Jesse James** is the opposite of gun-shy.

Until a year-and-a-half ago, the ex Monster Garage host ran a business in Long Beach, Calif., where he says he witnessed innumerable shootings. Amid the violence, the only thing that made him feel safe was his own firearm.

"I have seen more dead bodies than I can count," the former West Coast Choppers owner writes on his Facebook page of his time living in Southern California. "On my way to work, at least once a week in the early mornings, streets are often closed off with yellow tape. Because somebody is dead from a gunshot wound. Or sometimes bodies [are] just seen laying there waiting for police to arrive."

On certain holidays, he adds, the roof of his shop is littered with holes from falling bullets. And next door to his business, at Rosa's Liquor Store, three people have been killed in the last five years.

But James doesn't think the world needs fewer guns. In fact, he thinks the world needs fewer gun laws. He says it's because of California's gun control legislation -- the strictest in the nation, according to his post -- that so many people have been shot and killed.

"For the last 20 years living in California, I could never let my guard down, not even for a minute," he writes, noting that his cop friends actually insisted he carry a firearm at all times. "This is what living in a state with strict gun control was like."

Since moving to Texas, where there are fewer restrictions, James says he feels safer. "I have not seen one dead body, have not experienced any drive-by shootings," he writes. "I can now relax, and live life in this free country."

"I have for the first time in my life enjoyed the freedom to purchase and shoot the guns of my choice," he continues. "I have been able to enjoy these things with my family and teach them the safe proper way to shoot, handle, and secure weapons."

James' post comes on the heels of the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., which left 20 young children and six staff members dead. In the week since, politicians, celebs, and concerned citizens have reignited the ongoing debate over gun control. Several stars -- including Beyonce, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Jon Hamm** -- even came together for a PSA demanding a plan to end the violence.

James -- who famously married and then cheated on Sandra Bullock, and was most recently linked to Kat Von D -- is on the other side of the debate. In his Facebook post, he encourages his fans to join the National Rifle Association, arguing that gun control laws are "only going to keep the honest people honest."

"People that should not have guns," he concludes, "will still find a way to get them."

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Jesse James Supports NRA, Says: "I Have Seen More Dead Bodies Than I Can Count"