Gun shops have done very well over the past year and a half. It first started with the panic over the pandemic, followed by the outbreaks of violence in cities and states around the country.

Understandably people got nervous, especially when they saw that the police were being demoralized, defunded, or handcuffed by local authorities.

People got even more nervous and gun permit applications skyrocketed. The numbers were way up, not only in New Jersey, but around the country. There were some wait times for guns and ammunition and here in New Jersey there were definitely wait times for people to get their permits.

That’s nothing unusual here, where people who want to protect themselves seem to be frowned upon.

There is a gunsmith shop I pass every week on the way to visit my mom that caught my eye last week. They sell guns and customize them inside the shop. That is the ultimate form of self-protection. But the sign out in front of the store promotes getting pepper spray to protect yourself.

Dennis Malloy photo
Dennis Malloy photo
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That would be like a car dealership and repair shop advertising for bicycles because you can buy a car there, but you must keep it in your garage. Because if you take the car outside, you risk going to jail under our ridiculous gun laws. The same gun laws that criminals pay absolutely no attention to.

No one can blame the gun shop. They know people want to protect themselves and they're just operating in the reality we all have to deal with in this state. Yes, you can own a gun New Jersey, but taking it out of your house, you take your freedom in your hands. Our gun laws are so strict here that even the gun shop promotes the only real product of self-protection that you can take out of your home.

There are a handful of other states with nearly as ridiculous gun laws as we have. Maybe gun shops in those states have signs like these too. What the sign says too many of us is if you want to common sense gun laws ... vote!

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy. Any opinions expressed are Dennis Malloy's own.

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