Discussion»Statements»Rosie's Corner» I believe you gun folks purchased more than 20 MILLION more guns this year. The better to fight the virus right? Why else for wouldja?
You can agree or disagree with me. You can take it or leave it but this is my take on it all. The spike in gun and ammunition sales is due mainly because of the Covid-19 shutdowns and what may happen if it continues for an indefinite period of time. It's also due to the civil unrest we've been experiencing, and the mayhem, destruction, and death that has accompanied it. This also causes a lot of fear in a lot of people and for good reason.
The police can't be everywhere at all times. Then there are the individuals that want to defund the police. We all know the outcome if that happens. So what other options do the citizens have? Just kick back, watch our soap operas and pretend nothing is going on or protect our loved ones, our freedoms, and property any way we can?
Then we have the election fears that many Americans are experiencing. That's due to the fact that Biden is a far-left socialist and Harris has Communist ties. If you don't believe that research it for yourself. If they succeed in getting into office and the Democrats take back the Senate majority, what do you think is going to happen? I can tell you what I believe will happen. Our God-given and Constitutionally-given rights and freedoms (Which includes the 2nd Amendment) may very well be revoked and America would seize to exist as the Constitutional Republic most Americans enjoy and love. But which they also take for granted and expect to last forever.
I don't know how the definitions of Left and Right in the USA compare to those of the UK and most Western European societies that are generally not gun-worshipping and for several decades lived next door to a Communist bloc with expansionist aims; but that's by-the-by.
What you describe though, looks likes a vicious circle of fear. Yes, I can see why some of the fear is understandable, but the effect seems to be: " 'They' down the road have a private arsenal and vote for a different Party, etc., so we'd better have an arsenal in the house as well".
It's only for you Americans to sort out, and only you Americans can sort out, your domestic difficulties; but it's also only you who can have the will and ability to do so.
Nevertheless, one aspect puzzles me and probably many other Limeys: surely if that part of the US Constitution that is so treasured and believed Divine Will is an amendment, then the Constitution permits amending it without harming either itself or more significantly, the nation overall?
(Many, even a lot of politicians, claim the UK has no Constitution; but they confuse form with format. Oh yes the country does, very much so, but it is enshrined in many Acts, enactments and protocols created over many centuries since Mediaeval times, rather than all on one document.)
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One of doubtless many false impressions America gives to we foreigners is that much of the adult population of the USA are gun-totin', sharp-shootin' NRA members. So I took the trouble to find the numbers. I forget the proportions but do recall that by no means all adult Americans own even one gun, of them, by no means all own two or more, and the NRA is far smaller than it seems and has a fairly modest subscription; though still manages to donate to the election-campaign fees of sympathetic politicians.
It's not that all Americans are armed. It just looks that way. Huge numbers are not. It's just that of those who are, some are armed to the teeth.
It is humiliating and shameful and embarrassing Durdle. I speak only for me no one else. That America is such a scairdy cat terrified nation it eclipses every other country in gun ownership gun sales and gun worship. Humiliating. The NRA lobby has called political shots for decades. They have some sort of score they afflict on all pols. Republicans are VERY BIG on getting high NRA scores. Whether it numbers 500,000 in a population of 330 million I do not know. I do know they are the tail that wag the dog. They are the ones that DEMAND the right to open carry loaded weapons with them everywhere. They are frightened to death of being caught without a gun to "protect" them. From what or whom? From others like them. A vicious cycle. A vicious circle. Vapid vacuous vituperative vitriolic. Now some only use guns to kill potential food. Not high on my list of great Americans personally but they grew up with that so what are you gonna do? No. The ones that are the problem are the wackadoodlenoodle partisan fascist racists white supremacists who see everyone as THE ENEMY who is not of their own ilk. Mad as loons all of them they stick together those birds of a feather. I don't know how many HATE groups there are in America but I bet all of them are weaponized! Thank you for your thoughtful observations. Setting that aside how are you doing? I know you're out in the country and not in London but still virus wise you've had a bit of a bad bump of late in the U.K. Brexit is complete though right?. STAY SAFE! Happy Saturday! :)
Durdle 