It’s been a frustrating few days for Second Amendment supporters, and for good reason. In the wake of recent high-profile shootings, several politicians who have long supported gun control are suddenly talking like defenders of the Second Amendment. At first glance, that might sound encouraging—but history tells a very different story.

In Georgia and beyond, lawmakers with records of backing magazine bans, carry restrictions, and firearm prohibitions are now claiming they want to “work with gun owners.” This sudden shift isn’t leadership—it’s political theater. Timing matters, motives matter, and past actions matter. Real defenders of gun rights don’t wait for tragedy or headlines to speak up; they’ve been consistent all along.

The same pattern is playing out nationally. California Governor Gavin Newsom has recently claimed to support the Second Amendment, despite overseeing some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country and previously proposing a constitutional amendment that would have embedded sweeping gun control measures into the Constitution itself.

For gun owners, the takeaway is simple: words are cheap, records are not. Rights are lost when people become complacent and accept rhetoric instead of demanding real action. Staying informed, vigilant, and willing to call out hypocrisy—regardless of party—is essential to protecting the right to keep and bear arms.