America’s 1st Freedom is dedicated to preserving our fundamental right to self-defense. With news on anti-gun schemes that affect our gun rights, plus the truth about legislative battles on Capitol Hill and the 50 states.
Wow! How fast a year has gone by since being elected president at the end of April last year! My first column was titled “It’s A New Day At The NRA,” and included the following:
I am a big believer in transparency. Each individual needs privacy from unconstitutional government intrusion—this especially includes what guns a law-abiding American citizen might own—but an association of freedom-loving citizens must be transparent.
On March 2, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in U.S. v. Hemani. The case involves a defendant who is fighting a federal indictment for possessing a firearm while being a marijuana user.
A lot of things have occurred over the past month or so that not all members are completely aware of. I’ll use my column this month to update you on some important issues—transparency.
The momentum we’re seeing across the country is both encouraging and energizing. January opened with tremendous activity at the NRA booth during SHOT Show, where members, industry partners and supporters stopped by to connect, share ideas and reaffirm their commitment to freedom and the Second Amendment.
As anyone who has passed a basic civics class knows, the U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land. All legislation and official government actions are subject to its limits.
As reported on Oct. 31, 2025, the NRA announced a major internal reorganization to modernize and increase efficiencies. This reorganization marked the first step in our effort to modernize and improve operations.
Every company, great or small, needs a realignment now and then. But, when a company has been around for nearly 155 glorious years, straightening the course can take a full reformation.
There’s a saying in media, “If it bleeds, it leads.” This is a cynical reference to the notion that reporting on tragedy and victimization sells newspapers, or—in our modern media landscape—generates clicks.
Will a meaningful Second Amendment survive in Virginia? That this is even an open question shows how dramatically one election can reshape a state when it comes to the right to keep and bear arms.
I can’t believe it’s been seven months since I was elected NRA president, and I’m already composing my eighth President’s Column. The officers never fully anticipated or appreciated the immense challenges we faced when elected.
The strength of the NRA is, and has always been, our membership. Without our millions of members, we would not be able to effectively rally behind elections for pro-freedom politicians; just as importantly, if not for our large membership, our representatives in office would not feel the same urgency to listen to us in this constitutional republic.
Change is difficult for us. We are often shocked by it. We recoil from it when it brings loss and see it as a time for remorse. And it can be, but often what we are witnessing is a step in a transformation.
WE ARE THE NRA ... Freedom’s Safest Place. We protect, defend and promote the fundamental right of every law-abiding American to safely and responsibly exercise our God-given Constitutional right to keep and bear arms for defense of self, family, home, state and country, as well as for hunting and recreation, now and for future generations.
I get up every morning with one question on my mind: How do we continue to give America the strong NRA it needs?
Complacency is not an option in the struggle to preserve the Second Amendment. It is a form of surrender.
“Give me liberty, or give me death,” are the immortal words of Patrick Henry spoken on March 23, 1775, to the Second Virginia Convention in Richmond, Va. His impassioned words were a call to arms against British tyranny.
This month marks the 234th anniversary of the ratification of the U.S. Bill of Rights.
I dedicate this column to the ongoing monumental change and transformation of the NRA. The NRA has experienced an impressive history of success over the last 154 years.
Informed gun owners know that the mainstream media is biased and unreliable when it comes to firearm-related topics. Yet recent data from polling firm Gallup show skepticism about mass media is broadly distributed among the U.S. population.
