Sometimes it seems like the philosophy behind the right to bear arms was not thoroughly workshopped by our forefathers before they included it as the Second Amendment to the Constitution.

While the sign of the times is currently decorated in bulletproof vests and fear, more and more law-biding Second Amendment conservatives are doing everything they can to protect their rights as gun-toting citizens and lash out against the fiends who oppose them — in the courtroom and in the streets.

The latest statistics from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives proves that — there are currently more federally licensed firearm dealers in the United States than there are grocery stores and McDonald’s restaurants combined – a whopping 129,817. A further look at the numbers:

  • 51,438 of those federally licensed firearm dealers are retail gun stores
  • 7,356 are pawn shops
  • 61,562 are collectors
  • In 2010, there were nearly 5.5 million new firearms manufactured in the United States — nearly all (95 percent) for the US market
  • An additional 3.25 million firearms were imported to the United States
  • In 2010, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) ran 16.5 million background checks for firearm purchases.
  • Only 78,211, or 0.48 percent, of those who were checked were denied
  • Since 1998, there have been more than 151 million NICS checks.
  • Between 2006 and 2010, nearly 50,000 people were murdered in the US by firearms — more than twice as many as were killed by all other means combined.

The true tale of the apocalypse will be if the reported 143,839 convenience stores in America ever join the ranks of the licensed firearms dealer and begin slinging pistols out of their front doors just like they do gasoline, energy drinks and fishing licenses.

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