Gun Control is Degrading

I’ve noticed that many of the gun control arguments have some rather degrading and sexist/racist undertones. A few such examples:

Sexism

On the sexism side, I’ve seen people suggest that guns have no self defense value for women.  For example, this commenter said the following:

Do you know of any women personally, who fought off an attacker with a gun??? What happens if the attacker manages to pull the gun from a trembling hand?

This woman stated:

Women and men don’t own or use guns equally and sticking one in our hands doesn’t give us equality. . . Women have been further endangered rather than protected by the proliferation of handguns.

I find it incredibly sexist to assume that an armed woman would be unable to defend herself, and would instead have “trembling hands.”  This woman was able to fire her gun in self defense against a home invading stalker.  This woman was able to shoot the rapist who broke into her home for a second time.  This woman was also able to shoot a stalker who broke in and was trying to strangle her to death.  This pregnant woman was able to use a shotgun to save herself and her unborn child from two home invaders.  Instead, it is the unarmed women that are most vulnerable to criminals.  I find it to be terribly degrading and sexist to suggest that women will be too mentally weak to use a firearm in defense of themselves or their loved ones.  It is certainly their choice if some women don’t wish to own guns and don’t wish to defend themselves – however it wrong to try and force such defenselessness upon the rest of the female population.

Racism

I’ve previously discussed the racist roots of gun control however that is not what I’m referring to today.  Instead, I’m talking about the way that modern politicians and so-called “civil rights leaders” try to disarm African Americans on the theory that we are unable to use guns responsibly.  Barack Obama made the following statement, suggesting that the (nearly 90% Caucasian) population of Cheyenne can be allowed to own guns, while the (over 62% African American or Hispanic) population of Chicago can’t be trusted with guns:

I know that what works in Chicago may not work in Cheyenne. . .

Similarly, Blue Island, IL mayoral candidate Tommy Brown said the following, then illegally ran a gun buy-back program:

I’m tired of turning on the news and reading about black and Hispanic men and women being murdered . . . Something needs to be done about this.

As an African American, I find it offensive when public figures basically tell me that, due to the color my skin, I’m incapable of using a gun responsibly.  But what really adds insult to injury is that way that many of my fellow African Americans will support the very people who are making such insulting statements.  The problem of inner city violence stems from socioeconomic factors, not the presence of guns, and not the ethnic makeup of a city.  Until those factors are addressed, the violence will continue.  Infringing the constitutional rights and self defense abilities of law abiding citizens just won’t solve the problem of violent crime.