Milano: Stay home and be safe, but without firearms

FPI / April 12, 2020

What happens if, during the coronavirus crisis, "criminals become more emboldened and begin threatening law-abiding citizens because they know their local police department might be overwhelmed?" a columnist asked.

"This is clearly not the time to avoid purchasing weapons," Jeff Charles wrote for RedState on April 9. "If someone deems it necessary to protect themselves, it does not make sense for gun control activists to advise them against it."

Yet, that is exactly what celebrity activist Alyssa Milano did.

Milano tweeted on April 9: "Americans bought over 2 million firearms in March of 2020, over a million more than this time last year. We have to keep each other safe by social distancing and washing our hands and not bringing dangerous firearms into our homes."

She even topped off the tweet with the hashtag #StopTheCoronavirusGunSurge.

Related: Stay-at-home orders credited for record-breaking gun sales, April 2, 2020

In seeking to persuade more Americans to remain unarmed amid the pandemic, Milano said: “I know that we are all scared and stressed out during these really uncertain times. But that is exactly why stockpiling weapons, you know, could have dire consequences for our own personal safety and those around us.”

Charles noted there was "something a bit off about Milano’s suggestion. A short trip in the wayback machine reveals that Milano could be engaging in a bit of 'Good for thee, but not for me.' ”

In September 2019, Milano "was involved in a back and forth with Sen. Ted Cruz over gun control laws," Charles noted. "The two even met in person to have a civil conversation about the matter. But during the Twitter debate, Milano made an interesting admission: 'We are a two gun household. This isn’t new news. I believe in the 2nd Amendment.' "

Milano added: "I also agree with 90% of Americans who want stricter gun laws. And I believe it should be impossible for certain people to get their hands on certain guns. Pretty logical stuff."

Charles wrote: "So let’s get this straight: She believes it’s okay for Americans to own guns, but not during a pandemic? Perhaps the actress has not been watching the news. While crime, in general, is down because of the coronavirus, burglaries have increased sharply in certain areas."

New York City has seen a 75 percent increase in commercial burglaries amid the pandemic. The NYPD stated that 254 businesses had been burglarized between March 12 and March 31. NYPD Chief of Crime Control Strategies Michael LiPetri told The New York Post that “What we are seeing is that criminals are specifically targeting cash businesses, supermarkets and bodegas.”

In Houston, burglaries increased by almost 20 percent. Even worse, the city has seen a 20 percent spike in aggravated assault cases. These increases are happening while the county’s leadership is considering releasing nonviolent convicts due to the virus.

The San Francisco Chronicle detailed cases in which burglars snuck into restaurants to steal liquor. Some restaurants that have remained open despite the shutdown orders have also been vulnerable to burglary.

"Moreover, police departments have been forced to slow down their operations because of the pandemic, meaning that it could take longer for an officer to respond to an emergency call," Charles noted. "In light of this, it makes perfect sense that people would want the ability to defend themselves."

What people like Milano are missing, Charles wrote, "is the possibility of crime becoming more of a problem as the coronavirus issue continues. While most of the burglaries are focused on businesses, this does not negate the need for individuals to protect themselves. Many of these businesses might remain open during shutdown orders, or perhaps the proprietors might still need to enter the buildings.

"Taking precautions in case things get worse is not irrational; it is smart. And now is not the time for anti-gun propaganda."

Free Press International