Federal Government Includes Firearms Industry as Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers

The Trump administration, as part of the struggle to contain and slow the spread of the Wuhan Flu, has issued a list of "Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers". The list has come from the Department of Homeland Security.

While the list is advisory, is not a directive, and has no penalties attached, it shows the thinking and priorities of the administration.

Producers, distributors, and retailers of firearms and ammunition are considered essential. In the excerpt below, the highlighting has been added. From cisa.gov:

LAW ENFORCEMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS

•Public, private, and voluntary personnel (front line and management) in emergency management, law enforcement, fire and rescue services, emergency medical services, and private security, to include public and private hazardous material responders, air medical service providers (pilots and supporting technicians), corrections, and search and rescue personnel.

•911 call center employees and Public Safety Answering Points who can’t perform their duties remotely.

•Fusion Center employees.

•Workers – including contracted vendors -- who maintain, manufacture, or supply equipment and services supporting law enforcement emergency service and response operations (to include electronic security and life safety security personnel).

•Workers supporting the manufacturing of safety equipment and uniforms for law enforcement, public safety personnel, and first responder.

•Workers supporting the operation of firearm or ammunition product manufacturers, retailers, importers, distributors, and shooting ranges.

•Public agency workers responding to abuse and neglect of children, elders, and dependent adults.

•Workers who support weather disaster / natural hazard mitigation and prevention activities.

•Security staff to maintain building access control and physical security measures

There are many more categories listed besides the nine public safety categories above. The entire list includes 13 healthcare categories, the 9 public safety categories listed, 15 agriculture categories, 40 energy categories, 9 water and wastewater categories, 19 transportation categories, and 6 public works categories. 

The inclusion of gun stores and shooting ranges may be taken as a warning to cities and states which have attempted to close those establishments by government fiat. Those attempts have met with strong resistance. The Los Angeles County Sheriff  backed away from his attempt to close gun stores, then renewed his attempt to close them to all but state sanctioned security forces. A lawsuit is in progress. From the latimes.com:

Villanueva sought to implement the closure earlier this week but was told by county lawyers that gun shops could be considered essential under county and state measures to encourage social distancing and cut the spread of the virus. The opinion forced the sheriff to backtrack and suspended the closure. But then Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said sheriffs do have the authority to make such closures. The cities of Pasadena and Los Angeles have also closed their gun stores.

The closure of gun stores in California is especially egregious, as California has banned private sales. All gun sales are required to obtain government approval through a government licensed gun store.

A common marker which Second Amendment supporters see as an indicator of incipient tyranny, is the shutdown of gun and ammunition sales. Banning the sale of firearms and ammunition shows a government entity regards armed citizens as more of a threat than an asset.

The Trump administration is showing it regards armed citizens as an asset, and the ability to provide for self and community defense as critical.

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch