Firearm Culture During Covid-19
By Dec. 9th, there have been a total of 15,511,043 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the U.S. Another surge reported in the U.S. are background checks done by the FBI for firearm purchases. About 4 million background checks were done during the nation-wide lockdown, firearm related sales increasing dramatically in the pandemic.
Many firearm vendors and manufacturers such as Smith & Wesson, Remington, and Ruger are anticipating this trend to continue well into the next year. The 2020 U.S. presidential election being the potential driving force for the increase in sales.
After the 2016 election and President Trump being elected, many firearm manufacturers and vendors experienced shortages with ammunition. Already this year during the pandemic, ammunition shortages were experienced nation-wide.
Whether it is because of crime, politics, or the state of the Covid-19 pandemic, all of these factors have been attributed to record breaking background checks and sales for firearms.
During the pandemic many U.S. citizens believed gun stores were essential and should remain open, despite in some cities such as Chicago seeing around a 20% increase in firearm related violence.
Some of them being owners of gun stores themselves, others ranging from anywhere to law enforcement and military to normal citizens. All have their own reasons as to why the second amendment should remain the way it is.
Law Enforcement and ATF officer, Kenny Benton, believes that gun regulation isn’t necessary. “I don’t believe gun regulation is going to help. We’re too small compared to other agencies,” said Benton.
Gun control is not just a talking point in government, but U.S. citizens also discuss whether the second amendment should undergo reform in light of recent events of 2020. 51 year-old, Alexander Eaves, gives his thoughts on the second amendment as an average U.S. citizen and NRA member.
The second amendment was created to grant its citizens the right to bear arms, however, since its conception it has undergone various laws and regulations. One of the key ones being the National Firearms Act of 1934 that sought to ban and restrict automatic weaponry from the general public.
Ever since there has been other laws and regulations that affected gun ownership and purchasing in the United States.
Amid the pandemic and dramatic increase in gun sales, the U.S. has seen the gradual increase of mass shootings from the past couple of years. Though alongside it since the earlier 1990s, firearm manufacturing has increased. As of 2018, firearm manufacturing had reached around 8 million.
Even with one of the nation’s worst mass shootings in Las Vegas, leaving 58 people dead and around 400 others wounded, firearm sales only increased after due to talk of gun control.
Firearms despite nation-wide issues such as gun related crime and violence, politics, or a pandemic continue to be ingrained into U.S. culture.
