For decades, the image of gun ownership in America was white, rural and Republican, but that’s been changing, according to gun clubs, trainers, Second Amendment advocates and academic researchers.

They say more liberals, people of color and LGBTQ folks have been buying guns for years and particularly since Trump’s reelection in 2024. This story was based on more than 30 interviews. David Phillips is on the training team of the Liberal Gun Club, which has chapters in more than 30 states and provides a haven for liberals to train and learn about guns. He says club membership has grown from 2,700 in November to 4,500 today. Requests for training, he says, have quintupled.

“The concern is about the supporters of the right-wing who feel that they have been given permission to run roughshod at least, if not commit outright violence against people they don’t like,” Phillips says.

  • bobgobbler@lemmy.zip
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    2 days ago

    This isn’t entirely true… extermination of apex predators has brought environmental damage. Sustainable hunting is actually a net positive, brings additional revenue to the area and helps population dynamics. Specifically things like how they hunt African Lions today. The pick sick or old animals, it has high barrier to entry so it’s not something you do often and most of the money goes back into conservation and local developing economies.

    • chiliedogg@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      So you’re saying thousands of people people who aren’t members of the rich, white, cis, straight Republican, male ruling class should spend 200 grand each to hunt old apex predators?