America is a strange animal. While many other nations face hard times by looking to its government officials and authorities for help, Americans go the opposite direction. They, at least for the most part, begin looking at how they can help themselves.
Case in point, America has been faced with a number of threats. The COVID-19 pandemic and now the riots resulting from George Floyd’s murder have escalated the danger level up thanks to fears of looters, violence, and more. So, in response, Americans did what they’ve always done; purchase a gun.
According to the Washington Times, it hasn’t even been a small jump, and suppliers are having a hard time keeping up with demand:
Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting, a private research firm, estimated that more than 1.7 million guns were sold in May, an 80% jump from May 2019.
“Yet again, firearms sales have surged in unprecedented ways,” said Jurgen Brauer, the group’s chief economist.
The stock prices for several gunmaking companies, including Sturm, Ruger & Co., jumped Monday.
Larry Hyatt, owner of Hyatt Guns in Charlotte, North Carolina, said the gun demand prompted by COVID-19 was already straining suppliers.
“Then you have this looting and rioting causing another demand, and it’s really putting pressure on inventory,” Mr. Hyatt said.
Gun sales typically increase during presidential election years and during periods of national unrest, including after mass shootings, but Mr. Hyatt said the confluence of factors is unique.
“There’s economic worry, there’s crime worry, and then you got the worry of the coronavirus — it’s [a] triple whammy,” he said.
This is great news and for several reasons. For one, the more guns there are, the safer people are likely to be. With rioting groups eyeing the suburbs, it doesn’t hurt to have protection. Another reason is that it reinforces the independent nature of Americans, which at times like this when so many would-be dictators are lording over their states like fiefdoms filled with peasants, it’s good to be reminded that despite their extreme disapproval, you too can have a tool capable of overpowering them if said elected officials decide to trade their imaginary crown for a real one.
But what is likely highly overlooked is the fact that the gun is more than a tool for safety, it’s helpful for peace of mind.
The truth is that there are very real threats out there, and you’ll get a deluge full in the face the moment you click on a television or open up an internet browser. We’re constantly told things are going to hell. Imagine being told all of that and not having a way to deal with it if it came to your front door and threatened your family and property. Imagine feeling helpless.
I can’t help but wonder if fear drives a lot of the capitulation we see from people nowadays. People are ready to agree with whatever the popular opinion is, even if that popular opinion right now is mob action, riots, destruction of businesses, etc., strictly out of fear that if they don’t they’ll be in danger. They agree with the monster of collectivism, hoping it will eat them never.
They end up doing things like this.
Bethesda pic.twitter.com/qSgCNk1zi7
— maria viti (@selfdeclaredref) June 2, 2020
I’m not saying a gun is going to cure this fear-based behavior but I do think it’ll help. It’s hard to be afraid when you know that at a moment’s notice, you can deal death if the situation absolutely calls for it.
Case in point, you’ll notice that during the riots, the stores that didn’t get touched were the ones with armed men standing guard.
America needs peace of mind right now, and believe it or not, I’m willing to bet owning a gun is one of the best ways to get that.
