This OpEd was written by Glenn Harlan Reynolds, professor of law at the Univerity of Tennessee, and creator of the Instapundit blog.

Riots of 2020 have given the Second Amendment a boost
Riots over George Floyd predictably resulted in billions in property damage, but it might be a surprise that they have strengthened the argument for gun rights.

Already from the headline, I will have to agree that yes, they have.

This year’s riots, sparked by the death of George Floyd and continued in the names of several others, have destroyed billions of dollars in property, cost numerous people their lives and businesses and jobs, and promoted what will probably be a decade or more of de-urbanization. But whatever else happens, they will have accomplished an important social change. Thanks to these riots, the case for the Second Amendment and the personal right to own weapons is growing steadily stronger, as is the legal case for private gun ownership.

I think the American people have proven that by voting with their wallets, this year is breaking all sorts of records on gun sales.

That’s the thesis of a new paper by George Mason University law professor David E. Bernstein notes that the experience of this year’s riots undercuts the classic argument against an individual right to arms. While gun-control proponents have for decades argued that individual gun ownership is unnecessary in the modern era, where we have police forces to control crime, that hasn’t worked out very well this year for people in numerous urban centers around America.

We’ve seen the police pull back and allow riots to happen in some parts of the country.  In others, the local politicians have defunded, destroy the morale, and generally undermine the police, harming their ability to do their jobs.

Bernstein offers an extensive review of happenings in cities ranging from Seattle to Louisville, Portland to Chicago and New York and Raleigh, and many other cities. In case after case, police were told to stand down, in order to avoid provoking violence. And in each case, the result was more violence, more property destruction, and more damage to businesses and jobs, while political leaders stood by.

Then there have been the prosecutors.  In Portland, the attorney’s office dropped charges against 70% of arrested rioters.  In Saint Louis, all rioters had their charges dropped.  Chicago attorney Kim Foxx (of Jussie Smollett fame) did the same.  In New York City, the crime spike has been credibly blamed on bail reform.

Criminals are not facing punishment for their crimes which emboldens them to go further.

Bernstein recounts, with heavy documentation, numerous cases along these lines from numerous cities around the nation. In addition, he notes other cities like Atlanta and Los Angeles, where police called in sick to protest the actions of city leaders, leaving citizens unprotected.

Miguel and I have been saying it over and over again, when the mob hits, you are on your own.

Even in normal times, gun owners joke that “when seconds count, the police are only minutes away.” But, sometimes, they’re not coming at all. Sometimes they’re not even allowed to show up. (And, historically, political leaders have sometimes used the denial of police protection to opponents as a means of opening those opponents up to violent attacks.)

Portland city government has prevented Portland police from defending federal property in the age of Trump.  Not just the federal courthouse in recent months but all the way back in 2018, Portland Police were prevented by the mayor from responding to riots and attacks against ICE officials.

In 2020, “the police will protect you” seems particularly hollow.

Two billion dollars in damages due to riots.  Property devastated by fire.  Looting.  Murders.

If there is one part of this article I will disagree with, it is that it doesn’t go far enough.

I have watched the live streams from these riots and I am convinced of one thing, 2020 has shown why it’s time to do away with the NFA.

The mob is throwing Molotov cocktails and homemade bombs, and are getting away with it.  NFA laws are not being enforced against the mob.

In this sort of large crowds in close quarters violence we’ve seen, this is where I want an SBR for self-defense.

In a previous post, Miguel uploaded a video of a car that had driven at low speed through a crowed get boxed in by two Antifa vehicles.

One person in the comments referred to the pickup as a technical.

I would agree with that assessment.

When a pickup full of Antifa is trying to box you in to stop you and pull you from your car to kill you, you should have the right to defend yourself against a technical the way our soldiers to, with a 40mm grenade.

Antifa has grenades, so should I.

One man or one family against a mob needs all the firepower it can, full auto and HE need to be tools in the toolbox.

2020 has changed the paradigm for self-defense.  It’s not just the mugger or the rapist you may be facing, but an angry army of brownshirts out to Kristallnacht your neighborhood.