Article first appeared at NRAmedia.org

And yet, despite (or maybe because of) the increased vitriol, Americans don’t seem any more inclined to go with the gun-grabbers or to turn their backs on the NRA. In fact, gun sales are up, concealed-carry courses are full, and more and more Americans are exercising their right to keep and bear arms.

The media elites and anti-gun celebrities think we’re all fools. I suspect many of their armed guards have a different point of view, but they’re being paid to offer protection, not opinions. What is undeniably true is that many in law enforcement, from beat cops to swat members and rookies to chiefs, support our right to keep and bear arms for self-defense. Detroit Chief of Police James Craig, for instance, said not long ago that the number of concealed-carry permit holders in his city protects against terrorism. And going back to 2013, the man in charge of Interpol at the time, Ronald Noble, spoke of the importance of an armed citizenry as a defense against terror attacks.

Anti-gun advocates don’t want to hear any of it, of course. They’d prefer gun owners spend their time in verbal self-defense, rebutting and arguing about the latest insult hurled our way. Don’t let them set the terms of the debate. Stick to the facts, and to what’s important: our public and personal safety and our fundamental right to protect ourselves.