Al Jazeera delves into a terrifying byproduct of ‘Murrica’s 2nd Amendment gun culture — a huge boost in tourism in Hawaii from people who just want to play with guns. Lots of them.
Every night, just steps from Honolulu’s Waikiki Beach, tourist peddlers shout out to passerbys. “Hey, come fire an AK-47!”
In Hawaii’s booming gun tourism trade, anyone, of any age, can enjoy “family gun-fun.” No background checks or special skills are required. It’s a huge hit with Japanese tourists but also draws thrill-seekers across the globe. A writer from Forbes also stumbled across the industry last year, which sounds similar to the pamphleteers in Vegas who try to force pamphlets on strippers and sex workers onto bashful tourists.
There’s not only a lot of places to shoot guns, but there’s a lot of competition:
On Oahu, guns aren’t relegated to the outskirts of the city. They’re right in the middle of the action.
In fact, as you walk down Kalakaua, you’ll see guys holding signs for shooting ranges and wearing T-shirts with targets on them. It’s their job to bring tourists to the smattering of shooting ranges in the area. One flyer offered “REAL GUNS” and “FACTORY AMMO” at the SWAT Gun Club. Another displayed the different firearms — from a 9-mm Beretta to an AK-47 — you could shoot at the Hawaii Gun Club.
But is it legal?
The two Al Jazeera segments are really eye-opening and worth watching. Oh, ‘Murrica, is this what we’ve become?
OMG, Al Jazeera!! Hawaii, one of the most restrictive states in the US when it comes to firearms. Is it legal? Yes.