In the United States, there is a run on guns. Bob Hepburn writes:
Americans are leaving their homes and lining up at grocery stores in the desperate hope of buying not only food, but scarce toilet paper, given that so many others have panicked and horded enough rolls of toilet paper to last them until 2022.
However, in many U.S. communities you can also head out to your nearest gun store to pick up a new pistol, assault rifle or stock up on bullets. That’s because gun shops in those spots have been declared “essential services.” Also, the U.S. federal government has also issued a guidance deeming the firearms business “critical infrastructure,” which let it stay open.
The NRA is furious with New York governor Andrew Cuomo:
Even in these anxiety-ridden times, the NRA keeps driving ahead with its lethal agenda of more, not fewer, gun rights, launching lawsuits across the country aimed at overturning government moves to close gun shops.
Last week, the NRA sued New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for declaring gun shops non-essential, forcing them to close their doors.
“There isn’t a single person who has ever used a gun for self-defence who would consider it non-essential,” said Wayne LaPierre, head of the NRA. “This is clearly another assault by Gov. Cuomo on the NRA, on the rights of New Yorkers to defend themselves and their families, and on our Second Amendment freedoms.”
And, Hepburn warns, Canadians shouldn't feel smug. We have our own loonies:
Pro-gun lobby groups, such as the Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights, the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association and the National Firearms Association, talk about protecting “firearm rights” and work hard to oppose any move to restrict gun sales. Thankfully, in fact, there’s no such thing as “firearm rights” in Canada.
It's wise to remember that, in times such as these, the crazies sprout up -- like dandelions in the spring.
Image: The Toronto Star
11 comments:
There are a lot of sick people out the Owen, and I am not just talking about the virus eh!
There are all kinds of viruses, Rural. Some of them target the brain.
i must confess
i too have succumbed to these anxiety-ridden times
my cupboard now contains an extra 2 liters of maple syrup
due to rumors of a sugaring failure.
i have never felt more canadian :)
oh and an extra case of beer
The evidence speaks for itself, lungta. You live in The Great White North.
guns, guess some of them have been watching too much fear the walking dead. Americans wanting more guns, they must not trust their neighbors. I suspect any increase in gun sales is a feeling the police can not protect them.
Never have been in favour of guns so don't have one. Most people don't know how to use them properly anyhow. why people feel they need guns is beyond me. people on ranches and farms may need them, but really in urban and suburban areas, not so much Police officers can be there in a matter of minutes. any how a good old fashion molotove cocktail still works fine.
I'm sure we have gun nuts here in Canada. who do they think is going to come around and kill them. its just plain silliness. more guns never made any place safer.
I stocked up on coffee, creamo, local honey and steak.
Sounds like you're well prepared -- and better prepared -- than the loonies. e.a.f.
Can't eat guns, can't farm with guns, can't fish with guns, can't make love with guns.
What use are guns?
Possibly to stop that weird guy taking your big screen TV.
TB
Enjoy...
https://medium.com/poem-of-the-day/brian-bilston-america-is-a-gun-e6a52d97c8d9
TB
Still, Trump is telling residents of certain states to "liberate" themselves and protect their second amendment rights, TB. The man is truly mad.
.. I have 'standing' re guns .. but my opinion may not be welcomed. My understanding overall re the spectrum of gun ownership or use in the US of Trump to the south of us.. is biased due to my uncommon sense of guns. For one thing.. I do not buy into the Hollywood / Cowboys n Indians myths.. though I quite enjoy the movies, books and other fictions. Hell, I study the American 'Civil' War with great interest. Keep firmly in mind that as a budding photographer, I was consuming the early photographs of that war.. at an alarming rate.
But here in Canada, in my dotage I marvel at how Canada managed to grow up very differently than the current schizophrenian .. Trumpian USA. Canada is not & must not become mired in a hard wiring devolution like that 'land of the free & the home of the brave' on the south side of our mutual borders... Duh.. how comfortable could you be Owen, if your 'new normal' aka normal included 'open carry' ?? And what's with all the near nearsidedness plague hitting gunowners? They all be needy for semi-auto military assault style weaponry to bag a deer, a hog or groundhog ? Do they really need that rate of fire ? Oh yes, defending the farm.. from the vermin out there eh !
Canadians deserve and require tight gun licensing.. We don't deserve or require any gaming of a strong system. Back in the way before.. I inherited a gun or rwo.. had to defend the farm eh ! I was 12 .. No Dad. Somebody in the familiy diverted one gun, but the farm came with a .22 rifle and a big white 1/2 Persian barn cat named Buttons. Later I bought a 22/250 .. a varmit gun, big scope mounted, sweet flat ballistics. I went into the gun system then. Had a name and current rural address. No test, no licence given.. just a receipt. Even later it became more strict. Was OK.. though buying a revolver was even more restrictive. Still OK.. And here we are today.. and we get the lokes of Andrew Scheer waxing eloguent re bagging his first whitetail and the venison jerky he whipped up being so darn good. Why, hell ! As he told it, a borrowed deer rifle, out among his homies.. roughing it dontacha know.. And very first shot at approx 400 yards ensured his freezer would have plenty o venison ! Not sure what stance he used, Whether the rifle was scope mounted.. maybe next time he'll have to bag one in a hail of semi autofire 7.62 cal.. Full Metal Jacket ??
Forget about Toronto though.. gunfire damn near every night.. or day. Drive By's aplenty.. tow trucks burned in the driveway. Anyone else think TORONTO is uh.. just too damn big ? How gun laws apply within a super diverse megalopolis seems a more useful discussion and review. The actual annual totals of incidents of concern.. ie 'interaction with a high velocity bullet' while fishing or hunting, or while defending the farm of course.
Perhaps we could start small.. develop some social muscle knowhow and tada ! Tackle PEI.. a pilot project to be closely followed and overlapping with subsequent provinces launching. BC, Quebec and Ontario completed in the latter stages of completion. A strict review, pragmatic, sensible.. and easy to understand re the implementation and governance.. The brouhaha re farm defense, assault style deer guns etc need to be seen clearly in case study.. Just get the initial steps toward that review started & underway.. overall it will be a long long progressive overhaul via intense public participation..
My father commanded anti-aircraft batteries during World War II, sal. As a kid, I asked him why he didn't own a gun. He said, "I had enough of them during the war." As a kid, I fired a .22 a few times. Target practice was fine. Self-defence was a phony argument.
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