In Jubilee’s “Middle Ground” debate, gun rights and gun control advocates sat down for a raw, face-to-face conversation about firearms in America. The video brings together people from very different walks of life – Marines, mental health workers, parents, activists, teachers – to talk it out, viewpoint by viewpoint. These aren’t politicians or scripted pundits. They’re real folks with real experiences, sharing why they believe what they do. Here’s a breakdown of 13 powerful and conflicting opinions from the debate.
1. “I’ve Fired a Gun” – A Universal Starting Point
The conversation begins with a shared admission: nearly everyone on stage has fired a gun. But their experiences couldn’t be more different. Some grew up hunting with family. Others shot a gun once just to try it. One participant even owns over 3,000 guns and served in the Marine Corps. For him, it’s a lifestyle. For others, it’s a memory. There’s something powerful about this moment. It shows that the line between “pro-gun” and “anti-gun” isn’t drawn by whether someone’s touched a firearm – it’s what the experience meant to them that divides them.
2. The Feeling of Firing a Gun Isn’t the Same for Everyone
One participant described the feeling of firing a revolver made for women as painful, while shooting an AR-15 felt like “butter.” Another shared how trauma from his past now makes shooting cathartic – a stress reliever, even. And then there were folks who found the whole thing unsettling, loud, and just not for them. This topic revealed how emotional and physical reactions to firearms vary wildly. Guns aren’t just tools – they affect people on a deeply personal level.
3. One Mistake With a Pellet Gun Changed Everything
One man, who had never fired a real gun, opened up about a childhood memory where he accidentally pointed a pellet gun at his sister. That trauma, combined with his upbringing in New Orleans where guns weren’t normalized, led him to avoid firearms entirely. This is a side we don’t hear enough – not fear, but a quiet rejection. For some, one close call is enough.
4. Cultural Access to Guns Shapes Belief Systems
A pro-gun participant pointed out that in cities like New York, even legal gun access is restricted. So when kids grow up without ranges, without exposure, and without education, they’re not likely to be pro-gun. “In the South,” she said, “it’s a different story.” This raised a powerful point: geography often dictates your stance on guns more than ideology does. It’s not just what you believe – it’s what you’re allowed to experience.
5. “I Let My Kids Around Guns” – Teaching vs. Hiding
When asked if they would let their children be around guns, most of the pro-gun side said yes – and not only that, they already do. Some parents carry daily, and their children have been taught to respect firearms. They said education kills curiosity. “You tell a kid not to touch something, that’s all they’ll want to do,” one said. Another shared how his son has had a loaded gun (no round chambered) in his room since age 10. To them, responsibility starts at home. The anti-gun side? Deeply uncomfortable. “Even one accident is too much,” one argued.
6. Guns and Kids With Mental Health Issues
This one got heated. A parent said if her kids showed any mental health distress, they’d have zero access to guns. Others weren’t so sure you’d always see the warning signs. One soon-to-be mother said, “You don’t always know what your kid is going through.” Her point: safe storage might not be enough. The disagreement here boiled down to trust – in your child, and in yourself to notice when something’s wrong.
7. The Role of Guns in Female Empowerment
One woman argued that teaching girls to shoot is a key part of feminism. “It’s the only thing that makes you equal to a man,” she said. For her, it was about self-reliance. But others didn’t agree. One expecting mother said she wanted her daughter to be strong without needing a gun. The tension here wasn’t about gender roles so much as what real empowerment looks like.
8. Are Guns the #1 Killer of Children? Stats or Scare Tactics?
Someone quoted a stat saying gun violence is the leading cause of death among children in America. Immediately, others pushed back. “Death in children is rare – that’s why the number looks so high,” one man said. Another countered that rare or not, “We should still try to stop it.” This was one of those moments where data collided with emotion. And no one really won the argument – it just showed how differently people interpret the same facts.
9. Suicide Rates and Firearm Access
A mental health worker brought up that gun suicides account for nearly 30,000 deaths a year – and that suicide attempts involving guns are 90% successful, compared to much lower success rates for other methods. One parent responded by comparing it to pools or cars – things that are also dangerous but regulated, not banned. Another said, “You wouldn’t let your depressed kid near a loaded gun, would you?” This wasn’t about ideology anymore – it was about personal responsibility.
10. Are Guns Saving More Lives Than They Take?
This stat lit a fire: 18,000 gun homicides vs. 162,000 estimated defensive gun uses. The pro-gun side clung to that number, saying it proved guns save far more lives than they end. The anti-gun side wasn’t convinced. “How do you prove someone would’ve died?” one asked. But for the pro-gun folks, that number was everything – a defense of the Second Amendment in raw numbers. It was one of the most important stats of the night.
11. Gun Ownership in Black Communities: Protection or Problem?
Here’s where the debate took a historical turn. One speaker recalled how Ronald Reagan restricted gun rights only after the Black Panthers started openly carrying in California. Others pointed to slavery-era gun bans and redlining that still affect Black communities today. A pro-gun participant argued that disarming Black Americans has always been a method of oppression. But others said gun violence still devastates Black communities, especially youth, and the focus should be on prevention. This wasn’t just a disagreement – it was two visions of liberation facing off.
12. Gang Violence vs. Gun Access
Some argued that gangs – not legal gun owners – are behind most violence in Black neighborhoods. But others pointed out that stolen guns, often from “good” gun owners, make it into criminal hands. One man even admitted his own gun was stolen from a locked car. This led to a bigger question: are loose gun laws part of the pipeline that arms criminals? Even the pro-gun crowd agreed that careless storage is a problem. No easy answers here, but it opened the door to shared responsibility.
13. Should Teachers Carry Guns in Schools?
This one split the room. One former teacher said she hated the idea. “I was teaching special ed – I didn’t want a gun in my classroom,” she said. Another argued that gun-free zones attract shooters. A former student from a Black high school said he missed days of school due to threats of gun violence. He didn’t feel safe. One pro-gun participant countered: “What if a teacher could’ve protected you?” The idea of arming teachers, however, remains deeply controversial – more about trust than firepower.
14. Mass Shootings: A Mental Health Crisis or Cultural One?
When the statement “Mass shootings are both a mental health and gun control issue” was presented, nearly everyone agreed – but their reasons varied dramatically. Some pointed to the failure of parents to recognize emotional distress in their kids. Others blamed the media for painting all mental illness as dangerous, turning it into a scapegoat. One mental health therapist explained that trauma can cause temporary instability even in normally healthy people, emphasizing that we’re all vulnerable at times. But perhaps most powerfully, another speaker questioned why white supremacist shooters are never labeled as mentally ill by the media, while people of color rarely get the benefit of that doubt. It revealed a bias baked into public perception – and how we talk about gun violence.
15. Cultural Rot, Media Fear, and Manufactured Violence
As the discussion deepened, more participants blamed America’s culture as the root of the problem. They argued that Hollywood glorifies violence, the government feeds fear, and scripts are even shaped by government agencies to promote a certain view of war and power. One speaker, who works in entertainment, said it bluntly: “We’re not the problem – it’s our culture.” That line drew nods. It wasn’t just about guns anymore – it was about a system that rewards fear, sells violence, and erodes personal responsibility through media manipulation.
16. Gun-Free Zones Are Soft Targets, They Say
One of the most striking claims was that over 90% of mass shootings occur in gun-free zones. This, according to a few participants, proves that restrictions invite violence. “The structure is broken,” one man said. “It doesn’t provide resources or early intervention, but it does create zones where nobody can shoot back.” Others argued we need more counselors in schools, not more armed cops. There was agreement that better mental health care would help, but sharp division on whether removing guns – or increasing access – was the answer.
17. Mass Shootings: Are They a Uniquely American Problem?
When asked if mass shootings are unique to America, many raised their hands – and admitted they now avoid concerts or public gatherings out of fear. One woman from Denver spoke about growing up during the Columbine shooting and later living through the Aurora theater shooting scare. For her, that fear isn’t theoretical – it’s embedded in her routine. But others pointed out that, per capita, America isn’t actually number one. It’s just bigger and more diverse, they argued, which makes violence more visible. Still, the fact remains: Americans are afraid in places that should feel safe.
18. A Heated Exchange Over “Drinking and Driving” Logic
A spirited back-and-forth emerged when someone compared gun violence to drunk driving. The idea was: not everyone crashes while drunk, so should drinking and driving be legal? The argument was used to support gun control – if we regulate alcohol for public safety, why not guns? Others pushed back, saying the comparison was flawed. “You can drink without crashing,” one man said, “but you can’t shoot someone without harm.” This moment highlighted how analogies can inflame rather than clarify – and how polarizing gun regulation truly is.
19. “We Can’t Ban Every Gun, So Why Disarm Good People?”
One emotional argument centered around this: if bad guys will always have guns, why strip rights from law-abiding citizens? A man asked, “If someone walked in here right now with a gun, are you okay with none of us having one to shoot back?” It wasn’t a hypothetical – it felt like a challenge. Others responded by questioning whether more guns actually stop violence. But the question lingered: in a country with 372 million guns, can anyone feel safe unarmed?
20. Citizens With Guns: Defense or Delusion?
The panel debated whether citizens can realistically hold a tyrannical government in check. Some argued it’s fantasy – “You’re not beating the U.S. military,” one man said. But others pointed to historical examples, like the Battle of Athens in Tennessee, where armed World War II vets retook control of a corrupt town. “It’s not about nukes,” they said. “It’s about keeping the balance of power.” For them, the Second Amendment was never just about hunting – it was about defense from tyranny.
21. Race, Policing, and Unequal Gun Rights Enforcement
A Black activist described how, during 2020 protests, white militia groups openly carried firearms without issue, while Black and brown demonstrators got arrested for carrying pepper spray. “The government picks and chooses who gets to bear arms,” he said. Another referenced the Black Panthers – how their armed patrols prompted California to restrict open carry. The underlying theme: gun rights in theory may be equal, but in practice, enforcement is deeply unequal. This wasn’t just about policy – it was about lived experience.
22. “I Don’t Like Violence, So I Don’t Want Guns”
One participant said she simply didn’t like violence and wouldn’t encourage anyone she knew to own a gun. Others respected that. “That’s fine,” said a pro-gun speaker. “But would you ever want to protect yourself?” She answered that she felt safe in her neighborhood, but others warned: “That won’t always be true.” It was a sobering reminder that gun ownership, for many, stems from fear and a sense of vulnerability – not a love for firearms.
23. Regulated Ownership vs. Government Overthrow
Even among pro-gun voices, some wanted regulation. “Guns should be restricted, just like cars,” one man said. He didn’t believe citizens could realistically overthrow the U.S. government – but he did believe people in rural areas, on farms, or in high-crime neighborhoods should be able to defend themselves. “It’s not about fantasy revolutions,” he argued. “It’s about survival.” This segment blurred the line between left and right – it was more about nuance than camps.
24. The NRA Is Hated by Everyone (Apparently)
In a shocking twist, when asked if the NRA is a respectable organization, not a single participant stepped forward. Even pro-gun YouTuber Black Rambo said the NRA had never once reached out to him, despite his influence in the Black community. Others said the NRA is corrupt, racist, and more concerned with lobbying than gun rights. “They’re not for the Second Amendment,” one said. “They’re for Republicans.” This moment was one of the few where everyone agreed: the NRA isn’t it.
It’s Not About Guns Alone
What makes this debate fascinating isn’t the yelling – there wasn’t much. It’s that these people are wrestling with ideas that hit close to home. Parents balancing safety with fear. Veterans with PTSD finding peace in shooting. Teachers wanting to protect without feeling like guards. Each viewpoint opens a door into a life that shaped it. And while they clash, it’s clear they care – about kids, communities, and the right to live safely.
One Debate, No Easy End
Maybe what sticks the most is that the pro-gun side kept coming back to self-reliance. They don’t trust the government or police to protect them. They believe in being ready, because they’ve seen what happens when you’re not. The anti-gun side, on the other hand, puts trust in prevention – in laws, in mental health care, in removing the means to do harm. It’s a clash between readiness and restriction, and there’s no clear winner. But it’s a discussion we can’t afford to ignore.
Shared Ground in a Divided Nation
As the conversation closed, the group was asked to name five things they all agreed on. Surprisingly, they found commonality. Violence is bad. Community-led safety matters. Not every mentally ill person is a threat, but every mass shooter has some mental disturbance. The media and government often create fear. And finally – everyone, regardless of politics, agreed the NRA has failed. That might not sound like much, but in today’s polarized America, finding even a flicker of agreement is something worth noticing.
A Debate That Reflects the Country
This Jubilee discussion wasn’t perfect, but it did what few conversations do: it allowed people with wildly different beliefs to speak, listen, and push back without screaming. And in doing so, it gave voice to what America really is – a tangled, passionate, sometimes contradictory nation trying to figure out how to live with 400 million guns and 330 million people. There may not be an easy answer, but at least here, everyone got to speak.
Gary’s love for adventure and preparedness stems from his background as a former Army medic. Having served in remote locations around the world, he knows the importance of being ready for any situation, whether in the wilderness or urban environments. Gary’s practical medical expertise blends with his passion for outdoor survival, making him an expert in both emergency medical care and rugged, off-the-grid living. He writes to equip readers with the skills needed to stay safe and resilient in any scenario.