AK-47 Is The Tool

December 22, 2004 6:22 PM

"Welcome to Black Man With a Gun dot com. If you smiled at the name of the site or jumped from fear of it you are not alone. This site is about responsible firearm ownership. I use the taboo subject of race to show how people have been conditioned to fear the words "GUN" and "BLACK MAN" when used in the same sentence."
posted by fandango_matt (35 comments total)

"If you have audio, click the arrow to the left to hear me!"
posted by fandango_matt at 6:24 PM on December 22, 2004

There is no color bar on opportunism.
posted by DV8 2XL at 6:28 PM on December 22, 2004

I dunno... I just don't like guns too much. The guy seems like just another NRA nut* to me.

*NRA nut, to me, is a redundant phrase. Yes, I realize that lots of people have guns and they are very responsible about it, but I just like the things that much, bleeding heart liburl that I am.
posted by Doohickie at 6:34 PM on December 22, 2004

If only there were samples from his "Pistol Packing Preacher" CD..."Forty minutes of fun. Hear the Black Man With A Gun in a sermonette about guns and religion, original music, a skit on sex and the language of gunowners, why women forbid us from having a firearm, how he got into this biz and more..."

"...You know how sexy the language of the gun world is? With the help of some talented artist I made something you have to hear..."
posted by tpl1212 at 6:38 PM on December 22, 2004

This site is about responsible firearm ownership. I use the taboo subject of race to show how people have been conditioned to fear the words "GUN" and "BLACK MAN" when used in the same sentence.

Uhh... no. Perhaps "crazy fucker with a gun". Besides, the only time you EVER hear "black man with a gun" is when someone is talking about a crime... much like one my hear "young white male with a gun". Crimes can be scary. Why else would someone bother to say that? When else would "black man with a gun" be an appropriate, non-scary thing for someone to say?

...taboo subject of race...

Haha. Taboo? I'm confused.
posted by Witty at 6:49 PM on December 22, 2004

I asked him if Jesus used guns and was provided a page where I could give him $120 by money order, PayPal, or personal check.

Powerful site.
posted by interrobang at 7:18 PM on December 22, 2004

He used to own a company called " African American Arms & Instruction." Coupled with his "blackmanwithagun" domain name, I'd say that he rather enjoys calling attention to the color of his skin in order to generate sales/press/controversy.
posted by davidmsc at 7:19 PM on December 22, 2004

the racist roots of gun control go far deeper than the Civil War and Reconstruction. Gun control for African Americans started almost from the moment they were first dragged to this country and sold into bondage. Blanchard reports that King George's colony of Maryland spelled out gun prohibition for slaves back in 1715.

This brings up the question, did slavery or racism come first? I think this was more of a case of stopping slaves from owning guns, rather than African-Americans. I don't know if white indentured servants in Maryland in 1715 could own guns, I'd like to find out. I'm guessing here (if I'm wrong I'm sure someone will let me know), I thought early gun control was more a result of class, with the ruling class wanting to keep guns out of the hands of the rabble. Hence, the founding fathers and their 2nd amendment to stop the folks in power from having all the guns.

A lot of things/institutions/people are racist, but I don't think gun control is.
posted by marxchivist at 7:20 PM on December 22, 2004

"PLEASE NOTE: All orders will be processed through In The Wilderness Ministries. So if you see it on your credit card bill, don't freak out. It is still you fun loving, friendly neighborhood BlackManWithAGun! Thanks for your support and understanding." (emphasis mine)
posted by fandango_matt at 7:22 PM on December 22, 2004

I particularly like the crosshairs in the shape of a Christian cross -- the way Jesus would want it.
posted by Robot Johnny at 7:56 PM on December 22, 2004

I'm scared of guns.
posted by juggernautco at 8:01 PM on December 22, 2004

A biased, but probably reliable reference for race-based gun control laws in Colonial times. As early as 1629, colonial governors were banning arms sales to Indians (for obvious reasons); by the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the bans were extended to (for example) apply to a "Negro or any other slave". Later 19th century militia ordinances would explicitly refer to "free {white} men". There does seem to be a widespread effort by the 2nd Amendment crowd to highlight the racial motivation of early gun control laws, although the implied thesis that modern gun control is also racist (like so many other excessively smug table-turning arguments by the right) probably doesn't hold up as well as they'd like.
posted by dhartung at 8:17 PM on December 22, 2004

Black people love us dot com.
posted by metaldark at 8:29 PM on December 22, 2004

dhartung: Interesting stuff via your link, thank you.
posted by marxchivist at 8:29 PM on December 22, 2004

All power to the people! Its good to see that Black Panther Party rule #16 remains in effect. Unfortunately I am currently in violation of rule #7.
posted by mokujin at 8:35 PM on December 22, 2004

After watching too many episodes of The Wire, I have fevered dreams of hiring the nice young man with the AK to get my back. Seriously. If they could get Bell, the could get me.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 8:48 PM on December 22, 2004

(this is because I'm an obvious misspelling drunk)
posted by robocop is bleeding at 8:48 PM on December 22, 2004

[this is bad] not the fpp, the site. ugh. I also may or may not be drunk.
posted by puke & cry at 9:28 PM on December 22, 2004

Funny site, he's very serious until you get to his buy stuff page. Then he breaks out the pearly's for a little razzle dazzle.

He even puts in how much inventory he's got and those Gatorz sunglasses are like BluBlockers, only cooler.

I can't really rip on the guy though, he's like The Naked Cowboy, he found a niche and he's wriggling in to suck as much blood as he can.

And I'm not drunk at all.
posted by fenriq at 9:37 PM on December 22, 2004

[this is good] not the fpp, the site. I am sadly not drunk.
posted by neckro23 at 9:41 PM on December 22, 2004

why do you mock me so?
posted by puke & cry at 9:48 PM on December 22, 2004

Goddamn that tiny font shit is irritating.
posted by fenriq at 10:29 PM on December 22, 2004

What is the significance of the three camels at the bottom of the main page?
posted by Juicylicious at 10:52 PM on December 22, 2004

I wish all black people were like him.
posted by drscroogemcduck at 10:59 PM on December 22, 2004

Shalom?
posted by ori at 12:43 AM on December 23, 2004

"I keep it real."

Isn't that quote one of those paradoxical language things?
posted by Harry at 2:07 AM on December 23, 2004

This guy came over to my mom's house and gave a presentation about ten or twelve years ago.
posted by allaboutgeorge at 2:19 AM on December 23, 2004

came over to my mom's house????????
posted by tr33hggr at 3:49 AM on December 23, 2004

tr33hggr: Yes.

On Blanchard's bio page: [...] I have provided training and information to small and medium sized groups of people and perform something that resembles a "Tupperware" party for social groups; clubs and friends that want to get the straight scoop on the "gun thing". [...]

That's pretty much what it was like. Except, you know, no Tupperware.
posted by allaboutgeorge at 4:40 AM on December 23, 2004

I don't see a damn thing wrong with self-promotion and/or huckstering on one's own website, or with self-promotion within the bounds of taste anywhere on the Web. (Self-praise in a wikipedia article would be an example of 'bad taste'.)

I too am against gun control, and I favor responsible gun handling classes free for everyone, along with publicly-accessible target ranges. To gun-control fans I say 'Think of all the "gun nuts" who have not shot you yet.' As far as the NRA goes, as with any other organization or person they're welcome to agree with me whenever they damn please.

As the man says, "I am against gun control and disagree with anyone that has a bodyguard, a political agenda or money that suggests I should get rid of my guns."

Salaam.
posted by davy at 9:23 AM on December 23, 2004

My old man is Vietnam Vet and former Special Forces. In 1966-67 or so several of his junior officers - who were black (yes the Military is strangely progressive folks, as they can simply DICTATE that everybody "will" be equal)- were asked by the FBI to help them infiltrate the growing Panthers movement.

They did. Oddly eager.

Years later at a reunion some of of the 7th Special Forces Group he ran into one of these gentleman.

It was this man's contention that "whitey" only started to take Civil Rights seriously when the Panthers emerged walking around Oakland openly sporting 12 gauge's.

He elaborated that his higher-ups finally saw that the merely "uppity" Negroes lead by Martin Luther were a preferable alternative to big, well-diciplined-motherfuckers packing guns on the street.

I find this site slightly over the top. But I do think that this current trend of irrational lefty firearms fear needs to be combated.

If you want progressive ideals utterly marginalized keep up the anti-gun paranoia. It IS elitism and morally untenable.

Guns ain't no big deal guys. They're just not.
Get over it. Or be the "minority" power FOREVER.

Let me put it another way.

If every "fag" and dyke out there was walking around in black leather coats shouldering a Savage 30.06 or 12 gauge...

let'em marry might not seem so "extreme", huh?
posted by tkchrist at 11:58 AM on December 23, 2004

Wrong usage of "everyday"... once again. Bad grammar I can't forgive. If you must have a gun in your home, there's nothing I can do about it.
posted by newswing at 3:34 PM on December 23, 2004

It was this man's contention that "whitey" only started to take Civil Rights seriously when the Panthers emerged walking around Oakland openly sporting 12 gauge's.

He elaborated that his higher-ups finally saw that the merely "uppity" Negroes lead by Martin Luther were a preferable alternative to big, well-diciplined-motherfuckers packing guns on the street.

I find this site slightly over the top.

It sounds perfectly reasonable to me.

But that helps explains the FBI's fear of the Pathers that led to flooding black neighborhoods with cheap heroin, and ultimately crack (as allegedly in the case of Huey Newton ), and their assassination raid on the Chicago BPP's Fred Hampton's apartment while he, his fiancee, and their baby were sleeping.

Please remember the mistakes of past generations, and please try to be more careful next time.
posted by davy at 11:59 AM on December 24, 2004

The ethos of modern responsible gun ownership and use:

1) The Old West Rule: Do not pull a gun on another person except with the intent to shoot to kill them. This intent is to treat the brandishment of a gun, by you or someone else, with no less than deadly fear. No other emotion is appropriate. This does not mean that you brandish with the sole intent of killing.

2) Using a gun to defend yourself is the last resort. First is diplomacy and departure. Second is to request assistance. Third is notification, NOT VISIBLE BRANDISHMENT. Fourth is a warning shot.

3) Defense of property is insufficient grounds to shoot a gun at a person.

4) Reckless endangerment is sufficient grounds to shoot to disable.

5) Imminent and potentially lethal harm is sufficient grounds to shoot to kill.

6) Mental impairment is an aggravating circumstance that circumvents reasoned less-than-lethal alternatives. This is the usual multiple shot situation. In the absence of visible mental impairment, a second round discharge should usually be avoided.

7) Other aggravating circumstances are armed opponents brandishing or firing in a criminal situation and deputization in a state of emergency.

8) Bladed weapons inflict wounds that are four times as deadly as gunshots, therefore brandishment of a bladed weapon should be seen as a threat greater than or equal to the brandishment of a gun.
posted by kablam at 5:12 PM on December 24, 2004

If every "fag" and dyke out there was walking around in black leather coats shouldering a Savage 30.06 or 12 gauge...

let'em marry might not seem so "extreme", huh?

So.... what yer sayin' is "Might Makes Right"?
posted by Doohickie at 10:20 PM on December 29, 2004