Let's see a show of hands: who
here thinks the NRA is in business to protect your gun rights?
Wrong.
The United States Constitution,
specifically, the Second Amendment, exists for exactly that reason. Although
the meaning of this amendment has been discussed and disputed, it is safe to
assume that virtually every gun owner agrees that the purpose of it is to
ensure American citizens' rights to own firearms.
No, the National Rifle Association does not exist to
help you keep your guns. As mentioned, the Constitution does that, in case you
forgot that part. The NRA exists for one reason: to help the gun industry to
sell guns.
Let's repeat that: Sell. Guns.
What is the best way to spur gun sales? The NRA figured out one method and used it to nauseating advantage in the eight years of the Obama Presidency. They spent the entire term hysterically bellowing that Obama was coming to take your guns. The intended effect was to send you scurrying to gun stores to buy up more guns and ammunition.
It worked. Gun sales
skyrocketed. Lee Fang, of The Intercept, wrote in December 2015, in a story
helpfully titled 'Gun Industry
Executives Say Mass Shootings Are Good for Business':
"The fear of losing gun
rights leads to panic buying, which brings greater profits to gun retailers,
gun companies and their investors."
It worked because the gun folks
fell for the hysteria.
The other way is similar to the
first, except it begins with a seemingly random act of gun violence. Some loon
shoots up a school, a mall, a movie theater – whatever; it doesn't matter where
it happens. The NRA is automatically in on the action of stirring up the old
time-honored panic. They're coming to
take your guns – get out and buy more guns before they become illegal!
Fang wrote in the
above-mentioned story:
"Behind closed doors,
speaking with investors and Wall Street analysts, the gun industry views mass
shootings as an opportunity to make lots of money."
It works every time. Every
single time we have gun killings, gun stores report massive increases in sales.
Hmm… Couldn't be a coincidence, could it? Both methods serve to drive gun sales
through the roof. Everyone involved with guns is ecstatic. They love to shout
and crow that they have once again derailed "Liberal" attempts to
take their guns away. Except that there is not now, nor has there ever been,
any attempt by Liberals to take guns from anyone. If you believe otherwise, you
are just plain stupid.
Just for fun, remind me again
exactly when President Obama tried to take your guns. What? No? That's right, it never happened. Despite the constant
NRA manic screaming (which every single one of you conservative gun thumpers
bought hook, line, and sinker), it didn't happen.
No bubba, there were never executive
orders written to grab guns. Go look for yourself; these orders are not state
secrets (Barack
Obama Executive Orders). Of course, we have no such optimistic outlook for
executive orders in the current administration, where actions are shrouded in
mystery, in direct contrast to those of every
other President.
Then the NRA hit a roadblock
when Obama's term ended.
Gun owners relaxed, thinking
that the current President made your guns safe. He gained votes from right
wingers by telling them he was a Second Amendment guy. Of course – all
politicians always keep their promises. Until, that is, such rhetoric no longer
serves their purpose.
In case you have not noticed, since
the ludicrous Obama gun grabbing mania is now over, gun sales are flat. They're
not selling, because no one is buying. There is no Liberal in the White House allegedly
trying to steal your guns. The hysteria is over, and that is a problem for the
gun industry.
No hysteria, no gun sales. No
panic, no run on gun stores.
So what do they need to do?
Unless they are prepared to
start shooting up the place, there is only one answer: The NRA needs to create
another frenzied gun situation. They need the current President to reverse his
stance, and declare a war on guns.
There you go – a brand new, gun
grabbing panic to sink your teeth into. Brought to you by the Republican
President and the NRA.
Oh yes, boys and girls, it WILL
begin soon. If we have some new, random killing spree, then the new President
will have his opportunity, spurred on by the NRA, the gun lobby, and gun
manufacturers. It is a virtual certainty that such an outbreak will prompt the
new President to declare martial law in the locality where the killings take
place. In such a situation, confiscation of guns – legal or not – is not only
possible, but inevitable. In case you don't understand martial law, it is a
situation in which citizens have zero
rights – all civil rights, including habeas
corpus and gun rights – are suspended, done, gone.
The result will create a new
panic in other parts of the US, sending gun folks by the hundreds of thousands
into the arms of deliriously happy gun store owners.
And boom, just like that, a new
surge in gun sales.
Rich Smith of the Motley Fool, wrote
in January 2017, "Well, it's essential to recognize that Donald Trump
has flip-flopped on gun control before - and could do so again," and
"there's no telling how President Trump might react to new headlines
describing a surge in gun violence some months into his administration."
The new President has already
given you a preview of this action. He announced in January that he was
thinking of sending troops into Chicago to deal with "the
horrible carnage." There it is – a promise from the new President to
send the Army to Chicago, to take their guns away.
The NRA folks are slapping each
other on the back, salivating over the soon to happen brand new spike in gun
sales.
On the other hand, the newly enacted 'Muslim Ban' could change everything. This move could easily be viewed as an invitation for ISIS to carry out terrorist attacks in the US. If that happens, the new President will declare nationwide martial law, and we lose everything - our civil rights will be suspended. Democracy in the US put on indefinite hold.
On the other hand, the newly enacted 'Muslim Ban' could change everything. This move could easily be viewed as an invitation for ISIS to carry out terrorist attacks in the US. If that happens, the new President will declare nationwide martial law, and we lose everything - our civil rights will be suspended. Democracy in the US put on indefinite hold.
If you gun folks think you
elected a solid gun guy, you are absurdly mistaken. If you think the NRA gives
a shit about your "rights" you are delusional. The NRA has been lying
to you for years. When are you going to wake up to that fact? Learn some real
facts – not the bullshit spoon fed to you by the money hungry NRA and the
equally money hungry Republican lawmakers.
The NRA is not interested in
gun rights. They are only interested
in serving the gun manufacturers. If you don't get that then you are clearly
not sane enough to own guns.
Larry Manch is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist.
His books include: 'Twisted Logic: 50 Edgy Flash Fiction
Stories', 'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other
Rock & Roll Stories', 'A Sports Junkie', 'The Avery Appointment', 'Between the Fuzzy Parts'. His books are available in paperback and
e-book.
He also writes about
sports for Season Tickets, food and travel on Miles & Meals, and music/guitars on The
Backbeat.
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