Democrats Arming Themselves

Americans are arming themselves as never before: 21.8 million firearms were purchased in 2020, 18.5 million in 2021, 17.4 million in 2022, and over 14 million firearms in 2023. In November 2023 alone, there were 1.6 million firearms sold, making it the third highest November sales in American history. Indeed, on last year’s Black Friday, November 24th, firearms dealers reported an all time record in firearms sales. Since a firearm is a durable item (I purchased my two Smith & Wessons in 1999 and they still work*), THAT is a lot of firearms!

There is no mystery about why Americans are buying firearms: 1) Left-wing violence has increased dramatically in recent years, cheered on by elected Democrats; 2) Non-political crime, such as murder, rape, robbery, carjacking, et al, has also skyrocketed as ever more district attorneys refuse to prosecute because thugs are disproportionately “black” & “brown;” and 3) The Biden Regime made no secret of their hatred of our Second Amendment rights, so many Americans have figured they should buy a gun while they still can.*

GUN OWNERSHIP BECOMING LESS PARTISAN

Should we be surprised that the number of registered Democrats who have a firearm in their home has jumped dramatically while their guy occupies the White House? According to a recent NBC News, Democrats’ gun ownership has increased from 33 percent to 41 percent. Perhaps the most intriguing stat is the fact that Democrats’ gun ownership held steady from March 2004 until August 2019 at 33 percent, and then jumped by eight points from August 2019 to November 2023, barely four years. [The latest NBC News poll of 1,000 registered voters was conducted between November 10 and 14, 2023. I can’t help but wonder how many of these new, apparently breathing, gun owners voted for the man who HATES our right to possess & carry firearms.]

The data also showed a rise in Republicans having a gun at home, though this increase was far less dramatic. In November 2023, 66 percent of registered Republicans said they live in a home with a firearm, compared to 64 percent in August 2019 and 57 percent in March 2004.

Why are Democrats so afraid of crime? Because they disproportionately reside in crime-ridden, Big Cities where BLM & Antifa were allowed to run wild in 2020 and where Soros-funded district attorneys don’t prosecute criminals because too many of them are “black” or “brown.” Democrat voters are apparently unable to discern that voting for Democrat politicians produces pro-crime, anti-police policies which, in turn, produce more criminals committing ever more crimes against law-abiding residents.

Rising gun ownership by Democrats was also attributed to crime by National Rifle Association spokesperson Billy McLaughlin who said "Law-abiding Americans, having witnessed everything from politicians' attempts to close gun stores during the pandemic to the Biden Crime Wave decimating our communities, see law enforcement being undermined and progressive district attorneys not prosecuting criminals, effectively putting them back on the streets. This has awakened many Americans to the harsh reality that the responsibility to defend themselves and their family rests firmly in their own hands. The marked rise in gun ownership is a rational response from any citizen who sees the likelihood of them being a victim of crime has increased exponentially."

*As vice president, Al Gore was in charge of President Clinton’s program to decrease access to firearms for law-abiding Americans. In 1999, I believed Al Gore would be our next president. So, for the first time, I obtained a concealed carry license, took shooting lessons and bought two revolvers.