We all get saddled with many descriptors to describe us, mostly derived from other people’s thoughts, biases, likes or fears. And like most people, Chris Cheng checks a unique list of boxes. Chris is of Japanese descent, he formerly worked in the tech industry for Google, and he’s gay. If you don’t know Chris, in the most stereotypical way, you might not think Chris a defender of gun rights. But you’d be wrong. And yesterday Chris Cheng shined before Congress.
Chris Cheng Testifies Before Congress
For the uninitiated, Cheng broke into the public consciousness, completing a remarkable run to win the fourth season of History Channel’s “Top Shot” in 2012. He took home $100,000, beating out more than a dozen “professionals,” and sparked a career as a shooter and firearms industry ambassador. He left a promising career as a “Googler,” picked up a sponsorship shooting for Bass Pro Shops, and grew into an expert in our field. Tuesday he delivered eloquent, articulate testimony before the Congressional hearing dubbed “Constitutional and Common Sense Steps to Reduce Gun Violence.”
Cleary, Democrats mean to color the proceedings, from the name to the entire charade. But Cheng brought expert testimony, relating the Second Amendment to the plight of Asian Americans everywhere. As we reported at the onset of the pandemic, and again last week, Asian Americans continue to turn to firearm ownership.
“With the 149-percent rise in anti-Asian American violence over the past year, Asian Americans are flocking to gun stores and private gun owners in droves, many seeking to purchase their first firearm,” Cheng testified. “There is a real and imminent threat. We need to defend ourselves. Not three days or 20 days from now, but today. Right now. With increased pressure and decreasing budgets for first responders and police, I encourage people to train to be their own first responder. There is no guarantee that help will arrive in time.”
Asian Americans Need 2A Rights
Cheng made it clear that any roadblock to firearm ownership makes all minorities unsafe. Gun control owns a painful history of systemic racism. And
“Are we going to let the criminal minority take away the rights of the majority, which are supposed to be guaranteed to us by our Constitution?” Cheng asked. “I am against H.R. 8 and 1446 because they represent a threat to the public safety of Asian Americans and all Americans who have an imminent need to defend themselves.”
Above all, Cheng pointed out a clear point gun owners know all-too well. Guns aren’t the problem. Gun violence remains merely a symptom.
“At the core of our country’s violence problem is not firearms, or any weapon for that matter,” Cheng said. “The
root causes of human violence and hate are many: socioeconomic, low self-esteem, lack of mental health resources, lack of community, lack of educational and job opportunities, and a lack of humanity.”
Cheng provided extremely important testimony yesterday. Instead of reinforcing the “old, fat white guy” stereotype, Cheng becomes a face many liberals should recognize. He represents minorities and the LGBTQ community. He hails from California and is even a product of liberal-leaning Big Tech. Meanwhile, he’s telling them not to do this. He’s telling them gun control makes his communities, presumably their represented communities, less safe. Let’s hope they listen.
