The History channel has a show called Gangland, which profiles gangs and their crimes. I’ve found it to be an interesting show for the most part, however the most recent show made a rather untrue implication about gun sales and racism:Last week, Gangland ran a show on the Ku Klux Klan, and other related racist groups. Toward the end of the show, mention was made of the spike in gun and ammunition sales, and suggested that spike was the result of racists who don’t like the election of Barack Obama as President. This is simply not the case. Instead, law abiding gun owners across America are buying guns and ammo in record numbers, because they reasonably fear new gun control laws that would make it harder or impossible to lawfully make such purchases in the future. To review, Barack Obama is one of the most anti gun presidents in American history, and his vice president Joe Biden has consistently opposed gun rights for decades. Eric Holder, Obama’s Attorney General, is also quite anti gun, and recently urged congress to ban so-called “assault weapons,” including the AR-15, which is the most popular rifle in the country. The Democrats, who are often but not always the proponents of gun bans, control both chambers of congress plus the executive branch, making it more likely that new gun control laws will be passed soon.
Speaking from personal experience, I can say that I have bought more guns and ammo over the last 6 or so months than ever before, and as an African American, let me assure you that I’m not a KKK member. I can also promise that these black gun owners, many of whom are buying guns and ammunition at record pace, are not KKK member either. The same is true at the legal office where I work, which has several gun owners. One such attorney told me that he has bought a pair of AR-15s, a few thousand 5.56mm cartridges, and then as much .45ACP ammo as he could find, given the ammo shortage. Another attorney just bought an SKS, and is (unsuccessfully) trying to find 1,000 rounds of ammo at a decent price this weekend.
In short, the millions of Americans who are stockpiling guns and ammo are doing so because they reasonably fear new gun control laws – not because they are KKK members or sympathizers. Indeed, part of the reason that I own guns and believe in concealed carry is for self defense, should any KKK members attack me or my loved ones.
This KKK BS is very much in tune with the New Party Line: build a public perception that it is criminals who are buying the guns and ammo and it's easier to pass "anti-criminal legislation."
Thanks for this post. It's been my observation that there are many in government and media who seem to have an agenda to convince the general public that something is afoot and we'd better all watch out for those on the "right" including troops coming home from war. It's despicable. Criminals who use guns could not care less about politics and are neither "right" nor "left" but centered in self.
Unfortunately, I fear that history well teach that hate groups were the reason for the great '08/'09 gun grab……
And anything else will be revisionist conspiracies.