Black man with a gun: interview with Kenn Blanchard

Kenn Blanchard

 "Law enforcement trainer, author, and grassroots activist of color" (and not to forget, a pastor), Kenn Blanchard has been a voice of reason in the Second Amendment movement since the early Nineties.

His book, "Black Man with a Gun," was written "to provide people in the African American Diaspora a resource to learn about gun safety and personal responsibility from one of their own."

A founder of the Tenth Cavalry Gun Club, "derived from the famous 9th and 10th Army Horse Cavalry's, better known for their Native American given name 'Buffalo Soldiers,'" Blanchard has also started The Urban Shooter Association to promote and support his weekly podcast.

I approached Pastor Kenn and asked if he'd like to do an online interview, and was very happy to receive the following reply:

OK, but now a challenge. How about I go HARD. Time for something 'fierce'. I’d like to see something inflammatory; and controversial that will make folks wince. We have done the collegiate, academic argument to death. I’d like to turn the tables with this article by painting the picture that people that believe the lies of the anti-gun propagandist are sell outs and losers, unable to make adult decisions. That anti-gun people are victims defending their oppressors.

That told me right there my instincts in wanting to learn more about this man were good. But enough--you can learn more about him here. Let's move on to the interview.

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DC: "Black man with a gun." That's certainly an attention-getter. You call that a "persona" and it's also the title of your book and website. You say your "goal was to provide people in my community, ethnicity and cultural group with a resource to learn about gun safety and personal responsibility from one of their own." I see a title with shock value, and appreciate the irony that you're using that to attain a goal of normalizing the concept so it no longer shocks.

Am I close?

KB: I call it a persona because it is only one element of my personality. How a person responds to this moniker tells me immediately about them. Solomon said in Proverbs 22:1 that says that “a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.” Those that are offended, or in awe about the name go into a category where I came prepare for a response. The victim of a lifetime of misinformation, or violence acts differently than the one that laughs about the title. I have learned to relate to them all. A racist or an elitist also reacts differently to the name. I’m striving for the day when nobody cares what color you are. Then we would have overcome one less “ism”.

DC: Were you raised in an atmosphere that promoted individuality, ideals of Liberty, gun ownership...is this something you grew up with and embraced as you matured, or did you come to this understanding on your own?

KB: I grew up oblivious to most of what I learned later. For most of my childhood we were in survival, living paycheck to paycheck. I didn’t realize how poor we were but didn’t lack anything important. I am the child of parents that participated in the Civil Rights struggle. They had high hopes for me. They wanted better for me than they had it. I was determined to live it. Busing introduced me to racism. The Marine Corps introduced me to diversity and the human experience. I learned that almost any personal issue can be overcome. I learned about honor, integrity and patriotism in the military. I learned that you have to do your own growing no matter how tall your father was. I learned that sometimes you have to go your own way because your parents might be wrong. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents in rural Virginia. Their values became my own. I tried to adopt only what was right no matter where it came from. That made me a little different.

DC: Attorney General Eric Holder says we're "a nation of cowards" when it comes to race. I partially agree, in that we do seem afraid to address anything other than prejudice as being the reasons minority communities are disproportionately affected by poverty and crime.

KB: Cowards are those that chose to give away our personal freedoms for perceived safety. Cowards are those that take but do not contribute. Cowards are those that prefer to be politically correct than truthful. Cowards are those that stand by while our country burns down morally and economically. Cowards are those that are depriving our children the enjoyment and knowledge of safe and responsible gun ownership due to misconceptions. Cowards are gun owners that don’t get involved in the argument because they don’t own the type of firearm that is being targeted. Cowards are those that go with the flow even if the flow is off a pier. It is a coward that attacks the inanimate gun as our problem instead of the deeper cultural/social/economic issue.

DC: Is gun control racist? Why?

KB: Gun control is racist because in order to promote gun legislation, race is used to scare people to act. At first it was the fear of a slave revolt. Then it was the fear of Native American retaliation for socially accepted genocide of an indigenous people. Then it was the fear of African Americans again, then immigrants. And anyone that sought what this country was created for; personal freedom. Anyone that wants to limit your freedom is not your friend.

Having the individual right to be able to own a firearm says a lot about the country that supports it. Gun control is about power. Those that honestly want to entrust the government to secure them want to believe that the government is able to do so. Those that support increasing government command don’t realize that criminals and terrorist are not included in those plans. Criminals don’t obey laws. All the regulation, all the restrictions, all the common sense hoopla only applies to good people. More gun laws only affect the law abiding.

DC: You combine this message along with gun safety, rights and responsibility when you approach people in your community. What kind of response do you get?

KB: Shock and awe mostly. Here are my top five responses:

(1) “Who is this guy? What nerve.” (2) “Well said.” (3) “Well we have to do something”. (4) “I understand what you are saying but I am still afraid of guns.” (5) “Preach, brother!”

And then there is Kenn’s unwritten statistic. I believe if you personally experience violent crime, you will either say never again and prepare to fight, or run for the rest of your life in hopes someone will save you. After something happens to you, depending on what you are made of, there is a 50% chance you will become pro-gun. Then the hell with politics and political correctness. There are few atheist in a foxhole when shots are being fired.

DC: Why are so many African American political and religious leaders dead set against keeping and bearing arms? How does that tie in with other parts of their message?

KB: It is easy. There are few topics that are as “evergreen” as gun control. Leaders and clergy that adopt the anti-gun stance have an easier role. The path of least resistance is favored over a deeper dive into the truth. Do you tell the children that there is no Santa Claus coming down the chimney or do you keep up the illusion till they figure it out?

Secondly, if they ride the anti-gun fence long enough they will up their status and be afforded personal protection, bodyguards and a lifestyle where they won’t need to protect themselves. They become pastors with entourages. Politicians get police protection. Celebrities with bodyguards don’t need to carry a firearm for their home. They have gated communities and things we can’t afford.

And lastly, some are in the habit of influencing people so much that they believe we are incapable of controlling our impulses -- that we are not thinking humans but lesser animals that need to be controlled. It’s a superiority piece; that is just plain wrong.

DC: When I think about some of the leaders I admire who happen to be black--guys like Walter Williams, Jesse Lee Peterson, Larry Elder, Thomas Sowell, Clarence Thomas... regardless of any ideological differences I may have with some of them, they're all individuals who made their names based on admirable character traits and genuine achievements. What strikes me about each of them is they are principled and strong to the core. But because they don't fall in lock step with the prevalent socialist agenda that dominates the black community, there are those who dismiss them as weak sellouts, exactly the opposite of what they are.

What's up with that?

KB: “Integrity.” Repeating a lie over and over doesn’t make it true. These cats take the hits because of personal integrity. Shakespeare’s Hamlet said “to thine own self be true” I believe that.

DC: You say you have a softer side. That doesn't surprise me--I've known very few men who have it together who don't. Tell us about the "yin" to your "yang."

KB: I care about people. I want everyone in my circle to be happy and at peace. I will go to the gates of hell to get you. I want to know that you love your spouse and your kids. I want to be surrounded by love. I try to repair brokenness. Life is too short to be in pain. I spend time encouraging, inspiring and making others laugh too just to help with that. I am a family guy that loves spending time at home. I am an animal loving, artistic guy that likes to paint, podcast, saltwater fish, play video games and ride my motorcycle.

DC: Who do you admire among our contemporaries? Why?

KB: All my heroes are dead.

DC: Tell us about the Tenth Cavalry Association and the Urban Shooters Association.

KB: In the absence of a viable organization to promote gun rights and foster the sports of shooting in raise the consciousness of gun rights and sports in the African American community I created the Tenth Cavalry Gun Club (TCGC) in 1991. I didn’t really want an exclusive all black club but it is needed for “a season” to heal the hurt and grow the knowledge of shooting to people that have been denied the opportunity to openly be armed. I’d like to do the same thing conceptually in the Latin and Filipino/Asian persuasions community.

The TCGC grew but not the way I wanted it to. It became more of a cult than a national organization. This is probably because of my personality. I was destined to have a “church”. I just had to make sure it was the right kind of one. The TCGC did branch off and succeed for awhile in New Jersey, Washington, DC and Chicago but from what I know now, the only chapter now operating is in Baltimore, MD, and they are doing it right.

The Urban Shooter Association is my personal support group. They are like minded friends that listen to my podcast and help me make it fun and growing. They correspond with me and are like my inner circle. I can ask them things and run ideas past them. And when everything seems wrong, they always pour back into me, what the world tries to take out. They invest in my life so I listen to them when they talk. Association members are like the philanthropist of the Kennedy Center or National Public Radio.

DC: What projects are you working on? Do you have any irons in the fire you're prepared to talk about?

KB: Well, I am constantly working on improving my show on the net. Which means, I spend a lot of energy and resources writing, calling and hounding people for information, interviews and content that I can share in between a full time job, family and pasturing a church but I love it. I wish I could do it full time on some big network but I am happy for now. I have steady growth and try to connect with all of them. That actually might be a little nuts in the long term. But I think I am built for it. I am working on doing some video as an introduction and would entertain doing my own TV show.

I am writing an inspirational memoir called “Jesus, Take Me As I Am”, that I hope I can have available by June 2009. It will be a free e-book that can be shared. I share some of my mistakes and triumphs being free, a Christian, pro-gun, a minister in the “black church”, and try to encourage the reader of the things that can help you make it through tough times both at home and at church. They can find it at www.kennblanchard.com . I’d like to take up the challenge of a Billy Graham if that were possible and evangelize outside the box but I have to pray on that one. I am happy with my life and look forward daily to spreading that peace to others.

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I'm impressed. And now it's your turn. Mr. Blanchard has agreed to take questions from you, the readers, over the next few hours. We don't expect to have him tied to the computer all day, so don't expect an immediate reply, but he will be checking in every hour or so.  And remember to check back in throughout the day for Q&A updates.
 

In the interest of making things go as smoothly as possible, here are a few simple ground rules:

1. Read the interview and the reader questions that were posed already. Please don't ask something that's already been asked.

2. Don't make statements--ask clear (and brief) questions. Bluntly, it's Pastor Kenn's philosophy we've gathered here to learn. Essays will be deleted.

3. One question per customer.

4. I reserve the right to delete any question I deem inappropriate, disrespectful, repetitive, incomprehensible, noncompliant with my simple ground rules, or for whatever reason I decide. If you think I'm being unfair, take it up with me at dcodreaAThotmailDOTcom.

5. We have an opportunity here, and a limited time in which to make the most of it. Let's have fun and learn. And let the questioning begin.

INTERVIEW OVER--COMMENTS NOW CLOSED FOR FURTHER QUESTIONS