Jeff Kelman grew up in a progressive Massachusetts home, the son of two mothers. He had no idea people could even own guns until he was in middle school. But after college, he started shooting for sport – and developed a sharp eye. As a Jewish man whose wife is Chinese American, he is keenly aware of racial discrimination, and the potential for that to turn into violence. So, he carries a gun for self-defense. Like other suburban gun owners, he is open to at least some regulation, particularly focused on gun safety. In 2020, the United States saw the largest number of gun-related deaths – 19,000 – in almost two decades. This spring has also seen a resurgence of mass shootings (defined as four or more people killed), which had paused during pandemic lockdowns.