CA: Marijuana is Essential, Guns are Not in COVID Crisis
California went into lockdown yesterday in an effort to halt the spread of the coronavirus (COVID19). In Governor Newsome's shelter in place order, all non-essential stores and businesses should be shuttered. Essential services included auto shops, medical facilities, anything having to do with the homeless and social services, grocery stores, and even dry cleaners. However, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo declared that “gun stores are non-essential.” Liccardo, is an ardent democrat and is a gun grabber.
Worse yet is a facebook post from the Alameda County Sheriff's Office. In a post responding to Solar Tactical, a local gun store, the ACSO said, "Solar Tactical is not an essential business in Castro Valley." I have bought guns from Solar Tactical and I have worked closely with the ACSO. I have no doubt I know the person that made both posts. However, Alameda County is a dangerous place. One of the most violent cities in America is in this county, the city of Oakland. Their violence spills to the rest of the county. More importantly, the ACSO has been releasing prisoners from their jail at an exponential rate. I would posit that a gun store, in light of what the ACSO is doing and their location, is just as important as a grocery store and more important than an auto mechanic or a laundromat.
https://www.facebook.com/ACSOSheriffs/posts/2875604392518364
Gun Sales at an All Time High
As COVID19 spread, people hit the gun stores in California en masse. Unfortunately, California has a 10 day waiting period. This means that after buying your gun, you have to leave it at the gun shop and come back in 10 days to pick it up. Many of the gun buyers were first time gun owners. It makes you wonder how many people voted for some of the laws that were preventing them from gun ownership.
Marijuana dispensaries Declared Essential
Just like a run on guns, ammunition and toilet paper, there was a run on marijuana at the many pot shops throughout California. California is one of a handful of states with legalized marijuana. As people made that run on pot, the question was asked if the dispensaries were "essential" amid the shelter in place warning.
Los Angeles County answered that question in a very short tweet Thursday. LA County, in an official tweet stated, "To answer a popular question: cannabis dispensaries with a medicinal cannabis license are considered essential and may remain open."
https://twitter.com/CountyofLA/status/1240828522316197888
Getting High is Essential, Protecting Yourself is Not
California has been releasing prisoners at an alarming rate. The state says that many of these offenders are non violent. I worked in the San Francisco Bay Area for 29 years as a cop. Don't believe this for one minute. The prisoner may have been incarcerated for a non-violent crime like drug dealing, but if you were to look at their wrap sheet, you would cringe at the violence that had been committed.
Meanwhile, California has worked hard at disarming the population. the populace isn't fooled, which is why good people are racing to arm themselves. In California, the jokes write themselves. It is essential to get high, but it is not essential to arm yourself and protect yourself. What other state says a constitutional right is not essential?