The Right To Bear Arms…If You’re White?

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The right to bear arms is going crazy. People, mostly white males, are carrying rifles everywhere. Their reason? Because if they do not do this, they’ll lose their rights…huh? There is a reason why they call it a right? No government official can take away your rights to have a firearm and since the Constitution does not say you are not allowed to carry in public, state rights allows people to carry in public. The disturbing trend though is, corporations allow people to carry their firearms in their place of business:

So why do mostly conservative white males carry? Most common answer…to protect themselves and their loved ones. These gun nuts are staunch advocates of the Second Amendment…or openly quote the Second Amendment as though they are some Constitutional expert, carrying their pocket Constitution with them while marching around with their rifle or shotgun for all to see. Yet, one wonders, would they do the same when people of color do the same?

Looking back in history, the Mulford Act was a 1967 California bill prohibiting the public carrying of loaded firearms. Named after Republican assemblyman Don Mulford, the bill garnered national attention after the Black Panthers marched on the California Capitol to protest the bill. The bill was signed to law by Republican Ronald Wilson Reagan.

Even though the Republicans wanted to disarm the Panthers, because of the 14th Amendment, everyone was banned from open carry, and California was one a several states that prohibits open carry. Still, it makes you wonder, what would happen if the Tea Party were predominately people of color? Would the conservatives still be adamant in the right to carry? When Mulford wrote the bill the NRA sponsored legislation to have gun control.

Again would the conservatives support PoC carrying in Walmart, Home Depot, Toys R Us parks and other areas open to the public? From past history, apparently no. Still, typical of the conservatives logic, everything they do always seem to backfire (no pun intended). What was probably a ban against the Black Panther ended up banning everyone.

As a person of color, if I walked into a store with my rifle, would the people call the cops? If my Asian friend from Iran walked to a park with an AK-47 or AR-15, would the police be called? You know, as a possible member of the Taliban or Al Qaeda? Are gun rights for all or is there some limitation? Apparently, Mulford tried to limit the Panthers, but ended up, with the help of Reagan, make this state one of the most gun-controlled state in California…thank goodness. Ironically, under Governor Jerry Brown, I can buy an AR-15 with a 10 round locking magazine or a semi-auto 10 round magazine AK-47. Even funnier, all the bans in California were from Republican governors.

Honestly, I’m sort of glad that the RNC in California do want gun control and all of our governors were pro-choice, but it makes one wonder, if the Tea Party with all its glory was a conservative black organization, would the NRA still be this vocal? Gun nuts on the right are saying gun control is racist, because it banned blacks from owning firearms. I respond by saying that the idea of the ban was from a Republican, signed by a Republican but it was a Democrat who made sure either all folks were banned or no ban at all.

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Tim From LA

Tim's first experience into journalism was at East Los Angeles College. Then Tim was a stringer for a local Japanese American Newspaper in Los Angeles. He then completed his Bachelors in Business and RECEIVED his MBA, but his desire to seek the truth has not been assuaged by fear of the 1% or their followers. When Tim isn't doing his liberal thing, he enjoys sitting back, relaxing and listening to Rush...the band folks!