The world is a dangerous place. Even in America, where we’re blessed to live in relative peace compared to many other regions of the world, there are always threats to our safety and well-being. It’s a reality that we must all accept and prepare for. One place to start is to be equipped and trained as a responsible gun owner to protect ourselves and our families.
Many anti-gun politicians in Washington would prefer to ignore the data, but the reality is that millions of Americans who are seeing violence unfold around the world or in their own neighborhoods are stepping up and becoming responsibly armed citizens. In the last two years, the United States has consistently witnessed over 1 million monthly firearms sales, as evidenced by the 1.3 million federal background checks conducted in October.
We all understood the historic surge in gun sales during the COVID-19 pandemic reflected Americans' weariness of civil unrest and the need to defend themselves and their families. We know law enforcement cannot be everywhere and you often only have minutes or seconds to respond to an immediate threat. While there was a slight dip in sales this year as we emerged from the pandemic, recent events have led to new spikes, both at the national level and among specific demographics and local communities.
In the wake of the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7 and subsequent events, which killed thousands of innocent lives, the United States witnessed an uptick in antisemitic threats. According to the Anti-Defamation League, there has been a 388 percent surge in antisemitic incidents compared to this time last year. Many Jewish Americans are now taking steps to protect themselves and their loved ones by purchasing firearms for the first time. In Burbank, California, one firearm dealer reported a 450 percent rise in gun safety tests compared to last year, with the store owner saying many of them were first-time buyers from the Jewish community.
A couple weeks after the attacks in Israel, a 40-year-old man with severe mental health issues took the lives of 18 individuals and wounded several others in Lewiston, Maine, before leading authorities on a two-day manhunt. As soon as the shelter-in-place order was lifted, local gun shops saw lines out the door and two-hour wait times for people seeking to equip themselves for self-defense. Those community members realized the urgency of being prepared to confront violent threats.
And in our nation’s capital, there have been a record 863 carjackings so far in 2023. The vast majority of them have been perpetrated by criminals armed with illegal guns, with some leading to injury and death. In multiple cases, lawfully armed drivers have thwarted criminals attempting to carjack them. Despite the D.C. government’s best efforts to make it harder for law-abiding citizens to defend themselves, recent Supreme Court decisions have led to the number of residents obtaining concealed carry permits to double since 2021.
What do these disparate examples have in common? They all open a window into the reality that evil exists everywhere and demonstrate the importance of the fundamental right to self-defense. It has never been more urgent for law-abiding Americans to grasp the importance of this right, enshrined in the Constitution, and stand up to protect it.
As executive director of the U.S. Concealed Carry for Saving Lives Action Fund, I’ve witnessed firsthand the self-defense awakening occurring across the country. Efforts by gun control politicians to dismantle the Second Amendment, which are increasing in frequency and boldness in statehouses across the country, will ultimately harm law-abiding gun owners rather than keep guns out of the hands of violent criminals. That’s why responsible gun owners, including first-time gun owners, must make their voices heard. With evil lurking worldwide and in our midst, we cannot sacrifice the right to self-defense here at home.
Katie Pointer Baney is the managing director of government affairs for the U.S. Concealed Carry Association and executive director of the USCCA for Saving Lives Action Fund