Gun Sales Up 700% In Ferguson
[su_center_ad]St. Louis is on the edge, awaiting the grand jury ruling on whether or not Darren Wilson would be indicted. Wilson, the white police officer who killed unarmed teen Michael Brown in August, has made himself scarce since the murder, but the shooting set off weeks of protests, arrests, and calls for the white government officials…
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D.B. Hirsch is a political activist, news junkie, and retired ad copy writer and spin doctor. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Pistol-Packing AKA "Susie" November 19th, 2014 at 9:26 am
And this surprises anyone for what reason ???
causeican November 19th, 2014 at 9:35 am
A fool and his money are soon parted.
Pistol-Packing AKA "Susie" November 19th, 2014 at 9:48 am
All depends on who you consider to be the fool. Someone who says, I am going to be at least prepared for the worst? Or someone who does not, and then finds them self in a bad situation..
Rather have and never need, versus Needing but don’t have.. But that is just my .02
causeican November 19th, 2014 at 9:55 am
You’ll be left with a loaded gun and nobody to shoot. Keep spending and making others rich.
Pistol-Packing AKA "Susie" November 19th, 2014 at 10:17 am
Just add it to the collection…
causeican November 19th, 2014 at 10:36 am
Coworker’s son shot himself in the hand with one of his guns. Said it happened real quick. You betcha!
Pistol-Packing AKA "Susie" November 19th, 2014 at 10:53 am
sadly, many people dont know how to clear a semi-automatic. all to often then put their hand over the muzzle while racking the slide with finger on the trigger.
and you are right, can happen in less then a heartbeat.
causeican November 19th, 2014 at 11:18 am
He had been in the U.S. Army for 8 years.
Pistol-Packing AKA "Susie" November 19th, 2014 at 11:25 am
you wold think that one would know better… but then again, many military people never see a weapon except for basic training.
Carla Akins November 19th, 2014 at 11:53 am
At this point, I’d be happy if some gun owners even knew the definition of “clear”.
Pistol-Packing AKA "Susie" November 19th, 2014 at 12:30 pm
That makes many of us….
R.J. Carter November 19th, 2014 at 10:44 am
I hope you’re right for me. But I’m betting you’ll be wrong for others.
badphairy November 19th, 2014 at 6:07 pm
Funny how most people can only really operate a firearm with the upper limbs. Thus, the maximum number of guns that will do you much good in a firefight is 2. Everything else at that point is dead weight or needs to be guarded from the enemy.
No matter how many bullets you think you have, overwhelming numbers will overwhelm.
crash2parties November 19th, 2014 at 6:26 pm
You clearly don’t watch enough movies to know how these things *really* work. Duh.
greenfloyd November 19th, 2014 at 9:13 pm
I don’t think the OP, Alan, was expressing surprise as much as demonstrating a dramatic impact of Nixon’s “Emergency Declaration” and perhaps self-fulfilling prophecy.
John Henry November 19th, 2014 at 9:57 am
These gun buyers probably do not live any where near Ferguson or any possible protest location. I would call them “outside agitators” looking for trouble.
Mike Butkus Jr. November 19th, 2014 at 10:11 am
More guns = peace War = peace an eye for an eye….
USA! USA! USA!
R.J. Carter November 19th, 2014 at 10:40 am
“By which I’m left to assume there’ll be better riot armor, more tear gas, and larger riot shields.”
Which is exactly what I want my police to wear WHEN THERE’S A RIOT.
Mike Butkus Jr. November 19th, 2014 at 10:51 am
Our country is war with Al Qaeda and ISIS. Republicans are
at war with our President and Democrats. The police are war with our citizens. Ferguson is a “symptom” of a violent nation. How can anyone point a finger at
Ferguson without pointing one at ourselves?
arc99 November 19th, 2014 at 10:58 am
When government secures the necessary tools for a possible confrontation with a bunch of white guys with guns in the Nevada desert, it is tyranny.
When government secures the necessary tools for a possible confrontation with a bunch of mostly unarmed black folks in Ferguson, MO it is common sense.
Post racial America?
Not by a long shot.
Matt Dillon November 19th, 2014 at 11:04 am
Good point, but what about the other side of the coin? Where was the national angst about the heavy hand of the government at the Bundy ranch?
Foundryman November 19th, 2014 at 11:07 am
Heavy hand of the government at the Bundy ranch??? What heavy hand, they were enforcing the law and were met by an armed mob….
Like it or not, Bundy was/is breaking the law…He actually DOES owe the grazing fees for his cattle!
Matt Dillon November 19th, 2014 at 11:15 am
The armed mob showed up after the government came in with guns and dogs over cattle and grazing fees.
Foundryman November 19th, 2014 at 11:36 am
Where I come from, showing up after or during the police issuing a warrant or arrest and confronting them is called obstruction of justice….Pointing a loaded weapon at them is called felonious assault.
Matt Dillon November 19th, 2014 at 11:50 am
It’s only right when the government obstructs and points loaded weapons at people. I’m done with this and I’ll leave it at this. Left or right, heavy handed activity by the government is wrong.
Carla Akins November 19th, 2014 at 11:51 am
Bundy had made numerous threats in regard to law enforcement either serving him, altering him to the confiscation or even to speak with him. All long before the incident that made the news.
arc99 November 19th, 2014 at 11:08 am
Bundy admitted to breaking the law with the excuse that he did not recognize the federal authority.
Attempting to arrest someone who freely admits breaking the law does not in my opinion qualify as a “heavy hand”.
M D Reese November 19th, 2014 at 11:12 am
It wasn’t heavy enough. Those jerks should be in jail.
Matt Dillon November 19th, 2014 at 11:25 am
Double standards abound.
arc99 November 19th, 2014 at 11:27 am
yes there is a double standard as I pointed out in my initial post. thanks for confirming.
a white guy admits breaking the law, a bunch of armed thugs gather to protest and use deadly force to oppose any attempt to enforce the law and they are hailed as patriots.
R.J. Carter November 19th, 2014 at 11:29 am
Bundy broke the law, and he’s definitely the wrong cause for conservatives to rally around.
The difference here though is one of before-and-after.
At the Bundy ranch, authorities were in riot gear before the protesters arrived.
In Ferguson, the authorities were in riot gear the day after there was an actual riot.
Matt Dillon November 19th, 2014 at 11:37 am
Nailed it.
Carla Akins November 19th, 2014 at 11:52 am
Actually, no. Bundy had made numerous threats of violence long ago.
R.J. Carter November 19th, 2014 at 11:57 am
True. But there was no “event” at the ranch that could be pointed to for them to say, “Because this happened, it merits we go in thusly prepared.”
A verbal threat might be enough for that. But if it is, then we should be prepared to see law enforcement armed this way all the time.
tracey marie November 19th, 2014 at 3:07 pm
when you threaten to kill any government worker, I would say that is a threat
R.J. Carter November 19th, 2014 at 3:10 pm
If that’s all it takes to merit the wearing of riot gear, you’ve completely validated the St. Louis County police department.
tracey marie November 19th, 2014 at 3:14 pm
rotflmao, you are wrong. The initial protests never were violent until the cops stepped in and started the violence. Hell, the cop link you posted even showed the whining of the ferguson police because they can not be in front to hurt, intimidate and more
R.J. Carter November 19th, 2014 at 3:27 pm
QT was already a burning husk before the first officer showed up with so much as a shield.
tracey marie November 19th, 2014 at 3:31 pm
damnit…you might be correct. Okay another tactic, were they locals?
R.J. Carter November 19th, 2014 at 3:37 pm
It’s already been established that the ones arrested did not have Ferguson addresses, so by that definition of “local” they were not. However, in large cities like this where the suburbs have nothing delineating borders other than imaginary lines (I take a curve on I-170, and in the space of six seconds I’ve passed through Vinita Park, St. John and Charlack), most of the looters were “near-locals.” That is, they came from other STL suburbs, so they were mostly “St. Louisans.”
tracey marie November 19th, 2014 at 3:41 pm
damnit
tracey marie November 19th, 2014 at 3:24 pm
there was no personal threat against the police force in general, against Darren I do believe some fools did threaten his and his family…they should be prosecuted
Matt Dillon November 19th, 2014 at 12:20 pm
Like no justice no peace?
Carla Akins November 19th, 2014 at 1:16 pm
Like, I’ll kill any govt employee that steps foot on my property.
mmaynard119 November 21st, 2014 at 10:14 am
Do you really want to get into the deep seated racism of the Republican Party ? The two situations are not comparable at all.
You had the white supremacist groups backing Bundy against he federal authorities. In Ferguson, the white supremacist groups are in the local and state police departments.
R.J. Carter November 21st, 2014 at 11:39 am
No, because that discussion leads down twisty roads of “Southern Strategy” and “Democrats who formed the KKK” and nobody wins.
The comparison — which I didn’t bring up, by the way — was in the response of the government officials, pre- vs. post- event. There was no violent event at the Bundy ranch, and the authorities moved in in a militarized fashion. In Ferguson, the events were occurring, necessitating the police to go in in a ‘militarized’ fashion.
Matt Dillon November 19th, 2014 at 11:36 am
A simplistic way of putting it. There is a whole lot more to that story and many parallels to Ferguson. Peace.
M D Reese November 19th, 2014 at 12:52 pm
True that. White guys with lots of guns==good. Black guys with lots of guns==OH MY GOD IT’S A RACE WAR!!!”
R.J. Carter November 19th, 2014 at 11:10 am
When police are being shot at and assaulted, it doesn’t matter the color of the hand that lobs the missile.
arc99 November 19th, 2014 at 11:11 am
tell that to the thugs ranting about “tyranny” at the Bundy ranch.
R.J. Carter November 19th, 2014 at 11:14 am
Was there a riot at the Bundy ranch?
arc99 November 19th, 2014 at 11:22 am
There were a bunch of heavily armed protesters at the Bundy ranch, openly threatening violence if law enforcement tried to do its job.
Carla Akins November 19th, 2014 at 11:49 am
Did law enforcement go in like these guys?
tracey marie November 19th, 2014 at 3:05 pm
like the cliven militia, threatening to shoot unarmed federal workers…oh that is diffrent the armed thugs were white
M D Reese November 21st, 2014 at 1:11 pm
Exactly. That was common sense. Or something.
greenfloyd November 19th, 2014 at 8:21 pm
It does matter! Because there is a clear longstanding pattern of harassment, arrests and violent altercations with young black men. I am not justifying it, none of it. However, it becomes increasingly difficult, as the good folks of Ferguson asked, “Just whose side are you on?”
http://youtu.be/T_7ErkQFduQ
M D Reese November 21st, 2014 at 1:10 pm
Never mind that the white thugs at bundyville were aiming sniper rifles at Federal workers.
R.J. Carter November 21st, 2014 at 1:19 pm
Or that the — nope, sorry, I can’t say it with the parallelism an argument usually deserves — protesters were throwing molotov cocktails at police.
M D Reese November 21st, 2014 at 1:44 pm
Meh?
R.J. Carter November 21st, 2014 at 1:54 pm
They have to shoot the cops to be considered equal in threat to the Bundy crowd?
tracey marie November 19th, 2014 at 3:05 pm
or when they start a riot?
R.J. Carter November 19th, 2014 at 3:09 pm
If we’re talking about Ferguson, the looters and rioters started things on Saturday. On Sunday, the police wore riot gear because — wait for it — people were rioting.
mmaynard119 November 21st, 2014 at 10:09 am
R.J. No offense, but look at all the facts of what the police has done in Ferguson and St. Louis. The police has targeted the black community in their actions. When we think of racism, we in the North think of below the Mason Dixon line. That’s not the case so much anymore. The real embedded racism is in the Midwest.
R.J. Carter November 21st, 2014 at 11:36 am
Ergo, when the people riot, the police shouldn’t wear riot gear and go in and stop it, but sit back and take it because “it’s their fault?” What’s the rationale being applied here, because I can’t find a valid excuse for destroying looting businesses.
M D Reese November 21st, 2014 at 1:09 pm
Some of it is done by agent provocateurs. It reminds me a lot of the 60s and the COINTEL program.
R.J. Carter November 21st, 2014 at 1:17 pm
Wait, what? Are you suggesting that some of the looters and rioters are actually undercover authority figures, setting off riots to give the police an excuse to go in with riot equipment?!?
M D Reese November 21st, 2014 at 1:46 pm
Agent provocateurs–whether officially sanctioned or just some creeps who would like to start a race war.
Foundryman November 19th, 2014 at 10:47 am
Listening to the people who are planning to protest against police brutality and murder, you hear of a plan for peaceful protest. Listening to the governor and his armed jack booted thugs, (to borrow a LaPeirre phrase) we hear nothing but fear, violence and mayhem. So which side is inciting violence again?
R.J. Carter November 19th, 2014 at 10:48 am
http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2014/11/18/report-alleged-cop-warns-ferguson-if-you-do-not-have-a-gun-get-one/
Foundryman November 19th, 2014 at 10:57 am
“Comments on the St. Louis Coptalk forum have labeled protesters in Ferguson as “terrorists” and ridiculed local businesses that have showed public support for activists in the area.
The forum was cited by a Tennessee man who successfully crowdfunded in excess of $3,000 to place a “#PantsUPDontLOOT” billboard in the Ferguson area.”….
It’s almost like they’re hoping to turn on their tear gas and water cannons before opening fire on them….
M D Reese November 19th, 2014 at 11:10 am
That is what they want.
mmaynard119 November 21st, 2014 at 10:06 am
Which part of the media? MSNBC with Sharpton and Chris Hayes have been all over this situation and Hayes reported the views from both sides fairly.
R.J. Carter November 21st, 2014 at 11:35 am
*cough* *choke* *choke*
Oh man, that coffee went down the wrong way, re: Hayes.
M D Reese November 21st, 2014 at 1:06 pm
They are the exception and not the rule. Even MSNBC seems to have taken a sit-down-and-shut-up pill lately.
R.J. Carter November 19th, 2014 at 11:11 am
CBS local is about two weeks behind on this story, too. I was privy to these discussions back before Halloween.
Foundryman November 19th, 2014 at 11:18 am
No surprise the media would sit on the story. They have been complicit all along…
Carla Akins November 19th, 2014 at 11:48 am
I was pretty sure we had seen this story before.
R.J. Carter November 19th, 2014 at 11:58 am
My email thread on this shows 10/27.
Carla Akins November 19th, 2014 at 1:17 pm
That’s scary
tracey marie November 19th, 2014 at 3:04 pm
I saw that as well, brought it up a few times here and other places.
badphairy November 19th, 2014 at 6:03 pm
Whaddya mean almost? They’ve been whacking it to that fantasy for months now. When the FBI went in and FAILED to arrest a white guy that owed millions in rent arrears and was surrounded by armed followers, were they dressed in riot gear? No they weren’t.
But a few black people get angry and it’s time fer a shootin’ party, cletus! And we’ll all get off scot-free! YEEEHAAAAWWWW LAND OF THE FREE!!!!
Foundryman November 19th, 2014 at 11:02 am
Look out America!!!! If you don’t support your local police when they gun down unarmed teenagers in the street….you’re a terrorist!!!
What a crazy backwards dysfunctional country we’ve become…exactly what bin laden wanted….
greenfloyd November 19th, 2014 at 8:41 pm
It gets crazier…Move over Bundy, KKK, cops and thugs alike, because here come the terrorists.
http://greenfloyd.org/images/bm_images/117902.jpgMuslim groups seek to co-opt Ferguson protests, says watchdog group | Fox News
Pistol-Packing AKA "Susie" November 19th, 2014 at 11:05 am
Sad state of affairs…
badphairy November 19th, 2014 at 6:00 pm
How many of those gun sales were to black people? None? Got. it.