Send Lawyers, Guns and Money!

…on second thought, just send guns.

Coronavirus biggest-ever boom on guns sales!

Intro: We’ve all heard the phrase, “Send lawyers, guns and money.” But with the acceleration of the coronavirus, the new mantra is: “Just send guns.”

That’s right, people more than ever are exercising their 2nd Amendment constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

But even with that right, there are government officials who seeming perpetually try to strip them of those rights, this time using the coronavirus as an excuse to disarm homeowners of their guns, to make them sitting ducks and defenseless for intruders.

Joining us in this discussion is Tom Gresham, spokesman for the 2nd Amendment Foundation. Welcome Tom.

Q&A:

Q1: We’re getting reports from all over the country of people buying up all the guns and ammunition in gun stores. What’s going on here?

A: Three things are happening. First, just as with the toilet paper madness, when people think there is or will be a shortage, they rush to buy. Two — Police departments around the country have announced that they will not respond to calls which are not emergencies, and response times may increase, and gun confiscation is in the works. This lethal combination is LIKE ROLLING OUT THE WELCOME MAT TO HOME INVADORS! People are smart enough to understand that their safety is ultimately their own responsibility. and THREE — Mayors in a few cities are issuing orders to stop the sale and even the transportation of guns and ammunition. When the government says you can’t have something, people who never thought of buying it suddenly rush to get it.

Q2: Doesn’t it make sense to shut off the sale of guns and ammunition during a crisis?

A: Not at all. First, women and men should have the ability to protect themselves. We saw with Hurricane Katrinia that police protection can evaporate overnight, and the public is left to provide for their own safety. People understand that as good as the police are they will rarely arrive in time to protect anyone. And we haven’t even touched on the fact that owning a gun — which means buying a gun — is a fundamental right — just as strong as free speech — and it’s protected by the Bill of Rights.

Q3: But the Second Amendment isn’t absolute. It’s a right that grants gun ownership, but it’s a right that can be restricted, right? And tell us about your amazing victory in 2012 in your successful lawsuit against politicians in North Carolina where you prevailed in securing rights to keep guns even then a State of Emergency is issues.

A: First off, the Second Amendment doesn’t grant anything. It restricts government intrusion on that right, and because the Supreme Court has incorporated the Second Amendment, those restrictions apply to state and city governments, as well. I think we can expect swift court challenges to any executive order restricting citizens’ ability to buy and transport firearms. (and a brief discussion about the North Carolina lawsuit)

Q4: Why would someone need a gun in the middle of the corona virus emergency?

A: Chances are you won’t need a gun. Then again, chances are you won’t need your seat belt today when you drive your car. You have a personal protection firearm for the unexpected, no matter whether that’s during this current crisis or not. The data from multiple studies shows that Americans use guns in self defense several million times each year, almost always without having to fire a shot. Not only does a firearm in the hands of a responsible person provide physical safety, just having it makes people feel safer, and that’s a benfit we shouldn’t minimize.

Q5: Do you worry about people who have no background or training with firearms buying guns?

A: Owning a gun demands a serious level of responsibility. I’ve always encouraged new gun owners to get training at a local shooting range. That may not be possible with the restrictions we’re facing, but you can learn a lot about safe gun storage and handling online. We have almost three thousand gun safety videos on YouTube, if people just search for Gun Talk Media.

You know, people ask if it’s time to panic. The truth is, panicing doesn’t help anything, so it’s never time to panic. However, it’s always time to prepare. Right now we see people coming to the realization that they are responsible for their own security. This has always been the case, but for many people, it takes a crisis to break them out of their bubble and see the reality.

The good news is that when this has happened before, there has not been an increase in accidents or mistaken shootings, and I’m confident we won’t see that now, either.

ABOUT TOM GRESHAM:

Tom Gresham is a spokesman for 2nd Amendment Foundation. He hosts the nationally syndicated weekend radio talk show ‘Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk,’ carried on 266 stations. He also has created, hosted and directed several television series about guns including Shooting Sports America on ESPN, and Guns and Gear on NBC Sports. An author of several books, Tom has also written thousands of magazine articles about firearms.

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