The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Ann Coulter: Blacks should buy guns and join the NRA

Johannes_Paulsen · April 20, 2012, 06:46 AM

For those who don't feel like watching the video, Coulter makes her argument in print here:

http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2012-04-18.html

The article has two things I have to quibble about:

(1) The GOP helped impose gun control in California in the late 1960s (and the law -- the Mulford Act -- was signed by Ronald Reagan no less!) because members of the Black Panthers -- inspired by Robert Williams! -- were (peacefully) demonstrating carrying rifles. So to pretend that somehow the GOP is simon-pure on the issue is either because she's ignorant of that fact, or because she's just acting as a propagandist and is simply lying.

(2) I guess technically the NRA qualifies as the country's oldest "civil rights organization," but considering that it didn't seriously dedicate itself to the task of protecting the right to keep and bear arms until the '70s, I think she might be giving it a little too much credit.

The story of Robert Williams and the NRA connection is accurate. I'm not sure what 'filing for an NRA charter' did, exactly, since it's not like he couldn't have formed a militia himself (perhaps training? I'd be interested in learning.)

Apparently, Williams fled to Cuba and later China after Southern segregationists and bigots framed him for kidnapping before returning to the USA in '69. I guess they were worried that their friends in the Klan might get hurt?

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/n...discussion.pdf

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/n...hguns/rob.html

Whether or not Ms. Coulter is actually reaching out to anyone to help bring people to our cause, or just attempting to make people who already agree with us feel better about themselves (which seems to be a common thing with writers on the right) is, to me, an open question.

April 20, 2012, 06:46 AM	#4
Johannes_Paulsen Senior Member Join Date: April 26, 2007 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 297	For those who don't feel like watching the video, Coulter makes her argument in print here: http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2012-04-18.html The article has two things I have to quibble about: (1) The GOP helped impose gun control in California in the late 1960s (and the law -- the Mulford Act -- was signed by Ronald Reagan no less!) because members of the Black Panthers -- inspired by Robert Williams! -- were (peacefully) demonstrating carrying rifles. So to pretend that somehow the GOP is simon-pure on the issue is either because she's ignorant of that fact, or because she's just acting as a propagandist and is simply lying. (2) I guess technically the NRA qualifies as the country's oldest "civil rights organization," but considering that it didn't seriously dedicate itself to the task of protecting the right to keep and bear arms until the '70s, I think she might be giving it a little too much credit. The story of Robert Williams and the NRA connection is accurate. I'm not sure what 'filing for an NRA charter' did, exactly, since it's not like he couldn't have formed a militia himself (perhaps training? I'd be interested in learning.) Apparently, Williams fled to Cuba and later China after Southern segregationists and bigots framed him for kidnapping before returning to the USA in '69. I guess they were worried that their friends in the Klan might get hurt? http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/n...discussion.pdf http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/n...hguns/rob.html Whether or not Ms. Coulter is actually reaching out to anyone to help bring people to our cause, or just attempting to make people who already agree with us feel better about themselves (which seems to be a common thing with writers on the right) is, to me, an open question.