Blue-checked BBC reporter is shocked that it's so easy to 'buy a rifle and ammunition' at your neighborhood American Walmart [pic]

BBC journalist Pádraig Belton is stateside at the moment, and earlier today, he apparently found himself — like countless Americans — at a Walmart.

All he wanted was a plug adapter for his UK laptop. Instead, he found rifles and ammo, just sitting there on the shelves, out there for everyone to see and anyone to purchase:

Hi from America. Where Walmart doesn’t have a plug adapter for my UK laptop. But on the other hand, I can buy a rifle and ammunition. pic.twitter.com/5AOl232CZE

— Pádraig Belton (@PadraigBelton) April 26, 2022

Screenshotted for posterity, because this is scary stuff:

Sometimes you don’t realize what’s wrong with your country until someone comes here from a different country and shines a blinding spotlight on it.

It's cheaper to buy a fully automatic Red Ryder AR-15 than it is to register to vote.#GunControlNow https://t.co/ZN2CWuoGqz

— Prison Mitch (@MidnightMitch) April 26, 2022

The truth hurts.

Almost as much as getting shot with a BB gun, which is what Pádraig Belton has captured in his photo.

These are BB guns. https://t.co/n0YdzTWIii

— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) April 26, 2022

Issa BB gun https://t.co/6ndAgl4Mnt

— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) April 26, 2022

you’ll shoot your eye out…but not much else with those BB guns. https://t.co/bitN5MYqnq

— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) April 26, 2022

is it worse that these are actually "toys" for kids?

"you'll shoot your eye out"

— Lauren McKenzie (@TheMcKenziest) April 26, 2022

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Oh man. For Pádraig’s sake, we hope he hasn’t already put together a segment on this for BBC. Because that would be really embarrassing.

This reminds me of the time a guy found a round of .22lr in York and freaked out. He was STARTLED but luckily the police came and put it in "safe storage." The cops even asked for people to call in with tips. I imagine the investigation is still ongoing. https://t.co/47olA99a8v pic.twitter.com/PT00qqHxt8

— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) April 26, 2022

Or Ryan J. Reilly and the “rubber bullets.”

Americans strongly believe in the right to self defense, ok? https://t.co/RdflnIqdH3 pic.twitter.com/TtfM843ji5

— Patrick Hedger (@PatHedger18) April 26, 2022

Damn straight, we do!

This is why you lost in 1776 🇺🇸 https://t.co/TWCQoa13pT

— HARD FACTOR (@HardFactorNews) April 26, 2022

Not knowing the difference between a BB gun and a real gun is yet another example of why we needed our independence from England. https://t.co/ZN2CWuoGqz

— Prison Mitch (@MidnightMitch) April 26, 2022

It’s gotta be one of the main reasons, if we’re being honest.

Have you checked for Super-Soakers https://t.co/4hYEaRXE4y

— Learning to code (@jtLOL) April 26, 2022

This is hilarious https://t.co/qSboLwxGI9

— Kate Paul Dillon. (@KatePaulDillon) April 26, 2022

Awww. Now this is funny… and kind of sad. https://t.co/NFbmCvl71L

— BiasedGirl (@BiasedGirl) April 26, 2022

Obviously these are bb guns but don't be too hard on the ol chap. They've long been disarmed across the pond, of both defense and fun. https://t.co/xd6AsxIlIZ

— Kira (@RealKiraDavis) April 26, 2022

Fair enough. But all the same:

Not sure if I trust you around a live electrical socket if you think those things are actual rifles. https://t.co/LSME35rh3V

— Noam Blum (@neontaster) April 26, 2022

Better safe than sorry.