15 Second Briefing:
The statistics are clear: “In the 2018 fiscal year, 56.2 percent of those convicted of federal firearms violations were Black.” Anti-gun journalist Robert Sherrill is quoted as saying, “The Gun Control Act of 1968 was passed not to control guns but to control blacks…”
Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. is justifiably an American hero and public servant who dedicated his life to implementing the foundational principles set forth by our Founding Fathers.
King, a deeply God-fearing pastor, left a legacy that can be summed up in one word: righteous. That word renders itself as a testament to every hardship, struggle, and undertaking this country has faced since its inception including the call for civil rights. Today, we must approach the Second Amendment with the same reverence and dedication.
Righteousness is an American Value
Dr. King gave his life to the notion that America is more than a concept. It is the “city upon a hill.” The story of Martin Luther King, Jr. is one that solidifies the values enshrined in our founding documents including our right to keep and bear arms.
“Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.”
Psalms 144:1
Like the Framers of this country, King knew that injustice and misrepresentation needed a sufficient and equal response. In the spirit of his moral compass, Psalms 144:1 says, “Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.” King wielded this mentality to remain steadfast in his assertions of equal rights, protections, and empowerment.
The civil rights movement was a call for free expression and equal opportunity, treatment, and protection under the law.
Let’s Examine “protections under the law.”
At its most fundamental level, most would assume that this is merely a call for voting rights. While it may be, it extends to all God-given rights, most notably, and especially, the Second Amendment. Many may think that the mantra “the Second protects the First” is a clichéd motif idolized by conservatives. This interpretation is undeniably and explicitly wrong.
One might be asking themselves, how could gun control be tied to Dr. King? History refuses to accept that even as he preached non-violence, he deeply understood the need for a means to self-defense. Not only did King have guns at his residence in 1956, he had armed men protecting him and his family.
Following the firebombing of his house that year, he applied for a concealed carry permit. To no one’s shock, King was denied that concealed permit because of racist gun control. The Jim Crow South knew that an armed Black community would have the tools necessary to protect themselves against tyrannical principles. Almost every example in history, including the American Revolution–where the status quo attempted to preserve itself–did so through the confiscation or denial of tools for self-defense.
Ironically, his assassination prompted the Gun Control Act of 1968. Tragically, and as a disgrace to his honor, this piece of legislation has acted as a catalyst for other forms of racist gun control.
Gun Control is Racist
The statistics are clear: “In the 2018 fiscal year, 56.2 percent of those convicted of federal firearms violations were Black.” Anti-gun journalist Robert Sherrill is quoted as saying, “The Gun Control Act of 1968 was passed not to control guns but to control blacks…”
For defenders of liberty, this comes as no surprise, but it is critical to point out because it is highly unfortunate and has acted as a corrupting force in our Republic for too long.
To impart some of his profound wisdom, Dr. King said, “But somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right.”
We the People, in our pursuit for a more perfect Union, should heed the advice of Dr. King and go toward the promised land. It is our duty-bound responsibility to, like King, strive for liberty, freedom, and justice for all.
Big Daddy Unlimited advocates strongly for Second Amendment rights because we believe that the right to keep and bear arms exists to protect all of the other God-given rights of American citizens. Become a member today to join our community of freedom-loving Americans, and let’s work together to support and defend our Second Amendment rights.
