While Connecticut doesn’t tend to get named with states like California, Illinois, New York, and New Jersey when talking about which are the most anti-gun, it’s not for lack of trying on the part of lawmakers in the state. They have a long and storied history of trampling on their citizens’ Second Amendment rights, after all.

With COVID-19 giving many public officials all the excuse they need to shut down gun stores, at least temporarily, it would be easy to suspect Connecticut would at least try it.

Apparently, though, they’re opting not to.

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont says gun shops are essential businesses that can remain open, while others close for the COVID-19 pandemic. Gun control advocates aren’t happy with his decision. Gun stores stay open alongside dozens of other types of business exempted in Lamont’s executive order. Many gun stores have reported increased sales during the pandemic.

Anti-gunners are less than pleased with the decision, arguing that it only helps the gun lobby sell more guns.

The problem is, the “gun lobby” hasn’t exactly been needing much help as of late. In fact, I suspect most gun stores don’t have much inventory left, truth be told.

But I will give the anti-gunners credit. At least the Connecticut crowd didn’t try to claim it would make people flip out and commit mass murder like some have tried to claim.

Lamont’s decision comes on the heels of an equally surprising declaration from Illinois to also declare gun stores as essential businesses.

So far, we can only speculate as to why either anti-gun state would designate businesses they seem dedicated to destroying on a list of essential businesses. I suppose they could hope all the owners get the virus and die, but I seriously doubt that would be it.

It’s also possible that they recognize that this whole situation isn’t going away easily or quickly and people may well need to defend themselves from desperate people. However, I’m not putting money on that one either, I’m afraid. I’d love for these governors to suddenly become pro-gun, but I just don’t see it as likely.

Instead, it’s more probable that they gave gun stores the designation so as to prevent lawsuits that would inevitably come. They may also figure they’d lose or, at the very least, waste resources they don’t really need to waste in the process.

Really, it’s a shame though. I would love to find out that when it all came down to the wire, these governors suddenly realized that guns are useful tools for saving human life and that they were wrong to try and infringe on that God-given right. Then again, who knows? Maybe they actually did have a “come to Jesus” moment and saw the error of their ways. Who knows.

I’m just not about to bank on it.

Frankly, though, the why of it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that law-abiding citizens in Connecticut will be able to continue to have access to firearms through lawful means. That’s a big win.