The federal government has also threatened to deploy federal forces in Baltimore, Detroit, New York, Oakland, and Philadelphia, all of which have large black populations.
The White House has specifically cited armed violence in African-American communities and the threat of damage to federal property as an excuse for the increased military presence. And it’s not the first time that government leaders present armed African Americans as a threat: when the Black Panther Party reached its peak in the late 1960s, the National Rifle Association, in association with the then-California governor , Ronald Reagan. passed gun control legislation that limited open transportation in the state capitol.
Black weapon owners of this era, however, argue that their possession of firearms is not evidence of something more sinister, nor is it the violent display of force that some conservatives have made it appear to be.
“It is my constitutional right,” said Kat Traylor, a political strategist and licensed gun owner based in Aurora, Colorado. Her city is home to one of the most violent mass shootings in United States history.
Traylor said she feels empowered to possess a firearm. At the same time, she is a member of the Moms Demand Action group, which advocates for gun control legislation. In 2018, she helped push the state’s Red Flag Act that gives judges the power to seize a person’s firearm if they prove to be a danger to themselves or to someone else.
“We are faced with the idea of having firearms in our home because we have defended many laws on gun rights,” he explained. “We think, yes, we need this law because we don’t need weapons in the hands of people who will clearly hurt themselves or others.”
Traylor is not the only person to have struggled with the implications of owning a gun as a black American. With escalating shootings in several American cities, advocates are wary of the trend and say there is insufficient evidence to show that weapons will make black Americans safer.
“What I really want people to think about is the impact of the presence of firearms on black communities and how there are inherent challenges and more subtle challenges to saying ‘everyone should arm themselves,'” said Amber Goodwin, founder and executive director of the Community. Justice Action Fund, which aims to prevent gun violence in communities of color. “Not everyone has access to gun safety. We don’t know how guns can make black people safer inside or outside the home. “
Advocates of black gun ownership, who prioritize safety and proper training over hasty and potentially dangerous efforts to secure these weapons, say their growth in numbers sends a powerful message beyond that of Stone Mountain, Oklahoma City, Aurora or any individual city.
“The days of African Americans sitting down singing Kumbaya and waiting and praying for someone to come save them are over. We will save ourselves, ”said Smith. “And any politician who wants our vote to advance, they had better be on the side of our thinking, otherwise they will not get our vote. We will no longer be sheep.
