Mike Barrett, owner of Barrett's Marine and Sporting Supply, says he's seeing more first-time gun buyers in his store these days, and County Clerk Don Read reports that the most recent gun permit class had 42 people in it.
The increase in local gun ownership matches a national trend.
"I don't think it's one element that is behind the increase," Read said. "It's everything put together."
And everything means fears of new federal and state legislation restricting gun and ammo sales, the recession and increases in crime, and the usual reason -- newfound interest in hunting and target shooting.
Whatever the cause, Barrett said distributors' warehouses are bare and it's more difficult to get inventory.
Barrett and his staff where a little upset with Read this afternoon, after hearing that Read blamed the increase of permits on "scare tactics" by the NRA and other gun advocates. Conservative commentators have been raising concerns about President Obama's anti-gun positions and legislation being introduced at both the state and federal levels.
"I heard that (Read's comments) today and almost blew a gasket," Barrett said. "A lot of people are down playing what's going on and it's nothing to be played down. I don't say that just because I'm a business man There is a train coming down."
Barrett handed over information on five state bills that would limit gun ownership, make it harder if not impossible to buy certain kind of guns and obtain ammunition.
Anti-gun legislation has been introduced before and didn't pass. Read said he thinks this round of legislation isn't likely to pass either.
"I don't attribute it to scare tactics, but there is an aspect that people are afraid there will be more restrictions," Read said. "Personally, I don't see that happening, but often perception of an issue is more important than reality."
The surge in gun permits goes beyond the specter of stricter legislation, Barrett said. The recession is also driving concerns about a rise in crime and the need for self protection.
A member of his staff, Jack Taylor, said a 70-year-old woman walked out of the store 20 minutes earlier with her first rifle.
"She bought it for target practice and to keep around the house," Taylor said.
Read tells a similar story: "We just had a lady in, a well-known lady, who is retired now and her husband enjoys target practice and she wanted to be able to enjoy it with him."
Asked about more gun ownership in Genesee County, Sheriff Gary Maha responded:
"Those persons obtaining gun permits are law-abiding citizens and are not
a concern to law enforcement. I believe in the Second Amendment -- 'the right to bear arms.' It is the illegal guns and illegally obtained guns that I am concerned about."
For more information on the proposed legislation in New York, visit the SCOPE Web site.
Batavia. Genesee County.
Batavia. Genesee County.
Ok, m-o-r-e s-l-o-w-l-y.
B-a-t-a-v-i-a. G-e-n-e-s-e-e C-o-u-n-t-y.
No one's coming for our guns. The odds are greater that you'll die from a heart attack than that you'll need to defend yourself with a firearm.
How much have you spent on walking/running shoes? Have you given more money to the American Heart Association than you have to the NRA?
Have some f'n perspective. This is a fringe issue. People are buying guns to protect themselves when they should be more worried about drunks running stop lights. More people in Genesee County get killed by heart attacks and drunk driving in one year than get killed by home invasion or violent assault in a decade. Yet this is what is highlighted. Why? Because this kind of Jerry Springer 'journalism' creates traffic.
Honest to god, Howard; for your sake, I hope you get a local version of Lindsay Lohan.
Russ, apparently, you haven't
Russ, apparently, you haven't been paying close attention. There is no such thing as a fringe issue on The Batavian. It's all about what we find interesting, and I found this issue interesting. Sorry, our mission statement doesn't include "Only write about things that Russ Stresing approves."
Holster your injured
Holster your injured self-esteem, Howie.
You're right. I haven't been paying close attention. And I don't give a rodent's rump about the royal <b>'we'.</b> <i>There is no such thing as a fringe issue on The Batavian. It's all about what<b> we</b> find interesting, and<b> I</b> found this issue interesting.</i>
Russ, It may not be a real
Russ,
It may not be a real issue with you, but this increase in the number of people buying guns and ammo has been in the news since January and has not gone away. Justified or not, the fear that some sort of law taking the right to have a gun away is there.
I think a lot of liberals (Not Demcorats or Republicans)would like to do away with private gun ownership, but have no chance right now of getting that passed. That does not mean they will give up trying.
As the Democrat Election Chairman,where do you stand on the issue of gun ownership?
Yes, Howard, from now on
Yes, Howard, from now on could you please run all your story ideas by Russ before publishing? It would save alot of unnecessary reading of uninteresting stories. I'm surprised Secretary Napolitano didn't check with him first before issuing the most recent DHS Report. He could have saved her staff a great deal of work.
Jesus, John. I don't stalk
Jesus, John.
I don't stalk you.
BTW, Russ, not that I need
BTW, Russ, not that I need justify myself to you, but for the benefit of other readers who may not be aware: There is a real "we" behind The Batavian. It includes, most obviously my wife as well as our intern, Tasia; also, our developer Leonard, whom I often consult with on a broad range of non-technical issues, as well as all the people who helped make The Batavian what it is, which includes a number of former co-workers, most notably Philip and Brian. So when I use "we," it's hardly facetiously.
factitiously For the
<i>factitiously</i>
For the benefit of other readers who may not be aware, you gotta love that Howard loves me so much that he forgoes spell check.
facetiously
I am cowed by the staggering brain trust arrayed against me. I <b>yeiled</b> </i></b> the <b>feild</b>.
Russ, you've butchered
Russ, you've butchered grammar and spelling in some of your previous comments in other posts. You're in no place to criticize.
On top of that, he didn't make any grammar mistake. You just aren't aware that "facetiously" is a word, and is the correct word in this situation.
Not only have you called the kettle black, you've made yourself look like an illiterate jackass.
Chris, in fairness to Russ, I
Chris, in fairness to Russ, I did use "factitiously" originally, which is also a word, and correctly spelled (and possibly even suitable to the context), but I did mean "facetiously," and changed my comment. I just decided not to respond to Russ.
Chris, Thank you for your
Chris,
Thank you for your effort. You're a doll.
<b>"You're in no place to criticize."</b> I'd love to see that in English.
Chris,
People can correct their posts. Even Howard. And he probably appreciates that.
This isn't about gun
This isn't about gun ownership.
He isn't guilty of being an
He isn't guilty of being an illiterate jackass, then. Honest mistake. Without knowing you edited your post, Russ's comment made it seem like he was saying you meant factitiously instead of facetiously and giving you flak for it.
Everything else I pointed out still stands.
In regards to Russ, that wasn't effort.
Russ your point, if you
Russ your point, if you really had one, seemed to be that people are worried over losing gun rights when there is very little likelihood they will. You seem more concerned over people’s spelling than their “the right to bear arms”.
I am in favor of gun ownership. I could care less if you own one or not, but I think you should be allowed to if you want. I also think the high fees attached to the permit process are designed to discourage people from getting a permit, which of course stops them from legally buying a handgun.
I asked you a fair question. There is an election this November and you are the Democrat Election Chairman. Some of your candidates might be in a position to set local permit fees. Do you support any new restrictions on handgun ownership?
I don’t know why you have to be so nasty every time you come on the site, but you don’t help your candidates with your behavior.