The Louisiana Shotgun Migration

Over the past month I have been following an enlightening trend. In late August of 2005, most pawn shops in my city had 30-50 shotguns on the rack and 10-15 handguns under the glass. After the fury of Hurricaine Katrina, many good people from New Orleans were displaced. New Orleans was once the San Francisco of the Deep South, a virtual haven for liberal gun grabbing debachery, going so far as to sue gun manufacturers in an attempt to capitalize on civil liability.

My North Louisiana city like many others around the country took in folks running from New Orleans. There was a big difference in North Louisiana however. We got more early evacuees, folks who had money for hotels, (although there are many Red Cross shelters dotted around North Louisiana), and our evacuees were still in state. That was a big consideration. It meant they could still buy guns.

Within two days of Hurricaine Katrina's landfall, there were no shotguns or handguns left in the pawn shops I frequent in North Louisiana. I checked into a few of the Mom & Pop shops I do not regularly enter, and found the same result. North Louisiana Wal-Marts did not stop selling guns, but they were bought out of shotguns. I thought all these guns might have been purchased by in town residents for protection, but the scoop from the pawn brokers is they were being bought by evacuees.

During the height of the looting and gun confiscation in New Orleans, no 00 buckshot, .223 or 7.65X39 ammo was to be found in North Louisiana. It was reportedly bought up by women, and one can only assume it was delivered South to husbands protecting homes. Now, as our evacuees are slowly returning South, these firearms are going with them. Many new gun owners who have learned to appreciate the value of the second ammendment will be voting in the Big Easy. Nawlins used to control Louisiana politics, with a huge Democratic vote that could swing the tide in an election as quick as the Saints could fumble a football. That voting block is now scattered to the far reaches of the country, possibly never to return. It has been replaced with a gun buying public who had an oppressive government try to disarm them. I feel a change a coming!