100% gun rights,
0% culture war
The gun debate: a contest to see which side can demonize more people. Each side is trying to destroy the other. You win wars by force. And culture wars are no different. Each side fires their volleys back and forth, but the only thing they improve is the cable news ratings.
We’re creating something better. We’re about making new gun owners and spreading gun rights — and that’s all. No name-calling or vitriol. We’re hardcore for gun rights, but always inclusive and friendly. Welcome to Open Source Defense.
Coming out of the safe
Yes, it’s true: a handful of gun owners absolutely do fit the stereotype. But here’s another truth: twelve million people in the US carry concealed at least once a month. There are 10+ million AR-15 owners out there. Almost 40% of people in the US have a gun at home. Those people aren’t a stereotype. They’re our friends and family and neighbors. And a lot of them are afraid to even be known as gun owners, let alone to share that it’s an important, joyful part of their lives. We’re making it safe for them to be themselves.
Take a newbie shooting
Taking a newbie shooting is the most effective thing you can personally do (you! yes, you! this weekend!) to expand gun rights. It’s a privilege to take someone shooting for the first time — and it’s really fun. Here are some tips that will help you open minds one range trip at a time.
Everybody’s welcome
The old stereotypes about who is and isn’t a gun owner are quickly dying out. Go to a gun range and you’ll see people have gotten the message — gun ranges are often much more diverse than the typical workplace or school. Diversity along every axis. Race, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, profession, politics, home town, thoughts on whether a hot dog is a sandwich. You name it.
We especially welcome people who are gun-curious, or even anti-gun. You can rely on us for three things: to always support gun rights, to always be friendly, and to do both no matter who we’re talking to.
Office hours
If you’re a new gun owner, thinking about becoming one, or know someone who is, come to our office hours. You get a 30-minute video call 1-on-1 with an OSD team member to ask any and all your gun questions, in a friendly, non-judgmental space. For free. So come on by! We're here to help.
Culture not politics
Begging politicians to do the right thing is a waste of time. Culture drives politics, not the other way around. So we focus on culture. Making it easier to learn about guns, and safe to come out of the safe. If we do that job right, the politicians are going to come to us.
Gun rights are human rights
We’re all born with the right of self-defense, to control our own destiny. And for that to mean anything — especially for our weakest, poorest, or most disadvantaged — it means having great tools for self-defense. Grandma has just as much a right to control her body as a 6’4” athlete does, and unlike him, she can’t do it empty-handed.
Guns mean that if all else fails and bad luck ever strikes you, you keep the final say on what someone else does to you. If anyone takes those tools away from you, they’re taking your final say too. They’re saying that they’ll decide for you. That they’ll give you permission to control your own body.
We believe all people are born with the right to never ask permission for that.
Resources for you
Beyond all of the above, we have a few extra things for you to check out:
First, a live database of every major Second Amendment case coming up through the courts, from the district level all the way up to the Supreme Court. With notes on each case, links for background reading, and a heads up on any changes. If you’re into 2A jurisprudence, bookmark it. It’s maintained by @2Aupdates, the best watcher of gun-related court cases on the internet.
Live database of 2A court cases
Second, the best way to hear about what we’re doing is our weekly email newsletter, which you can sign up for at the bottom of this page. And here’s the full archive of past weeks’ newsletters.
Donate
If you like what we’re doing, you can donate instantly below. Donations aren’t our biggest funding mechanism, but they are a dead-simple way to kick in a few bucks to help us keep growing like crazy.