Black Friday Guns

 

Reblogged from fredericksburg.com.

Virginia gun sales hit a new high for Black Friday with 3,902 guns sold statewide.  So far 431,693 guns have been sold in the state for this year.  That’s a lot of guns.

I don’t think owning guns is necessarily a bad thing.  I think too many guns in the system is a bad thing.  With the United States leading the world in gun deaths you can’t say there’s not a problem.  When people shoot up an elementary school, movie theater, a university, we have a problem.  Gun defenders say we need more guns.  That’s not working.  I don’t see how adding more of a problem maker actually solves the problem.

The U.S. is very pro gun.  Even the Democratic party is hesitant to propose any real gun control initiatives.  There’s some, but not many.  I won’t hold my breath, especially here in Virginia.

One funny aspect of this is where some credit for increased gun sales falls.  Many cite the election of Terry McAuliffe as governor as gun lovers fear he’ll propose more gun legislation.  That’s not something I would expect to pass given Virginia’s GOP dominated General Assembly.  Others also say more guns are sold because of Obama’s re-election.  I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen posts on social media and heard people talk about Obama coming to get their guns, despite there not being any evidence to support that fear.  Those same people also think the president will force everyone to gay marry, have abortions and eat tofu.

I don’t want to ban guns.  I grew up with guns.  I grew up going hunting though I wasn’t very good or interested in it.  It was always cold, bloody and started too early in the day.  I never owned a pistol but I owned two shotguns and a rifle.  I got rid of all of them before my son was born and focused more on guitars.  I do think hunting is very important in society, especially in controlling deer populations.  My late Uncle Rock, a good ole boy if there ever was one, always had venison in his deep freeze among other types of game food.  Uncle Rock (he was built like a Rock) played a huge part in raising me, taught me how to hunt and shoot and how to handle and respect a gun.  I hope the lessons he taught me are still being given to kids today who choose to hunt.  I really miss my Uncle and he loved me, despite my once destroying his four-wheeler.

Here’s the rough.