US firearms purchases skyrocket during pandemic, according to FBI records

[sarisataka]

US firearms purchases skyrocket during pandemic, according to FBI records

As the nation has grappled with a global pandemic and images of some rioters causing damage after hijacking peaceful protests demanding racial justice, more and more Americans appear to be arming themselves.

In July 2020, the FBI conducted more than 3.6 million firearm background checks, making it the third highest month on record for checks since the bureau began keeping statistics in 1998, according to new data released on Monday by the agency. By comparison, the bureau conducted just over 2 million checks in July 2019.

Background checks associated with the sale, transfer or permitting of firearms set an all-time record in June when the FBI conducted more than 3.9 million checks, followed by March 2020 when the agency saw 3.7 million checks.

One other enduring pattern in 2020 has been the order of states topping the list, with Illinois, Kentucky, Texas, Florida and California continually seeing the most background checks for the sale, transfer, or licensing of guns.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/03/politics/gun-background-checks-fbi/index.html

Whether it is justified and logical or not people seem to feel insecure on a macro level. Also they are not looking outwards for reassurances but believe they must take responsibility into their own hands for their security.

[Thomas Hurt]

1. a pandemic, economic downturn, protests...

all of this triggers every end timer, survivalist, far right nutjob in the country.

Minority communities are probably concerned, as they should be, with a christofascist pig in the WH.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Uptick in purchases of firearms, weapons doesn't show faith in democracy

and the public service of police.

Rather it shows the belief that firearms/weapons is the only way to "affect change."

[JackSabbath]

3. It's not just right wingers

🙂