The Progressive’s Problem With Guns, BLM and Police
BY Herschel Smith
4 years, 5 months ago
The rate of gun background checks and purchases has skyrocketed. Writers Phillip Levine and Robin McKnight explain the data, but the graph below show virtually everything you need to understand this.
But this doesn’t explain the real problem that the progressives have with all of this.
You see, the schedule got mixed up, and it’s causing no end to the hand-wringing among the social planners and elitist chattering class.
There are more guns than people in the United States (400 million are in circulation for a population of 330 million). In just the first six months of 2020, approximately 19 million firearms have been sold, representing more than one firearm for every 20 Americans.
The presence of so many guns complicates discussions of public policy. Injustices committed by the police, and systemic racism in society more broadly need to end. It is concerning that the necessary national discussion regarding racial injustice is leading to even more firearms in the hands of Americans.
This concern is particularly relevant in the context of discussions regarding defunding the police. When public goods are not provided by the government, or are provided on a scale that some consider to be inadequate, individuals turn to private provision of these services. For example, parents often turn to private schools when they perceive public education to be inadequate.
Similarly, it would not be surprising for some citizens to respond to perceived limitations on police services with private provision. This may include purchasing more firearms. In a society fraught with racial tension, it is not clear that dismantling the police and seeing more private citizens purchase guns will lead to a safer world. Increased firearm sales are a potential – if unintended – consequence that merits attention as we endeavor to create a more equitable society.
They said this with about as much adroit skill as can be managed, but the mask slipped down nonetheless.
To begin with, it’s always been a myth that the police were there for protection. Regular readers, and most other educated men and women, already know about cases Warren versus D.C. and Castle Rock versus Gonzales. There are more, but these two cases demonstrate that police are not duty bound to offer anyone protection.
But at least it’s a myth that many people have believed. The riots, looting, pillaging, beatings and murders of late have convinced many uninformed folks that maybe they do need protection in lieu of police. In short, that myth has been shattered.
Here is where schedule comes in. The social planners want America to be disarmed, and see it as an impediment to their plans that men and women can defend themselves. To these writers, this is all an obstacle to be overcome. T. S. Furey at NRO explains a related problem.
June has been marked in recent years by a flurry of orange-clad marchers promoting National Gun Violence Awareness Month. This year’s planned gatherings, however, fell victim to the COVID-19 pandemic and were overshadowed by Black Lives Matter’s nationwide protests against institutional racism within policing. But the gun-control lobby’s reticence isn’t out of respect for the lives of George Floyd or Breonna Taylor but rather concern for its own preservation.
For decades, gun-control advocates promoted greater police power as well as known practices of institutional racism within police firearms-licensing divisions. Now that there are calls to “defund the police,” many leaders of the gun-control lobby, who are mostly white, should rightly fear that their history of siding with the police and promoting policies now deemed racist by progressives may make them the next casualty of cancel culture.
Progressives tend to eat their own. The next most progressive manifestation uses the previous generation as food. What is a good progressives to do?
On the one hand, they are pro-police, since that is the backstop for their gun control plans. Pushing the myth of police protection has been their staple for decades. On the other hand, siding with the police makes them anathema to the current manifestation of wokeness. On the one hand, most progressives have sided with the rioters, looters, thieves and arsonists, and on the other hand, as that metastasized in America it has led to even more guns in the hands of men and women who now know that they have to defend themselves.
The good news for the progressives is that this is all just a fabricated problem. Yes, many guns have been sold in the last few months, but hundreds of millions were already in the hands of men and women who already knew or are learning how to use them. In addition to that, trillions of rounds of ammunition are in the hands of civilians in America.
It’s far too late for the progressives to worry over a few more guns. That battle was lost years ago, and no law or social planning can turn it around.
Here is the real worry that should be keeping the progressives up at night. I said earlier that police protection is a myth. Yes, to some degree, at least in theory and law. But not in practice. In practice, most of the police protection in the last two or three months has been for the rioters, looters and arsonists. The police are there to protect the criminals from the otherwise peaceable men and women, not the peaceable from the criminals.
The worry for progressives is that this abates one day soon, and the police turn their backs on the rioters. That will be an awful day for the rioters, because they have subsisted on the backs of police protection these last months. That’s the ultimate irony. The police have worked thus far to protect the rioters and arsonists because of local politicians. But local politics is a fickle thing.
The writers can actually take solace in the fact that their hand-wringing is to no avail, and they should just try to get some sleep rather than worrying over any of this. These wheels were set in motion long ago, and more violence will only lead to bloodshed. Violence can take many forms, from rioting and looting, to theft of property for so-called “reparations.” More pressure by the social planners to change anything will eventually lead to more problems.
On July 14, 2020 at 6:02 am, Ohio John said:
I’ve been a “gun guy” for about 40 years. I have a 25yd pistol range at the back of my property. Mostly steel because I like the “clang”. I shoot enough to be proficient with handguns and rifles. I teach others defensive shooting. I’ve taken a lot of classes myself.
One day I asked my liberal neighbor to the North if he wanted to do some shooting with me. He proudly told me all about the beautiful colt AR-15 he had in his safe. It’s his only rifle. Then he tells me it’s never been shot and is still in the original box. Then he tells me he got it for home defense. It was hard not to laugh at him.
Owning a gun is like owing a piano. If you don’t practice with it you will suck when you have to play it under pressure.
I imagine that one day, when society turns to dust, I’ll have a nice new colt AR to add to my collection.
People just starting to get into guns now are way behind the curve and good luck getting ammo.
On July 14, 2020 at 6:54 am, Wes said:
From the prog article: “Similarly, it would not be surprising for some citizens to respond to perceived limitations on police services with private provision.”
They sure took the long way ’round the barn with that sentence.
On July 14, 2020 at 6:59 am, ragman said:
Astute observations, Captain, one of your best! The next step in the communist plan to take over America(or what’s left of it) is disarmament of the Citizens. The commies have no idea of what will be unleashed upon them if/when they try that. The whole can of whupass X eighty million or so. I guess they’ll look to our pussified, high heel wearing, pregnancy simulating “military” to do it since the defunded and demoralized popos will be long gone.
On July 14, 2020 at 7:15 am, Matt Bracken said:
Great essay and solid points, sharing where I can.
On July 14, 2020 at 7:32 am, Frank Clarke said:
In the immortal words of Lt. John McLain (NYPD): “Welcome to the party, pals!”
On July 14, 2020 at 7:38 am, Frank Clarke said:
I used to estimate the problem as
100m gun owners; 350m guns; 200b rds of ammunition
but that quickly went out of date.
Lately, I’ve been using
120+m owners; 422+m guns; 300+b rds
The cited article suggests 400m guns, but that is clearly too low by far.
Is it now plausible that ‘ammunition on hand’ is over a trillion rds?
On July 14, 2020 at 8:31 am, Unclezip said:
I always laugh when I come across “necessary national discussion”. Their idea of a discussion is for us to shut the hell up and listen, as our input is irrelevant.
On July 14, 2020 at 8:37 am, Paul J said:
Many more guns in country than official statistics. Probably a lot more unspoken owners.
On July 14, 2020 at 8:41 am, BOB said:
Another spot on post..thanks Herschel
@Matt – I am just into the second book of your “Enemies” trilogy, and like the first one, it is well worth a read.
The first book presented, IMO, a very believable scenario of how the socialists could attempt to disarm citizens. I highly recommend it. Great writing Matt, thanks.
On July 14, 2020 at 9:09 am, Ned2 said:
Estimates of guns and ammunition amounts in the hands of private citizens is woefully low.
Most around here have garages full, been stockpiling for years. 50,000 to 100,000 rounds on hand is nothing unusual, especially when you can burn 500 rounds on a morning at the range.
Many, many firearms also simply don’t exist on the “National Registry”; they’ve been in private hands since well before 1968.
On July 14, 2020 at 11:08 am, scott s. said:
One advantage of new gun purchases is buyers get to experience the administrative burdens of gun laws. While they might support “gun control” in the abstract, when it means multiple trips around town with multiple forms it’s like the dmv. Though I have to admit people complain about the dmv but seem to have no motivation to do anything about it.
On July 14, 2020 at 1:36 pm, Herschel Smith said:
@Frank,
I may have overestimated the ammo at hand. For there to be one trillion rounds at hand, 133 million owners would have to possess 7500 rounds. Plenty of guys have 20,000, and maybe this is not an unreasonable, but there is also the gun owner who uses a JIT (just in time) supply chain protocol for ammo.
I would estimate that half a trillion rounds may be a better estimate. On the other hand, in 2018 8.1 billion rounds were made in the U.S., more for 2019, and I would bet that many already in 2020.
It’s really hard to say. I would say AT LEAST 3b as you surmised, probably more.
On July 14, 2020 at 2:34 pm, NOG said:
Ohio J- I met a snowbird from New Jersey when I lived down on the border. He proudly told me about 2 ARs he had bought “for protection down here”. He invited me over one day to show them off. They were also in the original boxes. I asked how many mags and ammo did he keep on hand. Blank stare…… He had none. Nada. Zip. I brought him out to the farm and taught him what he needed to know. A couple weeks later he admitted he sold them off because his wife “was not comfortable with them around”. I asked him if she had his balls in her purse and we did not see each other again. I found out they had a rattler on their patio one morning and she decided they were moving back to Jersey. Probably for the best. NOG
On July 14, 2020 at 4:17 pm, EndOfPatience said:
400 million guns. It’s really cute and amusing when Leftists try to do arithmetic. Almost as cute and amusing as when they try to do history.
I know of a guy who owns a Colt M1892, been in the family for over a century. .45 Colt, so it’s in the same class as .357 or .44 Magnum. And I guarantee it isn’t on anyone’s “list”. There are millions of firearms going back to the latter half of the 1800s that are still perfectly serviceable and will work just fine with modern ammunition.
I estimate, what with old production in the US, weapons bought when people mustered out, war souvenirs, etc, added in to modern production and sales, the actual number of firearms floating around this country is north of a billion. (That’s with a “b”, as in “bravo”.)
Leftists, like the dipschiffs who wrote that article, really don’t have a clue.
On July 14, 2020 at 5:40 pm, penses said:
EndOfPatience said: Leftists, like the dipschiffs who wrote that article, really don’t have a clue.
Back before the commies started branding newborns with a SSN I knew several people that never aquired one. Cash and carry all the way to their grave.
In the inner cities thugs will use a gun, drop it at the scene of the crime, in a dumpster or trash can, and an hour later, after visiting the dealer on the corner, have another one right out of the box. And the red flag laws do not apply to vibrants and leftists. They are aimed directly at whitey.
Last week an illegal arms shipment of 11,000 automatic weapons from China was intercepted at an airport in KY.
If the libtards had any idea of the real numbers they would be buying one way tickets to anywhere but here.
On July 14, 2020 at 5:48 pm, Bad_Brad said:
It’s been handguns that are selling like hot cakes. But the footage of the McCloskey’s holding off the clown army with an AR has that market booming. I’m betting this will continue for a while.
On July 14, 2020 at 6:13 pm, brunop said:
“Last week an illegal arms shipment of 11,000 automatic weapons from China was intercepted at an airport in KY.”
Not exactly. We should be careful about the facts so we don’t come across as “creatively cavalier” (or “liars”) like the other side.
YMMV, of course.
On July 15, 2020 at 7:34 am, Sanders said:
Just remember, a gun store will sell to anyone who can pass the background checks and show them the money.
Not everyone buying firearms right now is on the same political side. Very soon, you will be seeing more and more op-eds that start out something like, “I’m a gun owner, but…..”
What the new owners do not have, and can not obtain quickly, is proficiency. But even a Gomer can get in a lucky shot. Do not discount, nor underestimate the opposition. That could become a fatal error.
On July 15, 2020 at 12:24 pm, RandyGC said:
” Very soon, you will be seeing more and more op-eds that start out something like, “I’m a gun owner, but…..””
The use of the word “but” usually indicates that everything preceding it in a sentence is a lie.
E.g.:
“I believe in Freedom of Speech, but”. . .
“I support the Second Amendment, but”. . .
On July 15, 2020 at 6:31 pm, Ned2 said:
@brunop
“Last week an illegal arms shipment of 11,000 automatic weapons from China was intercepted at an airport in KY.”
It was actually a shipment of full auto sears, not weapons. Watch those click bait headlines, our side is just as susceptible sometimes for the need to sensationalize the story.
On July 16, 2020 at 6:36 am, penses said:
brunop said: We should be careful about the facts so we don’t come across as “creatively cavalier” (or “liars”) like the other side.
My error.
10,800 Assault Weapons Parts Seized by CBP in Louisville–cbp.gov
“The shipment was seized on May 22. Officers inspected the item, which was arriving from Shenzhen, China, destined for a residence in Melbourne, Florida. The parcel was manifested as containing 100 Steel Pin Samples. This is a common practice of smugglers manifesting the contraband as a harmless or a legitimate commodity in hopes of eluding further examination.”
That yellow piece of paper you fill out and sign when purchasing a weapon isn’t worth the paper it is written on. The Supremes found a penumbra and decided that a criminal could lie on the form and get any gun he wanted because telling the truth would be incriminating. It’s a wonderful world of wonderfulness thanks to the Supreme rulers of the oligarchy.
On July 18, 2020 at 3:01 am, Henry said:
“A couple weeks later he admitted he sold them off because his wife “was not comfortable with them around”. I asked him if she had his balls in her purse and we did not see each other again. I found out they had a rattler on their patio one morning and she decided they were moving back to Jersey.”
Nothing more depressing than marrying the wrong woman.
I tell my wife, “I hear a rattler somewhere out on the back veranda,” and she’s out in about 20 seconds with her grabber stick and nylon bag. In less than ten minutes, there’s another rattler hibernating to death in our chest freezer. (We don’t eat them, we sell them to skin crafts creators.) The only downside is you have to turn the light on when you go out there to get kielbasa.