We’re launching a new journal called The Hollow Point to start conversations the gun industry doesn’t want us to have. We analyzed their advertisements and affiliated social networks, and we think it’s clear they want us to talk about guns only in comparison to other guns. They are happy for us to debate the qualities of guns that are best for “everyday carry” rather than question the decision to own one in the first place. The Hollow Point is where we’ll interrogate the hollow point that guns are inevitable.
Here’s my story: I planned to buy a handgun in 2020. I was living alone during the lockdown days of the pandemic. I felt uncertain and pessimistic about the future. Increasingly, I heard friends in progressive circles talk about maybe buying one. I felt like everyone was thinking about buying a gun, so I should consider it, too. In hindsight, I was right where the gun industry wanted me to be — alone and afraid.
Today, an estimated 24 million people are whereI was four years ago. As I did, about 16.8 millionprospective gun buyers are thinking about buying a gun primarily for personal protection. Like me, over 5 million potential buyers are Hispanic and about 1.7 million identify as members of the LGBTQ community.
The only difference between us is that I didn’t buy the gun because I talked about the decision with a trusted friend. He said that owning a gun wouldn’t change what I was worried about, but that it would change my life for the worse. He was right.
When I didn’t buy the gun, I joined the 185 million Americans who have gone gun-free. Gunmakers don’t want us to have conversations like the one I had with my friend, because they don’t make money when we don’t spend it. That’s why we think the advertisements and posts were viewed that were generated by gun companies themselves stuck to generic promotion of their products.
They want us to see guns as normal, neutral, and necessary because their business feasts on the false belief that we can’t afford not to own a gun.The most common type of post or advertisement we found typically featured a simple photo of one or more handguns or rifles.
On social media, companies often seemed happy to just show off pictures of their guns. In our first month of data collection, we found that only smaller companies attempted to catch the fear zeitgeist to sell weapons. Big gunmakers benefit when we come to see guns as they do. But that isn’t reality. Gun ownership isn’t normal — it’s toxic.
In this issue, you’ll read the response from the Rev. Hope Christensen, CEO of Faith Leaders for Ending Gun Violence, to profane ads by AR-15 maker Daniel Defense that abuse scripture meant for healing. And you’ll get our take on how gun ownership transforms mindsets, making people believe their gun gives them power tantamount to judge, jury, and executioner.
You might know someone who is thinking about buying a gun. Don’t let them make the decision alone.
