Politicians in states like New York and California among a few others have rarely found an impediment to armed self-protection that didn’t get their approval. Nonetheless, many citizens in those states are saying that government cannot protect their families during the COVID-19 (or CCP coronavirus) pandemic.

As a result, they are taking responsibility for protecting themselves and their families in spite of the impediments thrown up by government.

Here is an example from Nassau County, Long Island.

The lines are long for groceries and also for guns as dozens of people waited to get inside Coliseum Gun Traders in Nassau County on Tuesday morning.

“I woke up and said I want to be protected tomorrow,” Jonathan Sulay said. “Who knows what will happen.”

Shop owner Andrew Chernoff said sales are soaring as the fears of the coronavirus crisis continue to climb.

“We get inventory in every day, we received this morning already,” he said. “I’m sure by the end of the day, we’ll be out again.”

Some of the customers, who wore face masks and gloves, said they fear COVID-19 could lead to a breakdown of public order with looting and robberies.

Chernoff said he is mostly selling shotguns, which start around $300.

As to why Chernoff is selling mostly shotguns, I’m sure a lot of that has to do with the impediments placed in the way of handgun ownership by New York State and Nassau County.

To be able to merely possess a handgun for target shooting or hunting you need a Pistol License. That will cost you a non-refundable $200 to apply plus another $88.25 for the fingerprints. You need to provide a passport photo, character references, and a certified copy of your driving record. This is not a license to carry which requires you prove “proper cause.”

If you actually want to purchase a handgun, you will need a “Purchase Document” which will cost you another $10 per pistol. You get this after you have paid the FFL in full for your new pistol and have reported back to the Nassau County Police the details of your purchase. By the way, you haven’t actually taken possession of your fully paid-for pistol yet. You have 10 days to go back to the dealer with the Purchase Document to pick up your new pistol or it becomes void.

Of course, as you might expect from public officials in Nassau County, they are dismissing the fact that people are taking responsibility for their own well-being.

County Executive Laura Curran whose background is as a reporter had this to say:

“Guns aren’t going to fight the virus,” Curran said at a press conference. “What will fight the virus is people staying home and isolating themselves and not having birthday parties and weddings and clustering together in big groups.”

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder doesn’t want people to worry.

“We got you; that’s our job,” said Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder. “Let the professionals do what we do. The right to purchase a firearm is your Second Amendment right, but to purchase a gun because you’re afraid of lawlessness or looting … our cops have you covered.”

That is all well and good but the cops can’t be everywhere. Even with the best response times, it is usually too late by the time police arrive.

County residents like Danny Coronado, a loan officer from Rockville Centre, understand this.

Coronado, who had already waited about 45 minutes (to buy ammo) and was still not close to getting inside the store, said many other patrons are still concerned. 

“I think everyone just feels the same thing I feel, you know, worried,” Coronado said. “Hopefully it’s just unnecessary worry, like with toilet paper.”

Better to be prepared and not have to use it than being unprepared and not have it is a good way to go.