The killing of 20 children trapped in classrooms, not to mention 6 adults who died trying to protect them, has unleashed an unprecedented rush to buy the very same weapon and high capacity magazine that the killer, Adam Lanza, used. In fact, 30 round magazines were selling for five times the price they were before the Newton, Connecticut massacre occurred on 12/14/12.
“If I had 1,000 AR-15s I could sell them in a week,” said Jack Smith, an independent gun dealer in Des Moines, referring to the popular style of semiautomatic rifle that drew national attention after Adam Lanza used one to kill 20 children and 6 adults at a Newtown school. “When I close, they beat on the glass to be let in,” Mr. Smith said of his customers. “They’ll wave money at me.”
Gun sales also rose considerably after President Obama was elected in 2008 and now it’s a land rush. One gets the feeling that buying guns is topping the list of necessities over food, gas and shelter.
Those pounding on gun store windows waving dead presidents in their fists may say words like, “I’ve got to arm myself before my ability to do so is taken away,” (I’m paraphrasing), but their actions as they align with the actions of Adam Lanza are alarming. In essence, they are stocking up on assault weapons that have no other purpose rather than killing as many people (including children) as possible in a short amount of time, the very same weapon that was used for that purpose less than a month ago. As Nietzsche wrote:
Insanity in individuals is something rare - but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.