Training Black Americans To Use Firearms

[sp1814]

Is this a good idea?

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jul/27/african-american-black-gun-rights-second-amendment

We're not talking about gang members here, but ordinary black Americans who are in danger of being shot by the police (Charles Kinsey is a good example).

We often hear that black Americans need to comply with the police when given instructions, but it now appears that even lying on the ground, talking calmly with your arms in the air still means, "Shoot me three times please."

I personally think this is a terrible development. I understand where it's coming from, but it doesn't t seem like the best move in the current climate.

How should black people (who are innocence professionals trying to do their jobs) interact with police without getting holes in their bodies?

[Old_Geezer]

It *is* a terrible development. They should be encouraging a reduction of firearms, starting with the general public; not an increase. What is the aim ? To give black folk an opportunity to shoot the police' or to give the police a valid reason to shoot black folk ?

I'll go look at the link now.

[andy-hughes]

It's a self-fulfilling prophesy that more guns will mean more people shot.

I am unsure of the scenario this gentleman is exploring - but it appears to be the bizarre notion that an armed black man is less likely to be shot by a whlte police officer because the armed black man will have the option to shoot the officer first.

Not sure how that solves the overall problem - people being shot - if anything it simply adds to the issue.

If two policemen stop a black man and the black man shoots once policeman dead, what is the likely outcome going to be?

It's not going to be a frank discussion on the finer points of the Second Amendment as it applies to oppressed minorities, I think we can be pretty sure about that!

[-Talbot-]

The police need better training
The general public need to stop shooting each other.

Non of which is likely to happen anytime soon.

As for learning more people to shoot? ...erm

[sp1814]

andy-hughes

This is the thing I don't understand about the U.S. gun debate in general and this Charles Kinsey case in particular.

It's as if the answer to more bad people with guns is to increase the number of good people with guns.

But that presupposes that everyone good person with a gun remains permanently good.

I'm sure that Oscar Pistorius, O.J. Simpson and Phil Spector* were good people right up until the point that they killed the blonde women who happened to be right in front of their guns.



*Actually...not Phil Spector. I know someone who knew him in the 70s. Apparently...not a nice person.

[ToraToraTora]

standard NRA solution, arm everyone! Sounds illogical to us but possibly can make some sense to those involved though I do wonder who they are defending against, it appears to be mainly the police.

[andy-hughes]

sp1814 - I agree completely.

I am willing to bet that if you asked every single law-abiding citizen - at the time they bought a gun - whether it was ever in their mind to shoot and kill another person, they would be shocked, and deny it vehemently.

I don't believe anyone who is sane buys a gun with the intention of hurting, much less killing anyone, but when the circumstances occur, that is exactly what happens - as you have ably illustrated.

The much trumpeted notion of 'protection' falsely presumes that everyone who has a gun is level headed, calm under pressure, and will be able to use the threat of their gun to win the situation.

But that is not the real world. Here, where we live, people panic, squeeze triggers as a reflex, black out, trip over ... the list is endless, and death or wounding is the result - always presuming that the innocent lives long enough to shoot their gun before being shot by the lunatic they have confronted - and that is far from a given.

Guns owned by people without a very good reason to own them, and appropriate training to use them, are always going to end in tragedy, and that is what has to be taught as the way forward.

[mikey4444]

Sounds like a daft idea to me, but in a country where daft ideas are not always recognised as such, it probably makes perfect sense.

[retrocop]

The days have gone since black/Americans were issued with a pick and shovel for latrine duties only.Uncle Sam actually lets them fly state of the art aircraft and skipper million pound warships so enlist for free or fork out for lessons like others do.