The COVID pandemic — or, more accurately, the governmental response and authoritarian overreach in the name of “protecting lives” — as well as the Black Lives Matter-inspired violence and murder sweeping the country have awakened many Americans to the wisdom behind the Founders’ inclusion of the Second Amendment in our Constitution.

The past two years have seen more records set in firearms purchases, with 2020 setting an all-time high of 22.8 million guns sold, and 2021 coming in just behind.

The people driving the surge in firearms sales may come as a bit of a surprise to some. Black ownership of firearms has increased by 58.2% since the pandemic began, followed by 51.9% for whites, 49.4% for Hispanics, and 42.9% for Asians.

However, despite the surge in gun ownership among black Americans, the percentage of black gun owners remains low, with only 9.3% of black men and 5.4% of black women owning guns, compared to 55.8% of white men and 16.6% of white women who own firearms.

That said, attitudes clearly appear to be changing within the black community. “The Second Amendment and gun rights have been the Black community’s right, and a lot of Black people are starting to realize it,” says Kourtney Redmond, a member of the 761st Gun Club, a black firearms education group. “The police department and government isn’t going to save the Black community, and a lot of Black people are realizing the first line of defense is yourself.”

Indeed, self-protection is exactly what’s driving this embrace of the Second Amendment. “You see a rise in carjackings,” Redmond asserts. “You see a rise in violent crime in Chicago. You see this revolving door where [criminals] come in and come out. This area is not particularly strict on crime, but they are strict on gun laws. The gun laws are not working, and the Black community realized that they have to protect themselves.”

Florida Republican Representative Byron Donalds welcomes the news. “The data is clear that more Americans, especially Black Americans and Black women, are choosing to purchase a gun and immerse in our nation’s long-standing gun culture,” he said. “Whether it’s for safety amongst the rise in violent crime, basic security of your loved ones or property, or as a hobby, owning a gun is a right granted by the U.S. Constitution, and it’s great to see more Americans take part in this right.”

We’d only argue with one point: Self-defense is a God-given right affirmed, not granted, by the Constitution.

There may also be significant political ramifications from this growth in black gun ownership. Republicans have long been the party defending and advocating for Americans’ Second Amendment rights, whereas Democrats have increasingly embraced an anti-firearm agenda. It will be harder for Democrats to stand against gun rights if one of their biggest constituencies is increasingly embracing them. It certainly creates a great opportunity for Republicans to make further inroads.