Bang-Bang Play

Once again, if you want to know why the NRA is screaming about "Obama taking your guns away" let's understand that they are the largest gun and ammo manufacturer's lobby in the country, and they are accomplishing their goals: raising membership, and selling more guns and ammo.

“Obama wants to take everybody’s guns away,” said Bob Daziel, who stood in line with hundreds on Saturday to get into the Crossroads of The West event in Daly City, California. “So they’re down here buying ammo, buying guns, they’re getting ready for the next revolution.”

Organizers told KGO-TV they were surprised at the record turnout, believing it to be spurred on by the recent discussions headed by Vice President Joe Biden regarding gun safety.

“It was constructive dialogue,” said Bob Templeton, the event’s president, who attended the meetings this week between Biden and members of the firearms industry. “But I think they had their minds made up when they came in the meeting.”

Templeton said his organization’s stance echoed that of the National Rifle Association: “Further restrictions on the Second Amendment are not on the table for discussion.”

Biden is expected to deliver recommendations to President Barack Obama on Jan. 15.

“That’s why we all need to get them now before they take them away,” said Jayleen Heres, who bought an AR-15 assault rifle — the same weapon used in last month’s mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut. “I have three more at home. This is the fourth.”

Meanwhile, lines at the show for everything from firearms to ammunition swelled throughout the day. Templeton said he expected the latter to sell out before the show concludes on Sunday.

“I’m like the hundredth [person] in line right now,” said another attendee, Frank Andtetta. “There’s like more than 500 people on line to get ammunition.” 

These are people who are convinced that government troops are going to search everyone in America's homes and take their weapons and ammunition.  They believe that they must buy more now so that they can be prepared to shoot and kill anyone who tries to do this.  They believe that basically everyone in their family must be armed and trained to use these weapons to defend themselves, to shoot and kill if necessary.

They believe a revolution is coming, where patriots like themselves will be forced to take those weapons and ammunition and shoot and kill their fellow Americans.  And they freely admit their willingness to do this if they feel they have the right to use that ultimate sanction.

It's ridiculous, and yet millions of Americans are doing this right now, and have been stockpiling firearms and ammo for the last four years (and some long before that).

The vast majority of these folks will never fire a shot in anger.  But some will.  And it's going to be a bloody time in our history.  I'm not frightened about our government.  I'm frightened of these people believing they are above it.

Oh, and speaking of buying at a gun show, the other reason why gun shows are stocked to the gills and attract record numbers of buyers is the loophole that buying a gun at a gun show means no background check necessary if you're not selling as a registered dealer.  (You do have to do a spot background check if you are.)  But then after all, we're dealing with people who think there should be no background checks at all, because they don't work.  That's a bit like saying "driver's licenses don't prevent all auto fatalities, let's get rid of them."

So yeah, felons, criminals, nutjobs, can walk into a gun show like this and buy all the "second hand" guns they want to.  There's no regulation of private sales like this.  But we can't regulate firearms, nope.