A few stores, such as Wal-Mart and Dick's, have raised the age to buy a gun at their stores, and 2nd Amendment advocates are up in arms (pun intended) about it! To many a hillbilly (I mean that in the best possible way--I come from a long line of hillbillies), Wal-Mart not selling their 18-year-old a shotgun is pretty much tantamount to Armageddon. I would argue, however, that this actually a good thing. You see, that's what freedom is all about. Wal-Mart should be free to sell, or not sell, a firearm, or any other product for that matter, to any person they please. You, as a private citizen, are free to shop elsewhere. Wal-Mart has no obligation to sell you anything! That's how this system is supposed to work.
We must be consistent here, folks! If what we really want is the government to stop regulating guns, then we can't demand that the government force stores to sell guns at the legal age. That's still regulating guns. I would argue that the government shouldn't even establish a minimum age (no one cares what I think because I'm just a non-interventionist libertarian!), but they certainly shouldn't force proprietors to sell at that age. Purveyors of firearms are free to establish their own minimum age to buy any given product. They should be free to do this based on a) their potential liability, and b) their political/religious views.
We must be consistent here, folks! If what we really want is the government to stop regulating guns, then we can't demand that the government force stores to sell guns at the legal age. That's still regulating guns. I would argue that the government shouldn't even establish a minimum age (no one cares what I think because I'm just a non-interventionist libertarian!), but they certainly shouldn't force proprietors to sell at that age. Purveyors of firearms are free to establish their own minimum age to buy any given product. They should be free to do this based on a) their potential liability, and b) their political/religious views.
That's why this is actually a good thing. If stores take the initiative and raise the age, then the government won't have to. The less involved the government is, the better. Let the free market sort things out! So, don't worry, people of Wal-Mart! By establishing their own restrictions, Wal-Mart is actually helping to avoid added legislation!
Herein lies the problem. Many of America's modern "conservatives" have essentially the same view of government intrusion as liberals do--they're all for it! Liberals and conservatives have different agendas that they want enforced, but they agree on Uncle Sam enforcing theirs.
If we truly want freedom, as we so often claim, then we must be consistent. This freedom extends to business no less than it does to individuals. No one should be able to force you to buy something, and, conversely, no one should be able to force you to sell something. It's really that simple. If I don't want to sell my products or services to Joe Schmoe because I think he smells bad, that should be my right. If I don't want to sell you something because of a religious, philosophical, or cultural reason, I shouldn't have to. That's what the free market is all about! Sometimes freedom means people are allowed to be jerks and bigots. The answer is not restricting everyone's freedom to eliminate the possibility of someone being refused service for the wrong reason. The answer is to let the free market work itself out. If I capriciously choose those with whom I will do business, I will probably not be in business very long.
So rest easy, NRA members! Let the free market work! Find somewhere else to buy your gun.
P.S. Incidentally, I actually bought my first gun (basically this, but with the sand camo finish--it was on sale) at Dick's at the age of 18 or 19.
Herein lies the problem. Many of America's modern "conservatives" have essentially the same view of government intrusion as liberals do--they're all for it! Liberals and conservatives have different agendas that they want enforced, but they agree on Uncle Sam enforcing theirs.
If we truly want freedom, as we so often claim, then we must be consistent. This freedom extends to business no less than it does to individuals. No one should be able to force you to buy something, and, conversely, no one should be able to force you to sell something. It's really that simple. If I don't want to sell my products or services to Joe Schmoe because I think he smells bad, that should be my right. If I don't want to sell you something because of a religious, philosophical, or cultural reason, I shouldn't have to. That's what the free market is all about! Sometimes freedom means people are allowed to be jerks and bigots. The answer is not restricting everyone's freedom to eliminate the possibility of someone being refused service for the wrong reason. The answer is to let the free market work itself out. If I capriciously choose those with whom I will do business, I will probably not be in business very long.
So rest easy, NRA members! Let the free market work! Find somewhere else to buy your gun.
P.S. Incidentally, I actually bought my first gun (basically this, but with the sand camo finish--it was on sale) at Dick's at the age of 18 or 19.
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