Hit hard by coronavirus, the British government recently appealed to citizens for help, hoping for as many as 250,000 volunteers over the next few days. Instead, more than 400,000 responded within 24 hours.
It’s disheartening to compare that response with the response of too many American citizens in times of perceived threat, from the election a Democratic president, through mass murder incidents, to this viral invasion: Buy guns and ammo!
Presumably the intent isn't to shoot the virus dead, but to defend their toilet paper stockpile from marauders or from big government. Or maybe the plan is to hold up their neighbors for whatever goods they have cached, that is, to become marauders themselves.
Whatever the motivation, it's a nasty, unfriendly response to an emergency situation. I hope these fellow citizens ultimately find little satisfaction surrounding themselves with lethal forms of self defense.
Louise Ewing, Salt Lake City