I testified to Congress about the gun industry. It rattled me to my core

‘One particularly disturbing post by Daniel Defense depicts a young child cradling an AR-15.’ Photograph: Jason Andrew/AFP/Getty Images

From 1995 to 2020, I worked for the firearms manufacturer Kimber. As the industry began to embrace extremism and conspiracy, I did what I could to fight back from the inside. When industry marketing celebrated armed vigilantism to sell guns, I left.

I’m still a proud gun owner who believes in responsibility. These days I use my platform to advocate for commonsense gun safety measures and call out dangerous and toxic marketing in the industry – which is why I was invited to testify before the US House committee on oversight and reform last week.