A few years ago, when The Walking Dead was dominating the cable schedule, I noted – maybe here, but probably on Facebook – that the message was hard to miss, for everyone but, I suspect, the show’s creators; crisis breeds conservatism.
When one has to focus on finding toilet paper and eggs, and is silently eyeing the property and violent crime rates in the neighborhood, hectoring people about pronouns and carbon footprints, at least for the moderately sane, slides down the priority list
And gun control?
Gun shops on the outskirts of Blue America report a surge of new purchases more brisk than the Obama years – and heavily comprising first-time, often left-of center, gun owners.
I caught this piece, in BearingArms.com.
Pull quote:
At noon, a woman in her sixties came in. She wore plastic gloves and had a scarf wrapped around her face, and she traced a wide arc around the only other non-employee in the store. “I’ve been doing this since the beginning of March,” she said, referring to her protective gear. “I don’t feel sick at all. I’m self-quarantining.” She left her house only for essential activities. This was one. “I’m buying a gun,” she said. “I can’t believe it.”
She went on, “My son was a little upset about it.” (He preferred his bow and arrow.) “I’m old and I live alone, and we don’t know if there’s going to be civil unrest. The world is not the same.” She added, “It didn’t have to be this way.” Unlike many of the shop’s regulars, she was no fan of Trump: “He’s a divider all the way. First he said, ‘Five people have died, big deal.’ Now he’s saying, ‘I always knew it’d be dangerous.’ ” Talk turned to Portland. “It’s a ghost town,” a young woman said. Her name was Rosemary, and she was helping Bales out, since the restaurant where she waited tables had closed.
“I don’t like to go in cities anymore, anyway,” the customer said…Bales helped her customer choose a weapon. (“Pick three,” the customer told her.) As Bales rummaged around, the customer said, “I’m going to have a soldier train me. A friend of my son’s.” Bales returned with the first option. “A .22 Mag,” she said. “Holds thirty rounds.”…“I like the color of it,” the customer said. “It’s not black.” She picked it up. “It feels good. And it’s got a safety…This is just going to be for close range,” the customer said. “In my house. If it happens.” (Asked what “it” was, she said, “In two months, if the cities are starving, they’re gonna come out. And I understand that.”) …
“I think she’s a liberal,” Bales said, once the door closed. “There’s so many coming in. First-time-gun-owner liberals. I’ve probably seen ten this week. It’s so funny, because I hope it just turns them on to liking the Second Amendment. I mean, the Constitution was created for a reason. To protect us.”
Whoops. Did I say Bearing Arms? I meant The New Yorker.
If you are a new gun owner? Perhaps coming from the left?
On behalf of everyone who’s spent decades fighting to keep the right to keep and bear arms safe, you’re welcome.
Hope you remember this when the crisis lifts.
Nice. The oh-so principled left.
Think of all the barely used guns and ammo for sale 3 months after all this hype dies down.
I’ve been trying to call friends and family that are more extroverted as a mental health check. The conservative ones are stocked up on guns/ammo/training/food/drink. The left of center are more freaking out and unprepared. But, I also get calls from people I haven’t spoken to in a long time. Usually cause I don’t HATE Trump. They are usually wondering if I’d be willing to loan them a gun. I’ve explained that I don’t, bit wouldn’t even if available I wouldn’t – they are untrained.
Also, search matt best coronavirus for a fun song by a bunch of veterans.
Today, a democratic socialist is a conservative who has been exposed to Coronavirus or has felt the impact on Wall Street.
Today, a democratic soci@list is a conservative who has been exposed to Coronavirus or has felt the impact on Wall Street.
(apologies for the repeated post — moderation purgatory)
I have not heard of a single conservative who has become a democratic socialist.
And, anyway, the thing with “democratic socialists” is that they don’t believe in democracy. Sanders has said that he will bypass congress to implement his democrat socialist agenda. Congress is the most democratic branch of the federal government.
The US establishment strongly opposes Sanders.
The voters are the reason he’s not likely to be the nominee.
He is the Goldwater of the Left. He’ll lose, but he moved the political spectrum to the left. His influence will be seen in future candidates.
This is true. I was seeing new people at the gun range, especially women, before Governor Wally World’s lock down. Several of the regulars were calling them “scared liberals that have come to Jesus”.
Whatever works.
On another note, I have had a bitch of a time trying to buy boxes of ammo larger than 50 rounds for one of my friends. All of the favorite places are sold out of everything larger in 9 mm, .223, .30-30 and .30-06, with notices that they may not get them back in stock. Some have the ability to sign up to receive a notice when they are back in stock, but most aren’t taking back orders for them.
“oday, a democratic soci@list is a conservative who has been exposed to Coronavirus”
Because national healthcare’s done such a fabulous job in Italy, Spain, France and Belgium.
” or has felt the impact on Wall Street.
Any “conservative” who switched movements over a market cycle, wasn’t.
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I look forward to all those good liberals dutifully turning in their guns at the next Gun Buy Back. You paid, what, $500 for it? Here’s $50 and a Certificate of Virtue.
I bet the lines will stretch around the block.
I’m glad some leftist reprobates have overcome their irrational loathing for firearms. Unfortunately those of us that have an irrational fear of them are not there yet.
Literally shaking rn just talking about it.
JD;
They’ll run out of money after the first 20 they buy back.
That’s the real funny part of “buy back” programs. Since the government entities didn’t buy the guns being brought in, how is it a buy back?
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MBerg: I will not take your socialist government handouts!
Said no conservative ever.