On June 26 of 2008 the United States Supreme Court stated, for the first time in history, that individuals have a protected right to bear arms. The question had long remained unanswered with opponents of the decision arguing that the military –and not the individual –had been the only entity ensured that right. At ground level, the decision virtually guaranteed that guns will remain a prevalent icon in American culture. This essay looks at that icon and the spectrum of gun owners in the United States, focusing on the cultural manifestations of the gun and its ubiquitous role in popular culture.
Matt Slaby
Denver, Colorado | +1.303.877.0273 | mattslaby@luceoimages.com
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BIOGRAPHY
Matt Slaby (b. 1979) is a photographer based in Denver, Colorado. Before turning his attention to photography, he traveled the western United States as a wildland firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service Hotshots also working winters as an EMT with a metropolitan ambulance service. Slaby interned at U.S. News & World Report covering the 2006 congressional elections and the Washington, D.C. politcal circuit, including the White House and U.S. Capitol. He has a background in writing and literature and holds a J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Slaby brings his diverse background to the field of photography and journalism and is particularly passionate about making social justice issues accessible to the greater public. His current photographic efforts are divided between the Rocky Mountain West and Latin America. A selection of his clients includes U.S. News & World Report, TIME, Newsweek, Newsweek Poland, The Wall Street Journal, NEON Magazine, SPIN, Outdoor Life, XXL, Ebay Magazine, Mother Jones, The Latina Initiative, The Bureau of Land Management, Audubon Magazine, The Chronicle of the Horse, National Public Radio, Discovery Communications, and Human Rights Campaign.