Shawn E. Fields
On August 8, 2015, the Arizona newspaper Arizona Republic ran a story with the following headline: Celebration or Concern? We’re No. 1 for Guns. The story reported that, “[f]or the third straight year, Arizona was ranked [the] best state in the nation for gun owners by Guns & Ammo magazine, which praised the state’s self-defense and carry laws, its shooting sports and strong gun culture.” The balance of the article considered the well-worn debate between gun rights advocates and gun control advocates reflected in the story’s title: was this ranking to be hailed as a victory for the Second Amendment and responsible gun ownership, or denounced as the reason why “Arizona is the best state for criminals to get access to guns”?