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Do Guns And Politics Mix?

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              I don’t know what’s worse. Is it the fact that I have to stay shut up at home or the fact that I continue to read stories about all the gun-nuts in America galvanizing around the anti-lockdown demonstrations, thus giving El Schmuck-o Trump another opportunity to attack the fake news? The latest such missive comes from, of all sources, none other than The Washington Post, whose online caption, ‘Democracy Dies in Darkness,’ may be referring to the possibility that Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid the paper’s current electric bill.

              Here’s the WaPo headline: “Pro-gun activists using Facebook groups to push anti-quarantine protests.” This is then followed by a picture of the two schmucks standing in front of the State Capitol in Lansing, MI with their assault rifles guarding the other 15 schmucks who were standing on the steps of the building – of course one of the patriots can’t wear a mask because then he wouldn’t be able to take a drag on his cigarette.

              The WaPo reporter tells us about a father, Ben Dorr, and his two sons, who own a bunch of Facebook pages devoted to gun groups which have become “digital hubs for the same sort of misinformation spouted in recent days at state capitol buildings — from comparing the virus to the flu to questioning the intentions of scientists working on a vaccine.”  The story then goes on to detail how the various Facebook gun groups have aligned themselves with the rest of the alt-right internet cabal to promote anti-lockdown rallies in various Democratic states.

              What a journalistic coup! Is WaPo actually saying that gun-nut activists tend to be right wing? Is it possible that the AR-15 putzes who show up at these rallies to protect their Constitutional ‘rights’ are the same AR-15 putzes who show up every time a state legislature controlled by Democrats tries to pass a gun bill? Say it ain’t so, Joe, say it ain’t so.

              Incidentally, it should be noted that the size of these ‘massive’ demonstrations to keep us from descending into a Socialist state (it should only happen, God forbid) are also being hyped not only by the alt-right media but by the mainstream media as well. A website called the 2nd Amendment Daily News claimed that last week’s protest attracted “tens of thousands of protestors.”  Meanwhile, the State Police estimated that maybe 1,000 cars rolled through Lansing, which means that each car held 10 occupants, kind of like the clown car at the Barnum and Bailey Circus, right?

              But the real crowd crush occurred in Austin, TX where a crowd of 200 helped “fuel” what none other than The New York Times says are conservative protests against the lock-down here, there and all over the place.  Two hundred people in a state of 29 million, that was some rally in Austin.  But let’s get back to all those gun groups on Facebook that have become the front line for the pro-Trump, anti-lockdown surge.

              I happen to belong to a bunch of those Facebook groups. One group talks about Remington rifles, another group loves Glocks, a third group is all about the Colt 1911 pistol. These groups have thousands of members and thousands of ‘likes.’ But I notice that the people who put up posts and make comments tend to be the same handful every day.

              The problem with Facebook groups is that if you don’t post fresh content all the time, the page very quickly becomes stale. And then group members stop going to the page and then they don’t click on the ads. Which is what Facebook (and the rest of the internet) is really all about. The ads.

              I really wish my friends in the ‘fake news’ media would stop trying to manufacture stories that are just attempts to get people upset about nothing at all. Two dopes walking around with their assault rifles at the ready represent nothing more than two dopes. I’m much more interested in the yard signs sprouting up that as us to vote for ‘any functioning adult.’

              Thanks to Paula Schaap for suggesting this column.

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Josh Montgomery: Best Guns For Winter Weather.

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When it comes to winter carry, so to speak, there are two things that you have to worry about! First of all, you have to consider the finish of the particular weapon that you want to carry, as well as its ability to resist cold and maybe even wet environments.

Second of all, you have to think at how easy it’s going to be for you to handle that particular weapon, not to mention the space it is going to take – either in a case or under your jacket.

Considering all of the above, there are some guns that are ideal for winter weather and carry. This makes it easier for the owner to handle, carry, and fire them!

Dan Wesson 715 Pistol Pack

Nothing says fit for winter weather better than a Dan Wesson pistol – let’s see why. In terms of keeping it chill, the 715 pistol pack is made using stainless steel. This means that, even though the gun is going to be cold, it won’t suffer any damage because of it.

Moreover, the 715 model is also extremely versatile, as it comes with three .357 Magnum barrels that can be interchanged. The three are eight, six, and four inches in length.

Speaking of fit for winter weather, this particular handgun comes with a target trigger. This is a feature known for helping people fire their guns better in tough – in this case, cold – conditions.

Smith & Wesson Victory

We thought of introducing you to a handgun – in case you don’t fancy revolvers. This Smith & Wesson model is a lot less bulky than the previous model – as well as smaller, making for a snug fit in a belt or special body holster.

Naturally, the gun is made for all-weather conditions, mainly due to the presence of its stainless-steel frame and the multiple match grade barrels that can be switched.

The cherry on top is the textured grip that offers a great hold for any type of weather.

Marlin 1895 Modern Hunter

Moving on to close-quarters winter-fit guns, we present you the 1895 Modern Hunter, which is a .45-70 big-bore thumper that can hold up to six shots in its 18-inch barrel.  As mentioned, this gun is ideal for hog or any close-quarters game hunting.

It features a laminated stock that is painted to blend with the environment, as well as Cerakoted metalwork that ensures the weapon’s durability in any weather condition.

Last but not least, the 1895 Modern Hunter comes with what’s called a happy trigger and with a large-loop lever, which is a perfect fit for this type of rifle.

Weatherby Mark V

The next entry on our list is a bolt action rifle – namely, the premium Weatherby, Mark V. The interesting part is that this particular model comes in multiple options, specially designed for various weather conditions.

As such, the stock is camouflaged (synthetic Monte Carlo) and comes in patterns like SubAlpine, First Lite, and High Desert – to suit the weather/environment. On top of that, this bolt action features Cerakoted metalwork as well, making it an outstanding choice for winter weather hunting.

Savage 110 Storm

This rifle comes equipped with the best in terms of accuracy – namely with AccuTrigger, AccuFit, and AccuStock. While Savage has available multiple models made to fit winter conditions, the Storm option is probably the best. Why?

Well, because it comes with a synthetic yet durable stock that features adjustable comb as well as length-of-pull, making the weapon highly customizable. Then, for increased durability, the gun was also equipped with stainless metalwork.

Last, but not least, the hunters can safely rely on the highly convenient rubberized grip panels that ensure ideal grip in wet, muddy, rainy, and snowy conditions!

Traditions Outfitter G2

The Outfitter G2 is a break-action, single-shot rifle that is ideal for snowy and cold conditions. It is chambered in a straight-walled manner, making it ideal for those that have to deal with centrefire restrictions. Obviously, as you may know, the Traditions models are quite affordable, especially when it comes to all-weather guns.

The stock features a textured grip, as well as the central part beneath the barrel, helping you properly aim and fire the gun without any potential slides, even if you wear gloves.

Mossberg 590A1

This 12-gauge shotgun comes with some features that make it more than ideal for winter weather and conditions. Namely, it has a tough parkerized finish that makes it blend with its surroundings, as well as black synthetic furniture that slightly increases grip ability.

You could also opt for a model that comes with either a bead shotgun sight or with ghost ring sights. If you have any doubts, then it is worth mentioning that this is the only pump-action shotgun that was able to pass the infamous shotgun torture test of the US Army.

Special Notes

When it comes to guns for winter weather, it is very important to mention that you have to consider your gear/equipment as well. For example, gun enthusiasts know that Ruger and Glock make some of the best all-weather weapons and that even the AK can be used in the snow – but you’ll still need proper gloves to be able to handle them.

As such, even if the gun labeled as all-weather comes with a textured grip, you don’t want to turn down special hunting gloves that can offer you extra grip and stability.

On top of that, as mentioned above, you’ll want to look out for the gun’s finish as well, as it may get damaged if exposed to low temperatures for too long. In such a scenario, you may want to consider a gun case with extra padding or a gun with a sturdier framework and with a better finish, ideal for winter weather.

The Bottom Line

There are plenty of other weapons that could endure winter weather – even your trusty AR. But, as previously mentioned, you have to prepare both yourself and your weapon for a snowy hunting session.

Moreover, if your gun is not known as an all-weather model, then you may want to take a couple of extra steps to properly protect. Even better, you can replace it with a winter-fit model for when you go out in the cold!

Want To Promote Liberty And Justice For All? Carry An AR-15.

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I would rather not inundate the written airwaves with an extra column this week, but before the jerks who showed up with their AR-15 rifles in their ‘freedom’ cavalcade in Michigan inaugurate a national movement of freedom-loving jerks doing the same thing elsewhere, a few points need to be made.

What happened is a group calling itself the Michigan Liberty Militia helped organize a demonstration in East Lansing, protesting Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s lock-down order which drew fire from one of America’s staunchest freedom fighters, Rudy Giuliani, as well as from El Schmuck-o himself. The protest in East Lansing was the handiwork of the usual right-wing nut jobs who long ago took leave of even the most rational political beliefs, which of course gave the militia members an opportunity to parade around with their guns.

“We are just here to make sure that everyone has the right to assemble peacefully,” said one of the rifle-toting schmucks, who just to make sure that we all understand his devotion to civil rights, this idiot was wearing his MAGA hat. Exactly which group represented a threat to the demonstrators was never made clear, but no doubt we will soon see other such demonstrations of stupidity led by patriots like Cliven ‘let me tell you about your Negro’ Bundy’s sons. Remember when those morons made a ‘hard stand’ at the Malheur National Forest until the FBI wouldn’t let them get any more pizza delivered to their latter-day version of Valley Forge?

The point is that assault weapons have become a symbol of alt-right political activity in the same way that the ‘V for Victory’ sign became the New Left’s energizing symbol in the marches and demonstrations protesting the Viet Nam War. When the Nazis showed up in Charlottesville toting their AR’s and Trump couldn’t find a good reason to tell these douchebags to stay away, the AR as symbolizing ‘freedom’ and ‘defense against oppression’ began to move into the cultural and political mainstream and now is regularly toted around whenever any political rally promoting the alt-right agenda takes place. A whole bunch of these AR-loving guys showed up at Richmond back in January to protest a whole new tranche of gun laws. The only law that didn’t pass was the law banning AR’s; no doubt such a ban would have been considered a violation of free speech.

I want to refer everyone to an article about the cultural significance of assault rifles that was written by two criminologists in 2005 and can be downloaded here.  One of the major findings in the research was that while youngsters rarely used assault rifles in the commission of crimes, the popular media – movies, music – is replete with endless depictions and verbal references to AR’s. If anything, the degree to which full-auto assault rifles have become a standard prop in just about every ‘action’ movie and video game has increased dramatically over the last several years.

The guys from the Michigan Liberty Militia may be, chronologically speaking, full-fledged adults, but the truth is that when it comes to understanding anything about politics, COVID-19 or anything else, they’re just a bunch of kids.  Don’t believe me?  Take a look at their Facebook page. The very first post is a quote from one of the biggest self-defense scam artists of all time – David Grossman – who runs something called the Killology Research Group which presents seminars on protecting schools and first responders from terrorist threats.

And let’s not forget that the upsurge in right-wing political activity pushing back against government attempts to enforce social distancing happens to be an organized, alt-right strategy being peddled by Rush Limbaugh and the rest of the MAGA crowd. You think this bunch isn’t the latest iteration of the Tea Party? Think again.

I’m not trying to find a reason to justify anyone who walks around toting an assault rifle in a public place. But I also don’t take these guys all that seriously because, when push comes to shove, these infantile idiots are much more prepared to shoot off their mouths than to shoot off their guns.

Please stay safe.

How About Another Gun To Protect Yourself From Covid-19?

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              Now that every red-blooded American has bought that extra gun that will help them to defend themselves, their families and their President from COVID-19, I’d like to use this column to talk about guns and self-defense, because as usual, whenever this argument breaks out between Gun-nut Nation and Gun-control Nation, both sides get it more wrong than right.

              The gun nut gang talks about self-defense and gun ownership as if one automatically presumes the other.  This is basically the argument made by the NRA when they sued Andy last week for shutting down gun shops in New York State. It was also the argument made by my late friend Tony Scalia when he decided that the 2nd Amendment gave Constitutional protection to privately-owned guns because, as he said, keeping a gun in the home was a ‘traditional’ way to defend yourself from an attack. Of course he also mentioned, by the way, that the government could regulate how and when guns could be kept anywhere at all, which just happens to have been the basis upon which Andy told Gun-nut Nation to stick their beloved 2nd-Amendment ‘rights’ up their beloved rear ends.

              On the other hand, when the gun-control gang made a big hue and cry over Schmuck-o’s exemption of gun shops from the advisory issued by Homeland Security about which types of individuals and businesses needed to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic, they also pushed an argument that happens to ignore certain salient facts. Chief among those facts is the idea that without access to guns, ammunition and shooting range facilities, not one single cop in the United States could do his or her job.

              More than half the sworn officers in the United States (the term ‘sworn officer’ means someone who has legal authority to effect an arrest) happen to work in agencies which number 50 sworn officers or less. They carry their own guns, they buy their ammunition at a local gun shop, then submit a receipt and get reimbursed. They have to show some proof that they have actually practiced, on occasion, using their gun. Unless some way could be figured out to let the cops enter Mike’s Gun Shop through the back door, closing down gun shops in many states would be tantamount to telling the cops that they can’t do their jobs.

              Of course, we can assume that Schmuck-o probably exempted the gun business from the advisory because he wanted to toady up to the NRA. Fine. So, what else is new? But I suspect there isn’t one, single member of Gun-control Nation who knows anything at all about how cops get their ammunition and their guns. That being said, either we have an informed discussion about how to exempt first-responders from social distancing rules which should apply to you and me, or we don’t.

              I also happen not to believe that the increase in gun sales has much, if anything to do with how much violence is caused by guns. Over the last three years of Schmuck-o’s first (and hopefully last) Presidential term, the gun business has been in the toilet, with annual sales dropping off more than 20 percent since the end of the Obama regime. Meanwhile over the same three years, the number of deaths attributed to guns has gone up by as much as 15 percent.  Hey!  I thought it was supposed to be the other way around. After all, more guns mean more gun violence, right?

              I’m not expecting my Gun-nut Nation friends to engage in an informed discussion about gun violence. After all, they don’t believe gun violence is a problem as long as we keep guns out of the hands of all those street thugs. But I hold my friends in Gun-control Nation to higher standards of discussion and thought.  In that respect, perhaps I’m making another assumption which has no basis in truth or fact.

              So, to quote my beloved grandfather in the midst of this plague year, “det’s det.”

Is COVID-19 Social Distancing A Template For Dealing With Gun Violence?

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For all the talk by physicians about gun violence, the only doctor in the entire United States who is actually doing something tangible to reduce this public health threat is Mike Hirsh, a pediatric surgeon at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester. He has been running a region-wide gun buyback which is now in its 18th year. The city of Worcester is now into its third year without having suffered a death from penetrating trauma, and while the buyback is certainly not the only reason for the city’s lack of gun violence, what Mike has really achieved is a remarkable degree of coordination and respect between physicians on the one hand, and uniformed services on the other.

If there is one thing about the public health and medical response to gun violence which I find wrong to the point of absurdity, it’s the refusal of both groups to talk about the fact that more than 80% of all gun injuries happen to be crimes. What I hear the gun-control medical groups and public health folks saying again and again are variations on the theme of ‘we need to do more research.’ What I never hear them saying is ‘we need to work with the cops to deal with the illegal use of guns.’

The story in Worcester is very different. The story in Worcester is that every year there is an active collaboration between doctors and cops to spread the word about gun risk which now occurs not just in the city of Worcester, but in more than 20 surrounding towns. It didn’t happen overnight. It wasn’t just a one-shot deal.  It took a year-after-year commitment on the part of white coats and blue coats to bring this about.

This year Mike Hirsh was named Medical Director for Worcester and has found himself in the middle of a new threat to community health which still doesn’t seem to be understood as a threat by Schmuck-o in the White House. But at least in Worcester and surrounding towns, a coordinated effort is being done to make sure that everyone who has to play a frontline role in responding to the COVID-19 virus knows what they have to do. Whether it’s responding to emergency calls, or organizing and coordinating facilities, or getting the word out via social media and other communication venues, the bottom line is that the Worcester hospitals have not experienced the kind of patient ‘crush’ that is happening elsewhere and creates serious roadblocks for dealing with this disease. In other words, the degree of citizen compliance seems to be having a positive effect.

Yesterday, the State Board of Health updated their numbers on viral infections and mortality and reported 8 new deaths in Suffolk County (Boston) and 2 new deaths in Worcester County. The population of both counties is roughly 800,000 and of course these number could change. But Boston doesn’t have anyone coordinating the activities of all medical and uniformed first responders, even though the city has 1,200 employees working for its Health Commission, Worcester has 28.

The more I think about how to implement and manage a social distancing strategy to deal with COVID-19, the more I think it’s what we should be doing about gun violence as well. After all, social distancing simply means that we take it upon ourselves to behave in a certain way based on an informed awareness of what needs to be done. Isn’t that what everyone should be doing in response to gun violence – behaving in a certain way with guns based on an informed awareness that guns represent a risk to health?

If the latest estimates are correct, the COVID-19 virus will begin to disappear after we suffer some 60,000 deaths. We suffer more than 100,000 deaths and serious injuries from guns, year after year after year. Maybe what Mike Hirsh is doing in Worcester for COVID-19 could become a national template for dealing with guns.

Guns Shops Are Now Critical Infrastructure That Will Protect Us From COVID-19.

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Our friend John Feinblatt has just published an editorial on CNN’s website stating that Trump’s decision to exempt gun shops from the advisory list of businesses that should be shut down during the COVID-19 crisis is “both shameful and nonsensical.” I happen to agree. Feinblatt, who heads the Everytown organization (that’s the premier gun-grabbing group in the entire world, in case you didn’t know) goes on to list the threats from guns in the current situation, noting in particular that domestic violence and gun accidents involving children will probably increase since everyone is now stuck at home.

I suspect that if the virus continues to mount, that Feinblatt’s concerns may well be borne out. This is particularly the case as the virus spreads from big cities into rural zones because when you get out into the small towns, everyone has a gun. And usually more than one.

What I find most concerning about Schmuck-o’s decision to exempt gun shops from the advisory list is the fact that the official Department of Homeland Security’s announcement defines people who work in gun shops as ‘critical infrastructure workers,’ right up there with workers who respond to emergencies like natural disasters, accidents, and anything having to do with the firemen or the cops. Indeed, the exemption for guns covers the entire gun industry supply chain from manufacturers, retailers, importers, distributors – even shootings ranges need to remain open during this critical time.

I must admit, by the way, that I am somewhat more sanguine than Feinblatt about all these so-called ‘first time’ gun wannabees rushing into gun stores. I recall a similar, somewhat briefer surge in my gun shop after 9-11; I also recall that when it was clear that Bin Laden was not going to be leading an invading army down the streets of Philadelphia (none other than Newt Gingrich claimed that such a plan was in the works) that many of the guns that people scoffed up to defend themselves against further attacks were returned, most of them never having been removed from the original factory case.

I also have to raise a slight demur with our friend John Feinblatt who reminds us that by granting a commercial privilege to the gun industry, the Schmuck-o Administration is elevating the 2nd Amendment into a “super right above all other rights.” Oh, don’t worry. Mike the Gun Guy isn’t about to all of a sudden voice a new-found devotion for gun ‘rights.’

To the contrary, there’s no such thing as a free-standing, gun ‘right.’ The 2nd Amendment isn’t a ‘right’ of any kind. It’s an addition to a legal document that was written in Philadelphia and then ratified by nine states and became legal on June 21st, 1788. The so-called gun ‘rights’ embodied in that document were defined by two federal laws, the National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Gun Control Act of 1968. These laws define the kinds of guns that Americans can own (NFA34) and the kinds of people who can own guns (GCA68). I don’t see anything either law which defines anyone connected to the gun industry as being workers in some kind of ‘critical infrastructure’ at all.

Which is why, when all is said and done, the pronouncement which lists gun-shop sales clerks as being on a par with hospital workers, cops, firemen and other first responders is a load of pure, unadulterated crap. Does it give the gun industry a brief boost in revenues after three and a half years of near-total collapse? Sure. On March 11th, Smith & Wesson stock hit its lowest point in the last five years – a couple of pennies over 6 bucks a share. Now it’s rebounded way up to 7 bucks and change. Big, friggin’ deal.

Kudos to John Feinblatt for making an argument about guns based both on reliable data and good, common sense, even though all Schmuck-o is really doing is rewarding the gun industry for what he hopes will be another 30 million in donations for his 2020 campaign

Cuomo Versus Wayne-O. Who Wins?

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In their quest to help Americans retain their civil rights during this period of great anxiety and fear, America’s ‘oldest civil rights organization’ has stepped up its messaging about the threat to 2nd-Amendment ‘rights’ posed by COVID-19. First and foremost, our friends in Fairfax have sued Andy Cuomo who issued an executive order declaring that gun shops were ‘non-essential enterprises’ and therefore had to be shut down.

If nothing else, the NRA’s suit, which will quickly get tossed, is a bit of payback for the investigations and suits against the NRA which Andy has been pushing over the last couple of years. In particular, New York State has been trying to figure out whether the NRA has violated any of the state’s not-for-profit regulations since the gun organization happens to be incorporated in the Empire State. There’s also a messy little lawsuit filed by the State’s Department of Financial Services which claims that the NRA insurance program is basically a big scam (which it is.)

Behind all of these dustups is the fact that Andy has probably been the single, most aggressive public figure when it comes to screwing over the gun gang. As Bill Clinton’s Secretary of HUD, he drafted the infamous regulatory deal which Smith & Wesson signed in 2000 which almost brought the storied gun maker to its knees. He later rammed through a very tough gun law in New York State following the massacre at Sandy Hook and has just signed a tough red-flag law which goes into effect later this year. So, this guy’s no friend of Gun-nut Nation, that’s for sure. You can read the NRA’s filing right here.

Of course now that the national policy to deal with COVID-19 is being set by Rush Limbaugh, we can expect Gun-nut Nation to fall in line and continue to promote the idea that the best defense against a virus of still unknown origin is to load up the ol’ shooting iron and get ready to blast away. Thanks to the NRA, the 2nd Amendment is alive and well in at least 43 of the 50 states, with only Massachusetts, New York and New Mexicoforcing gun dealers to close down their shops, with another 4 states – Vermont, Michigan, Washington and California maybe doing the same thing. The NRA has obligingly put a map on their website so that everyone will know which states to avoid when rioting breaks out in the streets.

Interestingly, to the extent that we can use open source, internet media reports to understand anything, our friends at the Gun Violence Archive are saying that the number of gun homicides over the last several days is about half as many as the average number of such events which usually occur over that same period of time. So at least there are some populations out there who are practicing social distancing regardless of what the Trump/Limbaugh noise machine says.

Last week Trump’s son-in-law, whose entire medical training consists of managing a garden apartment complex in New Jersey, opened his yap and said that he had done a study which showed that many states were asking for more ventilators than they needed or could use.

He did a study. Like the study done by the NRA which proves that closing down gun shops is a threat to 2nd-Amendment ‘rights.’ That’s right. The filing in New York State specifically refers to the 2008 Heller decision which gives Constitutional protection to everyone who wants to keep a handgun in their home for self-defense. But what if you don’t have a handgun, especially when the hordes start running around looking to loot your home in order to get the food they need?

Okay. So, everyone’s a little crazy right now.  Please stay safe.

Can We Figure Out What To Do About Two Pandemics?

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Yesterday my man Mike Hirsh sent me an editorial from The New York Times written by a physician in Philadelphia lamenting the lack of space and beds to treat COVID-19 victims because of the number of patients who show up to be treated for injuries from guns. And basically, the author, a critical-care doctor, was making the argument that as long as we continue to suffer from the pandemic known as gun violence, we won’t be able to deal with this new pandemic known as COVID-19.

I notice, incidentally, that Schmuck-o has stooped referring to COVID-19 as the ‘Chinese flu.’ He must be getting feedback from one of his focus groups that his usual messaging combining racism, stupidity, insults and bald face lies isn’t working out. Don’t worry. Give him another week to pretend he’s really acting like a President, and when that act doesn’t lift his ratings above Andy Cuomo, he’ll get back on the ‘blame the Chinese’ bandwagon again. Anyway.

The NYT editorial gave figures from our friends at the Gun Violence Archive (GVA) which apparently shows that over the month of March, fatal and non-fatal gun injuries haven’t really gone down. But over the last couple of days as I drove through what has always been a high-violence neighborhood in Springfield, MA I noticed the total lack of people walking around in the street. And since we know that most gun violence takes place in the street, perhaps the numbers from the GVA database hid more than they explained.

So I went to the GVA website and I read every, single account of any gun murder that occurred anywhere in the United States on April 1st, a day which saw 22 gun deaths, a fairly typical daily number in the last 30 days. I didn’t look at non-fatal shootings because as the GVA readily admits, those stories represent only a portion of the intentional shootings in which the shooter didn’t shoot straight. But since the CDC also has given up trying to figure out how many non-fatal, intentional injuries are committed with guns, why should I expect the GVA to be able to come up with a more number?  I don’t. Back to the murders.

On April 1st the media and other public sources contained stories about 22 fatal gun events. Of these incidents, two of them were cops shooting civilians, and two others were homicides-suicides in which the guy first shot his wife and then shot himself. In one case both of them died, in the other the wife was wounded but still alive, the husband had no trouble aiming the gun accurately at himself.

So the actual number of intentional gun deaths yesterday found by the GVA was 18, most of which, incidentally, occurred in places where most fatal gun assaults take place: one in Chicago, one in Detroit, one in Da Bronx, almost all the rest in the Southern states. Not a single gun death occurred out West, either in California or Nevada, states that usually claim a goodly amount of gun violence from day to day.

Multiply 18 intentional gun deaths – one person shooting another – by 365 days and you get less than half as many deaths that have occurred each year over the last couple of years. Incidentally, over the entire month of March, the GVA says that 18 intentional gun deaths occurred in Philadelphia. This is twice as many gun suicides on a yearly basis as Philly recorded in all of 2017.  Of course the whole social distancing thing didn’t really get going until about a week ago, which is why I looked at specific gun homicides in Philadelphia only on April 1st.

Does anyone really know how to prevent COVID-19 from going around? Does anyone really know how to prevent people from picking up guns and shooting themselves or someone else? At least in the case of the ‘Chinese flu’ there seems to be some effort to figure the problem out. But you would think that since the gun violence pandemic has been around for God knows how long that we might have figured that one out too.

You would think.

Only A Gun Can Protect You From The Impending Collapse.

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              Several weeks ago, I posted a column about a GOP lawmaker in
Michigan who walked into a legislative session carrying an AR-15 on his back
and a Glock in his waist. He wanted to let everyone know that he was an ardent
supporter of 2nd-Amendment ‘rights.’ This idiot then went home, left
the guns out on the kitchen table and drove off to go somewhere else. Whereupon
someone broke into his home and swiped the guns. The cops believed that the
burglary occurred because the bad guy had gone to the politician’s Facebook
page and seen this idiot walking through the State House toting his guns.

              I thought this dope in Michigan had committed the
stupidest bit of behavior by any pro-gun politician this year, but I warned my
readers that there would no doubt be even dumber examples coming right along.
And yesterday what I predicted turned out to be true, thanks to a state
legislator in Georgia named Matt Gurtler, who now holds the title of dumbest
pro-gun politician of the year. Now remember, my award cuts both ways and I
have already given out a ‘dumb’ award to a state rep in Massachusetts who is
vociferously anti-gun. But let’s get back to the idiot from the Peach State.

              Gurtler has decided that the shutdown of public offices
that process concealed-carry licenses makes residents of those jurisdictions
more vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus than if they were to stand in line
waiting for their CCW applications to be processed and approved. After
all, how can you compare the threat of the ‘Chinese flu’ to the threat of not
being able to protect your family and your home?

              So, this moron is proposing that the Governor use his emergency
powers to override the State Constitution and allow residents to walk around
with a concealed weapon whether they have been granted a CCW license or
not. He puts it this way: “We need to suspend enforcement
especially during the state of emergency, when so many individuals need to be
able to defend themselves and their families and their loved ones and their
property.”

              Now I’m going to pretend that my
name is Michel Foucault because I want to engage in a brief effort to deconstruct
what Gurtler says. Note that he believes not just in the idea of armed,
self-defense, but he wants to extend this belief to include the ability of
anyone to walk around in the street with a gun. Not just in the street, but
maybe to the supermarket, maybe to the liquor store; in other words, to any
location that is still providing an essential service or selling products which
everyone still needs.

              The whole point of the 2008
Supreme Court decision on the 2nd Amendment is that the majority opinion clearly states
that every law-abiding person living in America has Constitutional protection
for keeping a loaded, unlocked handgun in their home for personal defense. In
Georgia, this decision would apply to everyone who legally owns a gun, or at
least a handgun.

              But for reasons that can only be
explained in terms of where Gurtler’s IQ lands him on the bell curve, he
believes that folks can only protect themselves, their families and their
property if they can walk around with a gun. Which, by the way, happens to be an
idea that Gun-nut Nation has been pushing for years.

              Georgia and other states have seen
a spike in gun sales over the last few weeks. According to the manager of a Florida
shop, “Our sales are up 80 percent, with a huge increase in first-time buyers
who are worried about martial law, economic collapse, unemployment, shortages,
delinquents roaming the streets.”

              This comment takes me back to a
wonderful movie, War of the Worlds, which I saw when it was released in
1953, then Spielberg redid it in 2005. Is there the slightest chance that the
guy knocking on my front door is anyone other than the kid delivering my pizza with
anchovies and extra cheese?