Author: TXGRStaff

August 21st, 2024

Gun-grabbing leftists and their media acolytes often claim that the vast majority of Americans support their “common-sense” policies on gun control. New polling by Fox News tells a different story.

With the bipartisan direction of Beacon Research, a left-wing pollster, and Shaw & Company Research, a right-wing pollster, Fox conducted polling on a sample of over 1,100 likely voters. A myriad of survey questions were included that touched on candidate favorability, voter enthusiasm, and the importance of various hot-button political issues among voters. With a proportionate range of registered Republicans, Democrats, and Independents polled, TXGR endorsed candidate Donald J. Trump edges out victory over Vice President Kamala Harris by 1%.

When it comes to the issues, guns rank low on the list of importance, with only 3% of respondents ranking it as the issue they care most about. It appears that the 2024 election will boil down to the top 3 responses, the economy (38%), immigration (14%), and abortion (14%).

Diving deeper into which candidate voters believe would better handle each issue, voters trust President Donald Trump on gun policy over Kamala Harris by 3 percentage points. Voters also favor Trump over Kamala on the economy, foreign policy, immigration, and border security. This poll exhibits relatively similar results on candidate trust as the one conducted by Fox News on June 24th, when Joe Biden was still the Democratic nominee. Trump has improved on the issue of guns among voters by 1% since then.

Trump’s candidate favorability on the issue of guns continues through the context of the failed assassination attempt on the former president, in which Donald Trump was struck on the ear by a bullet fired from an AR-15 rifle. This particular firearm has been the prime target of gun control activists for many years, with widespread calls for it to be banned in the United States. Trump recently announced during a press conference that the attempt on his life did not alter his support for the 2nd Amendment and emphasized the importance of Americans being able to defend themselves and their families. 

Despite this, guns have rarely been a topic of discussion for the Trump campaign throughout the 2024 cycle. He has, for the most part, stuck to the key issues of immigration and the economy. Meanwhile, his opponent has focused the majority of her campaign efforts on rallying support for abortion access. Given Trump’s favorability on the issue of guns, it may be time for him to put greater emphasis in supporting 2nd Amendment rights nationwide.

Kamala Harris is the most radically anti-gun candidate in American history. She has consistently called for bans on so-called “assault rifles,” and she even praised Australia’s mandatory gun buy-back program, saying she would like to see something similar implemented in the United States. She has vehemently supported “Red Flag Laws,” which strip the American people of due process and violate their Constitutional rights. 

Kamala’s campaign has attempted to tone down her anti-gun rhetoric in an effort to appear more moderate, publicly flip-flopping on the issue of gun confiscation, as she has with many others. President Trump should seize every opportunity to highlight just how insanely radical and unconstitutional Kamala’s views on the 2nd Amendment are and paint a picture of what practical applications of her worldview would actually look like. Imagine advertisements depicting the reality of gun confiscation and state-enforced violence against law-abiding gun owners. This type of messaging could open the eyes of gun owners who are perhaps not very invested in politics and wouldn’t typically vote, allowing them to understand that their fundamental rights are under imminent attack.

With that said, we are a gun rights organization, not a consulting firm. We are not experts at running presidential campaigns.

What we here at Texas Gun Rights are experts at is defending your 2nd Amendment rights and God-given liberty to self-defense. TXGR is the Lone Star State’s premier NO COMPROMISE gun rights group, working to secure your freedoms and combat all gun grabbing tyrants trying to infringe upon them, left wing or right wing. Support our work by chipping in with a donation below!

Article submitted to Texas Gun Rights by Blake Kresses

August 9th, 2024 

Confirming what most law-abiding gun owners and 2nd Amendment activists already knew, gun control laws serve no purpose in preventing homicides or lowering homicide rates, according to a new study published by Duke University.

Using both the CDC-provided homicide and suicide rates of children under the age of 18 between 2009 and 2020, researchers at Duke studied the effects of 36 different forms of firearm restriction, regulation, and control. The varying laws examined in the study included Red Flag laws, background checks, waiting periods, and even “stand your ground laws,” concluding that no “notable distinctions between states with and without the identified laws” were found.

Laws pertaining to proper gun storage and child access prevention were found to have a minimally positive relationship with child suicide rates, although no significant suicide reductions were found in states that have implemented minimum age restrictions for purchasing a firearm.

The primary author of the study, Krista Haines, relayed her shock and disappointment from finding that gun control laws do not effectively prevent gun deaths in a news release by Duke Health. Despite the contradictory results of her own study, she persisted in demanding increased gun control measures, stating that “Our study clearly points to a need for more laws and controlled access to these guns, especially given the high rates of death among children in the United States.” 

This insistent and conclusive statement reveals the premeditated biases of the study itself and the initial goals of its core author in advocating for stripping away 2nd Amendment rights from law-abiding citizens. Unfortunately for Haines, she incontestably proved that the facts simply aren’t on her side. 

Contrary to Haines, pro-gun activists aren’t surprised in the slightest by the findings of this study. Gun control laws serve only to strip lawful citizens and gun owners of their God-given right to self-defense while doing nothing to prevent criminals from obtaining deadly weapons. Men with the intent to murder are not going to be dissuaded by laws preventing gun ownership; murder itself is already illegal. Gun control laws simply disarm good people and leave them defenseless from the abuses of bad men. 

It is also no secret that states and localities with the strictest gun laws also happen to be epicenters for gun crime. New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles are perhaps the most notable examples of this phenomenon. Criminals find ways to obtain guns illegally and willingly use them against normal people, whose right to self-defense has been stripped away by gun-grabbing tyrants.

Although truth, the Constitution, and the math are all on our side, we will continue to face fierce opposition and deceitful lies from those who wish to take away our God-given liberties. Texas Gun Rights is the premier NO COMPROMISE gun rights group in the Lone Star State, fighting against all forms of infringements on our Constitutional freedoms. Support our cause and preserve your rights by contributing here.

August 9th, 2024 

The concept of “Sin Taxes,” is by no means a new one. Governments have long attempted to disincentivize the public from partaking in certain purchasing activities by implementing additional taxes on specified products. Alcohol and cigarettes have been the most common targets, historically. In a similar, fallacious fashion to the ATF, many states have lumped guns into this category and implemented supplemental taxes on gun purchases, dissuading locals from buying firearms. 

It is in no way a “sin” to utilize one’s God-given 2nd Amendment right to self-defense and preservation, nor should it be treated as such or discouraged in any way by governing entities. For states and localities to do so is an invariable violation of the Constitution and an act of tyranny against the American people.

Thankfully, there are members of Congress who agree with this sentiment and have proposed a bill that would prevent states from enacting such measures entitled the “Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act.” Put forward by Idaho Senator James Risch and California Representative Darrel Issa, the bill appears to have been drafted in direct response to the novel 11% tax on firearm and ammunition purchases imposed by California, Issa’s home state. Although the tax has been challenged and is currently tied up in court proceedings and appeals, these Congressional Republicans have taken it upon themselves to put an end to this misdirected attempt to restrict law-abiding gun owners further.

Issa slammed the “Sin Tax” designation herself in a press release, proclaiming that, “For years, extreme state policies and governors, including from my home state, have targeted the fundamental Second Amendment rights of our fellow Americans. California’s new imposition of a ‘sin tax’ on firearms and ammunition equates a core constitutional freedom with gambling or drug use. Enough is enough.”

Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Representative Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) accompanied Issa and Risch in the legislation’s introduction.

Previously implemented iterations of such firearm-sale taxes by cities and municipalities have been tremendous failures, often resulting in consumers simply fleeing city limits and purchasing from gun stores outside of the tax’s applied jurisdiction. This does of course lead to an immense loss of business by gun stores inside city limits and even their eventual closure or departure for freer and more Constitutionally minded areas.

In 2016, the city of Seattle implemented a similar tax policy, which resulted in a substantial loss of revenue for Seattle’s Outdoor Emporium and the few other gun stores in the town. Ironically, however, Seattle ended up losing a significant amount of sales tax revenue as well due to the dramatic decrease in gun purchases that the gun-specific tax invariably failed to even make up for.

Although unlikely to proceed past the 50-50 split Senate, and even more certain to be vetoed by Joe Biden should it reach his desk, the introduction of this bill is a promising sign for 2A activists everywhere. It’s a revitalizing speck of hope to see elected officials fighting back against ever-encroaching restrictions on the God-given rights of the people. Furthermore, it serves as a foretelling of what could be accomplished if pro-2nd Amendment candidates achieve widespread success in November, and it encourages taking the necessary actions to ensure victories in elections nationwide.

August 6th, 2024 

Everytown for Gun Safety plans to spend $45 million in the following months ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The overwhelming majority of this money is going to be concentrated in eight states that could shape the outcome of not only the presidential election, but seats in the House, Senate, and local offices. 

This campaign will feature a new student organizing drive, which consists of plans to hire 30 new organizers for volunteer recruitment drives at 32 college and university campuses across Arizona, California, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The group’s leaders revealed that the campaign will be concentrated on younger voters, voters of color and suburban women new field offices in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. 

“With MAGA Republicans pushing an extreme ‘guns everywhere’ agenda, this election is a life-or-death moment — so Everytown is going all-out to mobilize the majority of Americans who want to live free from the fear of gun violence,” Everytown for Gun Safety president John Feinblatt declared in a statement. “From sending Vice President Harris to the Oval Office to helping our own volunteers win office, we’ll elect gun sense champions up and down the ballot.” 

Everytown was created in 2013 through a merger of Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. One of the anti-gun organization’s main campaigns is focused on passing legislation to require universal background checks on gun purchases. UBCs are precursors to firearm registration which creates a clear pipeline toward the ultimate goal of every civilian disarmament advocate — gun confiscation. 

Everytown, in addition to its grassroots networks, Moms Demand Action, and Students Demand Action recently endorsed Harris’ bid for the presidency. Roughly 80% of the $45 million will be allocated towards television and digital advertising, per an anonymous source that is familiar with the spending plan.

The entire list of candidates that will receive Everytown largesse will be announced in the coming weeks. Some of the money will go towards backing local candidates that Everytown has identified through its “Demand a Seat” program. This program calls on activists to run for higher office.

Bloomberg is a high-profile donor to Democratic candidates. Earlier this year, he cut a $19 million check to Future Forward, a super PAC backing Harris, and donated close to $1 million to the Biden-Harris campaign, prior to President Joe Biden dropping out of his re-election campaign on July 21. Bloomberg is still a big donor to Everytown and is one of the most prominent billionaires working day and night to destroy the Second Amendment. 

Everytown has been throwing its weight around in recent elections. Before the 2020 presidential race,  Everytown rolled out a $60 million spending plan in order to defeat then-President Donald Trump and elect more Democratic elected officials who back civilian disarmament measures.

Since its founding in 2013, Everytown has been one of the most prolific organizations pushing for gun control. No matter who is in office at the federal, state, and local level, Everytown is constantly pushing the envelope in terms of its advocacy operations.

This relentless political energy is what ultimately wins political battles. The gun rights movement has thankfully understood this brutal nature of politics. In these times of intense polarization, we will have to continue maintaining this intensity.

When our rights are on the line, there is no room for compromise or backing down. Our enemies will most certainly not be engaging in such behavior. They will be playing for keeps. 

One can expect the 2024 election to be a total slugfest between Bloomberg’s astroturf army and the Second Amendment community.

So buckle up.

August 6th, 2024 

On July 30, 2024, FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate stated that the agency still doesn’t know how Donald Trump’s would-be assassin got his rifle onto the roof on which he attempted his attack from. 

Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-CA) grilled Abbate if the FBI had any knowledge about how Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman, was able to get onto the roof armed with a rifle. Abbate responded with the following, “We don’t have definitive evidence yet as to how he got the rifle up there. Based on everything that’s been collected thus far — photos, video, eyewitness accounts — we do believe he likely had it in the backpack.”

Abbate added, “We’re still assessing that. Our laboratory has taken, looked at the rifle itself and measured that against the backpack itself and, if placed in the backpack, it would extend outside, it would have been visible. The FBI Deputy Director noted that no witness has come forward to reveal that a rifle was sticking out of the Crooks’ backpack. 

Abbate posited, “It’s possible that he broke the rifle down, although we don’t have conclusive evidence of that, and took it out of the bag on the roof in those moments before and reassembled it there, that’s one of the theories we’re looking at and working on right now.”

On July 13th 2024, Crooks attempted to assassinate former President Donald at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. He fired multiple shots, with one shot piercing Trump’s right ear. The assassination attempts unfortunately resulted in the tragic death of volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore, who leaped in front of his family to prevent them from being struck by gunfire. Two other individuals were wounded by Crooks’ botched assassination attempt.

This incident has raised many concerns about security at mass public events and the potential role the corporate media played in inciting a deranged individual like Crooks to carry out such a heinous act.

Naturally, many conspiracy theories have emerged to try to explain this tragic set of events. While many of these theories are far out and often just stroke the ego of self-proclaimed “influencers” who are looking to generate clicks. There are many questions that have yet to be answered.

For one, how was Crooks able to climb onto a manufacturing plant roughly 130 yards from where Trump was delivering his speech? There were rally participants who recounted seeing Crooks visibly carrying a rifle as he made his way to the top of the building. Some of these individuals desperately tried to flag down authorities to act on this situation. It was from this elevated vantage point that Crooks was able to fire multiple shots. 

Since Trump’s assassination attempt, several elected officials have exploited this incident to try to push for gun control measures. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) recently called on both Democrats and Republicans in Congress to push for a so-called “assault weapons” ban, while President Joe Biden himself has called for a prohibition on AR-15s when it came to light that Crooks used an AR-15 style rifle to carry out his attack. There are still many elected officials who believe that passing gun control legislation will magically solve gun violence issues 

Clearly, these politicians are abiding by former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s axiom of never letting a crisis go to waste. However, none of these measures do much to address the elephant in the room that is the absolute security collapse that occurred on that fateful day of July 13. If we had a serious political class, that would be the issue to focusing all our attention on. Talking about gun control is a dangerous side quest at best. 

After the failed assassination attempt, the Congressional Oversight Committee held a hearing on July 22, where then-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle was put on the spot about the Secret Service’s failure to stop the assassination attempt. Cheattle eventually resigned from her position on July 23 after it became clear that the answers she gave to elected officials were unsatisfactory. 

Nevertheless, many questions remain unanswered about the events of July 13. Grassroots voters will have to continue holding their politicians accountable and demand a clear response to what unfolded on that fateful day. 

One thing is certain, however: Passing gun control measures will do nothing to prevent politically motivated shootings and other actions committed by unhinged individuals with an ideological ax to grind. 

We must come to grips with the idea that the US has a competency crisis where the government is increasingly incapable of providing basic public security services. By disarming people and not addressing the country’s competency crisis, the US’s political class is not only putting public officials at risk of being assassinated, but also average rally attendees of being massacred in potential terrorist attacks. 

Civilian disarmament is simply not an answer to the US’s heightened degree of political polarization.

July 31st, 2024 

The failed assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024, was a godsend for demagogic gun controllers nationwide.

The average Democrat politician abides by former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s axiom of never letting a crisis go to waste. The events of July 13 were tragic to say the least.  A deranged gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on Trump and his supporters, which resulted in Crooks piercing the upper part of Trump’s right ear. Even more tragic, was the death of Corey Comperatore, a volunteer fire chief who heroically threw himself in front of his family to shield them from gunfire. On top of that, two other people were struck by gunfire during this assassination attempt but were thankfully able to survive their injuries. 

Naturally, gun controllers are using the horrific tragedy of July 13 to justify a slew of gun control measures. In an appearance (D-MA) on Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show on July 16, Sen. Elizabeth Warren declared that Republicans and Democrats should prohibit “assault weapons” in an effort to promote unity.

The Massachusetts senator wants to prohibit these firearms through the imposition of a national ban.  Such a proposal is clearly a demagogic ploy to justify further encroachments on the Second Amendment. Warren is convinced that banning this arbitrary category of firearms is a justified response to the failed assassination attempt on Trump.

 Warren posted the following on X:

“We didn’t hear about gun safety reform at the RNC this week—but it’s an issue where Republicans and Democrats should be able to come together. Let’s ban assault weapons nationwide.” 

“Assault weapons” are an arbitrary category of weapons that often include AK-47 and AR-15 style rifles. Despite being single-shot weapons, these rifles’ cosmetics may appear intimidating to those not plugged into the broader culture. Many erroneously believe that these kinds of rifles have burst or automatic fire settings. In the case of Trump’ s failed assassination attempt, the gunman used an AR-15 style rifle — a firearm the anti-gun Left is obsessed with banning. 

There were some Republican politicians that did not buy the hype surrounding the calls for banning so-called weapons. During a speech he gave at the Republican National Convention on July 16, Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) defended the concept of owning AR-15 rifles.

“There are 400 million guns currently in circulation,” Hunt noted. “Guns aren’t going anywhere. The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. And that son-of-a-b**** is now dead because a good guy with a gun shot him.”

Hunt correctly warned that “the left is using the AR-15 as a scapegoat for infringement on your rights.  “So what they’re going to try to do is demonize the AR-15 to make it seem like everybody is a crazed mass shooter even though that’s completely false. So my message to you all is to be vigilant here. They cannot go after a pistol braces, they cannot go after bump stocks, they cannot go after AR-15s. Because the second we allow them to infringe on that we are letting the fox in the henhouse,” Hunt concluded. 

The US already had an assault weapons ban from 1994 to 2004. The 1994 assault weapons ban was part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which received the signature of then-president Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994.

Pro-gun researchers have contended that the 1994 assault weapons ban had no real impact on crime. According to research from pro-gun economist John Lott, “there was no drop in the number of attacks with assault weapons during the 1994 to 2004 ban. There was an increase after the ban sunset, but the change is not statistically significant.”

Ultimately, there’s nothing magical about an assault weapons ban. The research clearly demonstrates they have a minimal impact on crime. What’s more at play here is the Let’s endgame of complete civilian disarmament. 

It’s no secret that the Left hates the right to bear arms. However, they recognize that there are many institutional constraints and a well ingrained pro-gun culture in the American polity that makes it increasingly difficult to pass gun control. As a result, Gun Control Inc. will turn to gradualist measures such as “assault weapons” bans to gather more momentum. 

We must not give the Left an inch here. Any gun control they pass puts them one step closer to their goal of abolishing the Second Amendment. Any wrench we throw in the Left’s plans to subvert the right to bear arms, gives the pro-gun community more breathing room and more flexibility to go on offense to restore our rights.

July 31st, 2024

During a campaign speech on July 25, 2024, before the American Federation of Teachers, Democratic Party presidential candidate Kamala Harris ridiculed “extremists” who want to grant teachers the ability to arm themselves for the purpose of classroom defense.

During her speech, Harris told the AFT audience: “While you try to create safe and welcoming places where our children can learn, extremists attack our freedom to live safe from gun violence. They have the nerve to tell teachers to strap on a gun in the classroom.”

The idea of arming teachers is not a fringe concept. AWR Hawkins of Breitbart News noted that on December 13, 2018, almost 10 months after the Parkland high school massacre took place, the commission investigating the shooting made the recommendation that teachers should have the ability to arm themselves for self-defense in the classroom. According to a report by the Associated Press, the commission wanted school districts to adopt policies that let “teachers who volunteer and undergo extensive background checks and training…to carry concealed guns on campus to stop future shootings.”

In a similar vein, Breitbart News reported that on November 21, 2018, 

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the key individual spearheading the probe, said the investigation into the mass shooting compelled him to change his views on having armed staff at schools. Initially, he was an opponent of such a concept. He noted, “People need to keep an open mind to it as the reality is that if someone else in that school had a gun it could have saved kids’ lives.”

One interesting thing that Hawkins noted about the Parkland shooting is that the gunman paused five times to reload during his massacre, however no teachers or staff members were armed to halt the bloodshed. 

Curiously, there were no armed teachers present at Sandy Hook Elementary School when a gunman shot up the school and killed 27 people — including himself — on December 14, 2012. 

There’s nothing magical about schools that make them immune to attacks from deranged individuals. The fact of the matter is that as gun-free zones, schools are criminal safe spaces that allow would-be mass shooters to potentially achieve enormous kill counts. Hence, the alarming amount of mass shootings that have occurred in schools in the last three decades. Per pro-Second Amendment researcher John Lott’s findings, 94% of mass shootings have occurred in gun-free zones since 1950.

Kamala Harris can laugh like a hyena all she wants. But the idea of letting law-abiding teachers arm themselves to protect their classrooms is no laughing matter. It could make all the difference in preventing massacres from taking place at our educational institutions.  

We have to realize that Harris and her ilk are not interested in promoting public safety. They’re more animated by a desire to exercise full-blown control of the population. One way to achieve that is by pursuing measures that lead to civilian disarmament. 

At the end of the day, the real promoters of public safety and basic liberties are those who advocate for the right to self-defense and the full-fledged abolition of unconstitutional gun control measures at all levels of government.

July 17, 2024 

Coming to a store near you: American Rounds Express Ammo vending machines.

Fully automated, heavily stocked, and 24/7 accessible vending machines that dispense ammunition for pistols, rifles, and shotguns have been placed in multiple grocery stores throughout Oklahoma and Alabama.

American Rounds, the company behind this venture to revolutionize the bullet buying process, wants to provide customers the ability to “buy ammunition on your own schedule, free from the constraints of store hours and long lines.”

Grant Major, CEO of American Rounds, has reported significant success in sales and popularity of the machines. As a result, the venture is expanding, with new vending machines being installed in Texas and Colorado and further expansion in Oklahoma. 

The machines are equipped with TSA standard ID card scanners and AI-powered facial recognition software to ensure safety, security, and legality. This prevents underage or other prohibited individuals from purchasing ammo from the machines.

American Rounds has emphasized its goals of complying with federal and local regulations while simplifying consumer experiences. Due to discrepancies between state laws regarding age requirements to purchase ammunition, all machines require users to be 21 years of age or older.

Major also assured certain customers, who were skeptical of the ID verification process, that the obtained information is shared with no one and is strictly for the purpose of age verification.

Could this be the future of ammunition purchasing? Will customers nationwide trend towards the RedBox of self-defense? How could these machines impact traditional gun ranges and ammo shops?

There are many questions to be answered, but nonetheless, the expansion of ammunition accessibility for responsible Americans is undoubtedly a positive development. 

July 17, 2024 

In a bold move, President Joe Biden is poised to introduce sweeping reforms to the U.S. Supreme Court, aiming to impose term limits on justices and establish a binding code of ethics.

This proposal comes amid increasing scrutiny of the court’s conservative majority and recent controversial rulings.

Biden, who has traditionally resisted calls for such reforms, previewed this significant initiative during a call with progressive lawmakers last week, promising a “major overhaul” of the court.

An official announcement is expected in the coming weeks, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

The proposed reforms would require congressional approval, necessitating 60 votes in the Senate, a steep challenge even if Democrats retain control of both chambers.

Additionally, Biden is considering a constitutional amendment to limit presidential immunity, a direct response to a recent Supreme Court decision protecting presidents from criminal prosecution for certain acts.

These proposals mark a stark shift for Biden, who, during his 2020 campaign, rejected the idea of expanding the court and instead formed a commission to study possible changes.

However, recent decisions by the court’s conservative majority—with pro-life rulings, blocking gun control measures, and eliminating affirmative action—have prompted Biden to adopt a more aggressive stance.

The push for reform reflects Biden’s response to mounting pressure from within his party, especially from progressive Democrats who doubt his re-election viability after a shaky debate performance.

As this initiative unfolds, the nation will watch closely to see if these significant reforms can navigate the legislative hurdles ahead and bring lasting change to the Supreme Court.