Minyanville’s Ryan Goldberg writes America to Recession: Make My Day
In a bone-chilling trend, sales of handguns have been soaring in recent months. People are arming themselves in preparation for the apocalypse.
This alarming upswing has been attributed to 2 factors: Gun owners are purchasing firearms in the last twilight hour before President Obama passes stricter gun-control laws – or the recession is engendering fear of crime and nameless mayhem. To be fair, it’s more reasonable to assume the former is to blame.
Still, handgun manufacturers and gun shops are reporting strong demand. Along with weapons, ammunition is also in short supply.
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It’s no surprise that Florida and California, among other states, are seeing this craze firsthand. Their McMansion-scarred exurban communities are well on their way to becoming new American ghettos – deserted and lawless.
This isn’t an exaggeration: In California’s Inland Empire — as the landlocked southeastern region of the state is known — foreclosures are close to 20% in some parts. Squatters are occupying vacant million-dollar houses and scrounging metal to sell to scrapyards.
August 31, 2009
Social Mood Swings