June 26, 2020 Blog
The Gun Lobby and Racism
Attempts to oppress people of color, and Black people specifically, turned the gun lobby from a sporting organization promoting marksmanship and firearm safety to extremists intent on opposing commonsense firearm laws. Today, the gun lobby traffics in white supremacist messaging and consistently stokes fear about people of color in an attempt to drive gun sales.
How well do you know the gun lobby’s racist history? Take this quiz to find out!
You know your stuff! You’ve got a good handle on the gun lobby’s racist past (and present!). ***Bonus question!*** Will you make a donation to support the Alliance for Gun Responsibility so that we can stand up to the gun lobby and disarm hate? Better luck next time! There’s a lot to learn when it comes to the gun lobby’s racist roots. ***Bonus question!*** Will you make a donation to support the Alliance for Gun Responsibility so that we can stand up to the gun lobby and disarm hate? The NRA strongly supported the bill. More recently, however, the NRA has not voiced opposition to armed white militiamen at “reopen” protests around the country, even when those militiamen are in state capitol buildings. Research in Florida shows that not only did the state have more firearm murders after they passed a stand your ground law, but that people claiming a stand your ground defense are far less likely to succeed when their victim is white. Research has shown that as “stand your ground” laws have become more popular, the number of “justified” homicides has increased nationally. Additionally, the same research shows that after states pass “stand your ground” laws, the rate at which white shooters are deemed “justified” when they kill Black victims almost doubles. Stand your ground laws and standards, like the one the prosecutor pointed to, exist in more than half of states. After months of public outcry, the three men involved in his murder have finally been indicted on a total of nine charges each. Loesch implied that Castile was at fault because there was marijuana in the car and because Castile did not have his permit in his hand when the officer approached the car. The local prosecutor disagreed, however, and charged the officer. On the most extreme end of the spectrum, accelerationist groups like Atomwaffen and some parts of the Boogaloo movement believe that gun ownership and terrorist attacks are necessary to start a second civil war in order to establish a white nationalist ethnostate.
Results
#1. In 1967, the Black Panthers went to the California State Capitol armed. In response, California passed a bill banning the carrying of loaded weapons in public. Did the National Rifle Association support, oppose, or take no position on the bill?
#2. The gun lobby advocated nationwide for “stand your ground” laws. Which of the following are associated with stand your ground laws?
#3. Since “stand your ground” laws have become more prevalent, how many additional “justified” homicides occur each year on average?
#4. After Ahmaud Arbery was murdered in Georgia, a prosecutor pointed to the state’s “stand your ground” law as a reason why Arbery’s killers had not been charged.
#5. Philando Castile, a Black man and a legal gun owner, was killed by a police officer who shot Castile five times. Who did NRA spokesperson Dana Loesch blame for Castile’s death?
#6. Some Second Amendment militia groups believe that gun ownership is necessary because they want to start a “race war” and hold explicitly white supremecist views.