October 20, 2021 — West Valley City, UT — SilencerCo’s newly released “American Gun” episode challenges the common stigma that guns and mental illness do not mix. “American Gun: The Advocate” dives into the story of Genevieve, a girl from Downingtown, Pennsylvania, who struggles with severe OCD and anxiety. To the surprise of many, recreational shooting is the one thing that quiets the chaos of her mind. 

The “American Gun” campaign, created by SilencerCo, seeks to illustrate the diversity that exists among American gun owners. Genevieve doesn’t fit the demographic of what many believe to be the standard gun owner. However, firearms play a vital role in her life and the lives of many others outside of this demographic. 

Genevieve has struggled with severe OCD since she was a child, but more recently she developed a panic disorder so extreme she could no longer interact with the outside world. She attended an intensive behavioral health center to just get by. That is, until she discovered competitive shooting. 

“I felt just so at peace, and I realized how skewed everybody’s perception of mental illness is, specifically in the gun industry, because I’m not a danger to people,” said Genevieve.

Genevieve works help others with mental illness see the meditative benefits of shooting.  She even started an organization called “Hold My Guns” to give shooters with mental health issues a temporary and voluntary storage option for their guns. It can be utilized for any reason, but is aimed at suicide prevention. 

“There are so many people who suffer from some type of mental illness, whatever it is,” said Genevieve. “If you don’t suffer from one, you know somebody who does. And if you support the second amendment, but you’re saying that 60-70% of people in America don’t have the right to own guns, then do you support the second amendment?”

Other episodes of “American Gun” pose similar thoughtful questions about gun ownership across America. For more information on the “American Gun” campaign, click here. 

To view “American Gun: The Advocate,” visit youtu.be/aOwHLko-VW0. 

September 15, 2021 — West Valley City, UT — SilencerCo’s newly released “American Gun” episode spotlights a farmer from the small town of Ville Platte, Louisiana. In a campaign intended to prove the diversity of gun owners, “American Gun: The Farmer,” launched on September 15, 2021, reveals a unique point of view from someone who has been surrounded by firearms his entire life. 

Chase grew up working on the family farm and continues to run that same farm today. Firearms are an everyday necessity in order to maintain crops and run off pests. From overpopulating turtles that become a nuisance to raccoons that damage carefully placed crawfish traps, Chase requires a gun in order to make a living. This is a concept that many are unfamiliar with in the modern era. 

“Gun owners being portrayed in the media is kind of a weird feeling [to me] because you never saw it growing up here,” said Chase. “It’s getting to be a difficult thing being a gun owner today. We are starting to be viewed as something different than we were back then.” 

The “American Gun” series sets out to uncover different points of view surrounding firearms to contrast against what is commonly portrayed in the media. Contrary to the violence and hatred that is represented, there are a variety of important reasons why Americans exercise their second amendment right. For Chase, it was a tradition to grow up hunting, recreational shooting and controlling varmints with a firearm. 

“American Gun” videos will be released on a monthly basis and can be found on the SilencerCo YouTube and social media channels. For more information on the “American Gun” campaign, click here. 

To view “American Gun: The Farmer,” visit www.youtube.com.