to see it.
As for myself, I'll continue to vote pro-gun, I'll continue to support pro-gun organizations, I'll continue to speak-up for our rights and I'll continue to try to educate people who simply don't understand. But I'm tired, man. 1964 to 2021 is 57 years!

I'm 42.

I was in grade school in the mid/late 80's. Back then, firearms weren't villainized like they are now. There was no social media, there was no "march for our lives" type propaganda aimed at children, now even the word "gun" is being treated in schools like it is a swear word. I feel I grew up (mostly) in the same America you did, children-aimed propaganda (concerning firearms) wasn't as large back then, in most places, it wasn't even a thing.

Children are being targeted now and I honestly feel this is a new(er) tactic. Politicians and the anti-gun crowd have figured out that most of us past our 20's have our mind made up about firearms, give or take. Attacking the mind of a child is the new tactic when it comes to anti-gun rights propaganda.

I really think this is going to have an impact on how society votes in the next 20 years.

 

[pairof44sp]

If you ignore all hype and focus only on the concrete record up to the present, I believe that you’ll see that we’ve trended, since the beginning of the “gun control” era (1968), toward more guns and toward a more permissive legal regime for gun owners.

When I was growing up in the 70s, concealed carry was illegal seemingly everywhere (I don’t know the state by state details) and there were far, far fewer pistols to choose from.

Gun control might be bad for gun owners, but it stimulates the industry.

Just think how many cars they could sell if the government would constantly banning and un-banning the various basic features of cars!

“The Bureau of Candy Bars, Potato Chips and Automobiles announced in a Letter today that trucks with extended cabs will be reclassified as “tractors” for the next 2-3 years. The Bureau urges truck owners to purchase a regular-cab truck at their earliest convenience to avoid falling afoul of the law, and assures them that they will be welcome to purchase yet another truck when the current Letter expires.”

 

[BreechFace]

What do you propose you do with your future family to ensure what you fear doesn't happen?

Me? I intend to raise my kids around guns and show what a fun, rewarding and enjoyable hobby it can be. Changing the world starts for a person around their dinner table. I also intend to be an ambassador to those who are not gun people and show them the truth about gun ownership, responsibility, enjoyment and self-defense.

 

[Typetwelve]

What do you propose you do with your future family to ensure what you fear doesn't happen?

Me? I intend to raise my kids around guns and show what a fun, rewarding and enjoyable hobby it can be. Changing the world starts for a person around their dinner table. I also intend to be an ambassador to those who are not gun people and show them the truth about gun ownership, responsibility, enjoyment and self-defense.

I only have one child, a daughter. She's now 12. She's been raised around firearms her entire life, been shooting with me on occasion. She's 100% comfortable around them, seeing them, my reloading, etc...but she has little interest in them (at the moment).

 

[GEM]

We are starting to wander in to general world views and I deleted such. I don't see this going anywhere but the usual social divide conversation so thus closed.