It was bad enough that millions of people lined up outside gun stores beginning in March when national emergency was declared. Sales continued at a brisk pace as news dribbled out of cities and states opening their jails and police departments hobbled by an infected workforce. According to a survey of gun stores, 40% of all of those guns were sold to first-time buyers, people who shrugged off the horror stories and fearmongering of the gun control community in favor of obtaining the means for personal and home defense.
All of that was discouraging for our friends in the Civilian Disarmament Industrial Complex.
And the the riots started. Cites were trashed and burned by Antifa-fueled mobs, some spilling into residential areas. That triggered a new surge in gun buying that may very well exceed the earlier one. May set a new record with 1.7 million guns sold, and the violence and rioting didn’t start until the last few days of the month.
Now, with the help of their sympathetic and compliant friends in the media, the gun control industry is trying to rally. Yesterday, the Washington Post tried to sell the story that we can’t expect cops’ behavior to improve unless we also enact more gun control laws. At the same time, the Everygreen State New York Times ran an op-ed from our favorite California gun control grifter, Dr. Garen Wintemute (along with a couple of pals) who says he’s worried about the safety of all of those new guy buyers.
People buy and keep firearms for many reasons. When it comes to handguns, surveys consistently show self-protection at the top of the lists. Despite colorful anecdotes of armed defense of home and hearth, there has not been a credible study demonstrating the security benefits of private gun ownership for individuals or communities. On the other hand, evidence that guns may be misused and do serious harm — to owners and their family members, including children — is substantial and growing. It’s a lopsided balance sheet that should give pause to people who own guns or are considering buying their first gun.
– Studdert, Miller and Wintemute in Coronavirus Could Make America’s Gun Problem Even Deadlier