Amid Economic Fears, Gun Sales Booming

CBS Evening News: Required Background Checks Were Up 42 In November From A Year Ago

(CBS)  "I've been through Y2K and I've been through 9/11," says gun shop owner Scott Moss. " I have never seen people so afraid as what we are seeing right now.

Business is booming at gun shops across the country, reports CBS news correspondent Jeff Glor. And at his store, Moss says it's because of uncertainty fueled by the economic crisis.

"If the banks didn't have any money there'd be rioting in the streets," says Moss. "So you're protecting yourself from Americans going crazy, rioting, looting and hurting each other."

FBI statistics show that in November, 2008 firearm purchaser background checks increased 42 percent over the previous year. In December they were up 24 percent.

Moss says his sales are up something like 300 percent.

Moss also believes says fears that President Obama might make it more difficult to get a gun have led people to flock to his Norwalk, Conn. store.

One of those is 24-year-old Anthony Silvestro, a first time buyer.

Silvestro, who runs an auto body shop, says he's worried Mr. Obama might raise taxes on new gun purchases. He also worries that people will become more violent if the economy gets worse. He's getting a gun for personal protection.

"When you have a mixture of defensive people, lack of money, economy getting bad, you've got people that are depressed, people that might be upset---you know carrying a gun around you feel comfortable, you feel like you have a little power," Silvestro says.

But some fear that more guns will lead to increased gun thefts by criminals - and more deaths in the home.

"It can be the 4-year-old who finds a gun and thinks it's a toy and shoots his sister," says Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. "It can be the husband and wife that are having a quarrel and the guns there and all of a sudden one of them is dead."

The National Rifle Association disputes that, saying that firearms are used three to five times more often to stop crimes than commit them. Moss stresses that in Connecticut, buyers need a pistol permit which requires background checks and a series of lessons at his shooting range.

"I'm not even saying I want to use my gun," Silvestro says. "I'm saying I want to know that it's there. God forbid I need it. God forbid someone breaks in my house. God forbid the alarm goes off."

According to the Brady Campaign, if you have a gun in your home it's 22 times more likely to be used against you and or a family than it is to protect you.

The NRA questions that, saying that 58 percent of firearms deaths in the home are suicides.

There are no official figures on the number of guns in the United States - but estimates say the number is about 250 million.

[rabidkiller]

I have been reading these posts and at first I thought some people were simply misinformed. I now believe some are sadly misinformed. First of all the automatic weapons like the AK-47 and the AR-15,M-16 etc. are for the military and law enforcement ONLY! We mass killers can only own semi-automatic weapons,look it up there is a big difference. The only people on the streets with full-auto weapons are the bad guy's.To say that these guns are used by killers is true to a point. However killers also use knives, clubs, rope, you get the point. To say that guns kill is like saying the fork and spoon make people fat. Or we should ban the match for starting fire's. I own several of the gun's mentioned and I do use them for sport, as do many other people. But I have never shot anyone and neither have my gun's. I would however if my family or my home or my own life were in danger. And yes grandma I would defend you if it ever came to that (heaven forbid). Not two hours ago I was in a Wall-Mart. I was carrying a concealed hand gun. I am a responsible US citizen. I have a valid permit, and I love life, ALL life. While I was in the store I did not hear one gunshot see one person injured nor did I witness any indication that the sky was falling. And to the statement that hundreds of thousands of us could be killed by one of these horrible things I ask, how many rounds do you think one of these things hold? Mam, did you know that a threat can be identified, a weapon drawn and fire returned in a matter of just a few seconds? Think about that, a few seconds out of 120. How many lives could have been spared in that amount of time? And to the person who thinks there is a connection between gun shows and the Nazis, you are SOO invited to say that to my face. I'll give you an emblem where the sun don't shine! So will my Nazi hateing friends. Folks guns don't kill people. People kill people. Yes they use gun's, knives, anything they can get there hands on. Why is it you same people who want gun control don't stand up yelling when a mother of three or a young driver or a family get wiped out by a drunk driver? Could it be some of you good people sometimes drive under the influence? Might not be a good place to throw a rock right now. It is clear to me that some folks do not know what they are talking about. Did the person writing about the single action 3006 mean a single shot? Did you know the 3006 round has been used, and is still used by army's today? It is also used as a sniper round. Perhaps some of you would be better served by looking up the facts for yourself rather than by watching some slanted news story.

[Outragedgrandmother]

I have read many of these postings and am joining the voices of those that are outraged over the most recent mass killings. There is no need for any citizen of this country to have automatic handguns and automatic military guns, ie AK 47s. These are guns used by killers!!!! Until we have enough courage to ban the sale and possession of these our schools, churches, workplaces, parks, recreations centers, shopping malls......anywhere large numbers of people gather will not be safe. So much for Homeland Security. We do not need to fear terrorists, we have people who are unstable and who have killer weapons at their disposal to kill hundreds of thousands of us.
It has been reported that the shooter/killer in Binghamton fired 98 rounds in 2 minutes. No citizen who intended to protect himself had time to reach for his concealed weapon. What kind of nonesense argument for every citizen carrying their own gun is that!!!!
It makes me sick to know that I live next door to people who support relaxing gun control laws.
We have poured billions of dollars into protecting our airports and the AFT agents do not have computerized access to the people who are buying automatic killer weapons. Does that make any sense!
Thank you CBS for informing me

[12-2-60]

CBS did not show one incident where an armed individual was able to protect himself, his property or his family. There are two sides to every coin. This is not reporting news this is promoting one groups own opinions and agendas. This is the same type of news coverage that got the current Anti-American Administration in the white house in the first place. You are as bad as CNN, "The Clinton News Network". All of you should be arrested for impersonating journalists and New Reporters. How about some equal air time for the other sides opinions and views. I am embarassed for you

[jar15]

Edward R. Murrow would roll over in his grave if he saw this piece of "journalism." 60 minutes used to be a show you could count on to provide quality investigative journalism but has now succombed to sensationalism and the need to compete with other trash shows for ratings.

What would have happened if you changed the following with that little social experiment:
The "student" was the trained firearms instructor instead of the way it was presented?
What if the student was trained first, as is required for concealed carry holders?
What if the shooter didn't know that there was an armed student?
What if the shooter was inexperienced at handling firearms?

The story would have had a different outcome I'm sure. But that was not the intent of this clearly slanted story. The resutls would not have supported the angle 60 minutes was looking for.

Why didn't 60 minutes use real stories of mass shooting where a concelaed carry holder stopped a rampaging shooter? There are countless examples out there. Why does a liberal New York based news use out the anti-gun Brady Campaign for it's "facts" and not the NRA or Gun Owners of America for a rebutttal instead of the other way around? Because it provides the slants 60 Minutes is looking for. Why not use all the facts instead just the ones to push your view?

This was a poor piece of unbalanced "journalism" that had a clear anti-gun slant. It's too bad 60 Minutes has stooped this low to provide it's owners and Board of Directors with a platform to push their agenda. This story will clearly go down in 60 Minutes history as the day that journalism died.

[MotorcycleMonster]

As a law abiding citizen with 58 years of never being in any type of trouble, I believe I have earned the right to arm myself. I believe in the 2nd admenment Rights that all americans have to protect themselves and loved ones. How many crooks will be less likely to carry weapons when laws are tighter. (None ) The only thing that will occur is the "black market" price will go up, and the true good citizens will be forced to stand by and "watch the killing". I wonder how many would have died in the 13 murders recently if a few of the good citizens had been armed at the imigration office. Crooks are basically cowards by nature. All we do is empower them when we take power from our good citizens and make victims out of us all..I believe and support law abiding members of the NRA. If you do some research on the amount of safety training and millions spent annually to educate their members on gun safety and children "gun safety", you might cover this subject with a more fair point of view. The NRA is usually presented as a bunch of rough necks, but in reality they are hunters, collectors, and hobbists, that are well educated, and more safe with their guns than many of these mini van driving soccar Moms are with a cell phone in one hand and a curling iron in the other. Folks like Hitler and Fidel began by taking over all of the weapons and nationalizing many business' Think about what is happening today and you'll probably be down at the gun show yourself this week-end.

[Calvinrm]

Watching Leslie's interview with Diane Feinstein made me wonder why the tough question wasn't asked. The Calif Senator is one of the biggest gun control supporters. She stated "...if it were up to me, Mr John Q public would have no guns.." (or words to that effect). Yet, she wasn't asked: Ms Feinstein, would you give up YOUR concealed weapons permit?? Would Ted Kennedy's body guards be stripped of their FULLY AUTOMATIC weapons? Kind of two faced, don't you think?? I'm not attacking them...just asking the questions.

[CQC_McDuck]

I don't know if anyone else caught this, but did you know that was the SAME gun show that ABC went to? If you watch the ABC hit piece, that was the show where that Omar guy bought 10 long guns from private sellers for $5k.

Both hit pieces even talked about similar themes like the supposed gun show loophole, and how it could potentially lead to another Virginia Tech style massacre.

Talk about lazy propaganda/propagandists.

[gocanada]

It was disgraceful that Nazi Flags were being flown on screen and the only commentary was that "the memorabilia may not be to everyone's liking." it seems clear that there is a connection between Nazi sympathy and gun shows. The connection between Nazi memorabilia and the people participating in gun shows should be further investigated.

[JasPruett]

I don't understand how people can think that gun control is the answer to gun violence. Criminals don't care if a gun is on the ban list, they can still get them on the black market. The only thing banning any gun will do will be to remove the weapon from the hands of law-abiding citizens.

[Kivatrader]

Why? Here?s a simple answer.

For several days now, after the latest in a long list of mass-shooting incidents, we?ve watched the news media run out the experts. Each explanation serves to answer the over-arching question, one more time: Why? After the psychologists, anthropologists, criminal profilers and community leaders have weighed in, providing a definitive answer, the public is left grasping at old cliche-ridden commentary that really provides no comfort.

I may not have a string of letters following my name, but may I suggest an ?answer? that is as plain as the Emperor?s ongoing lack of clothing? There is a powerful, clear, common thread running through each ugly incident, from Columbine, through VTI and The Mall, connecting Binghamton directly. It is simple, and relatively easy to understand. They all used guns to murder innocent people.

Now, I know that we all would like to have a strong mental picture of just what a mass-killer looks like, or thinks like, in the interest of somehow protecting our families from senseless violence. Sadly, the truth is, each one of these psychos ? and I use the term in its full social context ? was convinced they not only had a reason, but they had the right to follow up on their motivation. In more than one incident, hindsight reveals that the shooters had displayed
clear signs of aberrant behavior, needing treatment ? treatment never received. But more importantly, they all had the means at their disposal.

The Binghamton shooter was a well-known customer at the local gun shop. He liked to buy weapons. That is not a crime in itself, but what is pretty evident is that the current laws which stipulate ?background checks? and a waiting period, are not effective, and not being enforced sufficiently. The current laws simply don?t work.

As a Nation, it?s one thing to make sure that everyone who wants to shoot animals and targets can practice their sport, but handguns and assault weapons are not sporting weapons. The recent incidents were notable in this regard: sporting weapons were not used. No single-action 30-06 deer rifle was used. Sporting weapons are not designed to be efficient mass killers. It?s ridiculous to continue to pretend that there are ?other? reasons these unspeakable acts are proliferating, while continuing to make handguns and automatic, even military weapons available over the counter. As embattled police officers facing down criminals? arsenals know, it?s out of control. It?s been out of control for years. Isn?t it time to stop the lobbyists for the manufacturers of weapons and the organizations they manipulate from calling the shots when it comes to our safety? Isn?t it time to remind our lawmakers who they work for?

The framers of the constitution lived in a world that despite the ravages of colonialism and State to State warfare, was much safer, and more secure than our own. I may be taking liberties here, but I don?t believe that any of them had the current firearm proliferation in mind when they wrote that the Government did not have the right to infringe the citizen?s right to bear arms. The AK-47 and a 14-round clip had not been invented yet. If our ?liberty? includes the right to amass an unregulated arsenal and then use it, when your mind snaps, to get personal revenge, then our liberty is a fraud. All the security measures we?ve taken have not stopped the singular individual with a motive from taking many innocent lives. If that individual did not have access to the weapons, then they would have to be content with their twisted logic and fantasies. Those are not illegal. Mental aberrations do not, by themselves, hurt anyone but their owner.

Guns, though, are always responsible, and if we have the courage to stand up to the lobbyists and our poor, sadly cowed politicians, we have the means ourselves, to end this. I believe no one, but a full, voting, tax-paying citizen should be allowed to purchase a weapon of any kind. I believe that single-action sporting weapons should be the only firearm legal to own outside of military and law-enforcement. I believe that all guns should be licensed and registered. I believe the laws we choose to enact should be enforced.

I don?t care why the angry fellow in Binghamton killed those people. we all know how he did it, and it?s long past time we put an end to it.

Richard Sutton