Black Folk and the NRA

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Why, something wrong with the south? I didn't notice it when I lived there.

tipoc
 
That's an interesting video, for sure.

In this area, when I was taking NRA instructor courses, and teaching NRA classes, I have yet to run across a "black folk", as it's put in the video. All of the instructor courses were 100% white, and so far all of my training classes have been 100% white. I *have* frequently run across "black folk" at the shooting range, gun shows, etc, but I have to agree with the video; "black folk" around here show very little, if any interest in the NRA or NRA training activities.

Curious to see if that trend changes now that I'm also teaching concealed carry courses. Those don't have the NRA label.

(Although I do teach the first 8 hours with NRA basic pistol, as an approved class, the second 8 hours is non-NRA. So maybe if "black folk" take my classes they might get their first exposure to NRA training events.)
 
IMO, it might have been better if you'd put the phrase "black folk" in quotes, since it comes from the title of a piece by an African-American female, from an ongoing series of works titled "Black Folk Don't:"

jm
 
It would be good if the NRA try to get them to join the NRA! They need to get a man that is well known to help the NRA to get new them as members! I hope that some one on here knows some one that has a office in the NRA that could get this going!!
 
An interesting clip from that documentary. There appears to be a lot of misconceptions out there about the NRA that I would hope the NRA would work to dispel. I would think that would be fertile soil for cultivating new members.
 
There is a history of why Black Americans are reluctant to join the NRA....because they weren't always welcome. This is from an article about Black Americans wanting the right to bear arms......


The most racist was the law barring black people from owning guns. This was an issue that came to the forefront again in the mid 1960′s when Black Panther, Huey Newton was photographed boldly holding two rifles while sitting in a large African chair and 30 young black men and women carrying .357 Magnums, 12-gauge shotguns, and .45-caliber pistols climbed the capitol steps in California when Mr. Reagan was Governor.

The Black Panthers declared they had a right to defend themselves but the NRA disagreed. The NRA fervently backed gun controls during those years.
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"Black folk", the term is a bit colloquial. I use it often the same as I use the term "folk" in general, I like the term, it rolls off the tongue well, and stands in for "people". I don't worry about it, nothing demeaning about it.

African Americans, Afro Americans, black people, Black Americans, Black men and women. All terms I use and make no bones about. Hard to have an honest discussion if you're nervous about that term.

tipoc
 
It's called outreach and we are not doing it. I took a woman from Fiji, who most would consider black to the range with her ten year old daughter in tow. She was one of my fiancees friends from work. She loved and now wants to get a gun for herself. But she is also a woman of limited means and I promised her a beater Model 15-3 for $340 when she got the money together from my personal collection (I've had it for at least three years). Now try and get her to join the NRA and you have headache because she won't spend the $35 to make it happen.

Honestly I'm thinking I'll just buy her the lifetime membership (it's like $300 I think) if she's ok with it. I've bought a few for friends and sometimes that is what it comes down to. Even if they never read the mags or think of the NRA ever again those numbers are counted for lobbying and such.

We need outreach, we need clubs, we need property to shoot on, etc. etc. etc.. I'm sitting on 10k of .22lr and if I could get a property to shoot on I'd have African Americans of good character (able to pass a background check) out there with me learning about guns. But such is not our current lot. But damn we need it. Oh I'm an NRA certified Pistol instructor by the ways (rifle would take me a day I think) so that would help a little.

Also we need to start forming NRA chapters, not just gun rights groups. We need a little initiative and leadership from the NRA on this one. I'd happily pay an extra $15 a year to see someone responsible for organizing range days and lectures when it came to firearms. I'd even think you might be able to get some gun companies behind the idea if it meant showcasing their products.

Imagine Henry .22lr Rifles at range days for folks of the NRA chapter, getting to learn riflery, and some members of the public as well. Because we all know we like what we shoot and we like to buy what we like to shoot. So it'd be a sales window for some gun companies and why they would want to sponsor the events with guns, ammo, and money.

There are days I wonder if we need to start lobbying the NRA for stuff like this.
 
The sad thing is the whole situation there is with messed up firearms laws in California now began as a backlash after the Black Panthers went to the California State Capital armed. Of course it is too late to change what happened then so we have to move on from here. This is a segment of the population the NRA needs. The only thing I know to do as an individual is treat people decently & if the subject of guns comes up discuss it calmly & intelligently so we can have some influence on their viewpoint. I have in the past offered to take a young black guy I worked with to the range. We didn't get to go together but he did go on his own & he was planning to get his Navy veteran step father to teach him more. I lost touch with him not too long after that but the last time I saw his step father he said the young man was doing well.

As for the NRA they need to find someone well thought of in the Black community that is willing to help promote them. I like Colion Noir but it wouldn't hurt if they had someone with more celebrity willing to speak up for them.
 
"White folk" that I've met who are in the NRA, are unabashedly racist.

They may wait a few months before revealing their true selves, telling a racist anti-black joke with racist slurs in it, but they eventually get there.

We've got the violence and hatred across the planet, on television, in the city, and I can't even go to the range to relax and shoot w/o some white trash scumbag NEEDING to let me know just HOW RACIST he/she is, and that they're pretty proud of it.

Interesting to watch the politics of it as the GOP looks for new ways to court black/brown voters...
 
Mike J said:
The sad thing is the whole situation there is with messed up firearms laws in California now began as a backlash after the Black Panthers went to the California State Capital armed.
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This might be of interest ...

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/09/the-secret-history-of-guns/308608/

"The American people in general and the black people in particular,” he announced, must take careful note of the racist California legislature aimed at keeping the black people disarmed and powerless .....
It was May 2, 1967, and the Black Panthers’ invasion of the California statehouse launched the modern gun-rights movement."
 
Powder;

I can tell you honestly that I'm not racist. I'm an NRA Certified Rifle, Pistol, and Shotgun instructor, and run NRA High Power and Smallbore matches. I welcome anyone to my events; regardless of race, religion, sexual preference, or even (gasp!) their political convictions.

Are there racists who are also NRA members? I'm sure that no one could answer that question anything but "yes". When you have 4+ million members, you have a sufficiently large cross-section of the population that ANY similar statement is going to be an unequivocal "yes." Are there gays? "yes." Are there people who hate gays? "yes." Are there pro-drug legalization people? "Yes." Are there ANTI drug legalization people? "Yes."

I mean, stop and think about it. In any cross section of the population that large, you are also going to (statistically) get murderers. Rapists. Child molesters. Drug offenders. Career criminals. Priests. Fast food workers. Government officials. Policemen. Lawyers. Doctors. Animal Fertility Specialists. Heck, you're also likely to get extremely niche professions such as astronauts, and nuclear physicists.

I find the concept of the organization, as it exists today, being "racist", as quite ludicrous, considering the sheer number of members.
 
Powder: "White folk" that I've met who are in the NRA, are unabashedly racist.

They may wait a few months before revealing their true selves, telling a racist anti-black joke with racist slurs in it, but they eventually get there.
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That hasn't been my experience. I am white, and am in the NRA. (Pleased to meet you. ) Many of the college kids that I introduce to shooting have black skin. The second largest group have yellow skin. Most of the "white" kids around here already know how to shoot and don't need my help, but I have an open offer to kids that want to come out and learn how. Normally groups of one or two at a time, and they normally stay for supper. This has been going on for lot's more than a few months, BTW.
 
I don't think it's a large majority of white folks, but I have to agree that there are many people at the range that I avoid talking with because they seem to have no problem letting everyone that will listen know their racial opinions. Coincidentally, I belong to two different clubs - one public and one private, and there are no black members at either. Occasionally a black serviceman from Dix/McGuire will stop by the public range, but it's rare. We "gun-owning white folk" do seem to have a perception problem.
 
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Yep Midwest gun control laws in this country originated with the intent of keeping black folks disarmed. Now it would seem most predominantly black communities are the most ardent supporters of gun control. It doesn't even make sense.

Personally I am aware of decisions the NRA has made in the past that I don't particularly care for. I still get annoyed with them sometimes but as has often been said they are the 800 lb. gorilla in the room when it comes to lobbying for gun rights at the national level. So I support them even if sometimes they make me angry.
 
Don't walk into the NRA headquarters in VA and insinuate that African-American people have been excluded in any way. The very nice people who greet you and watch over the place will laugh at you!
 
I find the concept of the organization, as it exists today, being "racist", as quite ludicrous, considering the sheer number of members.
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There is nowhere I noted above that I believe ALL NRA members are racist, but the few super-defensive posts already above, are well-noted.

Let me re-phrase to clarify: I am an active member in many community, county, and state orgs., from basic volunteer activity to work related volunteer stuff. NONE of them has the openly racist members, as the NRA groups do.

I respect everyone's personal beliefs and bigotry, as their own rights to think/believe how they want to. Bigotry is just not for me, and when the bigots want to try and spread their poisons, and using the 1st Amendment as their shield/scapegoat for hatred? It's NOT the country I swore an Oath to, or offered to die for in the Army.

Come to think of it, no, our local nor state meetings have not had any black people attending.
 
you have idiots in all political groups, but there are fewer in the NRA because they have a smaller pool to draw idiots from.

the NRA is out there, open to all who value their constitutional right to keep and bear arms. black folk not joining in numbers could be because 90% of black folk believe Obama.
 
Ok, so powder met a few racists. That's very unfortunate, but surely there are some left out there in the "heartland." 4 million NRA members, there's bound to be a few backward idiots -- but the VAST majority are not and it's silly to get wound up over his statements.

Heck, I ate at McDonalds once and saw a racist there. I think they're a front for the Klan.

;)
 
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