Last night I read a disturbing article in the The New York Times. New businesses have popped up, selling the accessories for outfitting firearms, and business is booming. According to the article, the AR-15 has become "America's Rifle" due to its tremendous popularity. According to a survey in 2021 by a Georgetown University professor, nearly 25 million people owned an AR-15 style rifle. Use of homemade gun kits has ballooned in recent years. Anyone with a felony record, history of abuse, or underage can order a ghost gun kit online.
Back to accessories--evidently the "bells and whistles" for guns are often more expensive than the guns themselves. There are brick-and-mortar stores and online companies which specialize in these add-ons. Gun owners purchase grenade launchers, scopes, suppressors, hand grips, arm braces, and muzzle brakes (reduces recoil of gun). These items have proven to be a huge souurce of profit for gun stores due to a large mark-up in prices, not so for the actual guns. Suppressors, or silencers, can cost more than twice as much as the actual weapon. Sales for silencers during the years 2020-21 increased by 9,000 percent according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (A.T.F.).
Gun enthusiasts who like to tinker and "improve" their firearms suffer from "restless rifle syndrome." I shudder at the thought of a restless gun owner. What are we to make of our country in which so many people own dangerous firearms? To me, this does not bode well for many reasons. We are already living in a nation of armed civilians. Given people's hostilty, anger, frustration, and partisanship, this can only mean an increase in injuries and death.
Gun dealers are now marketing their wares to those who may feel uncomfortable in gun shops, conventions, or shooting ranges, such as the L.G.B.T.Q. community and minorities. Women have been a focus group for gun sales; I have seen advertisements of women with small hand guns for their purses or glove compartments. A man in Connecticut is marketing guns to liberals to scare off racists and homophobics.
With a certain demagogue in power now, there will be no more gun control legislation for at least four years. The Bureau of A.T.F. may not get a director at all during the current regime.
The establishments that sell attachments for firearms also sell clothing that appeals to gun owners, much like the companies that sell hiking, camping, and biking equipment. However, the aforementioned businesses are geared to shooting enthusiasts. I know that target and skeet shooting are popular sports as is hunting. But, to me, this is not the concern.
There is a strong relationship between political persuasion and ownership of weapons. This is not to say that Democrats do not own guns or only Republicans do. That would be ridiculous. Democrats, as a group, favor more responsible gun ownership regulations than Republicans. In our present moment, the businesses that sell products related to firearms are associated with specific values regarding personal rights, gender, and governmental intervention.
A store, not far from me, features all types of "tactical equipment." The website advertises--timeless, tough, true; grist is built here; and always be ready with a picture of a fist. Obviously, this company lures in customers--more male than female--who want to demonstrate their physical power. Scary stuff. Those who feel that decisions and conflicts should not be solved with weapons will not be attracted to this store.
These establishments are legal. Certainly, one should be observant that these shops exist in ones community. Join a pro gun regulation group, stay tuned for new state laws, and call and email congresspeople.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01us/gun-stores-lgbtq.html? www.nytimes.com/2024/12/14us/atfbracesforalikelyrollback
©Karen Levi 2025
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