Constitutional Carry: Activists Are Using Social Media To Redefine The Second Amendment

Almost every morning in January and February, Patrick Parsons records a live Facebook video across the street from the Georgia capitol. While it looks picturesque online, in person, it’s not the world’s most glamorous moment. “I’ll probably go over there by the trash can, which is where I usually do it,” said Parsons, laughing. It’s easier to fit the gold dome of the capitol building into the frame from there. Patrick Parsons of Georgia Gun Owners records a live video for Facebook. Lisa Hagen / WABE “Constitutional carry simply makes the weapons license optional,” said Parsons. “So, in Georgia we have weapons licenses, a lot of states have permits,” and having either means you get to carry a concealed gun in all the places your state allows. But Parsons doesn’t like the idea that Americans need anyone’s permission to carry. More than a dozen states have adopted some version of this kind of law, in 2019. Parsons rattles off a number of states that have or are posed to pass constitutional carry style measures it in 2019, including South Dakota[1], Oklahoma [2]and Kentucky[3]. “So you can imagine if you’re a Second Amendment supporter, you’re seeing this all over the internet,” said Parsons. Part of the reason gun rights proponents in Georgia are seeing so much about constitutional carry is Parsons himself. Thousands of people watch him on Facebook every day. Parsons encourages active participation so there’s lots of commenting and sharing. A lobbying app on his phone shows more than 6,000 messages sent to state lawmakers supporting the constitutional carry bill. It’s something Parsons encourages every day in his videos. Parsons calls social media “the great equalizer.” “Twenty years ago, we didn’t have this on any issue,” said Parsons. “No matter what you believed in, left or right. Now we

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