A new book is raising serious questions about the growing influence of the gun industry and the National Rifle Association on American culture and law.
The book, titled Ricochet, was written by New York Times reporter Mike McIntire. In it, McIntire argues that gun companies and the NRA have been actively working to broaden the interpretation of the Second Amendment — even as legislation designed to restrict firearms continues to be rolled back or weakened.
McIntire contends that the gun industry has taken deliberate steps to introduce children to firearms at an early age, effectively socializing younger generations to view guns in a positive light. He also says the industry has crafted a new vision of masculinity centered around gun ownership and use.
The book examines how these combined efforts — legal, cultural, and commercial — have shifted the landscape of gun rights in the United States, expanding what the right to bear arms means in practice while making it harder for gun safety laws to gain traction.
