I think it’s actually in pretty good hands. While we rightfully fret about the damage a few changes to the make up of the Supreme Court might do, the demographics of gun ownership are changing. Not only are more people of color getting interested in firearm use for sport and self defense, but just as importantly so are more women. I’ve been saying to friends for a couple of years, that women, especially younger women, are the future of gun ownership. Manufacturers seem to agree with me as there is a large increase in firearms and related products made with female customers in mind. Why do you think that there is all those pink items being made?
Maybe some of it is intended for the Pink Pistols, but I think that’s a niche market.
How main stream is female shooting becoming?
So main stream that the McDonald’s of the newspaper industry, USA Today, has an article about it,
Women, girls taking up guns, shooting in higher numbers
DES MOINES, Iowa – There are pink guns. Pink ear protection. Pink shell pouches. For your car, don’t miss the pink “Pistol Packing Princess” sticker. And if you want to pack heat while lunching at your favorite tea room, a purse with a special pistol holster is de rigueur.
All of this is aimed at women who want to own a gun — for protection, for hunting or for sport shooting — a rapidly growing demographic. But don’t let all that girly pink fool you. Women in the United States, and Iowa, for example, take their firearms seriously.
Research by the National Sporting Goods Association shows female participation in target shooting grew by 46.5% between 2001 and 2010. And an October 2011 Gallup Poll found 23% of women own a gun.
I don’t know about you, but I find those numbers pretty impressive. Apparently so do the firearms and firearms accessories industries. Smith and Wesson has had the “Lady Smith” line of handguns for several years and still markets several pistols and revolvers designed for women shooters. Charter Arms has started to do the same more recently. You can buy pink AR-15 furniture. There seems to be an almost endless selection of pink and even lavender firearms related items for sale.
While I think that the pink thing might be a fad, I don’t think that women buying and using firearms is a fad at all. Women have come to realize that the only way that they can ensure their safety is by taking control and responsibility for doing so.
Perhaps more importantly, these women tend to vote and I don’t think that they’ll vote for people who want to take their means of self defense away.
I’m actually getting more worried, as it becomes more mainstream, the administration and the left are going to ramp up efforts behind the scenes to do away with 2A, and CCW by fiat, since they can’t do it through congress.
All the more reason to stop worrying if the Republican candidate is “conservative enough” and vote Obama out of office in November. No matter who the Republican is, he’s going to be more conservative than Obama and have more respect for the Second Amendment. Or the First, or the rule of law in genera.
So what specific quotes, or actual legislative bills has our president made that drive you gun nuts so paranoid that you’ll lose your second amendment? Got nothing? Thought so.
gun control “under the radar”
Gun control under the radar
Add to that Hillary Clinton’s push to adopt the UN Small Arms Treaty.
Add to that, “Fast and Furious”.
The President knows that no bill to ban firearms will make it out of the House or Senate, so in his usual ignore the rule of law fashion, he’s doing an end run.
The ones who “got nothing” are the people such as you who think he’s a great guy and wonderful President.
I hope… sigh…
It helps that it’s harder to put petite, not-scary-looking women on “LOOK HOW EVIL THIS GUN-OWNER IS!” type posters.
I don’t have any interest in pink pistols, though.
I think the pink is a bit faddish, but if it draws women into the shooting sports, I’m all for it.