Gun sales are way up, across the country, for obvious reasons. The numbers began to rise with the Coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, and only grew as riots began in multiple cities at the beginning of the summer.
Now imagine being someone who lives in one of these riot torn cities, where your Democrat leaders are trying to defund the police, and learning that it’s going to be difficult to arm yourself.
As crazy as it sounds, that’s exactly what’s happening.
Tyler Olson reports at FOX News:
In ‘defund police’ cities with rising crime, getting a gun no easy task: ‘Near-impossible to get a permit’As crime spikes in many cities and calls to defund the police rise, so too has the demand for guns — yet while these trends widely are seen as related, it remains difficult or time-consuming in many of these same places to get a firearm.Firearm-related background checks reached 3.9 million nationally in June, the most since the tracking system was created more than two decades ago, a sign of booming sales. The FBI conducted 3.6 million such checks in July, the second-highest number on record. Mark Oliva, director of public affairs for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which represents gunmakers, said the confluence of calls to defund police along with civil unrest and various crime connected to that is “unquestionably … why this trend is increasing.”Aside from unrest in places like Seattle, chaos erupted overnight in Chicago in response to a police-involved shooting.But in some of the Democrat-dominated cities taking steps to defund or curtail their police departments, worrying many that response times may be increased as resources are stretched thin, getting a gun for personal protection is no easy task.Reasons include tight gun laws, pandemic-related backlogs and even a dearth of stores.
To say that demand is going way up is not an exaggeration.
According to WCBS News Radio 880, permit applications in New York City are up by 90 percent:
NYPD Sees 90% Increase In Applications For Gun PermitsMore New York City residents have decided to arm themselves, according to a Spectrum News report.According to the report, the NYPD has received an influx of gun permits in 2020, up 90% from 2019.It seems that the trend in purchasing guns was triggered by the coronavirus pandemic and then the social unrest following the police brutality death of George Floyd in Minnesota.The NYPD says it received around 3,900 applications for handguns by the end of June compared to 2,012 applications last year.One resident told Spectrum that they applied for a gun permit in fear that the NYPD will not protect his neighborhood amid police reforms.“I’m not a gun person. That’s not something I’ve ever wanted in my life, but I think now it’s time to think that you have to protect yourself by any means necessary in your home,” he told the news outlet.
In Allegheny County, PA, concealed carry permit applicants are being told they may have to wait until November.
Andy Sheehan reports at CBS News in Pittsburgh:
Applications For Concealed Carry Permits Backed Up To November In Allegheny CountyAt Allegheny County Courthouse, it seems that just about everyone is suddenly applying for a permit to carry a concealed weapon. But if you’d like one, there’s some bad news. The earliest you can get one is November.Amanda Seath and her daughter Coraline made the trip from Turtle Creek to the Allegheny County Courthouse for one purpose — to get a permit to carry a concealed handgun. They’re not alone. More than 6,000 people are waiting to do the same.The sheriff’s office is scheduling applicants online in five minutes intervals, but even in processing 84 permits a day, they’re now backed up into November. Sheriff William Mullen attributes the surge in applications to civil unrest and uncertain times.“People (are) afraid of what’s going on in the country. The unlawfulness. The violent protests. They’re just really worked up about that,” said Sheriff Mullen.“It makes you think. Yeah. About unrest. You don’t know where anybody’s going any more. You don’t know if it’s safe,” Keith Vangura of Pleasant Hills said.
Political leaders cannot have it both ways.
You can’t tell the police to stand aside as people riot, and then restrict the ability of law abiding people to protect themselves, their families, their homes, and their businesses.
If the police are not allowed to protect the people, the people will protect themselves.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY