Record numbers of people are going to be learning to sing the fun show song. But not all is well. A gun show in Stamford, Connecticut, by what looks to be an antique collectors association, was protested by twelve or so whole people. The great irony of all the signs being hoisted by the folks here, demanding we ban automatic weapons (you’re almost 30 years too late for that folks. Been there, done that) and “assault weapons” (which I’m betting none of those intrepid folks could define if you asked them) is there probably wasn’t an “assault weapon” in that show, except the kind that were primarily designed for killing large numbers of indigenous people quickly. But have no fear, those have been classified as “assault weapons” in past bills too!
Meanwhile, around the country, gun show attendance is at record levels. I’d add to that mix, Morgantown, West Virginia. You know something you can do to help the cause? Become an NRA recruiter. Call your local gun show promoters, and find out if they know if any NRA recruiters will be working the floor. We’ve worked gun shows before and most promoters are happy to give NRA a table gratis. When you’re a recruiter, you get something like $5 for every person you sign up. We have a lot of first time buyers out there, and people who haven’t been buying guns for a while. We need those people in this fight, and joining NRA is a first step.
UPDATE: Here’s another gun show in Pennsylvania that was sparsely protested (thanks to reader Dave). My point here is that their numbers dwarf ours, but I would not discount the fact that you’re seeing any energy at all, for the first time. I’ve always believed when we see gun shows being protested regularly, that’s when we’re in trouble. Is this all top-down controlled? I think we’d be making the same mistake our opponents make in believing so. The anti-gun people are starting to show some energy and organization, and with the media and White House behind them that makes the current situation very dangerous for us. They have a top-down organization that, in terms of organizational discipline, beats our regular cat herding any day of the week if they really throw down. We have to turn ourselves into a well-disciplined political machine very quickly if we’re going to get through this. There needs to be less herding of cats.
UPDATE from Bitter: I found an interesting report from a gun show promoter here in Eastern Pennsylvania. Many readers of this blog have been to an Eagle Arms show somewhere in this part of the state, so they might find this interesting on how things are going locally:
Joel Koehler, a Pennsylvania gun dealer, said a few dealers have dropped out of a show this weekend in the Pocono Mountains, but only “because they have nothing to sell. They are out of inventory.”
