RJ Young, 30, Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo: Huffpo)
Recently, Huffpo published an article titled, “Why Black People Own Guns.” They interviewed 11 African Americans and asked them why they own guns. What should be a shocker to absolutely no gun-owning American, self-defense was a recurring theme. Here are some of the highlights:
“I do feel safer with a firearm even though I’m still nervous, I’m scared, I’m afraid. When I am protected, and my gun is unlocked and loaded, I feel as though I have a chance. It’s either gonna be me or you ― and I can’t be afraid of whatever happens at that point.”
— Courtney Cable, 39 of Detroit, Michigan
SEE ALSO: Real Housewives of Atlanta Are Proudly Armed Black Women
“I always tell people who are thinking about getting into gun ownership that a gun is not an end-all, be-all. There’s a 50-50 chance that you can still die or perish at the hands of somebody else with a gun or a knife or a car or any other weapon. But it’s that 50 percent chance that I will take over a 100 percent chance of not being able to defend myself.”
— Carlton LeFlore, 30, of Winter Garden, Florida.
“America would not have even been created without firearms. Some people say it’s a contradiction for me as an African-American man to have a position: ‘When they wrote the Second Amendment, they didn’t mean it for you.’ I don’t give a fuck who they meant it for. It’s mine now.”
— Maj Toure, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
***
The truth is black people own guns for the same reasons everyone else owns guns. They want to protect themselves! The real question is why is the media and Left so puzzled by it? It’s almost as if they lament black gun ownership. Like they’re telling the black community, “You’re not supposed to fall out of lockstep with Progressive dogma. You’re not supposed to own guns. You’re not supposed to think for yourself.”
“The right of the PEOPLE shall not be – – – – – – —
How frikkin hard is that to understand?
Why didn’t they interview ANY Blacks, instead of only the 11 immigrants from Africa? Were all of those even black? Any of them?
The 15 to 18% of blacks that are criminals don’t reflect the whole Race. We need protection from that percentage as well as the White man along with other races, we also need them for the percentage of whites and other races that do crimes. We are people , we want the same America dream, I’m commenting because i am a gun enthusiast, i own 12 guns, most are for pleasure of shooting, a few i use for protection, I carry a few, I like to change what i carry from time to time, but I love guns, There will always be a percentage of all races to use guns in the wrong way and criminally, those are the one’s we carry for. I have no doubt inter cities are bad, but i will not run from no one, I am retired USAF, i fought for the ability to go any where in America and I will not be threaten. I will see you are the range
White man? Like the postman or maybe a cashier? Or is it aimless white men just wondering around your Cerebrum?
Do you mean “white people” ?
PERFECT!!! This is a PRIME EXAMPLE of the PURE RACISM that is inherent in the LIBERAL-LEFT!!! They ask what is perhaps THE MOST RACIST QUESTION EVER TO APPEAR out of the MINISTRY of PROPAGANDA and DO NOT EVEN SEE WHAT THEY JUST DID!!!! “Black “PEOPLE” are PEOPLE, PERIOD, and as such, why the F**K would you ask them specifically as a group a question that is applicable to ALL Americans as if “THEY” would have, and FULLY EXPECTING “THEM” to have, a DIFFERENT ANSWER than ANY OTHER “PERSON” on Planet Earth??? Unless, OF COURSE, you are a RACIST PILE OF DOG$HIT LIKE EVERY SINGLE LEFTIST-LIBERAL I have EVER interacted with!! Your TRUE COLORS ARE SHOWING THERE HUFF-RAG!!!!!!
I couldn’t agree with you more. That is one of the dumbest thing to do. Taking racism to a higher level. First of all we all bleed red. We are all the same. We all love our freedom. We all breath the same air. Why any media outlet would put a story out like this is insane. The story should be why do Americans love our freedom. Americans come in all colors. If you weren’t born here but you became a citizen you are a American. They just want to push thier agenda of dividing this country. Making race and firearms the evil that will end this country. The real thing that will destroy this country is the media pushing a issue that isn’t a issue to create a issue. If we just love each other we would be a happy country. We should be more worried about raising our children to be better people than we are. Not bringing them up to hate.
You make a great point. Instead of the black culture integrating as “all Americans” they continue to hold the caveat of a distinct group culture entitled to privileges (Black privilege?) that does more to alienate rather than integrate. Why not a culture like Asian, Italian or Irish Americans? The difference I believe is wanting a special status, with the same rights as all Americans but the caveat being the luxury of their own exclusive cultural entities, congressional black caucus. Black entertainment TV, Blacks in Government, NAACP, and the list goes on. One may oppose this thinking by saying there are other race groups with similar organizations, the counter to that thought is most of those black organization are not inclusive of other races. This goes against the very nature of purpose for these groups existence. Why The Need For Black Organizations? According to a site that lists the top 100 black organizations;
Black organizations are needed because the African American community is often ignored by mainstream ones. In addition, Black organizations can serve specific needs that only pertain to African American families. Wait, I thought the government and black elected officials were doing this for their constituents already. The whole argument with exclusive black groups is not that they don’t have a right or even a purpose to exist, rather it is their “us only” stigma that is portrayed and viewed by white and other race groups. Imagine taking almost any black organization name, and substituting white or Asian for the word black. Furthermore, list the purpose and you’d see something like, “White organizations can serve specific needs that only pertain to European American families”. The cries of racism and discrimination would echo throughout the press. Until we can re-institute the concept and practice of Americans first, our country will remain divided (as desired by many on both sides). Lastly, this concept of “all Americans” may seem outdated and unrealistic to younger generations, but the proof is evident in many subcultures of America. From an empirical perspective, the military is one place where duty and country has preceded all other social factions. Granted, one can find discrimination and even racism within the services but on a minuscule scale compared to the overall American society. Newsflash, discrimination is rampant in every culture, racism however is on a much lesser scale thank God. There are many talented black leaders in our country, some prescribe to the cultural boundaries that have led to the division and exclusive black organizations presently in our country. Others, have done their best to recognize and practice human character content over skin color. Let’s hope the latter will prevail!
I agree with you. Upon reading this article, I realized that the only people I know who own guns for protection and hunting are white. I have not ever seen a black man having his picture taken with a deer or turkey.
With all due respect this was not the most informed post, sir… Most African-American organizations came out of the fact that we were, and some argue are still, not welcome in many facets of American society. Not very long ago Martin Luther King and many peaceful demonstrators were hosed down and attacked by police and dogs. Now today MLK and Rosa Parks are widely viewed as heroes, but during the time they fought inequality they were profiled and surveilled by the top police (FBI and J. Edgar Hoover) under the notion that they were the “Greatest Threat to American Society.” This is the climate in which many of these organizations came about. And FYI the US government has arguably done more to single handedly harm African-Americans than anything in history.
With all due respect what decade are you living in?
You have to hand it to HuffPo for stupidity. Why is it article worthy that black folks own guns? Of course they own guns, just like a ton of other Americans, because guns are awesome when used responsibly.
With around 90% plus of crime on Black people being committed by other Black people, the liberal Left wants Black folks to believe that the hillbilly dumb-ass White Supremacist is the big bad boogie-man out to get him.
The KKK, Nazi and White goofball groups are not having sit down meetings in the White House with Trump, not like the Black panthers, Acorn, American Communist Party and Islamic hate groups did with Obama.
Most Black folks I have talked to don’t even know that the charter mission of the NRA was to have Black families armed.
This effort was put forth by White-Christian Republicans. To help the Black land owner to defend his family and property from what was the para-military wing of the Democrat Party. The Ku-Klux-Klan.
But since the Liberal Democrats tell the ignorant Blacks that NRA stands for N1ggers Ripped-off Again, the ill-informed masses still vote for the former slave master class. And the cycle of ignorance continues.
TOTALLY INCORRECT and ignorant at best…. The NRA was founded in 1871 by a group of former Union Army officers dismayed that so many Northern soldiers, often poorly trained, had been scarcely capable of using their weapons. And as for Trump… his entire campaign was about Mexican rapist, Muslim terrorist, and so-called law and order, all of which are known dog whistles to disenfranchised white Americans, this is nothing new… And no one thinks the KKK and white-supremacists are hillbilly redneck goofballs, they are judges, Senators, Sheriffs, and law makers. And last I check they were not only visiting the White House but also staffing it!!!! Google the “Southern Strategy” and please educate yourself.
Strange kinda white supremacist? He is surrounded by Jews? His daughter converted and the married one and he is very pro Israel? I guess he can t even do that right?
That would be real nice but, we are to busy calling each other names and labeling.
Didn’t anybody notice HP got a comment from Maj Toure founder of Black Guns Matter? I also notice in the pic of RJ Young, his pistol has the slide locked back. Was this requested by a interviewer that is scared of guns? HP could have gotten the standard “For Self Defense” answer from any inner-city juvenile that was picked up by LE with a gun: Their scared!
I own guns because of people like the ones working at HuffPo.
Steve Warren you’re a jackass. You think that group that makes up 10-13% of the population is the main reason for gun violence in America. That’s a joke and yes your comment does show your racist.
We at the Huffanpuff post did a survey an asked a Variety of people why they own guns.Much better
If racism is judging people based on the color of their skin then the allegedly “liberal” media like the Huffington Post are filled with some of the most racist writers and editors imaginable. How else to explain why they always refer to “black issues” and “black problems” as if black humans are so much different than white humans?
Agreed and not surprised. The Liberals are the leading cause or racial tension in the USA. It’s a stupid question to even ask anyone, and frankly immediately sets out that the person asking it thinks people are different based on their skin color. But that is part of their agenda to keep the people weak by promoting divisiveness along any line possible; race, gender, religion, sexual orientation so that they and their pet government can keep us all in our places..
Your first mistake is defining racism incorrectly. Racism is having the ability. power and control to effect an outcome based on race. Being prejudice or bigoted in judging people on the color of their skin. Personally, I own weapons because we do a lot of hunting and fishing when we go down to the farms. I also take my personal security very seriously as we all should. Try me if you might but, that would be at your own risk. Your are correct when you say that we as humans are not that difference so lets not get that twisted.
What type of response did they expect from Blacks considering that they are statistically more likely to be the victims of violent crime? Were they expecting them to say they owned guns for safari trips or skeet shooting? The intention of the Second Amendment was to provide another check against oppressive government, but since technology has rendered that use null and void, all we can hope for is that we are at least allowed the means to protect ourselves from criminals who would otherwise freely victimize those who are smaller, weaker, or vulnerable to attack.
Keep in mind the absurdly high percentage of black men that have a criminal record which makes it illegal for them to possess a firearm.
America is first or second highest in the world for its rate of gun violence until you factor out gun violence involving black people. Then we are like number 37 on that list. Just sayin’.
And yes, yes, I know… remarking the obvious makes me a racist, yadda, yadda, yadda……
Having a criminal record keeps NO ONE from having or getting a weapon. No I would not call you a racist. I would say that you are slightly misinformed. People kill people who they are around. Black folk kill black folk and right behind black people are those white folk who kill other white folk and on and on.
Not only was the premise racist but a sample of 11??! “Journalism” is long since dead.
I thought that interviewing only eleven (assumed legal) black gun owners was fair and balanced. I mean, there’s probably only one or two more (assumed legal) black gun owners in the rest of the entire USA, right? Amazing that 1) Huffpo would try to pass this off as journalism, and 2) equally amazing, and sad, that liberals will buy into it.
Why isn’t everyone calling Huffpoo and the rest of the libtards out as the racists that they are?
It is absurd that one’s skin color would influence the instinct for self preservation. This is doubly absurd given the racist history of gun control being used to disarm and render helpless freed slaves, and their descendants.
As a full-time firearms instructor, one of the teaching methods I employ during every training session is to ask students questions. Rather than try to ‘tell’ them some important concepts, I ask questions and let them ‘put the pieces together’ themselves. I mention this because I believe that the author of the article is trying to do the same thing. Given the format and medium (huffington post website) that the author has with which to use, I think his or her chosen format was a good choice.
The article could have been titled ‘Law-abiding citizens of all races often feel the same way about 2A issues despite differences in race’. Rather than go the obvious route and ‘preach’, the author posited the title and format of the article as being more investigative in nature even though the author already knew the ‘answer’ to the ‘question’. I feel the purpose of this method was much the same as that of a school teacher that asks students a question – not because the teacher does not know the answer, but because the teacher is trying to challenge and actively involve the students in the learning.
Also given the website that the article was posted on, going the obvious direction in the title (‘no difference between black and white gun owners’) would have likely led to the article being rejected for publication.
I believe the author’s entire point was to get the reader to say to themselves – ‘duh, of course black and white gun owners have similar views’, and in doing so maybe get the reader to question any preconceived notions or stereotypes that the reader may have had. To put it more bluntly – maybe some readers will see a handgun printing on another customer in a store and stop looking at the person’s race to try and determine if it is a ccw permit holder or a potential robber.
Great comment! Take any “group” of people, black, white, people that do not drink coffee, people that have blue eyes, people that have/own guns: there is good and bad within the group. Look at the Police, some are good and some are just murdering people like in Mesa Arizona for example. I believe that there are primary and then secondary reasons that people have guns. The common and reasonable one is defense against a government that is armed to the teeth (like the US) and is out of control (yikes! like the US again) and of course general defensive purposes. Then some people just plain like shooting, like machines, think they are cool etc. I think it crosses all race and gender barriers. Look on youtube and you will see many woman doing reviews and shooting various firearms too!
Huffington Pussss, #1 purveyor of Fake News and Race baiting. The Black legal Gun owner owns guns for the same reason as every other legal gun owner. Why bring race into it? Because they are race baiters hell bent on keeping blacks on that old Democratic Plantation and dependant on the Dems who do nothing but run there mouths every 4 years for Votes.
“The constitution is color-blind”. Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537 (1896). This quote is from Supreme Court Justice Harlan’s dissent in a case involving (upholding) racial segregation on railways in the south, over 120 years ago. He also said: “If a white man and a black man choose to occupy the same public conveyance on a public highway, it is their right to do so, and no government, proceeding alone on grounds of race, can prevent it without infringing the personal liberty of each….
Whatever your reasons for having guns, 2nd A protections apply.
Hey HP, why don’t you print…”PANTS UP DONT LOOT” That would be a good start!
I been having gun`s since was 14 year`s old in Europa and then came in the US and I bought gun`s and permit for hunting never enter an unlawfully to any property or go to Federal land wherever was permitted to hunting , never point a gun to anyone I been always`s couscous not to hurt any one , But it was a different time people greatly have change for the worse ,the mass emigration open boarder`s specially with chain emigration eventually they will bring this Country to ( 0 ) tolerance and will be the worse to live in this country in the Globe . You may thinking that I`m pessimistic ? I assure you I`m not for I love people`s especially the Law of this Country . Even our Great GOD never was in favor of big big gathering and have destroyed many City and town`s many time . Don`t worry I`m not against emigration for I`m an emigrant but have to be by the Law of the Nation and slower process to give the time to find out who`s coming in and what idea they have . You may thinking who am I to say all these thing`s ? well : I been going by my prediction since understood what live`s is all about and all my prediction at least 95% have come true . Stay on guard I may have some more to reading all about . Also if any of like let me know THANK YOU
I once saw a movie where only the Police and the Military had guns. It was called “Schindler’s List”.
As so many of you have already stated; why did Huffpo even put the word Black in there?? Why couldn’t they simply say, “Why law abiding Americans own guns”,? Because they’re f–king idiots…just like their Liberal and Socialist brethren, they have to try and cause divisiveness with everything they print. As someone else on here said…Hey Huffington, stick to your shithouse reporting and stay the hell out of REAL journalism. You’re not qualified… and any free thinking open minded American doesn’t believe what you say,(or CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC) anyhow. Gun ownership is an AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT!
Race or gender all law abiding and responsable citizens should be able to have a firearm for home defense and recreation.
Exactly what I assumed, same reason white people and brown people own guns. Liberals will not like this poll, it speaks the truth. I’m somewhat surprised Huffington Post published it.
The N.R.A. is the oldest civil rights organization in America and was instrumental in helping Black Americans have the right to have firearms to protect themselves because of the hatred and lynchings going on in those horrible times in America after the slaves were turned free.
My opinion is that every American without a criminal felony record or proven mental deficiency has the right to own a gun.
Ronnie
History Lesson. You mean the same NRA that called for gun control when the Black Panthers in CA picked up weapons to protect the black community in LA against the brutality from the Los Angeles Police Department. You mean the same NRA that is quiet as a church mouse about black men being shot in the back or when informing an officer that they have a CCW/CP and are still shot down. When I was a fresh gun owner; I could not get enough of the NRA. As I have aged: I have questioned what they have become and who they are as I let my membership lapse.
All men are created equal, sooooooo.
Why do we have all this hatered and violence, why does it matter what color your skin is , or how you. Look, what you do for aliving you,me,we are humans. Yes there is the good and bad in all races, this is what our government wants us to do, kill each other and to take away our constitutional rights.
If your not a felon (all felonies) (assault to murder) and have been mentally unstable (domestic violence to totally gone) you have the the right to keep and bear arms
I was going to simply say that in Philadelphia, when I renew my permit, all the people in line (they provide chairs) are like me, a fellow citizen concerned with self protection.
Having read the article, I emphatically agree with everyone who called this question racist.
Hufpo. There’s the first problem. There is the first divider, perpetuating the narrative and typifying everyone as racist. We are always going to have differing oppinions…….most of which have nothing to do with skin color…
Hufpo…..shut the hell up! Stick to writting “shit house “articles for whiners!
Stay away from real “news reporting” you’ve shown you are not qualified to be unbiased.
Face it, HuffPo is the ‘Pravda’ of the Liberals, along with The Guardian.
Look at Supreme Court Justice Thomas’ concurring opinion. https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/561/742/concurrence2.html
This is his conclusion
In my view, the record makes plain that the Framers of the Privileges or Immunities Clause and the ratifying-era public understood—just as the Framers of the Second Amendment did—that the right to keep and bear arms was essential to the preservation of liberty. The record makes equally plain that they deemed this right necessary to include in the minimum baseline of federal rights that the Privileges or Immunities Clause established in the wake of the War over slavery. There is nothing about Cruikshank’s contrary holding that warrants its retention.
* * *
I agree with the Court that the Second Amendment is fully applicable to the States. I do so because the right to keep and bear arms is guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment as a privilege of American citizenship.
Of course it does. The 14th amendment should have already been practiced. What is good in one state is good in all states. You don’t need to interpret some previous case law. Case law exists to break the written law. But that is another article.
You don’t get it.
Justice Thomas is not black.
Barack Obama is.
Up is down.
Right is left.
2+2=5.
Confused? Good. That’s the intent.
AK – Perhaps you should look up a picture of Justice Clarence Thomas…
The truly amazing thing here is that Huffpo had to ask.
what a racist rant the second amendment is for all
Guess I don’t understand your comment. Can you explain what you’re getting at? The 2A guarantees the right to keep and bear arms for ALL citizens. It doesn’t discriminate in the least…
That’s what he just said. Her just failed to use proper punctuation. It should have read… What a racist rant (the article is). The second amendment is for all (people of all colors).
Unfortunately, too many of today’s writers and posters of comments are either too lazy to properly punctuate or capitalize, don’t see the point in it, or simply don’t know how to write, having been so poorly educated by our public school system. I think he meant, “What a racist rant! The second Amendment is for all!”
Why does everything have to be labeled . To me it’s the same as why do black people drive cars or go to the movies. See how ridiculous that sounds. Just stop and think about it….
How do we wake up America to what’s happening. Socialists , once declared the ENEMIES of this nation are hell bent on
Taking this country in the opposite direction of freedom and capitalism. Everyone who is not an adjudicated criminal, regardless of skin color or religious beliefs, is entitled to protect themselves under the Constitution. You’d better get angry about the “coup” that is being attempted by our own Justice Depatrtment. ALL Constitutional rights are in danger now and ALL citizens better wake the f**k up to what’s going on.
Hit the nail on the head, and I’m glad I’m a retired Fed LEO.
How very ironic that the same bunch of white female and beta boy liberals that are constantly virtue signaling and looking for things to be offended about will turn around and pen something with such a racist title and undertone and not even give it a second thought
I made Guns America? Pretty cool.
Yes, you did, Mr. Leflore. And THANK YOU for speaking up. The Second Amendment right to bear arms isn’t just for those who wrote it — it’s for ALL OF US. It’s OURS, given by God and the Second Amendment is supposed to keep the government’s hands off it. Wish everybody in Sodom-on-the-Potomac could comprehend that!
Thank you for your kind words
Black Americans own guns for the same reason(s) that other Americans do, regardless of one’s skin color.
Right on! Why does everybody have to have a label? Aren’t we all AMERICANS, no matter our heritage? Always be proud of your heritage, but why the label?
Let’s back up. In the colonies and probably in the early U.S., all slaves and indentured servants were not black. And there were black slave owners just as there were black Confederates. For one place that I know about, New Orleans had a large free black population. There were supposedly blacks fighting against the British in America in the colonies in the 18th century. So black people were not excepted from the Constitution. The 3/5 being cited repeatedly applied to slaves without regard to skin color.
“Occasionally men stumble over the truth, but most pick themselves up and hurry on as if nothing happened,” – Winston Churchill
That is the problem! When we hurry on as if nothing happened we remain STUPID and continue to make the same mistakes. That is like saying that there are not black deer, duck or coon hunters. I know that this is not true because Myself, uncles and brother are all hunters.
Amen! The only thing to lament is not having more coverage just like this. We are ONE AMERICA, with rights to be shared by us all. If more of my proud, law-abiding firearm-owner brothers any sisters –of ALL races, of which our great nation is made up– continue to speak up to this effect, we’ll have the gun-grabbers crawling back into their holes. God bless you all, stay safe…
OK, last time I checked, there was no stipulations on the right to bare arms. So as an American I will do the same as any other American. My choice my right I never seen a firearm jump up and take anyone’s life without someone standing on the other end.
The problem with this article is you’re the one writing it, you lament about others points of view regarding black gun ownership, why? I’ve heard nothing on the national stage about this characterization! Perhaps YOU are the one with the issues concerning black gun ownership but you don’t have any suitable rationale to support it, so you fabricate this “cockamaimy” story line about white America, in general! Hell, if you live anywhere in this country and don’t own a firearm you’re in denial! It’s not a color thing, period!
Excellent thinking Derrick, why would anybody think a black person would be different than any other person. This just strengthens the race play. I am sure all people beyond their race want, a peaceful life, a safe home, a place to teach their children, a safe place to worship whatever God they choose, and above all a place that lets them be individual. We will always have the ones who for some reason blame everybody else for their problems, it is for those that we own firearms.
Shocker! Black people own guns for the same reasons everyone else does.😮
Huffington Post should ask the progressive liberal Democrats why they want to disarm ALL AMERICANS, and it’s not because of their concern for the people’s safety.
Personally, I’d never believe anything HuffPo published, as with Yahoo, but maybe they accidentally hired a real journalist this time.
The rights of the people shall not be……blah blah blah….thats right all the people!