Can the Left Support the Second Amendment?

Or more specifically can someone who self identifies as “leaning left” be a Second Amendment supporter?

Can someone who describes themself as leaning left support the Second Amendment (2A)? With the explosion of new gun owners over the last few years, many of whom would describe themselves as left leaning, the question becomes increasingly relevant. An answer in the positive seems improbable but the question is worth exploring.

Left leaning is defined as “sympathetic to or tending toward the left in politics”. Given that definition, a reasonable person might make some assumptions. One might assume that someone who leans left is a registered Democrat, Independent, or in California, a “decline to state”. They probably get much of their information from CNN, MSNBC, and KPBS. They may read the NY Times or Washington Post. They may believe the riots of 2020 were mostly peaceful protests and that America is racist and oppressive. That firearms related violence is caused by guns not criminals. That person probably has a strong dislike of Donald Trump and is pro-choice yet supports vaccine mandates. If this sounds familiar you just might lean left.

What does it mean to support the Second Amendment? People support the 2A in many ways. Some donate money to pro-2A organizations, some donate time, some both. Some write pro-2A articles or speak at pro-2A events or in some other way educate people about the Second Amendment. Others are avid hunters or participate in shooting sports or clubs or become firearms instructors. What 2A supporters don’t do is vote for politicians who are actively working to destroy our Second Amendment protected rights. For those that have forgotten the following is the Second Amendment in its entirety:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Most if not all gun-control laws infringe on our right to keep and bear arms and have little to no impact on criminals. No matter your political leanings, in America you essentially have two political parties from which to choose. The Democratic Party has made gun-control a central part of the party platform. Democrat politicians across the country consistently pass laws and implement policies meant to degrade our 2A protected rights. Can someone that consistently supports these politicians legitimately claim to support the Second Amendment?

Gun sales have surged across the country in recent years due in large part to the events of 2020 and the record-breaking increase in violent crime being experienced across the nation. Increases are more drastic in cities run by Democrat politicians. Many of these cities have been under Democrat control for decades and are suffering the results of increasingly criminal friendly, anti-law enforcement policies implemented by those politicians.

Violent crime impacts right leaning as well as left leaning Americans. Accordingly new gun owners represent a mix of Americans of all political persuasions. Owning a firearm, however, does not make one a Second Amendment supporter any more than owning a guitar makes a person a musician.

Most Democrat politicians claim to support the Second Amendment yet work aggressively to destroy it. Politicians from Gavin Newsom to Hillary Clinton, to Joe Biden all claim to support the 2A yet continue to advocate for or implement oppressive, unconstitutional gun-control laws. Any event where a criminal or someone who is violently insane uses a gun to harm others is used to justify more gun control.

If you’re a new gun owner congratulations. If you’re a gun owner and you support politicians who work aggressively to limit our Second Amendment protected rights, you are not a Second Amendment supporter. You’re just someone who leans left and owns a gun. Get over it, enjoy your guns and maybe someday you’ll become a Second Amendment supporter.

©2021 Joseph T Drammissi

Let’s Go Brandon!

This article and more of Joe’s work covering the Second Amendment and other topics can be found on Substack at