Conservative pundit and activist Charlie Kirk was a staunch advocate for guns, even arguing in 2023 that “some gun deaths” were worthwhile “so that we can have the Second Amendment.”

On Wednesday, he was shot and killed, highlighting the ongoing and uniquely American problem with gun violence—emboldened by the right’s long love affair with guns.

Most Americans support the Second Amendment right to own guns, but they simultaneously back regulations to preserve public safety. A 2024 Morning Consult poll found that the extremist pro-gun stance of the Republican Party is out of touch not only with most Americans, but even among Americans who are gun owners themselves.

For instance, President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign called for cutting federal funding for research into gun violence resea

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