As the coronavirus spreads across the United States, claiming more lives and forcing most of the country to remain in lockdown, Americans are looking to stock up on essential items. However, it is not just canned foods and toilet paper that they are after. The economic struggle and shortage of supplies brought about by the pandemic coupled with the government’s delayed, slow, and insufficient response to the crisis has also prompted many citizens to hunker down and protect themselves and what’s theirs from an uncertain future the only way they know how: by buying guns.
According to a New York Times analysis of FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check data, Americans bought about 2 million guns in March of this year alone. And this could be a conservative figure, because citizens can buy multiple guns from a licensed gun dealer with a single background check, and private sales are not included in FBI’s numbers. Previously, a spike in gun-sales was attributed to fear of gun-buying restrictions. For instance, January 2013 saw a steep rise in gun purchases, following calls for stronger gun control laws in the wake of the deadly mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut, which killed 20 children and 6 adults.
This time, however, experts claim that gun sales are motivated by not just concerns over “big government infringing on American freedoms”, such as gun ownership, through measures like shelter-in-place orders and restricting what people can buy during the pandemic. There is also an equal and opposing fear of the potential civil unrest that could unfold as public institutions continue to be overwhelmed by the crisis.
And it is true, institutions are struggling. But it is not just medical facilities. Jails and prisons, for example, where social distancing is nearly impossible, have become a breeding ground for the spread of COVID-19. According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on Wednesday, as of April 21, 2020, 4,893 cases and 88 deaths among incarcerated and detained persons and 2,778 cases and 15 deaths among staff members have been reported. This was calculated across 420 correctional and detention facilities in the country. In order to lessen the reach of the virus, states are now looking at ways to reduce prison populations.
In Michigan, St. Louis, California, New York, and New Jersey, authorities have either allowed for early releases or furloughs to certain categories of prisoners. However, experts have warned against hasty measures and emphasized the need for housing, healthcare, employment, and other forms of support to those re-entering society. This challenge is heightened by the current pandemic, wherein unemployment is soaring, people are losing healthcare, and the economic strain is leaving people unable to pay their rents or mortgage payments in time. In New York, top prosecutors for the five boroughs sent a joint letter to NYC’s Department of Corrections and Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office, stating that if such needs are not addressed, it would only “compound the possible health, safety and other risks, both to the communities and to the individuals at issue”.
This has of course proven to be a great soundbite for pro-gun activists, who are continuing to use the pandemic to push forward their agenda. National Rifle Association (NRA) spokesperson Amy Hunter said in a statement that news about prisoners being released and law enforcement returning calls selectively have led many people “to realize the gravity of self-defense during these unprecedented times”. Whether it’s gun advocates using the potential erosion of law and order due to the pandemic to encourage the possession of firearms or increased cognitive stress of social isolation pushing people to buy ammunition as a “self-help” survival tool, gun ownership is on the rise.
As the demand for gun ownership increases, reports also suggest a rise in first-time gun owners, increasing concerns among gun control advocates about the potential hazards of more firearms in untrained hands. Owing to the fact that these decisions are being made from a place of fear and anxiety, gun-related deaths and suicides could surge. As the coronavirus keeps people confined to their homes, reports of domestic violence and abuse have also risen. In such a precarious situation, panic-buying and easy access to guns may allow for firearms in the hands of abusers, leading to a higher risk of death for victims, making it more urgent than ever for lawmakers to keep guns out of the wrong hands.
Equally, as perceptions that law enforcement is not providing adequate security grow, citizens may begin to take matters into their own hands or act with greater ignorance for the law. In an ideologically fragmented society that still carries the scars of its history, this may result in the further increase of racially motivated crimes. The killing of Ahmaud Arbery in February in Georgia is just one of far too many incidents of such senseless violence against people of color and minorities.
While gun-control advocates have called on the pro-gun groups, lead in part by the NRA, to focus their efforts on offering guidance regarding safe gun storage, they have instead leveraged the crisis to amplify their messaging. Labelling the government’s response to the coronavirus as a threat to Americans’ Second Amendment Rights, the NRA has sued the states of New York and California over their decisions to keep gun stores closed during lockdown, despite successfully lobbying the White House to add firearms vendors to its list of essential businesses. While the move prompted states like New Jersey to allow such stores to remain open, New York has resisted, insisting on the shutdown of businesses across the state as a vital safety measure.
A DW investigation also recently revealed the involvement of conservative gun-lobbyists in organizing the “Reopen America” protests across the country, aimed at building a larger supporter base for relaxing gun laws. President Donald Trump demonstrated support for this campaign in three separate tweets on April 17, which read: “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!”, “LIBERATE MINNESOTA!”, and “LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!” Trump’s irresponsible and dangerous comments drew severe backlash, along with criticism that he undercut his own administration’s guidance by calling for criminal acts against his governors for not opening states fast enough (which is also illegal). Trump then sought to defend his tweets, labelling the lockdown restrictions in some states as “too harsh” that were hurting these “very responsible people”.
Unsurprisingly, pandemic-related gun incidents have already occurred. Three family members have been charged in shooting a security guard at a family dollar store in Flint, Michigan, who told them to wear a mask before entering. A man in Albuquerque, New Mexico accidentally shot and killed his 13-year-old cousin, with a gun he said he had bought for protection against the coronavirus. In Georgia, a man was arrested for pulling a gun on two people who he thought had coronavirus. Authorities arrested a convicted felon in Maine on a firearms possession charge who said he needed guns to protect himself during the coronavirus outbreak.
Unfortunately, however, against the backdrop of an upcoming election, with the gun lobby focused on pushing gun sales rather than gun-safety, and the Trump administration being both, too overwhelmed by the coronavirus crisis and keen on maintaining support from its far-right voter base, it is unlikely that this period will see any significant national gun control reform.
This means that the onus of working to stymie any potential surge in gun violence will continue to (as always) remain in the hands of grassroot organizations and state and local authorities. As the psychological and economic stressors of the pandemic are likely to persist even as “normalcy” continues, it will be their job to enforce strict background checks, to promote safe gun storage practices and to ensure that victims of violence have easy and immediate access to support and redressal services, to protect the greatest number of lives.
Image Source: CNBC