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On Fear, Gun Shows, and What's Next
December 28, 2012
On Fear, Gun Shows, and What's Next - 5

Last weekend, I worked a table promoting my survival classes at the SGK Gun Show in Doswell, Virginia. Let me tell you, if the gun shows throughout the rest of the country are like this one, they'll be packed with people and deep conversation.

The show was incredibly busy on Saturday and by the end of the first day, many of my neighboring vendors admitted to me that they had just seen their best sales day - ever.

These heavy sales were no surprise at all. There was a lot of talk at the show addressing the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban (AWB) and concern over a repeat of that ban. Many people felt that the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut would be just the fuel that gun-ban proponents needed to limit or eliminate things like AR-15s and high-capacity magazines. Many customers were buying what they could, while they could.

The booth to my left was set up by the Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. This group explains their mission as being a state-level, more aggressive version of the NRA.

I asked one of the gentlemen running the booth: “Why were so many people at this show … What does it mean?”

To paraphrase him, he responded that people are scared. The worst part is that they don’t know why they are scared. “We are sailing in uncharted waters,” he said. With the economy in bad shape, and possibly getting worse, people don’t know what their way of life will be like in the future.

Seniors don’t know if their social security checks will stop coming, and there are 2 million people out there wondering if their unemployment will run out. People also don’t know when the next atrocity will occur at the hands of domestic or foreign terrorists. Finally, people who just want to protect themselves don’t know if the availability of ammunition or guns will be choked off. In short, I think a lot of people in this country have so many different things concerning them, that they don’t know which thing to be more worried about.

What does all this mean to you? Please share your thoughts by leaving a thoughtful comment.

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from Sven_Katur 12/30/2012 at 07:26am

huntfishtrap - patience, he will (you just may not like his solutions if you're a fan of individual acountability and personal freedoms)

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from huntfishtrap 12/29/2012 at 03:10pm

But we can't be in that bad a shape, reelecting Obama was supposed to solve all of our troubles!

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from John3006 12/29/2012 at 05:55am

There are two separate issues here, one is the potential restriction on the availability of guns, ammunition, and high capacity magazines. The other concerns the economy, taxes, and benefits. There appears to currently be a greater likelihood of some restrictions being placed on some types of guns and high capacity magazines due to the recent shootings in the theatre in Colorado, and the school in Connecticut. It may not be justified or do a lot of good, but it is being pushed by Obama, and some members of Congress as a gesture that they have responded and to show the people that they did something. As supporters of the shooting sports, we must write our members of Congress that it is not a good idea to pass these restrictions, and we should support the NRA.

As far as the economy goes, time is getting short and we may go over the proverbial cliff, but I suspect that some kind of deal will be made in the new year, and retroactively reduce income taxes on the middle class. Then Congress and the president can say they reduced taxes. Other taxes may not be so fortunate, as the reduced FICA tax simply drains more money from Social Security which is in trouble anyway. The unemployment benefit may be shortened, as that money is running out and is unsustainable at the current rate. The debt went past $16 trillion around the election last November, and is currently over $16.3 trillion, and at that rate is unsustainable. We simply cannot continue to borrow money at the rate of over $1.1 trillion every year. Somehow we need to reduce spending and grow the economy or else we will turn into another Greece, but our debt is so huge that there is no other country to bail us out. Yes, people have a reason to worry.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from elkboy 12/28/2012 at 08:04pm

Why is it that those with the most guns are always the most afraid?

-2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Bob Hansen 12/28/2012 at 03:20pm

Hi...

Yes, I think that people ARE getting scared. And you might be right about them not knowing what they're getting scared about. But I think it's mostly due to their belief that their gun-owning privileges might be imposed upon in the near future. So, some of them are stocking up now...just in case...!!

+4 Good Comment? | | Report

Write a Comment Your comment (200 characters or less):

from Bob Hansen 12/28/2012 at 03:20pm

Hi...

Yes, I think that people ARE getting scared. And you might be right about them not knowing what they're getting scared about. But I think it's mostly due to their belief that their gun-owning privileges might be imposed upon in the near future. So, some of them are stocking up now...just in case...!!

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from John3006 12/29/2012 at 05:55am

There are two separate issues here, one is the potential restriction on the availability of guns, ammunition, and high capacity magazines. The other concerns the economy, taxes, and benefits. There appears to currently be a greater likelihood of some restrictions being placed on some types of guns and high capacity magazines due to the recent shootings in the theatre in Colorado, and the school in Connecticut. It may not be justified or do a lot of good, but it is being pushed by Obama, and some members of Congress as a gesture that they have responded and to show the people that they did something. As supporters of the shooting sports, we must write our members of Congress that it is not a good idea to pass these restrictions, and we should support the NRA.

As far as the economy goes, time is getting short and we may go over the proverbial cliff, but I suspect that some kind of deal will be made in the new year, and retroactively reduce income taxes on the middle class. Then Congress and the president can say they reduced taxes. Other taxes may not be so fortunate, as the reduced FICA tax simply drains more money from Social Security which is in trouble anyway. The unemployment benefit may be shortened, as that money is running out and is unsustainable at the current rate. The debt went past $16 trillion around the election last November, and is currently over $16.3 trillion, and at that rate is unsustainable. We simply cannot continue to borrow money at the rate of over $1.1 trillion every year. Somehow we need to reduce spending and grow the economy or else we will turn into another Greece, but our debt is so huge that there is no other country to bail us out. Yes, people have a reason to worry.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from huntfishtrap 12/29/2012 at 03:10pm

But we can't be in that bad a shape, reelecting Obama was supposed to solve all of our troubles!

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Sven_Katur 12/30/2012 at 07:26am

huntfishtrap - patience, he will (you just may not like his solutions if you're a fan of individual acountability and personal freedoms)

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from elkboy 12/28/2012 at 08:04pm

Why is it that those with the most guns are always the most afraid?

-2 Good Comment? | | Report

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