When President Barack Obama said that some small-town Americans have become bitter about their economic situation and thus “cling to guns or religion,” people jumped on him like a pack of wolves. The quote was taken out of context and greatly exaggerated, and thus enraged many people.
The McCain and Clinton camps claimed that this showed Obama’s elitism8212;his disconnect with the American people.
We “Average Joes” were all offended that this man would dare to call us Bible-thumping, gun-clutching lunatics. Because we aren’t. Right?
Wrong. In Utah, we’re actually doing a bang-up job of not only proving Obama right, but looking like the gun-toting, fear-driven imbeciles we really are. More than 15,000 concealed gun permits were issued in Utah during the first quarter of this year, up from nearly 12,000 the previous quarter. This means that since the election, more than 15,000 Utahns felt it necessary to start carrying a gun. To work, to school, to the nursery8212;anywhere they feel threatened, which is likely everywhere.
Yes, I realize this is a national trend, and we are not an exception. But why does Utah always seem to fall in with the stupid trends?
The surge of nationwide gun sales following Obama’s victory can be attributed to a myriad of asinine fears. One fear is that Obama is going to take away people’s guns, even though he has expressed no interest in doing so. A milder version of this is that Obama will enact tougher restrictions, which again, he has shown no interest in doing.
I fail to see how that is a bad thing anyway. Maybe others feel different, but I don’t see much of a need for an M-16 in Holladay. Another concern is that with an economic downturn, us “Average Joes” are going to increasingly become victims of violent crimes. I certainly cannot speak for everyone, but my wallet, car or watch isn’t really worth shooting someone over.
Sure, further tragedy was avoided at Trolley Square by a man carrying a concealed weapon. But, lest we forget, he was also a police officer who had been extensively trained with his weapon.
As it turns out, Obama might have been more connected with the American people than we had previously thought. When read in the proper context, his quote explains that when people mistrust or have become disillusioned with their government, they turn to guns and religion.
According to the Utah Commission on Criminal Justice, Utah’s violent crime rate during the past 40 years has remained significantly lower than the national average. Yet during the past six months, more than 27,000 Utahns decided they need a gun wherever they go.
So if you’re as scared as they are, by all means, buy a piece. As for me, I’ll just hand over my wallet and keep my hands blood-free.
Jonathan Deesing