"Universal access to firearms is indistinguishable from Emancipation." - Glenn Beck at the 2013 NRA Convention

Responding to the National Rifle Association's annual convention in Houston earlier this month, Connecticut's freshman Senator Chris Murphy noted, "The NRA kind of announced this weekend they're morphing into a paramilitary group,...

It made national headlines last week when 45 senators sided with the National Rifle Association and voted against a bill that would have significantly enhanced public safety in this country by requiring background checks on private sales of firearms at gun shows and other "commercial" venues. What escaped notice was...

Last week, Vice President Joe Biden stood before House Democrats at their annual retreat in Landsowne, Virginia and promised them that he would travel with President Obama to districts with high rates of firearm ownership to make the case for sensible gun laws. "You can go into areas where we're...

Following last week's high-profile Senate Judiciary hearing in response to the tragedy at Newtown, the media paid extensive attention to National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre's flip-flop on the issue of closing the Gun Show Loophole and witness Gayle Trotter's ridiculous assertion that "guns...

Since the gruesome mass shooting at Newtown, Connecticut, there have been major developments in the campaign to bring sanity to our nation's gun laws. On January 16, President Obama announced a historic package of comprehensive gun reform proposals during a press conference at the White House. Vice President...

This week, America has been taken aback by the National Rifle Association's ad politicizing President Obama's daughters. With this latest episode, it's become patently obvious that unhinged attacks are the NRA leadership's calling card. As pundits cover the obstructionism and handwringing of high-profile NRA executives like

With Election Day upon us, it is worth remembering that voting is one of the great freedoms we enjoy as Americans, a pillar of our democracy. Our Founders fought a Revolutionary War in order to gain legislative representation. Their sacrifices should never be forgotten.

We should also never forget another...

"Insurrectionism is as American as apple pie."
"Obama and the UN don't stand a bloody chance now."
- Cody Wilson, founder of Defense Distributed and the "Wiki Weapon" project

The Huffington Post and other major media outlets have been abuzz lately with discussion...

National Rifle Association (NRA) board member and aged rocker Ted Nugent made national headlines in April when his threats against President Obama and Democrats earned him a visit from the Secret Service. But he has taken recently to uttering another mantra that is equally disturbing and...

If you learn only one new thing about America's gun laws after the gruesome mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado, learn this: Even when individuals do undergo a background check when buying a gun in this country, the screening for mental health history is cursory at best.

You don't need to...

"You don't have to accept the federalist laws." - Tucson mass shooter Jared Loughner

In this era of polarized politics, it is not surprising that the right is up in arms about the Supreme Court's recent decision on health care. And I do mean -- literally -- up in arms....

With campaign season in full swing, movement conservatives are actively promoting a narrative about the Obama administration being a "threat to the rule of law." The lightning rod for much of this invective is U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who is facing a possible contempt of Congress citation for his...

You might care about the environment. You might be an activist on women's issues. Maybe your passion is for LGBT rights, or labor issues, or K-12 education. And maybe you are sympathetic to those who suffer from gun violence in America... but feel the issue is simply too tough to...

On Friday, the American Conservative Union (ACU) will host its second-ever Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) regional event in Chicago to "take the fight for the future of America directly to President Barack Obama's backyard." Where CPAC is, the National Rifle Association (NRA) is never far behind. The NRA is...

In recent weeks there has been an intense discussion across the nation about Marissa Alexander. Alexander is an African-American woman who shot at her abusive husband and was convicted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Like George Zimmerman, Alexander discharged...

Like so many other immigrants in our proud history, Jean-Joseph Kalonji, 61, and his wife Angelica Kalonji, 57, came here seeking the American Dream -- that wonderful, immutable idea that anyone can succeed in the United States through hard work; that anyone can be welcome into this great melting pot...

"What do Abraham Lincoln, John. F. Kennedy, and Barack Obama have in common?"
"Nothing. Yet."
- Joke told by NRA member that journalist Alexander Zaitchik overheard on way to organization's 2012 annual convention

It's long past time to ask one simple question: How can any...

Why is GOP Lawmaker's Sudden Outrage Over Illegal Gun Trafficking Confined to a Discontinued ATF Operation?

Commenting on a story that has been the focus of national headlines, Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) took to the lectern in front of an audience of thousands and spoke with great outrage...

He was the ultimate poster boy for the National Rifle Association and modern gun culture. Concealed handgun permit holder. NRA Life Member. NRA certified firearms instructor. Conservative Republican. Previous president of his local rifle club. Pro-gun blogger. He dreamed of running his own shooting range and gun shop one day....

The violent confrontation happened in a Southern state with a long history of racial animus. By the time the police arrived, a teenager lay dead on the ground. The shooter had attempted to detain the minority youth as a "suspicious person" before killing him with a point-blank gun blast to...