The ORIGINAL Open Carry Movement

[LAGC]

May 2, 1967 openly armed members of the Black Panther Party marched on the California State capitol in opposition to the Mulford Act prohibiting the public carrying of loaded firearms. The act had been prompted by the Panthers patrolling with shotguns.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_carry_in_the_United_States

Isn't it curious how when white folks do it, it just gets passing mention in the media, but when African Americans do it, new laws are passed... in a hurry?

[spin]

1. That march caused Ronald Reagan to sign the Mulford act ...

which prohibited the open carry of loaded firearms in California.

The Mulford Act was a 1967 California bill prohibiting the public carrying of loaded firearms. Named after assemblyman Don Mulford, the bill garnered national attention after the Black Panthers marched on the California Capitol to protest the bill<1><2>. The bill was signed by California Governor Ronald Reagan and became California penal code 12031 and 171(c).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulford_Act

[kelly1mm]

2. If you read on the history of gun control laws in the US, many were

put in place to disarm blacks.

[spin]

5. And today in places like New York City the gun control laws ...

are designed to allow the rich, the influential and the well connected to own and even carry firearms while making ownership extremely difficult for the average honest citizen.

[lawodevolution]

3. It's called racism.

Racist anti-gunners afraid of those with less political power having guns.

[ZombieHorde]

4. I don't blame them. nt

[PavePusher]

6. ?!?! Umm, can you expound a bit please?

'Cause that sounds... odd... to say the least.

[ZombieHorde]

7. I don't blame the Black Panthers for carrying firearms.

People can only be pushed so far before they start pushing back.

[PavePusher]

9. Much clearer, thank you. And, by the by, I agree 100%.

Couldn't tell if you were refering to the B.P.'s or the bigoted Cali leg.

[gravity556]

8. Quite a few gun laws were passed to disarm African-Americans.

So are you trying to compare the current attempts for gun control with those earlier laws?

And what do you mean, exactly, by this line: "Isn't it curious how when white folks do it, it just gets passing mention in the media, but when African Americans do it, new laws are passed... in a hurry?"

[LAGC]

10. Well, just look at the state of open carry today.

It's mostly white gun enthusiasts who are making a big spectacle out of it, and it seems to be getting more of a cold-shoulder (ignore the phenomenon) treatment from the mainstream media, versus all the hype and attention (and reactionary, restrictive laws) when the Black Panthers did the same thing 40+ years ago.

I, personally, don't have a problem with open carry. I feel perfectly safe in the presence of those with openly holstered arms, even moreso when I think that if a criminal chose to strike, the open-carrier would be a distraction while I could make a safer get-away.

I think open-carry is kind of silly, kind of showing off, but I have no problem with people (of any color) exercising their rights.

[ileus]

11. Every legal citizen should have the right to OC...