The African Festival of the Arts is Chicago's celebration
of African culture.
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Gun rights activists reach out at Black Women's Expo in Chicago
- Ignorance, Racism, and Gun Control
Gun-rights activists in Illinois are making another run at stereotypes in Chicago in less than one week--and they may need some help. Chicago is known across the nation as a stronghold of the gun-control movement, and one way anti-gun politicians have maintained that status for decades is to portray gun rights as a racial issue--a conflict between black and white voters.Voters are told that rural white racists who collect guns and urban black men who can't be trusted with weapons are the culprits behind Chicago's rampant violent crime.
Years of being ignored by most Chicago media outlets have taught groups like Illinois Carry and the Second Amendment Sisters that they will not be allowed to refute that message in the media--at least not the "old" media. Instead, the new strategy is to go straight to the people who have to live with Chicago's stifling gun controls with a different message: gun control is unconstitutional, ineffective, and racist. Illinois gun-rights groups have now put on two "Second Amendment Freedom Rallies," or SAFRs, and put in appearances at the last two Black Women's Expos as well. This Friday, September 4th, Illinois Carry and the Second Amendment Sisters will bring their message to Chicago's African Festival of the Arts along with CORE Chicago. Volunteers have come forward to spread the word, answer questions, and pass out Illinois FOID applications.
If you like the idea of breaking stereotypes, there are two easy ways to help. First, if you live in the Chicago area, consider volunteering your own time to talk to people this weekend; local Chicago grassroots activists have stepped up to take over more and more of the local Chicago events, but more are always welcome. If you can't make it, or you simply live too far away, Illinois Carry is still accepting donations to pay for printing and booth rental. Unlike anti-gun groups who can count on the Joyce Foundation for easy money, pro-gun groups in Illinois operate on shoestring budgets, so donations are always welcome.
- Volunteer your time or money for gun rights at the African Festival of the Arts:
http://illinoiscarry.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17464&hl - Join Illinois Carry:
www.illinoiscarry.com - Join the Second Amendment Sisters:
www.2asisters.org - Join CORE:
www.corechicago.wordpress.com
Comments
Don, you have it half right. Urban blacks in Chicago are the ones committing the most homicides, and not surprisingly, in black neighborhoods. I don't think there's any question about that. The homicides in the black neighborhoods are but one reason the city's gun laws are so stringent - because criminal blacks have screwed it up for everyone else in Chicago. All law-abiding non-blacks in Chicago are being (unfairly) punished for their crimes.
Remember how the teacher would threaten the 8th grade class by saying they wouldn't graduate unless the noisy kid in the back would shut up?
That was nonsensical, but this isn't.
Luis, Maybe it's like with the alligators. If urban blacks in Chicago weren't killing each other at such a rate the city would be up to its kiester in urban blacks. Not that there's anything wrong with that. ;-)
Don this is an excellent editorial. In Chicago and parts of Illinois we live by stereo types, All Black men are potential criminals and All white men that own guns are racist.
The problems in Chicago were caused by social engineering; break up of the family and a thug street culture created out of a lack of family guidance, police brutality and lack of respect for life.
People just don’t know their history all they see is the end result Black crime.
Before the FOID card Chicago had a strong 2A culture and a checks and balances existed in the black community because Blacks could buy guns through the mail.
If we are to repeal the FOID card in Illinois we must break the stereo typing.
Every sensible non-liberal knows its the inner city gangbangers responsible for the gun violence. Every sensible person knows these liberals are incapable of addressing that fact because the majority of these gangbangers are minorities and NO LIBERAL can accuse minorities for anything because its "racist" in their little world, so the only thing they can come up with is to ATTACK legal gun owners and label the minority gangbangers "victims."
Don this is an excellent editorial. In Chicago and parts of Illinois we live by stereo types, All Black men are potential criminals and All white men that own guns are racist.
The problems in Chicago were caused by social engineering; break up of the family and a thug street culture created out of a lack of family guidance, police brutality and lack of respect for life.
People just don’t know their history all they see is the end result Black crime.
Before the FOID card Chicago had a strong 2A culture and a checks and balances existed in the black community because Blacks could buy guns through the mail.
If we are to repeal the FOID card in Illinois we must break the stereo typing.
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You either pick up a gun and shoot someone or you don't. I don't care how messed up someones family life might have been.
These punks KNOW murder is wrong but kill people anyways, they are victims of nothing!
Luis, I'm not sure I follow your reasoning. If what is being done to the citizens in Chicago (black, white, and other) is "unfair" (your word, but I agree) then how can it be sensible?
Nick, I didn't take Madashell's comment to mean that the gangsters and thugs aren't responsible for what they do, but that there are reasons for what they do. Everybody's the hero of his own story, as they say, and these guys are probably no exception.
And if you truly believe that most of the gang kids shooting people in Chicago think it's wrong to kill people, then I have to disagree. All you have to do is listen to these guys talk about killing and violence to understand that they think it's right, or at most, the lesser evil.
Don Gwinn, my point is that most of the homicides in Chicago occur in black neighborhoods like Woodlawn, Austin, Englewood, Roseland, and Grand Crossing. In order not to appear "racist", Chicago's gun laws apply to everyone, so that people who live in Rogers Park, Lakeview, Pilsen, and the Gold Coast cannot defend themselves. This of course, also applies to peacable blacks living in the black neighborhoods. But, because of shootings in the black neighborhoods, ALL city neighborhoods are being punished. That's what rankles me.
I think it was JFK or LBJ who said something like, if one man's civil rights are threatened, then ALL men's rights are threatened.
You make a valid point, but I don't want it twisted into "those blacks are keeping the white folks from exercising their rights." Let's face it: this is the internet. It's nearly inevitable.
If some black people commit crimes, and the legislature (which, if we're honest with ourselves, ultimately means the voters) responds by denying rights to everyone in the neighborhood, city, county, or state . . . then the legislators (and thus again, ultimately the voters) are responsible. Period. Never fall for the "why do you make me do these things to you?" school of abuse. The abuser offers a choice between doing as you're told or "making him" punish you in some way. He never admits of the third option, which would be for him to accept your refusal.
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