This was fascinating to read, especially the part about the social programs the Black Panther Party instituted, and the very enlightening change in CA law, that the NRA supported, disallowing open carry in response to Black Panther party members going to arrest scenes armed to help reduce violence against blacks.
For those who support open and/or concealed carry, and assert that 'the more good guys that are armed the safer we all are', what do you think about that? I am most curious - would you have supported rescinding open carry back then because this one group seemed a threat, or not wanted your rights restricted despite that? How would you feel if Muslims began a similar movement and started going out in public in Muslim Police Patrols?
Bobby Seale loves to learn. He loves to teach, too, and during our recent conversation, he taught me about the Black Panthers, about COINTELPRO, and he shared with me his thoughts on subjects ranging from racism to non-violent protest to the first time he heard Dr. Martin Luther King speak.
My friend Carol, a gifted writer, pointed out that the Black Panther Motto was adopted from Malcolm X-”Freedom By Any Means Necessary.” She then asked: Given the current political climate whereby the police force has become a private security force for the Ruling Class, does he believe that equality can ever be achieved for the Black Community solely through a strategy of non-violent means and civil disobedience? Bobby first stated that Malcolm X’s quote was only “one polemic” of his entire message. What we need to remember is that Malcolm X preferred the ballot, Bobby told me, but “when you take away our [African Americans'] constitutional rights, now you’re ready to shoot, kill, and murder us,” the community has a right to “self-defense, much like the ‘Arab Spring.’” In fact, the Black Panthers exercised their Second Amendment rights so publicly, a California assemblyman decided to take those rights away. From Esquire Magazine
:
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
Thought so. Wondering why the silence on this thread....
There's been some coverage, not a lot, but some, of open carry advocates, especially in Texas, where what some might call provocative actions have been conducted by predominantly "white" open carry groups in which they have either gone into predominantly "black" neighborhoods openly carrying their weaponry or have indicated an intent to do so.
I, personally, have not seen any coverage (not to say it isn't out there) of predominantly "black" or Muslim groups doing the same, especially in predominantly "white" neighborhoods.
