Episode 86. Lock, Stock, and Barrel: The Origins of American Gun Culture by Clayton Cramer

Show Notes:

Episode 86. Lock, Stock, and Barrel: The Origins of American Gun Culture by Clayton Cramer

Alex Ooley interviews Clayton Cramer, author and professor of history, about his work on American gun culture and the impact of recent Supreme Court decisions. They discuss the implications of the Bruen decision and the constitutional standards for gun laws. They also explore historical analogues and the lack of evidence supporting the prohibition on people subject to domestic violence restraining orders.

 

The conversation highlights the importance of accurate historical research in understanding gun culture and the Second Amendment. In this conversation, Clayton Cramer discusses the historical laws and cultural practices that required gun ownership in early America. He highlights laws that mandated firearms possession in churches, for self-defense, and for protection against Indian attacks. Cramer also emphasizes the importance of hunting as a reason for gun ownership. He refutes the notion that gun culture was created by gun manufacturers through marketing, and he warns against the dangers of fake history. Cramer shares his process of collecting source material for his book and discusses his involvement in various gun-related legal cases.

Chapters

 

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:07 The Impact of the Bruin Decision

03:05 Overview of Supreme Court Cases: Heller, McDonald, Bruen, and Rahimi

07:05 Historical Analogues and the Constitutionality of Gun Laws

11:47 Comparing Surety Bond Laws and Affray Laws

14:18 The Argument of Dangerousness

17:21 Racist Laws and the Justification of Gun Laws

20:26 The Range Case and the Distinction between Dangerous and Non-Dangerous Individuals

22:44 Transition to History and Writing Career

30:54 The Book 'My Brother Ron' and the Mental Health System

38:38 Revisionist Historians and the Gun Culture

44:48 Refuting Claims of Rare Guns and Marketing Influence

46:54 Researching Original Source Material and Historical Laws

47:52 Historical Laws Requiring Gun Ownership

48:44 Laws Requiring Firearms in Church

49:02 Arming for Self-Defense and Indian Attacks

49:33 Hunting as a Reason for Gun Ownership

50:15 Encouragement to Acquire Firearms

50:31 Firearms Requirement for Property Ownership

50:49 Firearms for Indentured Servants

51:03 Militia Duty and Federal Law

52:29 The Danger of Fake History

53:19 Collecting Source Material for the Book

55:09 Rebutting Misleading Declarations

56:50 Gun Culture and Marketing

57:59 Guns as a Fundamental Part of American Culture

58:54 Clayton Cramer's Work on Gun Cases

01:11:14 The Danger of Rewriting History

01:13:11 Addressing Key Questions in the Book

Resources:

 

Lock, Stock, and Barrel: The Origins of American Gun Culture: 9781440860379: Cramer, Clayton E.: Books

https://www.amazon.com/Lock-Stock-Barrel-Origins-American/dp/1440860378

 

Clayton Cramer’s Published Books

https://claytoncramer.com/books/books.htm

 

My Law Review and Other Referenced Journal Articles

http://www.claytoncramer.com/scholarly/journals.htm#citations

 

Clayton Cramer - Blogspot

https://claytonecramer.blogspot.com/

 

May, et al. v. Bonta - Michel & Associates, P.C.

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