Why are people stocking up on guns ?

[floridablue]

Is this to protect the home front against bandits during the depression?

[harun]

1. I think that is the real reason but the press keeps saying it is because Obama is going

to take all their guns away.

[dbt]

10. There are bunches of white people who believe this.

It's as clear and simple to them as a religious experience. They suddenly just know down in their bones that Obama is somehow going to take their guns away. ALL their guns. Then he'll be forcing their daughters to wear head scarves and go to Muslin Schools.

It's too scary to even laugh at.

[jaxx]

12. I think you're right.

And the rightwing is fanatical about their guns, and someone is going to get them, and they read the NRA junk and get paranoid.......and the result is stockpile.

[harun]

18. They love being scared, it is like a drug for them.

[Echo In Light]

41. The collective fear acts as a unifying element that reinforces the ignorance/prejudice that fuels it

Not that there aren't plenty of scary things going on in the world that people are justified in being wary of. But systematic disarming of the public likely won't be happening anytime soon.

[Maru Kitteh]

55. Bingo. It provides them with a bonding experience with other whack-jobs

So they can feel, together, like they are normal in their largely racist paranoia.

[GoesTo11]

2. How many should I buy?

[Javaman]

40. you got ten fingers and ten toes, all are capable of pulling trigger.

:rofl:

[Statistical]

3. Lots of reasons.

Some fear particular models will not be available for sale new but will be grandfather in (aka AWB II).
Some see the increased demand drying up supply and driving up prices - profit.
Some believe that guns or at least particular models will be valuable after a ban.
Some just want to get one now before prices go EVEN HIGHER.

[gratuitous]

4. Frightened people turn to religion

And the United States is the land of the High Church of Redemptive Violence. If there was something else that could inflict maximum violence like a gun, people would stock up on that.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Junkdrawer]

5. A quick jolt of power for those in a powerless situation....

Each new fix requiring a bigger, more dangerous gun... n/t

[jmg257]

24. Actually - a pretty good reason. Form of power for the powerless. No one

likes being told what they can/cannot do, have, buy, possess, etc, especially if they feel it is important, & esp. to their survival.

Many purchases likely to be a sort of a "fuck you!" moment! (also a hedge on prices going up in the future, including ammo)

Nothing made "assault weapons" more popular than the govt trying to ban them. I figure handguns to be the same.

[NJCher]

6. story on radio show

George Noory told the story of how a few nights ago, he got a call from a store that said some ammunition was coming in and if he wanted some (he had earlier been put on a list) to come down at 4 p.m. for a shipment that was to be in at 5 p.m.

He went down and THREE HOURS LATER, he and 12 other numbskulls bought out the entire shipment of ammunition.

Just my two cents worth, but I think it is because they think Obama is going to take away their guns. I think this because this is the NRA propaganda that's was started back before the election. Remember, the purpose of the NRA is to sell more guns and ammo for their sponsors to their members, the suckers.

Cher

[Rashel]

9. I think it's because they think Obama's going to take away their guns too.

They've been whipped into a fearful frenzy. I know a person who was freaking out about the same thing, and saying Obama's a marxist, took the flag off of his plane, he's a Muslim, blah blah.

I'm sure the fearmongers are very proud of themselves.

[doctor jazz]

11. Uh, the NRA doesn't sell guns.

:eyes:

[Junkdrawer]

13. Read it again....

Remember, the purpose of the NRA is to sell more guns and ammo for their sponsors to their members, the suckers.

[Deep13]

7. It is a now or never thing.

The feeling is that if one wants a semi-automatic rifle or a pistol with any kind of capacity in its magazine, one had better get one now before they are illegal. Plus a lot of these right wingers think that in one form or another the end of civilization will occur and it will be necessary to fend for onesself. What is funny is that listening to these people I notice an awful lot of discussions about firearms, but not much about water, shelter, hygiene, food or medicine for when the power goes out and the trucks stop running.

[jmg257]

22. You can't guess why that is? (your last point)

[Deep13]

26. Impotence or some other Freudian explanation?

I dummo, sometimes an assault rifle is just an assault rile. :evilgrin:

Either that, or they are just plain stupid.

[jmg257]

28. :). Hmm..maybe! Or they figure they will just take what they need

from others.

[sagetea]

36. A-Ho!!

I am surrounded by fundies, and (as much as I didn't want to) I bought a gun. The reason? I saw them doing basic training with their kids and guns. I knew that I was going to have the need to protect my family. They actually have an obstacle course set up in their yard. The other neighbors are "training" as well.
When we first bought the house, they invited us over to their house, and I noticed on the wall was a picture of "W" right along side of Jesus. Yup, I never went back!
BTW, this isn't just one neighbor, this is everyone of them, they have neighbor parties all the time, of course I don't get invited, *sob*!

[floridablue]

43. So they just pull out a gun and steal what they need until someone

else who needs stuff shoots them!

[NJCher]

53. I was going to mention that, too

If they think civilization is about to crash (and I wouldn't argue with them on that point), then they should be setting up rainwater collection systems, stocking up on staples, making friends and forming collectives, etc.

But no--their thinking is to grab the gun and protect...what? They'll be out of just about everything in 30 days and there will be nothing to protect.

Freepers :eyes: --can't think their way out of a paper bag.


Cher

[Democracyinkind]

14. Just take a look at abovetopsecret.com

and you'll find plenty of reasons.
Everyone wants to be a man when the gubmint comes. Sorry. the NWO.
the jooooooows.
Or the Nazis from antarctica.

I wish I could just hate people who stock up on guns but they're quite a differentiated lot these days!
Some might even have almost rational ideas about the whole thing.

So let's not make RW nuts out of all of them.
(although that's what I've did with this post)

[ThomWV]

15. I don't know why they are stocking up - one good pistol, rifle, and shotgun is enough.

And all you have to do is keep them clean and oil. Unless you have a fortune to spend on ammunition they generally don't wear out.

[jmg257]

29. Any excuse to buy another gun is a good excuse. nt

[BuyingThyme]

16. Because the gun sellers literally control their minds.

[ThomWV]

17. I don't think its gun sellers, but someone definitly controls their minds - wonder who?

[TheCowsCameHome]

19. Paranoia, fueled by right-wing talk shows.

These people will believe anything some wack-job with a microphone tells them.

[jmg257]

20. A few different reasons, and that is one of them...

2) Potential ban of certain arms; i.e. "get 'em while you can"
3) Terrorist/depression/social unrest fall-out, i.e. survival

[TreasonousBastard]

21. Been there before-- there is a cycle of...

gun nuts every so many years getting all het up about some coming war-- Russians, race, immigrants... you name it and they have to stock up on ammunition and canned goods waiting for the savage, starving, hoards to try to steal their food and stuff.

We've seen this before, and everyone might remember the militias, the survivalists, and a whole bunch of others who drooled at the thought of mowing down the invaders.

(Back in the 60s, I remember there was one asshole who lived a few blocks from me and built a machine gun turret on his Chevy-- "just in case.")

[Blue_Tires]

50. don't forget Y2K

god that was a corny time...

[fasttense]

23. Several radical anti-Republicon radio hosts

and economists are predicting a serious crash in the economy similar to Argentina's great Depression and accompanying dictator state. They are not pro-Obama, nor pro-Republicon. People are getting the guns to protect them from the military state.

I know, I know, that a gun is not going to stop a government tank, but people are afraid. Especially since Obama seems to be supporting the Wall Street/Banks/Insurance firms in their socialization of the fancier's debts. Many people, who voted for and supported Obama, are seriously worried that his Geithner/Summer economic plans are just a massive socialization of corporate debts just like in Argentina. The guns are to protect themselves from the government and others when the government destroys the remainder of the economy and militaristic chaos reigns.

When the remains of this economy crashes, the rich can hire security and hide behind walls as they party on. The poor buy guns.

[slackmaster]

25. I collect them as a hobby and a financial investment

My firearm collection has done a whole lot better than stocks, bonds, real estate, or even precious metals.

It's been about two years since I have bought any, BTW. Prices are artificially high now due to fearmongering about a Democratic Congress and President implementing draconian restrictions.

[aikoaiko]

32. If only I could have withdrawn my retirement fund and bought South African ,308 by the pallet load.

If only.


And Guat 5.56 too.


:crying in my beer:

[slackmaster]

34. I passed up an opportunity to buy a CASE of Russian SKS rifles from the early '50s

:argh:

[EnviroBat]

27. As a warning to those that would do me harm in an attempt to rob

me of the security of my home and possessions, and to protect my family from those same people.


Simple enough?

[aikoaiko]

30. Obama campaigned on and currently supports removing specific guns w/certain features from the market

The same thing would happen if he campaigned on banning purchases of almost anything.

Plus, in the way past, he's spoken of raising taxes on ammunition, but not during his campaign.


This is where it started and then hyped and exaggerated by gun sellers and the NRA.


eta: and now everyone is "filling up their tank" just like when there is a surge in gas prices or gas shortages. Now even people who think there is a zero chance of any ban or taxes occurring are compelled to buy a few more boxes or magazines to avoid not having what you need when you need it.

[MrsBrady]

31. the freepers

are freaking out
they actually believe all the lies they are told.

We know someone who goes to gun shows, our neighbor. He's a republican (I think).
He was talking with my husband the other day. (my husband is the neighborhood fix-it guy)
He was saying that the gun shows are packed. People there are worried about gun control, guns being taken away...he said that was the talk there at the shows.
He said he didn't necessarily like Obama....(he was trying to be polite as he knows we are BIG Democrats)....
But he said that he didn't believe Obama would be taking guns away...thought people were worried for nothing.
He's an older guy, so I don't thing he knows about the vitriol on the internet.

[L0oniX]

33. 4 home invasions where people were murdered, neighbor murdered, 2 sexual assault victims in my area.

Some people keep an eye on what's happening in their area and get prepared and others become victims. Take a look at your local and county police reports, and there are several crime reporting orgs online in most cities. You check the weather don't you? You check the stock market too? Check your city area crime statistics ...you may be surprised. For a real eye opener check your local sexual predator list which most communities keep marked on an online map.

Why do you all attack and try to insult those who want to protect themselves? I didn't own a gun for most of my life and now I do and it IS for protection. I'd rather live in the country but there's no jobs and ...well just try to sell your home now. I need to be where I am for my work and I am going to defend my self and my wife from criminals.

People who have a CWP have passed a background check and gone through a gun safety class and that's a good thing. For those who wish to protect them selves with a gun, I am all for mandatory gun owner classes, registration and background checks.

[hunter]

35. Gun Bubble.

Sorta like the housing bubble.

If guns were like cars people would have to buy new guns every year as the old guns fell apart. Of course if a gun falls apart in the wrong way gun makers literally lose a customer.

But guns last forever and the market is saturated. People who don't buy guns don't buy guns and probably won't buy guns no matter what. So the only market for guns is people who already have guns, and a lot of these people can be manipulated into buying more guns by yanking their chains.

Oh no! Bad, bad people want to take your stuff! Buy another gun!

[slackmaster]

38. I hope you are right about that, hunter

I would like to resume building my collection some day.

[bdamomma]

37. Michelle Bachman and many of rapid right wing are causing

these people to flip out. What sick bastards, they won't be happy till they take America off the edge.

[salguine]

39. Hopefully they're gonna go get themselves some healthcare.

[Javaman]

42. several reasons...

1) people still need to fear something and need to fill their compulsion to by a weapon. 2) if they don't get them now, there may not be any left soon!!! 3) (my personal fav) because the government is going to take away all our rights and will quarter troops in our homes and convert our nation into a police state!!!

There was a study done recently, (I will try and find it and post it again) about the likelihood of an armed mob trying to protect themselves from a "federal take over". The mob would lose in less than 3 minutes.

two reasons: 1) they are not organized into a cohesive fighting unit (everyone wants to be the leader) 2) (and this was the biggy) in a mob of 20 people all carrying weapons and say each person carries 2 weapons a piece, there is a very strong likelihood that there will be anywhere between 10 and 15 different types of calibers. All of which require their own type of bullet. Where as the feds will be using on the average 2 different types of calibers. This is done purposely. In the event that one federal agent runs out of ammo, they can get some from the guy next to them, were as, the mob, one guy runs out, he's out and has to hope someone is using the same caliber or he goes looking for more bullets.

The difference today as opposed to the patriots who fended off the Brits was that everyone used flintlocks. Power, flint and wad were just that. everyone used basically the same thing. So getting ammo of that type wasn't difficult at all during a fire fight. Plus we also had a wee help from the French. But that's another story.

[floridablue]

46. a mob of 20 people with 2 guns would probably

shoot at least 10 of each other, if I remember anything about fire fights many many years ago. The battle plan lasts 5 seconds ?

[Javaman]

49. True, the actually fighting would be only about 5 seconds, I was including the

handcuffing of the remainder. ;) lol

I like your point, they would probably kill more of each other than those they were fighting against.

[Igel]

44. "Stocking up" is a bit exaggerated.

Gun sales are high, but the month-to-month trend, at least for background check applications, the same last fall as in previous years--just at a slightly higher level.

Moreover, 2007 was an interruption, but over the last 6 years or so baseline's been increasing, as well. Here's a recent NYT graphic that looks not at sales per se, but applications for background checks. (Figure that some are rejected).



It's also worth noting that November would probably have a natural increase in sales compared to December and January, and that October's sales aren't shown--possibly because that wouldn't make the quasi-political point that Blow wants to make with his graphic ("oh no--applications were up in November 2008, and we *all* know that Obama was elected in ... gasp ... November 2008!!"). However, since hunting season variously starts in October or November ... We also shouldn't forget people also are given firearms as Xmas presents.

Now, let's see if the graphic embeds properly.

[xchrom]

45. buy stock in gun manufacturers -- this nuttyness could go on for a while. nt

[Junkdrawer]

47. Gun addiction makes its sufferers susceptible to rumors of gun control...

Which could well become a self fulfilling prophesy

[Marrah_G]

48. Yes

In fact my guy said yesterday that he was thinking of getting his right to carry back, just in case things continue to get worse.

We sounded a little nuts last night discussing building up a supply of canned goods and things "just in case".

[TahitiNut]

51. Beware of the impending collapse of the "Gun Bubble"!!

:silly:

[ddeclue]

57. DUZY Alert!

:rofl:

[Blue_Tires]

52. RW radio, and a certain small segment of the population who will never

accept the reality of having to stand when a certain black man enters the room....

fear, hate, anger, paranoia and a collective mindset that is easy to manipulate always equals trouble...

[floridablue]

54. I found it really strange.

That in all the posts, I couldn't detect anyone even hinting to that point. It was my first thought when I posted it. Perhaps I am out of the reality loop.

[defendandprotect]

56. The evidence suggests they're planning to harm themselves or their loved ones --- !!!

[depakid]

58. Actually, the science shows that's the probability

[Mr. Hyde]

59. Because things are that fucking bad. eom

[chrisa]

60. Because of a rumor of a gun ban.

That's about it.

[Orsino]

61. A climate of fear drives us toward symbols of security.

Whether or not people have specific home-defense plans, buying a gun can feel empowering. It may make one feel less helpless.

[trayfoot]

62. because they are idiots who believe the reTHUGlican talking points.