Gun Owners in DC
In late June, the US Supreme Court reversed a thirty-two year old
prohibition that made handgun ownership legal for its residents.
Unfortunately, it will take Herculean effort to comply with the law
after the system put in place by the Mayor of the District of Columbia
and his political partners. This system equals the
“Twelve Labors of Hercules” to prevent the good citizen of the
District from exercising their right.
If you want to legally own a handgun in DC you have to be like Hercules
in addition to being law abiding. While you don’t have to “kill the
hydra” you do have to provide more personal information about yourself
than you do anywhere else. You can only register a revolver because
under DC law, a semi-automatic is considered a machine gun. You don’t
have to “retrieve the golden apples” but you do have to buy your gun
only from a licensed firearms dealer from DC. There are no dealers at
of the time of this writing. To comply with the registration process
you have to surrender your firearm for ballistic testing with no written
guarantee that the city won’t confiscate it. You don’t have to clean
the Stables of Argus but you can’t own ammo without this permit. You
don’t have to bring in the “three-headed dog of the underworld” like
Hercules had to do to satisfy the evil king but you do have to prove
your residence, surrender to fingerprinting, take a written test and
questionnaire, and pay for this permit.
Fortunately, more and more people are realizing that everything they
have heard about gun control is a lie and starting to seek the truth for
themselves. Request for firearms have increased. They see it in the
increasing numbers of criminals that prey on the unarmed. They see it
on the numbers of people killed, raped and robbed by people that do not
compulsorily get fingerprinted, submit to a FBI background check,
volunteer to go through a waiting period for their handgun and register
it with their city, town or state. Laws only affect the law abiding.
There have been increasing numbers of people that are traveling out of
the city to learn from renowned instructors.
The story is still unfolding and the jury is still out on how
politicians are going to work this issue but you can believe I’ll be in
the mix.
Kenn Blanchard aka
Black
Man With A Gun.com
Host of
The Urban Shooter Podcast on iTunes and
www.urbanshooter.libsyn.com
Black Woman Leads Important Self Defense Case
We live in an increasingly violent and uncaring world. Rev. Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. once quoted the poignant Sir Edmond Burke who said,
“Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.” A friend of mine is the
namesake plaintiff in an important upcoming US Supreme Court case
originating from the “Parker vs. District of
Columbia” that some people don’t want you to know about.
This professional African-American woman just added her name to the
likes of Cruikshank, Dred Scot and Ossian Sweet, in that she as a person
of color is defending her right to legal self defense in court. This
“gun control” argument is important to us because it seeks to undo a
historical precedent of the racist practice of making the places in the
United States where there are more people of color more restrictive to
protect yourself. In states where there are less so-called minorities,
citizens can get a permit to carry a concealed firearm without hassle.
What this does prove in statistics, crime reports and in quality of life
testimony is that it lowers crime and provides for the general welfare
for even non-gun-owners. Criminals don’t rob people where they have the
chance of being injured. In states that allow its citizens to carry
legally, don’t have Wild West shoot outs, nor does everyone chose to do
so. What it does is give you a choice and a better chance.
Too many African Americans falsely believe that gun control works. The
cities of New York, Washington, DC, Detroit, Philadelphia, Los Angeles,
Cincinnati, New Jersey, Baltimore, and parts of North Carolina have more
restrictive gun laws than the entire country.
Are you any safer because of it? The definition of insanity
is to do the same thing repeatedly and expect a different result.
When will we get it? When will we stop
listening to the plantation mentality of the apathetic masses, the
uninformed and those that don’t mean you any good?
Have you noticed all the references to becoming ready for the next big
emergency?
Not since Y2K has there been a push by the government to provide
information about emergency preparedness. Are
you ready for the next pandemic, terrorist attack or natural disaster?
This gun issue is not about duck hunters, or old white guys with long
guns. The Parker case is about self-reliance, personal
protection and you. It may be time to change your thinking and learn
how to protect what’s yours. Don’t let politicians continue to speak
erroneously and take away rights you were born with. You have the right
to live without fear of losing your life.
Gun ownership does not equate to murder. Our ancestors brought military
arms back from the wars they fought. Our brothers and uncles in law
enforcement still own firearms. Despite the fact that it’s a sport you
may enjoy, firearms are tools you need to protect your family from
predators. You don’t have to be a victim.
Rev. Kenn Blanchard is the host
of a new weekly podcast supporting law abiding gun owners, recreational
shooters and sportspersons that live in the nation's cities called the
Urban Shooter Podcast on iTunes.
Check out his site on urban-shooter.com. He is also the author of
Black Man with a Gun: A Responsible Gun
Ownership Manual for African Americans, found on
www.blackmanwithagun.com.
So what do you think? If
you would like to respond to this article
click here and sign our
Guestbook to leave a public or private statement, comment or
reaction.
The
Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Gil Scott Heron used
to spout some scary prose back in the day. As a baby of the sixties, I
must have inherited some of that too but my words are to protect my
people not destroy them. Unfortunately, the filters that most have on
their minds about guns still operate really well and the truth is not
getting out. We are still losing our young people whose hope in
succeeding is smaller than their knowledge of life. Some day we
shall overcome. Until I stop scaring my own people we’ll have
this problem. African American bookstores still look at my book with
disdain, judging it by its cover, and refusing to sell it. I am still
offering a FREE copy of a version of it online from my
site to all that want it. And you can get it on
Amazon.com.
When I was employed
by the federal government I am sure I was under suspicion and
surveillance for some time to see if my pro-gun activities would take me
in the direction of a black vigilante. I am afraid to disappoint those
that thought so. I am as “red, white and blue” as you can be as a
descendant of the Original Man and daughters of Africa. But in 2007, I
will really scare some folks.
I have started a new
weekly podcast, and a gun making business. The podcast runs weekly and
I just started it called
The Urban Shooter. You can find it on
http://feed.urbanshooter.info and
http://urbanshooter.info. It is going to fulfill a goal I had to
get my message of safety, responsibility and fun to all that want to
download my messages to their iPods, MP3 players or listen to it on
their computers. It too is free, though I am asking for donations to
help me keep this project going. Money talks and bovine excrement
walks. I have failed at more stuff that most folks have tried and this
is by far the most positive thing I have done to get the word out.
And then if I haven’t
scared enough people I am working with one of the most talented African
American gunsmith I have ever met at
Special Weapons Unlimited, (www.spuweapons.com)
to make custom rifles, pimp your daddy’s old .45, or create something
special for gun collectors, competition and sport shooters alike. Rev.
Al Sharpton was quick to point out that black folks don’t make the guns
when I was on his
show
back in December 2006. Now I can
say he is wrong on more than one account. Well, that’s enough for one
day; let me know what you think.
The revolution has
begun.
www.blackmanwithagun.com
www.SPUWEAPONS.Com
http://feed.urbanshooter.info
http://kennblanchard.blogspot.com/2006/12/evening-with-reverend-al-sharpton.html
Our Problem Is Not With Guns
Even though we live
in the information age, too many “free” people still “group think.” Are
we so busy that we cannot afford to choose what is right? Our actions
say so. Radio and TV host, Tavis Smiley ripped into me once during an
interview with him on the radio because I believe that “every sane,
law-abiding adult in the African Diaspora should own a gun. I still
believe it! We should also have money in the bank and a retirement plan
but that’s not my area of expertise. I’m your urban reality check that
the world is not as civilized as you think. I advocate for your
personal safety, security and responsibility.
It’s the responsibility
with the latter I want to draw your attention to here.
I can teach you a
million things about firearms. I can introduce you to sports that don’t
require you to be as tall as Michael Jordon (MJ), as big as “The Rock,”
or as masterful as Tiger Woods. I can empower you with the skill to
protect your family, property and yourself but I can’t make you
responsible. That is where our problems are with firearms.
Gun
ownership doesn’t equate to murder. Guns don’t cause crime (if
so, mine are defective). We can’t save our communities or children
parroting the same old rhetoric, clichés and myths and expect different
results.
Education got us off
the plantation and onto Wall Street. Education advanced our people that
were denied the right to read. We are still denied the right to keep
and bear arms to a large extent but we allow that so it’s not anyone’s
fault but our own. We do this by continuing to support inane gun
legislation that helps the politicians not the people. We continue to
allow the government to disarm us with a mythical attempt for peace “on
the streets.” Get real. There was never peace on the streets.
Only law-abiding people turn-in their guns. Only good people submit
themselves to background and credit checks, fingerprinting, interviews
and investigation to purchase a firearm. Criminals don’t obey the law
and those who submit themselves and are caught are (1) dumb and (2)
probably not worthy of the statistic that they represent.
As you prosper, the
line widens that separates you from the “have-nots.” You become one of
them. And guess what? Crime happens. Carjacking, home invasions and
terrorism are not science fiction. The people that suggest you not buy
guns usually have bodyguards that your tax dollars pay for. What do you
have to protect your family? Believe it or not, you are responsible for
your own decisions. In this litigation-happy world, the police, your
homeowners association or your government is liable to protect you. If
you live in an area that allows you to purchase and own a firearm for
your protection (most urban areas do not) you are responsible for the
safe storage, care, and use of it. This is really where our problem
with guns starts. Criminals without consequences and kids use guns
inappropriately because we allow it.
You do a disservice
to your family for not knowing about firearm safety. If you choose to
bring a firearm in your home, you are required to as in law enforcement
or security occupations, educate everyone in your home in the realities
of firearms. Even if you don’t have to carry a gun for your job, that
knowledge is can save a life. The chances that someone in your family
may run across a firearm in their lifetime are enough incentive to
educate them on the "do’s and don’ts." Can your spouse make a handgun
found on the sidewalk “safe?” Will your children know what to do when a
gun is found at someone else’s house during a sleepover? You can be
found negligent for not teaching or “gun-proofing” them. Every time a
child is killed, injured or maimed, it was our fault. It’s time to stop
blaming “the Gun,” the industry or anyone other than us.
Guns represent great
power. That’s why it was denied to slaves. Jesus the Christ is quoted
in Luke 12:48 KJV as saying, “For unto whomsoever much is given, of
him shall be much required.” This quote has been paraphrased and
used throughout history and even is the credo of comic book character,
The Amazing Spiderman. Sir Winston Churchill, Presidents
Franklin D. Roosevelt, and JFK have used a version of it -- you’ll
recognize it as, “With great power comes great responsibility.”
As a man and faithful
reader of this web site, think about these things. We should be more
accountable and worthy of the trust given to us as husbands, fathers,
and men. Let’s stop blaming inanimate objects for deaths of our
people. Let’s be the “head and not the tai.” I’d like to see our Greek
organizations and concerned men’s groups do something original and lead
an effort to educate our communities in responsibility. Let’s be a
village. I’ll help police it. We can’t change our world repeating and
supporting the same ineffective strategies, politics and tactics every
decade. If you really want to make a difference in our community—get
involved!
You can learn more
about Kenneth V. F. Blanchard by visiting his web site at:
www.blackmanwithagun.com.
Black Man With A Gun Offering Free
e-Book!
The history, use and everyday
knowledge of gun ownership that many people of color don't know is
provided in a book I published in 2000 called
“Black Man With A Gun.”
It
was my intention that it would become an addition to every home in hopes
to stop accidents, educated and enlighten folks. I was wrong in
assuming the only book written about responsible firearm ownership and
safety by an African American would be accepted. I was shocked to learn
that folks you think would support you don't. Prominent African
American booksellers treat the book like pornography and will not sell
it in their stores.
Historically, it is said that "if
you want to hide something from a black man that you put it between the
pages of a book." If that statement offends you as much as it does me,
prove me wrong and check out the information I am now giving away in a
version of the paperback available on
BlackManWithAGun.Com
and
Amazon.com.
The catch is you'll have to register on my site to
get it on a new section labeled
Urban Shooter.
I am in the process of starting an international grassroots group for
all who choose to own a gun that do not live in rural areas and that
don't esteem the minuteman, Paul Revere-type, colonial tradition
rhetoric.
So get your free copy of
"Black Man With A Gun, People Fear What
They Do Not Understand"
today by signing in to
www.blackmanwithagun.com
and becoming a member. The file is
downloadable as an Adobe PDF file.
What Kind Of Gun Should I Own?
The
fall months remind us of vulnerability, terrorism, and Halloween. This
month's contribution to Black Men In America.com contains my thoughts on
what type of gun should you own to protect yourself and your family should
things go bad. My suggestions are broad because what you get will be
based on your personal circumstances, position and ability. I would be
reckless if I didn't give you a few warnings. If you get formal training
in gun safety and use, you can buy just about anything to protect
yourself. Guns are tools. If you know the limitations and strengths of
your chosen firearm you can adequately defend your castle. Training saves
lives. Buying what you see in a magazine, movie or what the mug down the
street has isn't the best. Your life is not cheap so don't cheat yourself
when you choose. Don't compromise on the device, an education or the
ammunition for home defense.
If
you are not going to use your home defense firearm for anything else you
don't have to spend the equivalent of a mortgage payment or a brand new
firearm. Firearms are expensive however for several reasons. One of the
least known is that expense prevents regular hard working people for being
able to afford one. It’s a subtle type of discrimination that has been
used to keep the poor unarmed since after the US Civil War. Look for a
firearm that is stainless steel rather than with a "Blued" finish.
Shotgun, rifle or pistol will wear longer as does your eating utensils
against rust, dust, and the oils that corrode metal that come from
handling.
In
Washington, DC, your only legal choice for protection is a rifle or a
shotgun. This has its own problems but I suggest the shotgun over the
rifle. The distance that a bullet can travel out of a rifle is
phenomenal. Even if you hit your target with a rifle, there is enough
muzzle energy to pass through "the bad guy" and continue through brick
walls, windows and to your neighbors house. You are responsible for every
bullet that comes out of your firearm. Unlike the movies, where you can
spray an area, you can end up in prison next to your murderous home
invader if the round intended to stop him passes through him, and ends up
hurting someone in the town house next to you. Shotguns can be as lethal
but you have a better chance to choose the type of round you use and
decrease that liability. Shot spread over distance and cover more area
than the pinpoint accuracy of a single rifle round. This can also be
dangerous if you are not sure of what is beyond your target. The drywall
found in homes today is not strong enough to stop all the pellets of a
shotgun blast if some of your shot misses your intended target.
Of
the types of shotguns available, get a "pump" action with the shortest
legal barrel you can find. The pump shotgun is simple to operate and the
sound alone of a shotgun shell being chambered into the breech is
universally known to anyone who watches television. Barrels have to be
18" long to be legal. The longer shotguns used for hunting or trap are a
challenge to navigate through your home and add to the distance I spoke of
earlier. Sawing off barrels is illegal and will make you a felon.
If
you are able to lawfully own a handgun and again are not going to use it
for anything other than home defense, nothing is simpler than a stainless
steel revolver with a four to six inch barrel. It should be secured in a
locked box, with a padlock or new trigger lock when you are not at home.
If you have children and teens in the home you have more training needs
and require individual consultation to insure the safety of all. Gun
ownership is not something you should be undercover about as the head of
the household. Your wife should be your partner in this endeavor and your
children whether age two or fifty-two should know gun safety.
Revolvers are not reliant upon the ammunition, as a semi-automatic pistol
is to work. The revolver, which is the tradition handgun from American
westerns, is sufficient to stop an advancing criminal. The caliber of the
revolver should be at least a .38 cal. Until the 1980's when "more was
better" from everything from hair to firepower the .357 caliber revolver
was the mainstay of most police departments. Six rounds in a handgun are
enough for anyone. If you have to fire more than that you are in combat
and have the wrong tool anyway. If you awake in the early hours of the
morning and have to defend your home against an intruder, simplicity
always wins. Revolvers work more by a mechanical means versus the gas
operation of the sleeker, fancier semi-automatic handguns everyone wants.
There is so much to tell and not enough time or space to share it all.
You can get more information from my fun but educational book, "Black
Man With A Gun; A Responsible Gun Ownership Manual For African Americans"
found on my site or at local gun stores. Choosing to become a law abiding
gun owner may make you a social outcast. Freedom has a price few are
willing to pay. If I can help feel free to send me a note at
kenn@blackmanwithagun.com.
Until next time.
Focus on the front sight but keep your heart on God.
Kenn
V. F. Blanchard
Next
month, "Security Tips for the Self Reliant"
