Firearm sales climb in Oklahoma after Election Day
Since just prior to election day Oklahomans have been buying up weapons in haste and at levels never seen before at some retail locations. As The Oklahoman reported yesterday morning the sales seem to be linked to some concern of possible new gun control laws that could be passed under a Democrat lead government in Washington D.C. and President-elect Obama.
If you noticed all the qualifiers in that last sentence, they were necessary due to the fact that no such legislation is being presented or considered that I am aware of at this time. That and Obama is still over two months away from signing bills into law.
One gun store owner estimated his sales are up by 70% since November 4th.
"‘Some concern’ is an understatement," said Mike Blackwell, owner of Big Boy’s Guns and Ammo in Oklahoma City.
"We’ve been hitting a new record every day. It started just prior to the election, and we’re probably up 70 percent."
When Barack Obama made the comment that some Americans were "clinging to their guns and religion" he may not have had Oklahoma on his mind, but a lot of Okies heard him loud and clear. Now that he is set to become their president they seem to be unwilling to chance having the ability to purchase a gun taken away from them.
In a related article also published yesterday in The Oklahoman the pros and cons of an Obama presidency are weighed on the issue of gun control. It is interesting to note that on their online version of the paper (NewsOK) they allowed comments on this latter article but not on the previous one.
The cons:
→In the Senate, Barack Obama voted to leave gun makers and dealers open to lawsuits. As an Illinois lawmaker, he backed a semiautomatic weapon ban.
→Obama has said he respects the Second Amendment, but favors "common sense" gun laws.
→Vice President-elect Joe Biden owns shotguns, he has supported a ban on assault weapons and has said private sellers at gun shows should be required to perform background checks.
The pros:
→During an October appearance, Obama said: "I will not take your shotgun away. I will not take your rifle away. I won’t take your handgun away."
→Gun advocates take solace in the makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court, which has supported gun rights.
→Mark Tushnet, a Harvard Law School professor who has written a book about the gun debate, said new firearms regulations will be a low priority for an Obama administration.
It may be amazing for some to read that "common sense" firearm control would be considered a negative to The Oklahoman writers and editors. Requiring background checks on purchasers at gun shows and banning assault weapons may seem like common sense issues unless you happen to write for the nation's worst newspaper.
At least Oklahomans can still say they don't allow their teachers to carry weapons in school. But is it any coincidence that the one place that does (Harrold, TX) is only a fifteen minute drive away through a town named Oklaunion to reach the Oklahoma border? With the newly created 21-seat majority (the most in state history) state Republicans enjoy, this may soon become a reality in the Sooner State.
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In unrelated news... a Tulsa abortion clinic has won a temporary stay blocking a new state law that requires women planning to have an abortion to view or have the doctor describe the view of the ultrasound image of the fetus first. Only after that would a woman be able to legally go through with the abortion.
On Oct. 29, Oklahoma County District Judge Vicki Robertson granted a temporary restraining order blocking the law.
Her order remains in effect until March 27, unless she rules on a request to issue a preliminary injunction sooner.
A lawsuit filed on behalf of Tulsa’s Reproductive Services says the law intrudes on privacy, endangers health and assaults dignity.
Is anyone out there in a solid blue state hiring? I may not live long enough to see my home become moderate again, much less liberal... and I ain't that old! I feel like a madman in the desert, except I am perfectly sane and all the cacti love mavericks.