The Los Angeles Times published Monday’s column in which an Oakland gun club leader suggested that California liberals feel “uneasy” about the idea of black people being armed.
Nathan W. Jones, a gun club leader, made the comment days after New York’s Supreme Court (SCOTUS), struck down New York’s proper cause requirement to issue concealed carry permits.
On June 23, New York’s concealed carry permit requirement was struck by SCOTUS. California and New Jersey responded to the ruling on June 23 by removing certain concealed carry permit requirements from their respective states.
According to the LA Times, Jones, the leader of the Black Gun Owners Association believes that SCOTUS’s pro-2A ruling came at a time when black Americans are realizing the importance of having guns for self-defense.
Jones stated, “I had visions about mobs dragging people along the streets, but something just kinda switched.” … We cannot rely on anyone else to save us. Jones says it must be us.” However, Jones isn’t sure how Californians will respond to more black Americans walking the streets.
He recalled his shooting experience at the gun range with fellow club members. “There is no racism at the gun range. But we do know how people look at us. We know what people think.
Jones said, “And so, we also know we can’t be the group that accidentally discharges firearms. We can’t be the group that handles firearms in an unsafe way. Because all eyes are on you, waiting for you to make a mistake, we must be more in control and know what we’re doing.
He noted that even though there is a lot of talk about “equal rights”, he and his gun club friends see that many others at the range are “still uneasy” about the idea that Black people can legally be armed.
The LA Times reported that California Democrats are trying to salvage the concealed carry system that California had partially abandoned after the SCOTUS ruling.
