Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
The mayor of Grand Rapids, David LaGrand, just said the quiet part out loud.
“I think if you’ve got a gun, you should be ashamed of yourself. I really do,” LaGrand said during a public discussion, comparing gun ownership to smoking and arguing communities should start “having some shaming around gun possession.”
He doubled down, acknowledging the Second Amendment exists.
“I get that we got a Second Amendment” — but insisting gun owners should still feel shame because, in his view, guns are “for killing human beings,” not everyday tasks like gardening or changing a tire.
That didn’t sit well with Colion Noir.
In a fiery response, Noir called the mayor’s comments “childish” and disconnected from reality.
“You don’t own a gun to change a tire,” Noir said. “You own a gun for the worst day of your life.”
Noir argued that shaming won’t touch criminals, only law-abiding citizens. “You know who shame works on? Law-abiding people. That’s it,” he said. “So you’re not talking to criminals. You’re talking to fathers. Mothers. People who just want to protect themselves.”
LaGrand compared gun ownership to cigarette use, saying he sees “so much more harm done than benefit.” Noir dismissed that analogy outright.
“Smoking provides literally no benefit. None,” Noir said. “Self-defense does. Protecting your kids does. Protecting your wife does.”
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He also pointed out what he views as a contradiction: elected officials speaking against private gun ownership while being protected by armed security and police.
“It’s okay for guns when they protect you, but shameful when they protect me?” Noir asked.
The broader argument centers on preparedness versus pacifism. Noir framed gun ownership as a response to real-world violence, asking whether shaming people for preparing for self-defense makes communities safer or just more vulnerable.
LaGrand’s comments raise a larger question for gun owners in Michigan and beyond: Is moral condemnation a serious public safety strategy, or is it simply politics?
And more pointedly, if owning a firearm for lawful self-defense is something to be ashamed of, who exactly benefits from that shame?
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
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