In the fight against a virus, gun shops are not essential businesses. Bad call, SLO County sheriff

In a fight against a microscopic enemy, gun stores were initially ordered to close in San Luis Obispo County, on account of the coronavirus pandemic.

But at the request of Sheriff Ian Parkinson, that all changed on Sunday.

Now, firearms are considered as essential as medicine and groceries — meaning gun shops can open their doors to customers as long as “social distance” is maintained.

The decision followed a discussion between the sheriff and County Administrative Officer Wade Horton.

“The sheriff is responsible for public safety in the county, and in this matter I will defer to him,” Horton told The Tribune in an email.

That’s putting an awful lot of power in the hands of the sheriff, and elevating his voice over others — a risky thing to do with so much at stake.

As of Tuesday afternoon there were 42 confirmed coronavirus cases in San Luis Obispo County, up from 33 just the day before. If anything, the county should be tightening stay-at-home restrictions, not relaxing them.

Look at what’s happening in Los Angeles County: On Tuesday, LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva announced that gun stores that fail to close will be cited, and could lose their business licenses.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Villanueva said he supports the Second Amendment, but given the way coronavirus is spreading in LA County, he believes only essential businesses should stay open — and gun shops aren’t essential.

On top of that, do law enforcement agencies really want to see a proliferation of weapons right now, when nerves are so on edge?

Domestic violence experts already fear stay-at-home orders are putting victims at more risk of harm, what with family members together, in close quarters, 24/7.

If there’s been a loss of income on account of the pandemic, that can add even more stress to a volatile situation.

Consider, too, that in this nationwide gun-buying spree, many purchasers are first-time buyers who have limited experience with firearms.

“People that are buying weapons now — all of a sudden — that were not weapons owners prior, what type of training and experience do they have in handling those weapons? That’s a concern,” an Alameda County sheriff’s spokesman told a CBS News affiliate.

Sheriff Parkinson sees it differently. Here’s a statement from his office:

“Other businesses such as hardware stores and golf courses have also been allowed to remain open because they were deemed essential to the overall health and welfare of the community.

The Sheriff’s Office believes licensed firearms dealers are also a vital and essential business. Citizens have a constitutionally guaranteed right to protect themselves and their loved ones, especially in times of crisis. As with all businesses currently operating, we urge firearms dealers to enforce social distancing and proper hygiene in their place of business.”

Please. There’s a huge difference between going golfing and buying a gun.

Outdoor activities in uncrowded areas can help our mental health. A gun-buying frenzy feeds into the idea that society is breaking down and widespread looting and rioting are just around the corner.

As for the Second Amendment argument, we also have a constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of assembly, but guess what? That’s not happening now, because the safety of our overall community trumps the desires of individuals to gather.

Similarly, the safety of our overall community trumps your need to buy a shotgun, because the danger we’re facing now comes from someone breathing on you, not breaking down your door.

Rather than facilitating a firearms shopping spree, the sheriff should reassure the public that his office has things well under control, that people don’t have to worry and we are secure.

But instead, he made it sound like all hell will break loose at any moment. Instead, he buckled to the Second Amendment crowd, which sees any restriction on guns as a threat, even when it’s a temporary one that comes in the midst of a pandemic.

Surely there’s a better solution. Here’s one: Why not allow limited sales, as many other small businesses are doing?

One local gun shop told us they’ve been selling mainly by appointment only. That’s a compromise that makes sense.

Lines of people queued up in front of gun stores does not; it promotes an “I need-one-too” mentality.

That may be tolerable for bottled water and toilet paper. It’s not for deadly weapons.

Reclassifying gun stores as essential businesses absolutely sends the wrong message, and it unnecessarily feeds the appetite of those among us who always fear the worst.

As for who gets to decide, it’s this simple: Sheriff Parkinson is responsible for public safety here, not public health.

And at this moment, San Luis Obispo County should be listening to doctors, not cops.

Then it should reconsider exactly what constitutes an essential business — it’s not gun shops — and that should be the final word.

This editorial has been updated to include information about Los Angeles County and to update the number of SLO County coronavirus cases.

This story was originally published March 24, 2020 at 6:58 AM.