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In reply to the discussion: I could have been Trayvon Martin. [View all]ieoeja
(9,748 posts)40. I knew a lot of African-American men who wished they could own guns legally to take back their ...
... neighborhoods from the gangs. But they vote anti-gun anyway because they fear the right to carry would never apply to them equally.
Actually, we had an example in Chicago that both supported and opposed that reasoning. White guy in the burbs defended his home from an intruder. The NRA swooped in and the incident became a celebrated cause for liberalizing gun laws in Illinois. While the frenzy was in full swing, a Black man in Chicago defended his home from an intruder.
The NRA went away. The gun debate died. And every newscast included speculation about a drug deal gone wrong.
On the flip side, the police actually got this right. Both cases received a brief investigation. Neither case found anything suspicious. So while the White guy was hailed a hero and the Black guy convicted of imaginary crimes in the court of public opinion, the police declared them both innocent of any wrongdoing.
So it isn't just that the cops have to change. Society does as well. Heck, I once flipped a pro-gun to anti-gun with the simple sentence, "a quarter million Black men within 35 miles of your home would love to own a firearm legally."
Of course, he doesn't consider himself racist. A lot of people only define racist as hatred. They don't feel that fear qualifies. There are a lot more people who fear Black men than hate them.
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I live in a suburban area that is very white and I watch the cops pull African Americans over
proud2BlibKansan
Mar 2012
#13
The funny thing is, that when I was younger, I felt safer IN DETROIT than I did in the suburbs
MrScorpio
Mar 2012
#14
My kid is white, so I realize that he isn't judged because of that, but he's 18 years old, loves
all american girl
Mar 2012
#6
I knew a lot of African-American men who wished they could own guns legally to take back their ...
ieoeja
Mar 2012
#40
And this hoodie issue: It was raining when Trayvon was walking home for the store
MrScorpio
Mar 2012
#16
Was Trayvon Martin a wealthy business owner who the state could use in a privitazation scheme?
Tommy_Carcetti
Mar 2012
#43
Exactly. I am amazed at the people that keep accentuating that this happened in "The South"
Number23
Mar 2012
#30
People have long been naive about the police and they way they treat minorities
HipChick
Mar 2012
#36
Mr. Scorpio, one day working with a black guy in the seventies, and we were taking our lunch break.
freshwest
Mar 2012
#38