The Wall St. Journal tells a happy tale today…if you happen to have your nest egg invested in “an industry leading manufacturer of pistols, revolvers, rifles.”
That would be Smith & Wesson, whose shares are up as almost 28% since the opening today as I write this–on news that year-over-year revenue and per-share earnings are up substantially this quarter.
Well, merchants of death have to make a living too, I suppose, and a simple earnings report like this is depressing, but on its own not a major jolt to my equilibrium.
The grotesque emerges when CEO explains why he things the good times will continue to roll:
Chief Executive Mark Smith said the company believes it gained market share as shipments outpaced the overall firearm market. “We continue to expect the firearm market to experience healthy demand through the 2024 election cycle,” he said.
Let me repeat: “throughout the 2024 election cycle.” What could possibly be the connection between gun nuttery and elections?
Don’t answer that.
The Journal does slip in a hint of editorial comment with their choice of photograph; I don’t think it’s meant to give anyone (except modern Moloch worshippers) the warm and fuzzies. It’s a copyrighted image, so you’ll have to click the link to see what I mean.
But back to Mr. Smith. Does he hear himself? Do any of our “friends”* on the right have any idea how linking home arsenals and voting actually sounds?
Don’t answer that either.
I don’t have a lot more to say on this. Y’all know how I feel about American gun idolatry. Gun regulation isn’t enough. Expose the manufacturer’s to all the liability exposure. Charge a society-born cost-of-gun-violence on every firearm and each box of ammo sold. Go for any fissure or crack in the 2A regime that the Supremes have decided we must endure.
Or, more simply, intercourse them orthogonally with an oxidized farm implement.
Open threads, not fire!
*Editor: they are not our friends.”
Image: Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts, Trompe l’Oeil with Pistols, 1672