Guns - A necessity when insanity takes hold

I just read that residents of Beverly Hills, California have been purchasing handguns in record numbers this year.  With criminals making forays into wealthy areas to do their dirty work, and no change in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s misguided view of criminal justice reform - protect the criminal, throw law-abiding citizens to the wolves - even people who never wanted to own a firearm are arming themselves for self-protection. When government loses its way and public safety is no longer its first priority, people need to have a way to defend themselves and their families.  Noble ideals, sympathy and current anti-racist virtues don’t help when the bogey man is at the door.  Reality bites and realists have to do what they to avoid being eaten.  

Beverly Hills residents arming themselves with guns in wake of violence

NYPost. December 9, 2021

“I’ve always been anti-gun,” said Debbie Mizrahie of Beverly Hills. “But I am right now in the process of getting myself shooting lessons because I now understand that there may be a need for me to know how to defend myself and my family. We’re living in fear.”

Mizrahie, a 40-something mother of two teenagers, isn’t alone. Ever since the protests last year descended into riots and lootings, a growing number of Beverly Hills residents have been buying weapons.

According to LA County Sheriff Alejandro Villanueva, the department has received 8,105 concealed carry weapon applications and approved 2,102 of them since he took office in December 2018, compared to his predecessor having issued 194 permits in four years.

“Even hardcore leftist Democrats who said to me in the past, ‘I’ll never own a gun’ are calling me asking about firearms,” said Joel Glucksman, a private security executive. “I’d say there has been an increase of 80 percent in the number of requests I’m getting this year.”

“I don’t ever remember crime being so high,” the entertainment writer said. “We used to leave our doors unlocked. I would leave my keys in the car with the door unlocked. Not anymore. We’re seeing not just burglaries but also robberies. We are seeing emboldened gang members and criminals holding guns to people’s heads.”

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When we purchased our first home in Lake Oswego in 1976, public safety was the top priority for deciding where we wanted to live. We couldn’t afford much, and we had to use sweat equity (painting the home inside and out and lots of dirt and rock hauling) and even left the family room unfinished to make the home affordable.  We were lucky to get a State Veteran’s home loan for 6.99%. The schools (traditional, high quality academics), the natural beauty of the city, Lake Oswego’s small-town governance and family-oriented neighborhoods made the town a great place to live and raise a family. By purchasing a small, basic, ranch home in an upper-middle class area, we had all the advantages of a wealthy community.  But then, so did the residents of Beverly Hills.  There is no guarantee LO or any place will stay nice if the public becomes complacent or it’s leaders fail to comprehend what it takes to create and maintain peace.  

As 2021 winds down, I count the years we have lived in Lake Oswego and it adds up to over 110 years.  When we moved to our current home 10 years ago I expected we would grow very old here, adapting it to our needs as time went on.  Now I find I am continually holding my breath to see what foolish or dangerous path the State Legislature and Lake Oswego City Council might take that continues to degrade our quality of life, our property rights, and our willingness to stay.  We are not alone.  Leaving the state increasingly seems to be a question of when, not if,

Friends, family and acquaintances who have already moved send happy missives of their new neighborhoods and these become the subject of animated  conversations for those of us who remain. Safety is just the tip of the eroding bulwark of freedoms and social structure we depend upon.  How bad does it have to get before we need to leave?  What is the deal breaker that will push us out?  Where should we go?  How can we keep the new place livable when we couldn’t save the last?  Should we just stay and fight?  Fight for what most of us want but few know how to even talk about openly? 

The 2022 election cycle holds hope for a return to sane governance and a more balanced legislature.  Independent fence-sitters are awakening to the fact that a one-party state has no brakes on the power it can grab and how easily crazy, destructive ideas can flourish.  While Marxist politicians keep whittling away at our 2nd Amendment rights, it is encouraging to see that gun ownership in Oregon remains high. In spite of, and perhaps because of current political pressure to limit gun rights, gun ownership will perhaps grow higher if Democrats stay in charge.  Average registered gun ownership for all states is 44%.  Oregon ranks #15 with 50.8% of the population owning guns.  Check out the following website for more statistics on gun ownership in the US.  If crime rates stay as they are in progressive strongholds, expect gun ownership in California and other states to grow.  

Gun Ownership by State 2021

According to the Pew Research Center, the southern United States has the highest amount of gun owners, with about 36% of residents living in this region owning a gun. The Midwest and West each have gun ownership levels that exceed 30%, while the Northeast has the lowest number of gun owners at about 16%. Most guns in the United States are owned by rural households, while more men own guns than women.

It’s important to note that we’re looking at the total percentage of gun ownership based on population. While one state may have more guns, the population may also be higher. For the purpose of this article, we’re focusing on the total percentage of gun ownership in relation to the state’s population.