Coronavirus or No Coronavirus, Culture Wars Continue

Above, Cabela's in Albuquerque, who sells firearms, has been forced to close by the governor. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Things may be vastly different these days, but there's one thing that isn't different from before the outbreak of coronavirus, is the partisan culture wars.

According to Voice of America:

WASHINGTON - A partisan fight over voting in Wisconsin was the first issue linked to the coronavirus  to make it to the Supreme Court. Efforts to limit abortion during the pandemic could eventually land in the justices' hands. Disputes over guns and religious freedom also are popping up around the country. 

The virus outbreak has put much of American life on hold, but the nation's culture wars seem immune from the pandemic. 

And in a country deeply divided over politics, some liberals are accusing conservatives of using this crisis to advance long-held goals, especially in the areas of access to abortion and the ballot box. Conservatives have complained about restrictions on church services and gun shops.  

"We see the right as being very opportunistic to advance their agenda," said Marge Baker, executive vice president of the liberal People for the American Way. 

‘Knee-jerk response’ 

Tim Schmidt, founder and president of the gun-rights U.S. Concealed Carry Association, called restrictions on gun sales "a knee-jerk response to something we don't quite understand. I hope and pray it doesn't happen but that's what I fear," he said in a recent online forum. 

Gun stores targeted

Abortion clinics aren't the only places that states have sought to close during the pandemic. Gun stores, too, have been targeted. Most states have deemed gun sellers essential businesses allowed to remain open during the emergency. But three states — Massachusetts, New Mexico and Washington — forced those businesses to close. 

Gun rights groups have gone to court to pressure New Jersey's Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, and local officials in North Carolina to reverse course on gun restrictions. Other lawsuits are pending in California. 

Joe Bartozzi, president and CEO of the National Sports Shooting Foundation, said closing the stores is the wrong answer. "You don't want to, in a time of crisis, be suspending civil liberties," Bartozzi said.  

 To read the full article, go here.