As the debate about gun control goes back and forth in our nation, it sometimes seems like the anti-gun crowd has the upper hand. They speak with a loud voice and have the mainstream media on their side. Those who support the Second Amendment and individual gun-rights can sometimes feel outnumbered. But there are many influential people who are gun-rights advocates.

People Who Support the Right to Keep and Bear Arms

The Second Amendment of the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to keep and bear arms. While there are those who would ignore that right, and call for the registration and confiscation of guns, there are others who adamantly support that right. These people are leaders of national organizations, politicians, talk show hosts, sheriffs, activists and even celebrities. Gun-rights supporters need only look to this list to know that all is not lost and they are not alone.

Wayne LaPierre

Wayne LaPierre has served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Rifle Association since 1991. He is an outspoken opponent of government efforts at gun control, especially universal background checks, which he believes will lead to a national registration of gun owners, and any limits on law-abiding citizens access to semi-automatic weapons. He has authored many books about gun rights and gives speeches around the country. He is most famous for the quote “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun”.

Larry Pratt

Larry Pratt serves as the Executive Director of Gun Owners of America, a 300,000 member strong gun rights organization. He has appeared on many national radio and television talk shows and frequently debates gun control advocates. He has also written a couple of books on the rights of gun owners and occasionally authors a column, which appears in many newspapers across the nation.

Dudley Brown

Dudley Brown is the Executive Director of the National Association for Gun Rights. He has famously called the NAGR the “no-compromise” gun lobby, and is sometimes critical of the efforts of the NRA in combating gun control efforts, believing they have grown soft and compromise too often on gun control measures. He lives in Colorado and has worked tirelessly to expand the rights of gun owners there.

Charlton Heston

Although he passed away in 2008, Charlton Heston is still an influential figure in the gun-rights debate. A renowned actor and civil rights activist, he also served as the President of the NRA from 1998-2003. He is perhaps best known to gun-rights enthusiasts for the trademark ending to his speeches, in which he held his rifle up and declared that the gun controllers would only get his gun once they “pry it from my cold, dead hand”.

Senator Rand Paul (KY)

Considered by many to be the frontrunner for the GOP nomination in the 2016 Presidential race, Senator Rand Paulis a staunch defender of the Constitution. The son of libertarian hero Ron Paul, Rand has followed close to his father’s footsteps in his opposition to a big government. He gained national attention recently with his 13-hour filibuster on the Senate floor over the issue of the government’s use of drone strikes on American citizens. He is leading the opposition in the Senate to the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty.

Senator Ted Cruz (TX)

Another defender of the Constitutional right to keep and bear arms in the Senate is Ted Cruz. Elected in 2012, he beat the establishment candidate from the Republican Party in the primary that favored gun control. Known to some as the “Cruz Missile”, in the recent debate in the Senate over a renewed assault weapons ban, he was an outspoken critic of Senator Feinstein’s bill to ban assault weapons. He has joined Senator Rand Paul in opposing the UN treaty that would heavily regulate and control the firearms industry.

Senator Mike Lee (UT)

Joining Senators Rand Paul and Ted Cruz as the rising stars in the GOP is Utah’s Mike Lee. He was elected to the Senate in 2010. A renowned attorney, he has served in various aspects and levels of government, even clerking for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. He is well versed in the Constitution and a firm believer in the Second Amendment. Lee has opposed the recent efforts at government expansion of gun control, because he stands for a limited government and personal responsibility.

Governor Rick Perry (TX)

Governor Rick Perry is a strong believer in the individual’s right to keep and bear arms. He is an avid hunter and gun owner. It is even rumored that he takes his handgun with him when he jogs or walks his dog. While some may question his stance on certain issues like immigration, there is no doubt that he stands strong on the Second Amendment.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott

Attorney General of Texas Greg Abbott has claimed that the gun control debate was settled in 1791, when the Second Amendment was ratified. He is a hunter and a member of the NRA and the Texas State Rifle Association. He was a lead Attorney General representing 31 states in the Supreme Court hearing of DC v. Heller, which ruled outright gun bans unconstitutional. He has vowed to fight any Federal attempts to restrict gun rights in the state of Texas. Abbott has openly courted firearms manufacturers to relocate to Texas from other states that are not so gun friendly.

Former Ambassador to the UN John Bolton

John Bolton served as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations during George W. Bush’s Presidency. He now works at the American Enterprise Institute as a foreign policy expert. A long-time supporter of the U.S. Constitution, he has worked to defend its usurpation by foreign powers and treaties. Ambassador Bolton has been a vocal opponent of the UN Arms Trade Treaty and has warned repeatedly of its dangers to American’s individual sovereignty and right to keep and bear arms.

Sarah Palin

The former Governor of Alaska, and Vice Presidential running mate to John McCain in the 2008 Presidential election, Sarah Palin is a staunch conservative. She believes in individual freedom and liberty, and the right to be left alone by government. A hunter and gun owner, she has opposed Federal overreach on gun control. She recently gave a rousing speech to the crowd at the 2013 NRA Convention in Houston, Texas.

Sheriff David Clarke and CSPOA

The Sheriff of Milwaukee County David Clarke made headlines recently with a radio ad urging Milwaukeeans to arm themselves for protection. He said that calling 911 may not always be the best option in the event of an emergency and that citizens have a right and a duty to defend themselves and others. He has also vowed to uphold his oath to the Constitution and resist any Federal gun control measures that are in violation of the Second Amendment. More than 430 other Sheriffs and Police Chiefs around the country join him in this strong stance. An organization called the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association has provided a list of these Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.

John R. Lott, Jr.

Economist John Lott has studied gun crime and gun legislation for years. The results of his studies are in a book called “More Guns, Less Crime”. This book has been referred to as “the bible of the gun-rights movement” by Fox News host Chris Wallace. He has written other books and numerous articles breaking down the numbers of decreasing crime rates and how they relate to increased gun ownership. He is a frequent guest on national radio and television talk shows.

Glenn Beck

Radio and television personality Glenn Beck recently moved from New York to Texas to start his own media company, The Blaze. Besides the lower taxes and business friendly atmosphere, he cited the protections of individual liberty and gun rights as some of the reasons for his move. He stands opposed to the Obama administration, especially their anti-gun efforts, and recently released a book about those efforts entitled “Control”.

Mark Levin

Conservative radio talk show host Mark Levin is a Constitutional lawyer. He served in the Reagan administration and now heads Landmark Legal Foundation, which works to hold back governmental overreach through the courts. He is the author of several books, including “Ameritopia” and “Liberty and Tyranny”. He frequently talks about the tyranny of big government and its imposition on individual liberty and freedom. He is a gun owner and strong supporter of the Second Amendment.

Sean Hannity

Sean Hannity is a conservative radio talk show and Fox News television host. He has opposed the gun control measures of the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress. He is a registered gun owner in New York, and relentlessly and critically covered the story when a local New York newspaper published a list of all registered gun owners with an interactive map, which criminals admittedly used to target gun-free homes for burglaries and armed robberies.

Alex Jones

A pioneer in alternative news, Alex Jones hosts a radio show and is the head of Infowars.com. While many view him as a conspiracy theorist, much of what he talks about proves to be true. He constantly warns of the tyranny of the coming New World Order and rightly views the Second Amendment and armed citizens as the best way, but last resort, to resist such tyranny. He made national headlines early in 2013 by confronting CNN host Piers Morgan about his support for British style gun control in America. One of his catchphrases is “the answer to 1984 is 1776”.

Ben Shapiro

Ben Shapiro is the editor-at-large of Brietbart News. He is a strong supporter of the right to keep and bear arms and works to expose the movement towards socialism by the Democrats. He has appeared on Piers Morgan’s CNN show numerous times, as well as many others, and has debated the gun control issue in a rational and knowledgeable way.

Ted Nugent

Rock star Ted Nugent is quite possibly the most flamboyant supporter of gun rights. An avid hunter and gun owner, Ted Nugent is very outspoken about the right to keep and bear arms. He frequently brings his guns on stage with him at his concerts and is more than ready and willing to fiercely debate anyone who would dare try to take away his guns.

Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood is an actor, director, producer, artist and former mayor. Best known for his gunslinger spaghetti westerns and .44 Magnum toting Dirty Harry movie roles, Clint Eastwood is synonymous with guns. While he did support limited gun control measures in California previously, he has frequently joked about it and said “I have a very strict gun control policy; if there is a gun around, I want to control it.”

Chuck Norris

A renowned martial artist and film and television star, Chuck Norris is a devoutly religious man with conservative political views. He is a member of the NRA and is the Honorary Chairman of the NRA’s political “Trigger the Vote” campaign. His tough as nails persona has led to there being literally a million “facts” about Chuck Norris on the Internet, such as “Guns sleep with a picture of Chuck Norris under their pillow.”

Bruce Willis

Perhaps best known for his role in the “Die Hard” movies, Bruce Willis is an actor and musician. He opposes gun control because he says, “if you take guns away from legal gun owners, then the only people who will have guns are the bad guys.” He has spoken out against the latest round of gun control measures by wondering which rights would be taken away next after the Second Amendment is infringed.

Tom Selleck

Tom Selleck, a television and movie star, is most notable for his television show “Magnum PI” in the 1980s. Less well known about him is that he sits on the Board of Directors of the NRA. He was close friends with Charlton Heston and briefly considered filling his role as President when Heston stepped down in 2003. Selleck has donated seven of the firearms he used in his films to the NRA museum.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Both known as actors and somewhat liberal activists, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are also supporters of the Second Amendment. Pitt has stated that he grew up around guns and only feels safe when there is a gun in his home. Jolie claims that she fell in love with the guns she used in the “Tomb Raider” movies, and since then has purchased nearly every gun she has used in her films. The two of them have built a massive private shooting range in the backyard of their home.

Ice T

Controversial and notorious rapper turned actor Ice T is a staunch defender of the Bill of Rights and an armed citizenry. In an interview in July 2012, after the Aurora Theater shooting, Ice T rejected the calls for stricter gun laws. He made note of the fact that even without guns, evil people intent on killing others will find a way to do it. He also stated that guns in the hands of citizens are a protection from criminals and a last resort against tyranny.

Kyle Coplen

Kyle Coplen is the founder of the Armed Citizens Project. A graduate student of the University of Houston, Kyle is conducting an experiment to prove that more guns in a community will reduce crime. His non-profit organization is taking donations to purchase shotguns, to be used for home defense against criminals, that will be given to qualifying individuals in mid to high crime areas of several American cities. To be eligible for one of these free defensive shotguns, individuals must pass a background check and complete a safety and tactical training course, provided for free by the Armed Citizens Project.

Cody Wilson

Cody Wilson is the co-founder and Director of Defense Distributed. He has developed a 3D printable gun. Undeterred by threats from corporations and the government, he has been successful in the printing, assembling and test firing of his creation. The plans to make one of these 3D guns are available online. His stated purpose is to return power to the hands of the people by giving them the means to create their own firearms in response to future gun control measures pursued by the government.

Chris and Taya Kyle

Chris Kyle was a Navy SEAL and the most lethal sniper in American history. He served four tours in Iraq and was dubbed “The Devil of Ramadi” by Iraqi insurgents. After he returned home, he was President of Craft International, which provides tactical training and shooting instruction to military and law enforcement personnel. He also founded the Heroes Project, which works with injured veterans and their families, helping them to deal with the effects of PTSD. Unfortunately, he was killed at a shooting range by one of the veterans he was trying to help. His wife Taya is carrying on with his work after his death.

Colion Noir

A self-proclaimed unapologetic gun enthusiast, Mr. Colion Noir is a blogger, Youtuber and NRA News commentator. He celebrates guns and advocates the right to carry, whether concealed or openly. His Website is a humorous mix of news, reviews, rants, videos and commentary, from an urban point of view.

Kyle Myers

Kyle Myers is the face of FPSRussia on Youtube. Kyle plays a character named Dmitri that has a thick Russian accent, although Kyle is an American and lives in Georgia. He is a strong advocate of the Second Amendment and his videos consist of him using various firearms and explosives, explaining their history and showing their capabilities. His partner at FPSRussia, Keith Ratliff, was found dead in January 2013 of a suspected homicide. Kyle’s property, as well as his father’s farm, were raided by the ATF in March 2013, allegedly to search for illegal explosives. Numerous conspiracy theories surround these events, and many believe the ATF raids may have been intended to intimidate Kyle because of his outspoken criticism of gun control efforts.