The Trace, that ever-vigilant watchdog of the gun world funded by billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s anti-2A empire, just pulled back the curtain on their latest investigative circus with a webinar titled Investigating the Gun Industry. Billed as a clandestine gathering for fellow gun control activists, it kicked off with lofty pledges of independent journalism, transparency, and accountability—phrases that rang as hollow as a jammed chamber. Within minutes, the mask slipped, revealing not objective reporting but a targeted hit job on an entire lawful industry for the high crime of… existing and succeeding. Picture this: a room full of ideologues dissecting manufacturers, dealers, and ranges not for any specific wrongdoing, but for daring to operate in a free market that produces products protected by the Second Amendment.
Dig deeper, and the irony is thicker than gun oil. The Trace positions itself as the noble truth-seeker, yet it’s little more than a propaganda arm, laundering activist agendas through faux-journalistic veneers. Their clandestine work boils down to scraping public records, cherry-picking ATF data, and amplifying ATF horror stories while ignoring the industry’s $70 billion annual economic footprint—jobs in every state, innovation from suppressors to smart safes, and a supply chain that bolsters national security. This isn’t journalism; it’s astroturfing, designed to fuel lawsuits, regulations, and public smears that echo the Joyce Foundation’s playbook from the ’90s. Remember how they tried (and failed) to bankrupt gun makers via predatory litigation? Same game, new webinar.
For the 2A community, this is a clarion call: The Trace isn’t just whining about an industry—they’re laying groundwork for the next assault on your rights, from Biden’s ghost gun rules to state-level dealer registries. It underscores why vigilance matters—support pro-industry orgs like NSSF, amplify counter-narratives on platforms like Gun Owners of America, and vote with your wallet for brands that fight back. If they can demonize widgets as societal ills, no right is safe. Stay strapped, stay informed, and keep building the industry they fear.
