Well, here's something that shouldn't surprise anyone who actually understands gun owners: Colorado's new "permit to purchase" law for centerfire semi-automatic rifles has predictably backfired in exactly the way we warned about.
In the month before this thing took effect, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation processed nearly 60,000 background checks on gun sales. That's an almost 300 percent increase from the same period the year before. Let me say that again - 300 percent. That's not a typo.
Now, the hoplophobes in Denver will probably try to spin this as a success. They'll say, "See? People are lining up to get permits!" But here's what really happened: gun owners in Colorado saw this unconstitutional overreach coming and did what any responsible citizen should do - they exercised their rights while they still could.
This is exactly what happens every time politicians try to restrict our Second Amendment rights. People rush to buy before the clock runs out, and then what? The law goes into effect and suddenly law-abiding citizens are criminals waiting to happen, while the actual criminals couldn't care less about permits.
The AR-15 remains one of the most popular rifles in America for good reason - it's versatile, reliable, and perfectly legal. Colorado's law doesn't make anyone safer; it just creates more hoops for ordinary folks to jump through while doing nothing to address the real issues.
If you ask me, this surge in sales proves something important: the American people don't want these restrictions. They vote with their wallets every time the government tries to take away their freedoms. The politicians can pass all the feel-good laws they want, but they'll never outsmart the American spirit.
For those of you in Colorado dealing with this new reality, my advice is simple: know the law, exercise your rights, and support candidates who will roll back these restrictions. Because at the end of the day, the only thing standing between us and total disarmament is our refusal to give up.