No. People are just getting ready for the Obama DEPRESSION that I warned about over a year ago. Stock up on bullets and weapons now before Obama, Pelosi, and Reid try to take them from you. You will need them to protect yourself when crime spirals out of control.

Worry? Yes.
It's also quite alarming to think people, urban people in particular, have a need to arm themselves and now apparently hoard ammunition.
What is the fear?! (I can surmise.)

Yes. It dovetails with the recortd growth in fundamentalist religious extremism.

Is gun violence also setting a records pace? I don't think so. Maybe this is sending a message to Obama that people don't trust his policies and the direction of the United States? Of course our doom and gloom media doesn't help with people's perception of safety.

I would like to think that the increase also means that more people are buying hunting licenses...thus supporting wildlife departments across the country.

Why worry? The ammo is not meant for nice folks; but intended for the first wave of people (be they thugs, gang members, or Federal tax collectors) that attempt to crash my front door when the government hand outs cease, and portions of our nanny state break down. My family and house looks like an easy target (whether thugs or tax collectors), but I got more than just weaponry. I can only hope to stop the first wave: because it would be long odds to survive susequent threats. I only want time to get away from DC and back to family on a wooded mountaintop not very far from here.

Not at all. Obama himself admitted that the future is bleak. I agree with Common Kevin. A depression is defined as 3 years of recession with unemployment at or above 10%. If Obama can not turn things around and quickly, then by next year at this time we will officially be in a depression. The government is working hard to take away our freedoms with the 1990 page health care reform and cap and trade bill. I can understand people being concerned for their safety and wanting to have the means to protect themselves and their family.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29260434
http://247wallst.com/2009/10/09/eight-percent-unemployment-through-2011/
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1910208,00.html
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/20/obama.king/index.html

Yes I am worried.
I is clear the population does not trust the government. They feel they need to worry that the government is taking away more of our rights.

I hope our government is listening.

"It's also quite alarming to think people, urban people in particular, have a need to arm themselves and now apparently hoard ammunition.
What is the fear?! (I can surmise.)"

We worry because we already know that liberals want to ban guns. Bill Clinton started it. We learned.

If Clinton never did anything, today guns would be a small issue and less people would own them.

No. People have always bought guns and ammunition. The press is just trying to blow it out of proportion in order to create contreversy for ratings.

Besides, crime is going up as this economy falters. People just want to ensure they are safe from thugs and criminals in their own homes. That is their constitutional right.

No. Criminals steal their guns and ammo. Law abiding citizens buy them.

Hey, the government said to go out and buy in order to help stimulate the economy. We ain't buying newspapers!

Not a bit. I'm comforted by the fact that only criminals use guns for ill purposes. I read it in an NRA pamphlet.

Protect? Ha! Most child deaths due to guns occur from guns owned by their parents. Guns are for feeble-minded weaklings with deep-seated masculinity issues. Pure and simple. Think about how easy it is to end someone else's life merely by pulling a trigger - this is why weak persons flock to guns, it gives them a sense of control that they don't have in their daily lives. This entire "gun culture" (what a ludicrous idea, let's celebrate something whose sole reason for existence is violence and death) is predicated on the idea that owning a gun makes you more manly and more powerful, without having to do anything to EARN that power. You know, like use your brain. Or help society in ANY way.

But don't worry, gun nuts, "the government" isn't going to take your guns away, as you have the most well-funded, powerful corporate lobby in the US backing you. The NRA is filled with hateful, violence-loving rednecks just like yourselves (yeehaw!), and sadly, NRA lobbyists ensure that all Americans have the right to own assault weapons, and that anyone who even remotely suggests that perhaps it's not good to have these things around gets instantly labeled un-American. Of course, all this is a cover which ensures that their gun manufacturing buddies stay hugely profitable preying off the masculinity issues of ignorant Americans. Columbine, anyone? The NRA makes sure these types of tragedies stay possible, and that a culture where problems are solved through violence is the easiest, quickest answer. It's the American way! Anyone who suggests otherwise is clearly not a patriot. What unmitigated b-s.

And please don't tell me this is about protection from "the bad guys." I've been held up at gunpoint twice living in DC. You think if guns weren't so easy to come by, maybe this would have been prevented? And no, I'm not one of those idiots who think that only if I had been packing heat, I could have shot the perps myself! Not interested in living in THAT kind of country, sorry. Guns aren't the answer folks, they're the PROBLEM, along with a culture that tells us that violence is an OK answer to problems.

Everyone watch now as the gun loonies start to take aim (ha) at me and my comment, probably labeling me a Communist (or whatever the historically uninformed insult of the month is) because I don't have any desire to own an object that can end another's life, and I'm not afraid to call these people out for what they are: cowards living out adolescent GI Joe fantasies, hiding behind deadly firearms that make them feel manly.

I don't get this whole gun thing. God help us all with this stupidity.....

@ DC guy -
I will argue that a population not trusting their government is not a bad thing. You are in good company: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Franklin, etc.
I will further argue that the guns and bullets are not meant for fellow citizens, but for an opperessive government.
America is at its best when things are at their worst: families and citizens will take care of each other. (Of course, there will be tragic, horrible incidents during an economic crisis.)
My fear would be a government that begins to exist solely for itself, and ultimately believes that the people are around to serve it.
God bless America.

All these people who worry about the government taking their guns, making the U.S. a Socialist state, etc. - the government is YOU. You're the ones who elect them and you have the power to talk to your Congressman and Senators. Call & arrange an appointment and see how easy it is! For all the naysayers who thought Bush would declare himself emperor, it never happened. He stepped down and let the next guy take over. Instead of expecting some kind of popular uprising, get off your asses and do some advocacy work. This isn't the 1700's - you're not buying a gun to oppose the King of England. Buying a gun specifically because of your fear of the government is not only lazy, it shows you never paid attention in civics class.

The new cultural norm seems to be that the appropriate way to commit suicide is to take a bunch of other people with you on your way out -- using a gun specifically designed to shoot the most people in the shortest amount of time. Should we worry that angry unstable people are in an arms race?

I am not worried that guns and ammo are selling at record pace. I feel safer that more responsible citizens are arming themselves. Maybe the criminals will think twice before they try to break into my home if they suspect I have a .45 at my bedside.

To Anonymous, 7:03 am, Our Fear stems from the fact that we will always have crime and I do not want to depend on the overburdened police force to protect me – also, this administration wants to weaken our 2nd amendment rights so we want to stock up now.

Here are a couple fun facts from http://gunowners.org/sk0802.htm:
• Armed citizens kill more crooks than do the police. Citizens shoot and kill at least twice as many criminals as police do every year (1,527 to 606).
• Kennesaw, GA. In 1982, this suburb of Atlanta passed a law requiring heads of households to keep at least one firearm in the house. The residential burglary rate subsequently dropped 89% in Kennesaw, compared to the modest 10.4% drop in Georgia as a whole.

The direct connection with all the gun-toting nuts now stock-piling more guns and ammunition is directly related to Obama being elected President of the US.
I'd say that's something to worry about.
And maniacal.

Of course this not good news...but what are the Dems doing about it? They haven't stood up to the NRA at all - it's shameful. Yet another example of talking change, and delivering nothing.

"Hey, the government said to go out and buy in order to help stimulate the economy. We ain't buying newspapers!"

+1

@ guns are for weaklings -
About your first "fact" about child deaths from guns due to parents owning guns: well, duh. Here is a shocker: most child deaths from vehicle accidents are while they are riding in their parent's car. Should kids be banned from vehicles? The mortality rate is far, far below any other cause. See http://www.childdeathreview.org/nationalchildmortalitydata.htm . Yes, every one was a tragedy, and may have been preventable. But I am not going to blame the gun any more than I blame the toxic substance, swimming pool, bathtub, or anything else.
Hey - I will be your weakling. This retired Marine who used to run for miles and trained to kill with bare hands is now old, fat and slow. There was a time when I trained to disarm a thug at close range. You mention being at the wrong end of a gun twice (I see a trend here, make efforts to prevent a third time) - that was NOT an equal confrontation for you. My weapon MAY be the equalizer for me.
You called me a weakling. I will call you something worse: a victim, that is, a repeat victim. I am glad you were able to live to write about it, but I may not be able to walk away, and I have to much invested (wife, kids) and faced threats on distant lands to risk that to the whims of a thug here in my own country.
Oh yeah - have a nice day.

Hell yes it worries me!

Except for people living in rural areas needing guns to defend themselves from wild animals, I have yet to hear ONE good reason for guns. This is not a backwater country, yet, so the number of increased guns and ammnos sales really scare me.

@ Common Kevin

We are so pleased that you reminded us that your predictions of a depression were made during George W Bush's watch. Why you are now calling it Obama's depression is beyond us. Missed your meds today?

Not at all. Gun crimes are not increasing. You've just got a lot of paranoid idiots wasting their money on guns and ammo. Consumer spending is good. And the only people that will get hurt are probably the gun owners and their children during nightly fireside chats during which dad cleans his guns while telling the kids about the horrible things that a black socialist is doing in scary big DC.

Am I worried? Absolutely!

You know how difficult it's getting to find competition-quality ammunition at affordable prices? To shoot in just one event costs over $35 in ammunition alone! A full match is almost a hundred bucks! Yeesh!

From your article: "It's happened, oddly, at a time when the two concerns that usually make people buy guns and bullets--crime and increased gun control--seems less threating than usual." Perhaps a more accurate account would be:
At a time when people are buying more guns and bullets, criminals and gun control advocates are justifiably wary of the mortal consequences of their malfeasance and, in response, pose a reduced threat to law abiding citizens.

The truth is out there,
Let me do the simple math for you since you clearly seem incapable. Bush was in office for 13 months of the recession so far and Obama has currently been in office for 9.5 months so come February Obama will have been presiding over the recession as long as Bush and if it lasts for three years (definition of a DEPRESSION) then Obama will have been in office for 23 months and Bush for 13 months hence the Obama DEPRESSION. I hope this math was not too much for you considering I guess I need to take my meds there dear Diogenes.

RE Anon @ 10:05 AM -
You stated people in rural areas need guns to protect themselves from wild animals.
What do you call those things lurking in the shadows and alleys of downtown DC? Do they prey on people?
You seem to have no revulsion with stopping a wild animal in its tracks with overwhelming firepower, well, neither do I.

guns are for weaklings@8:36; Any documentation for your opening statement? NO. I am sure women who have been or have no wish to be raped appreciate being told they are "...feeble-minded weaklings with deep-seated masculinity issues. Pure and simple." I do agree with your comment "... a culture where problems are solved through violence is the easiest, quickest answer. It's the American way!..." Try not paying your FEDERAL INCOME TAX and see who comes to your door...with guns. I do not think you are a communist, just a sad product of liberal educators, unable to think for yourself and totally oblivious to this nation's history and the history of any totalitarian government. You have been taught that guns only serve to kill other people and if you own a gun you only want to and will kill others. Your commen"... I don't have any desire to own an object that can end another's life..." is a crock if you own 1) a car, 2) a knife, 3) a glass of water, 4) a bathtub, 5) hands, 6) a copy of Ishtar; the list is endless. In fact, the vehemence in your whole tirade makes me picture a wan little man with black framed glasses and pants that end well above his white-sock-clad ankles who sits in the bleachers calling football players names under his breath because he is secretly afraid of the fact the the quarterback is attractive to him.

@ guns are for weaklings

Thanks for your post. In a few short paragraphs you laid bare the long held myth of the gun owning he-man. In fact, these aren't confident, masculine individuals, secure in their own person, but rather weak and frightened little children, lashing out at a world they can neither understand nor control. Only through the threat of violence do they feel secure, and then not even in their own homes! It's pathetic really. What's worse, the prevalence of weapons and the paranoid fear that they'll be taken away only feeds the cycle of fear, mistrust and recrimination. Ah, but then I must just be one of those America-hating Communists. Or was it fascists? I've lost track.....

Maybe the increase in gun sales is from those people that wished to make such a purchase, but, until recently, were banned from it in D.C.

The question is about the record growth in guns and ammo. The sales are not going to people who have never before owned guns.

With 80m Americans owning 258m guns, why do gun owners need more guns? Small dicks and men wannabes?

@ Poster Child for Paranoid Delusion (aka Common Kevin)

That wasn't me posting as "The truth is out there", though I certainly share his/her sentiments. In fact, I've never once posted to the Express under any name other than Diogenes. I've stated this on more than one occasion, but apparently your latent delusional tendencies won't permit you to accept it. Medical intervention anyone?

As for your claim to be a modern day Oracle of Delphi, well, let's just say your visionary powers are less than impressive. If a depression is defined as three years of recession [itself defined as two consecutive quarters of decline] plus either 10% unemployment or a 10% decline in GDP (economist differ on this), then last quarter's 3.5% growth rate already has broken the chain of decline. What's more, GDP is calculated based on what's produced, not what's consumed, and inventories across the country are rapidly being depleted, meaning further growth is ahead. So much for your prophecy of doom. Next!

Increased sales of anything are good news economically, right?

Of course not. I'd guess people are buying up guns and bullets because they know such things will soon be collectors' items, relics of the bygone days of violence and crime before Hope and Change spread throughout the land.

Hey, ole. "The truth is out there" , You and your fellow Obamabots love to forget that Obama and his fellow Dems were in charge of Congress in 2007 and 2008 when this economic disaster started. THEY did nothing, investigated nothing, stopped NO bloated spending bill. Remember Barney Frank testifying that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were sound? The Dems are equal partners in the financial mess. And since both the deficit and unemployment have skyrocketed under President Obama, its now HIS mess. Some change.

@ GAFW, Frank, demonfafa, Anon/10:05, et al -
Here are the facts:
- "Dancing With the Stars" is on tonight.
- the new MJ movie is still available.
- Paris Hilton or somebody just came out with a new fragrance.

Anonymous...

Uh yeah, who's "hiding" with a name like that?

"Any documentation for your opening statement?"

Sure - pls read the following: http://www.ichv.org/Statistics.htm#kids
where you will find the following chilling statistic: 72% unintentional firearm deaths and injuries, were stored in the residence of the victim, their relative, or their friend. So there.

Nice try on trying to play up the "women who fear being raped" angle, but frankly if you go to a gun show (I've seen them) I don't think you'll see too many "women who fear being raped" walking around. On the contrary, what you'll find are frightened, weak, man-thugs who think that packing heat makes them more of a man, and get really turned on my the phallic nature of holding a powerful gun.

And what's with this tired argument against paying your FEDERAL INCOME TAX? If you walk on the sidewalk, if you call the police, if your house burns down and the fire dept. shows up, if you have a kid enrolled in public schools – guess what? YOU OWE SOME MONEY FOR THIS. It's not rocket science, and in fact it's one of the most deeply UN-patriotic acts imaginable to "refuse" to pay your taxes, which you owe as a member of this society. If you don't like paying taxes in this country, perhaps you should move to Europe, where tax rates are at around 50%, double the rather paltry sum of 25% we pay in the States. But perhaps this is also why most European countries have health care that provides for all citizens. Shocking, no? They also don’t spend such an obscene amount of money funding military adventurism and multi-million-dollar weapon systems that rot in silos. But I digress.

And you call me "a sad product of liberal educators, unable to think for yourself and totally oblivious to this nation's history and the history of any totalitarian government." Boy, this Obama = Nazi totalitarianism argument is REALLY old, stunningly ignorant, and would be sort of mildly amusing in a “wow, these people ACTUALLY believe this?” way if it weren't so incendiary, ignorant, and inspiring to the nutjobs out there looking to become martyrs to the racist/conservative cause. In NO UNCERTAIN TERMS does the US gov't resemble Nazi Germany, and to insinuate this is to be stunningly ignorant of the history which ACTUALLY happened, as opposed to the version you’ve dreamed up. And I'm quite proud of my "liberal education," thank you very much; it has provided me with valuable life tools like "observing," “reasoning,” “grammar,” and "spelling."

Your "Ishtar" comment was pretty funny though, I will grant you that.

And finally, your "vehemence in your whole tirade" rant you offered is realy nonsensical, if creatively imagined. For some reason Repubs always resort to "question your opponent's sexuality" mode once they sense that their logic isn’t holding up. (Which usually only takes a minute, as its so flimsy.) All of which is ironic, considering I'm not the one who needs a weapon to make me feel like a man.

@Diogenes
Thanks for your response. Nice to know there are some folks out there who haven't yet abandoned reason.
...you "laid bare the long held myth of the gun owning he-man. In fact, these aren't confident, masculine individuals, secure in their own person, but rather weak and frightened little children, lashing out at a world they can neither understand nor control." TRUE DAT!

@demonfafa: WORD! Fear of the unknown is a powerful motivating force. This is why we need better public education, so we stop encouraging this ignorant, hillbilly, Branch Davidian viewpoint that the gov't is "out to get you!" ("All these people who worry about the government taking their guns, making the U.S. a Socialist state, etc. - the government is YOU. You're the ones who elect them and you have the power to talk to your Congressman and Senators.")

@ccw Oh wow, that's impressive that you were once "trained to kill with your bare hands." Bet that makes you feel like ore of a man, right? Frankly, I find it uninteresting and am not afraid to say that VIOLENCE SOLVES NOTHING. In fact it makes things worse. And it's unfortunate that you "faced threats overseas" - but just maybe those "threats" came from people who weren't very happy that you were in their country trying to tell them what to do? Hmm.

But you have a nice day, as well.

Yes and No. Answer these: In favor/against gun rights? In favor/against every country being allowed to get any weapon they seek? Consider yourself consistent?

"With 80m Americans owning 258m guns, why do gun owners need more guns? Small dicks and men wannabes?"

Why are anti gunners so obsessed with mens penis's? It kinda creepy.

Nah. The guns and ammo are being purchased and warehoused by us smart folks on the left in our continuing effort to instill fear in the right. This is all part of Obama's plan. After all, what's more scary than a liberal with a gun?

@ guns are for weaklings

Do you have statistics to back up your facts on child deaths? I agree that too many children die in gun related accidents and the parents have not been responsible with their firearms. One is too many. You are right that there are irresponsible legal gun owners in the US.

You say “Guns are for feeble-minded weaklings with deep-seated masculinity issues. Pure and simple.” That is true when it comes to criminals. However, there is no need for everyone to become a victim to those people. But, being a military veteran and law enforcement officer, I am sure I have seen far more violence than you. I have seen people killed far more brutally with weapons other than guns. I will say human nature is the problem, not guns.

Do you know there are countries in the world with laxer gun laws than the US? In some countries, men and boys can walk openly in the streets with assault weapons because it is their right. No American is actually trying for that right to my knowledge. Assault weapons need solely be owned by the military and law enforcement agencies. They are not used for hunting, at least not responsibly.

Strange, you have been held up at gunpoint twice in your life in DC, yet until recently guns were illegal in DC. That just goes to show criminals will obtain weapons regardless of the law. That is the same anywhere. Violence is never okay. However, no human should be expected not to be able to defend themselves.

I often wonder if guns were illegal in the US, would we be having these debates over knives. Throughout human history we have been violent to one another and people have preyed on the weak. Whether fists, clubs, knives, or guns were used is irrelevant. You say you do not “have any desire to own an object that can end another's life.” Do you own a knife, a pen, hands? You can end someone’s lie with any of those as well.

I don’t label you as a communist. I just think you are not open to both sides of the argument. There is a middle ground, but people tend to only look at the two extreme opposites.

I also see you as a sexist, but your comments only target men, thus that is reasonable to consider you a sexist.

If you are going to call people "weak gun loons" then you should expect some to throw mud back.

@ demonfafa

Well said.

@ Common Kevin

This is not about who holds the potato the longest, but who held the potato first. Bush was in charge when you presciently made your prediction. When a ship runs aground, the next skipper is not held responsible for the accident. The next skipper is responsive for saving the ship which is tough when the ship's name is Titanic.

You have a weird sense of logic.

@ Amused

Deregulation caused the recession, the most notable act being the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act "Financial Services Modernization Act" of 1999 that repealed the New Deal's Glass-Steagall Act. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act deregulated banking, insurance and securities into a financial services industry that allowed financial institutions to grow very large. In fact, "too large to fail".

To all,

Some of you are gun lovers and some of you are gun haters. All of you are mudslingers. Look at what you are saying about one another. Most of you are immeadiately defensive in your comments and lash out at others. This is childish. What shoudl I expect though. I have read this posting and it is always the same... "You are wrong and I am right. Don't let me forget to throw an insult before I hit post."

I hope none of you are ever in a position of authority to shape public policy. There is always more than one perspective to consider when looking at facts and policy. It seems too many people ignore any perspective that is not their own.

I own guns. They are locked in a a safe because I have a child. I do not need an automatic rifle. If you break in my house while I am home, I will not open the safe as it takes too long, but you will know what an aluminum baseball feels like before you reach my family. Guns and ammo historically sell in waves because of rumors about what law makers let flutter through their empty heads. This is no different expcept the express is looking for a contreversial subject so they can have more hits on their website.

@ Amused

TRUE and often ignored facts you stated. Blame also sits with Congress, not just the previous and current President.

I find the poll and the article irresponsible. For a poll for local commuters, there is no breakdown given for where these increase sales are occuring (rurual or urban). If all this is happening in Texas, mid-America and suburbia, then it's probably paranoid or misguided individuals thinking they're protecting their family and home. The worse case scenario being that either the thugs ("urban people in particular") are going to raid the suburbs. Or that the rednecks/crazy christians are going to form a militia and pre-emptive strike the urbanites. Neither of which are likely.

Everyone just R E L A X.

So when the gun-freaks have shot the burglar/rapist and protected their home, what will they do with the other 2,000 rounds they own? Are they that paranoid that burglars/rapists travel in huge gangs the size of a marine division?

A wise man once said that when people "get bitter, they cling to guns or religion...". Thus, this trend clearly indicates that people are more bitter than they have been. Must be because they think their government is not doing enough for them.

On the contrary, I find it quite encouraging. After all, the way the military's being run these days, it appears that a well-regulated militia will be more necessary than ever for the security of our free state.

No, gays are now covered by hate crimes legislation. Thanks Barack! Sure, we can't openly serve in the military or get married, but at least it's now a crime to assault us!

Why don't we raise taxes on gun sales and/or ownerhip? If we can jack up taxes on smokers and soda drinkers, why not turn the 2nd Amendment into a government ATM, too?

Not particularly, as long as our side has the brains.

Dumbgenes,
Pot, Kettle, You're black. As for last quarter's GDP fabrication, economists agree that it is because of cash for crap (what a deal, it only cost $24,000 per car for a $4000 tax credit) and the first-time homebuyer credit. Even your Almighty agrees that this can not go on forever although I am sure he wishes it could. Therefore, the cycle is still not complete. Many economists are also predicting a double-dip recession in which case the second drop will be much worse than the first. If we have a double-dip recession it will all be on the shoulders of your Almighty and no one else except maybe those in Congress that Amused pointed out that still think Freddie and Fannie are sound and are attempting to set us up for yet another housing bubble. “Inventories across the country are rapidly being depleted, meaning further growth is ahead.” You need to get your head out of the clouds, or whatever other dark place it may be in, and realize that without those two programs of government handouts then the economy would still be shrinking and will most definitely shrink again this last quarter of this year. Osama DEPRESSION here we come. Hunker down and brace yourselves.

Dumbgenes,
Recent proof that the economy is NOT growing and that cash for crap created only temporary growth you nutjob.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Chrysler-Group-sales-drop-30-apf-4053947784.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=

As one of the masses who have decided that this is a good time to stock up on ammo, absolutely not.

Not necessarily because I am afraid of increased violence, but because the current administration has promised to fight against my second amendment rights. It's more of a "buy while I still can" mentality than anything else.

@guns are for weaklings:
As a 20 year old female, I hardly think that deep seated masculinity issues are the root cause of my love for guns. Shooting (targets, not people) is a great sport and hobby. Hunting provides the meat that most of you don't have issue buying in the grocery store, and having a gun in my home ensures that, as a single female, I'm never caught on the wrong end of a home invasion.

@ Special Olympic Bowler

On the contrary, the freaks here believe that the Govt is doing too much for them.

I joined the NRA and bought an assault rifle after obama was elected because he and holder will want to make firearms illegal. I am retired from the military and enjoy target shooting with a rifle very similar to the one that I carried for 20+ years. obamas skin color makes no difference to me but his crazy ideas make me very wary.

@ Commonly Delusional Kevin

Almighty, eh? Sorry, I don't believe in mythological figures. What I do believe in are economic facts. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the US economy grew by 3.5% in the third quarter of 2009. Therefore, in order for your pathetic prophecy of doom to come true, the economy will have to slip back in to recession for 36 more months AND unemployment will need to stagnate at 10% (or worse). Personally, I hope our country can avoid such a horrible fate: a shame you don't share this view. Incidentally, you need to read articles more closely before posting them to the poll. The link you provided states "Automakers are hoping that October sales [i.e., two months after Cash-for-Clunkers!] are a sign that the U.S. economy is starting to IMPROVE from the worst market in more than a quarter century." Hardly a clanging chime of doom. Oops!

P.S. Dumbgenes, eh? Again, my condolences for your unfortunate genetic condition.

@Veteran and Law Enforcement...
Wow, I was hearing you until I read this: "I also see you as a sexist, but your comments only target men, thus that is reasonable to consider you a sexist."

It's pretty outrageous to say that I'm being sexist merely by stating that I think the fetishization for instruments of violence is based on an aggressive version of hyper-masculine protectiveness and need for control, even if there are cases of women who also purchase guns. Who have the same issues of control, obviously. This is the sort of fascinating twist of logic the Repubs use when they say Democrats like Obama are racist or "anti-white" because they support affirmative action. It's so illogical I can't even begin to tease apart the argument.

Also, "Strange, you have been held up at gunpoint twice in your life in DC, yet until recently guns were illegal in DC. That just goes to show criminals will obtain weapons regardless of the law." Well, perhaps if we outlawed the manufacture of guns – just as we do for illegal drugs, which are arguably LESS destructive to society – wouldn't that make it a LOT harder to obtain them? Of course that will never happen; guns are celebrated by our violence-loving culture, and there's an enormous amount of profit made off of them. It's really staggeringly sad, but we we're so blinded by our desire to feel powerful we can't see this reality for what it is. Guns allow kill people to kill other people. Period. (And I know you can kill someone with a pen knife or a glass of water, but when's the last time you heard of a Columbine-style attack with assault water?) So why... WHY do we rejoice over these machines of death? Why do you guys defend guns so much? Have you ever had a loved one die? It ain't pretty. So why make it easier, and why celebrate tools that make death easier? I don't get it.

@CH Chick:
"Hunting provides the meat that most of you don't have issue buying in the grocery store."
You're wrong. I don't eat meat. I like and respect animals too much, and I don't think that just because we HAVE the power to kill defenseless animals, that we should automatically do so. It's called compassion. I also think modern-day hunting is barbaric, psychopathic, and 100% cowardly, and I don't care that it's a long-standing cultural tradition. So was slavery; that didn't make it ethically right. (Would you eat your dog? No! But only because dogs have the good fortune of being "cute." However, you have no more "right" to take the life of a deer as you do a dog. Think about it.) And I know that makes me not within the mainstream of America, and God forbid anyone should go against the aesthetic of all-American meat eating, but I don't support it ethically. And I do agree that if Americans had to personally kill the meat they unthinkingly consume every day, there'd be a LOT more vegetarians in this country.

@ Anonymous 12:30 PM

Thanks very much for your intelligent, informed and realist opinion. I wish only that other gun owners (take a hint, the rest of you) could be so objective without hysterical and paranoid recourse to perceived, non-existent threats.

@ Skepticus

"I joined the NRA and bought an assault rifle after obama was elected because he and holder will want to make firearms illegal."
And your proof of this assertion is what exactly?

"Obamas [sic] skin color makes no difference to me but his crazy ideas make me very wary."
So then why mention his skin color at all?

@ gun nuts + cowards

I have seen some of my friends die to gun violence. I have also seen others die as well. You are right, it is not pretyy. Have you ever seen a person who has been slashed and stabbed until they bled out? That is not pretty either. If a person is willing to potentially die to kill you or not get caught, they will kill you with or without a gun. Maybe eventaully you will calm down and realize that there are rational arguments on both sides of the issue. There is no need for polar extremes.

I have not had to pull my gun on someone in three years. That makes me happy. Yet, I still know there are peopl that would kill me if the chance arose just because of my job. I am a sheepdog among sheep who like the wolves better.