We told you yesterday about Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s plan for handling the Corona Virus. He released 600 inmates from the county prison system, stopped dispatching officers to reports of petty crimes, and discouraged county residents from owning guns.
But discouraging them from purchasing guns backfired. Just hours after that press conference, county residents were ignoring his advice not to buy guns. The lines and demand for guns and ammo in California made national news with footage of people lined up around the block waiting to get inside gun stores that were increasingly sparse on stock.
Canceling Himself Out
Villaneuva told reporters yesterday that he has added 1,300 deputies to help patrol the district. That number doubles the typical police force. But he also released nearly triple the inmates he initially said he would. He released 1,700 criminals who were convicted of non-violent offenses or who were within 45 days of their release. That’s 10% of the total prison population in Los Angeles County.
So we’ve massively increased the police presence, but basically nullified that action by releasing more criminals than police. We’re sure those criminals who couldn’t follow the law when it wasn’t a crisis are going to be really good at follow all of these new rules of ‘sheltering in place’ and ‘social distancing’.
Gun Stores Aren’t Essential…Until He Changes His Mind
But Villaneuva wasn’t done there. He is also the Director of Emergency Operations for Los Angeles County–which means that during a disaster or crisis he decides what businesses are open or closed.
During the interview, Villaneuva said, ““We will be closing them, they are not an essential function,” Villanueva said. “I’m a supporter of the 2nd amendment, I’m a gun owner myself, but now you have the mixture of people that are not formerly gun owners and you have a lot more people at home and anytime you introduce a firearm in a home, from what I understand from CDC studies, it increases fourfold the chance that someone is gonna get shot.” He also said, “Gun shops, strip clubs, night clubs are nonessential businesses. We are trying to get them to close their doors.”
And that was the official policy for about 20 hours. Then late last night, Villaneuva changed his mind and decided that gun stores could be open after all. Or rather, he and radical anti-gun Governor Gavin Newsom couldn’t agree on what non-essential meant so for now, gun stores are open. Villaneuva said that those stores were being left open because some folks who shopped in them were engaged in private security. He said, “Those that are involved in the security business that still need to do their business … we want to make sure they’re properly equipped. However that is not a license for everyone to do panic gun buying and rushing to stores. Which is now what we’re seeing. That violates the issue of social distancing.”
No One Man Should Have This Much Authority
So this is where we are! One sheriff can suspend the Constitution at will and can change his mind as many times as he wants! Gun owners are right to realize that a man like this isn’t worried about any one family’s safety. He’s not worried about your gun rights. He doesn’t care what the founding fathers would have done. No, he cares about making sure he and other cops are the only ones with guns.
If you can get out of California, do it. If you don’t live in California, fight tooth and nail to keep your state from becoming an anti-gun hellhole like this.