Speaking about the filming process of the 1993 cult-classic “Dazed and Confused,” Ben Affleck said the cast frequented gun ranges—something the actor said was “fun and innocent at the time,” but is now “uncomfortable to remember.”
“Part of the newfound freedom being down there [in Texas] was a bunch of us bought guns and went shooting at ranges on weekends, which seemed fun and innocent at the time, but given the subsequent tragedies with young people and guns, it makes me uncomfortable to remember,” Affleck said to Vanity Fair.
Affleck is yet another in the long list of Hollywood celebrities who may not properly grasp the importance of our Second Amendment freedoms. He conveniently ignores the fact that on ranges throughout the country, millions of Americans safely practice and exercise their rights—something that is also key to ensuring they are also safe with their firearms when away from the range. They follow stringent safety procedures and lawfully shoot, which, presumably, he and his fellow actors also did so many years ago.
It’s unclear what, exactly, makes Affleck “uncomfortable” about this. Acts of evil committed by deranged people unfortunately exist, but an armed citizen can end such evil acts. Coincidentally, two armed citizens, Stephen Willeford and Jack Wilson, did just that—in Texas—in recent memory. Both trained extensively at ranges for the moments in which each had to confront evil and to take matters into their own hands.
In fact, it’s people like Wilson, Willeford and the millions of Americans who train for these moments who make many of us more comfortable and safe.
Even more peculiar is the fact that Affleck has previously acknowledged his personal gun ownership and how it gives him a sense of protection. The Hollywood Reporter said in 2012 that Affleck “goes skeet shooting and admits to owning several guns, which he has embraced since his [ex] wife faced a stalker.”
“It gave me a stronger sense of feeling protective about my family. There's a lot of crazy, weird people out there. It's an ugly world,” he told the magazine.
Though this was years ago, and Affleck’s stances may have changed since then, he seems to have spent ample time exercising and practicing his rights, which makes his recent statements even more confusing. He has also frequently used firearms heavily in many of his films, including “The Town,” “The Accountant” and many more.
If he has changed his views, this would be no shock, as many in Hollywood routinely lecture everyday Americans on what is best for them, and this includes matters surrounding your Second Amendment rights. Too often, they don’t understand what millions of Americans do about their freedom.
Whether Ben Affleck falls into this category is unclear. Perhaps he still owns the firearms that helped him to have “a stronger sense of feeling protective about [his] family.” Perhaps he still goes to the range to keep up on how to safely use those firearms. We certainly hope that’s the case, and his comment about his memories from Texas making him feel “uncomfortable” was just poorly worded.
If not, though, as America’s 1st Freedom reported previously, “The antidote to Hollywood hypocrisy remains the job of every NRA member: to exemplify gun safety and responsibility; to share the truth about firearm ownership whenever possible; and to continue introducing new shooters to the sport.”
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