On the latest episode of TAG, we’re joined by Wake Forest Professor David Yamane, who shares with us what prompted a liberal academic to become an armed American, acclaimed for his expertise in Gun Culture 2.0: the shift toward self-defense. He tells us about his Sociology of Guns course and what surprises his students most – including the cognitive dissonance they feel when going to the gun range on Day 1. Most importantly, he imparts some poignant advice for how to have more productive conversations about gun safety, including: to have them face-to-face with “people not already committed on this issue,” to begin with commonalities, to “relentlessly focus” on who shouldn’t have guns, and to not invoke Australia or England. And on the latest edition of Siegel’s Scope, Dr. Michael Siegel analyzes the “devastating implications for public health” of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision to strike down a law barring those subject to domestic violence restraining orders from possessing a gun. Host: Mathew LittmanGuest: Professor David YamaneProducer: Ernesto ChavezvaldiviaExecutive Producer: Adria MárquezEditor: Stephanie Genuardi Cunnane

On the latest episode of TAG, 97Percent Board Member and Former Homeland Security Advisor to VP Mike Pence, Olivia Troye, shares the incredible story of how her aunt was at the El Paso Walmart shooting -- and after being dragged to safety by a stranger, provided intel on the shooter. Olivia walks us through her responsibilities in the aftermath of a crisis. We analyze whether mass shootings should be considered domestic terrorism. And the “recovering Republican” shares what’s missing from her party on gun safety and why she thinks members of the GOP are “required to make a difference.” And, on the latest edition of Siegel’s Scope, Dr. Michael Siegel discusses the merits of laws that reduce incentive to steal guns, laws that require reporting lost or stolen guns, age requirements for purchasing guns, high capacity magazine bans, and child access prevention laws.Host: Mathew LittmanGuest: Olivia TroyeProducer: Ernesto ChavezvaldiviaExecutive Producer: Adria MárquezEditor: Stephanie Genuardi Cunnane

On the latest episode of TAG, we’re joined by former Illinois Republican Congressman and 2020 GOP Presidential Candidate Joe Walsh: a self-proclaimed “gun nut” who tells us what propelled his evolution from Tea Party member with an A rating from the NRA to outspoken gun safety advocate. 97Percent’s newest board member explains why “it’s going to take someone like me helping to lead the way to get change”; “it can’t be the Dems out in front.” He shares the feedback he’s received from gun owners and how “they’re looking for a vehicle to jump on to.” Also, in the latest edition of Siegel’s Scope, Dr. Michael Siegel examines the effect of state gun laws on the incidence and severity of mass shootings.Host: Mathew LittmanGuest: Congressman Joe WalshProducer: Ernesto ChavezvaldiviaExecutive Producer: Adria MárquezEditor: Stephanie Genuardi Cunnane

On the latest episode of TAG, we’re joined by The History Channel’s “Top Shot Season 4” Champion Chris Cheng: an openly gay, Asian American, civil rights advocate who left his career at Google to become a professional sports shooter – breaking every stereotype about the gun community in the process. We chat about his experience in the competition as a self-taught amateur not taken seriously. We delve into how the gun industry 10 years ago was not talking about suicide and treated it as inevitable, but has since shifted. We talk about the need for respectful, good faith conversations about gun safety, and Chris emphasizes how irresponsible it is not to get trained on how to use your firearm. Later in the episode, in another special edition of Siegel’s Scope, Tufts University’s Dr. Michael Siegel answers questions about the first-of-its-kind research and policy roadmap he and 97Percent just released via an excerpt from our 97Percent conference.Host: Mathew LittmanGuest: Chris ChengProducer: Ernesto ChavezvaldiviaExecutive Producer: Adria MárquezEditor: Stephanie Genuardi Cunnane

On the latest episode of Talking About Guns, we chat with former 8-term NY Congressman Steve Israel about the conversation with a Republican colleague in a members-only elevator that inspired his novel, a political satire imagining a world where it’s mandated for all Americans to carry a gun. We break down the power of voter intensity (“an obligation to support extremes”) vs. NRA funding (“not as influential as people think”). And Israel shares his thoughts on the chances of future legislation. On another special edition of Siegel’s Scope, we dive into Part 2 of the research 97Percent and Dr. Siegel just released – which identifies four policies to keep guns out of the hands of violent people that are supported by gun owners and estimated to reduce gun homicides by 28%.Host: Mathew LittmanGuest: Congressman Steve IsraelProducer: Ernesto ChavezvaldiviaExecutive Producer: Adria MárquezEditor: Stephanie Genuardi Cunnane

On the latest episode of TAG, we’re joined by Amy Swearer, a legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation. We chat about why she wanted to fill the conservative vacuum in gun safety and why it’s so important and how to have conversations with people who disagree with you about gun policy. She shares the highs and lows of her experiences testifying before Congress following Uvalde and Buffalo; and we discuss how policies like red flag laws should focus on addressing the underlying problem, not solely disarmament.Also on a special edition of Siegel’s Scope, we dive into the research 97Percent and Dr. Siegel just released, which revealed including specific provisions in gun policies can increase gun owner support substantially and identified four polices that could together reduce firearm homicide rates by 28% and reduce suicide rates by 6.4%.Host: Mathew LittmanGuest: Amy SwearerProducer: Ernesto ChavezvaldiviaExecutive Producer: Adria MárquezEditor: Stephanie Genuardi Cunnane

In the latest episode of TAG, we chat with Latino Rifle Association President, P.B. Gomez, about the deliberate irony of the organization's name, how the LRA is opposed to certain cultural norms of gun ownership, why gun “laws with good intentions have consequences for marginalized communities,” and his goal of making more gun safety education content available in Spanish.Dr. Siegel also joins us for another edition of “Siegel’s Scope,” where he talks about police shootings of Black victims and how the issue is being framed inaccurately. He explains why rates vary so much across the country and why body cams and implicit racial bias training are not the right solutions.Host: Mathew LittmanGuest: P.B. GomezProducer: Ernesto ChavezvaldiviaExecutive Producer: Adria MárquezEditor: Stephanie Genuardi Cunnane

13-year NFL veteran, FOX Sports broadcaster, screenwriter, and 97Percent board member Ephraim Salaam joins us for the latest episode of TAG. We chat about the culture of gun ownership in the NFL – about the need for protection following robberies and one of his teammates being held at gunpoint. Ephraim tells us about when he was with the Atlanta Falcons, a white lawyer told a room of African Americans to leave their gun in plain sight if pulled over. He spoke of his goals to destigmatize gun ownership in the Black community and shared his unique approach to angry Twitter DM’s. Dr. Michael Siegel also joins us for another edition of Siegel’s Scope, where he continues his discussion of assault weapons bans and why they’re ineffective. He shares how his position on the issue changed and analyzes the bill that just passed the House.Host: Mathew LittmanGuest: Ephraim SalaamProducer: Ernesto ChavezvaldiviaExecutive Producer: Adria MárquezEditor: Stephanie Genuardi Cunnane

Abené Clayton, lead reporter for The Guardian’s “Guns and Lies” series, joins us for the latest episode of TAG to discuss her work investigating everyday gun deaths in Black and brown communities – not solely high-profile mass shootings. She dissects “the unspoken epidemic”: an unprecedented increase in homicides among Black women, particularly in the Midwest. We discuss the effectiveness of certain community interventions, but also who is being left out of these solutions. Dr. Michael Siegel also joins us for another edition of Siegel’s Scope, where he talks about one of the most hot-button issues out there: assault weapon bans. He explains why they’re not as effective as people may think.Host: Mathew LittmanGuest: Abené ClaytonProducer: Ernesto ChavezvaldiviaExecutive Producer: Adria MárquezEditor: Stephanie Genuardi Cunnane

After nearly losing his life to a stray bullet, Joe Sakran decided to become a trauma surgeon to “give other people the same second chance I was given.” Dr. Sakran, now Director of Emergency Surgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, joins us to talk about the creation of @ThisIsOur Lane, his viral Twitter account in response to the NRA, and why making “the community closest to the struggle part of the solution” is so critical. He talks about the power of sharing his story & perspective with not only policymakers on both sides of the aisle, but also a group of disinterested kids on a hospital tour: “I went from a white coat to someone they could relate to.” And stick around for the latest edition of Siegel’s Scope, as Dr. Siegel breaks down the three things needed to actually treat gun violence as a public health issue.Host: Mathew LittmanGuest: Dr. Joseph SakranProducer: Ernesto ChavezvaldiviaExecutive Producer: Adria MárquezEditor: Stephanie Genuardi Cunnane