inner-city Americans have been left out of the conversation when it comes to gun rights.

[livingston]

Black Guns Matter founder says conservatives should reach out to potential allies in inner cities
African-American guns rights activist Maj Toure says conservatives have to do a better job of appealing people in urban communities. His remarks came Thursday during an interview with National Rifle Association board member Willes Lee at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) near Washington.



As the founder of Black Guns Matter -- a group that educates people in urban communities on their Second Amendment rights through firearms training and education -- Toure said inner-city Americans have been left out of the conversation when it comes to gun rights.

"The conservative room, has honestly, not done enough for urban America," Toure said. "It's just what it is. That doesn't mean that's where we stay. That means we have to create liaisons. When you say 'urban America' I mean a group of people you just named: Asians, Hispanics, blacks, Latin, white. ... We have to do more in that regard and put more boots on the ground. If not, we can – and will – lose."


Toure has proposed arming urban residents and giving them proper training in an effort to curb violence that exists in cities like Chicago despite strict gun laws. He’s touted New Hampshire in the past where a license is no longer needed to carry a concealed weapon.
More so than just giving young urban people, of all races, firearms, giving them education about Second Amendment rights, giving them more education about conflict resolution and de-escalation tactics ‘cause that’s completely missing in urban areas like the city of Chicago,” Toure told FOX Business in 2017.

After last week's appearance at CPAC, Toure told Politico that he began advocating for gun rights in the inner cities after seeing friends locked up for avoidable gun possession charges. He wants to continue the legacy of Malcolm X, the black nationalist who was assassinated in 1965, who expressed softer views on race following his pilgrimage to the holy Muslim city of Mecca.

"We go where there's high violence, high crime, high gun control — high slave mentalities, to be perfectly honest — and inform urban America about their human right, as stated in the Second Amendment, to defend their life," Toure told the magazine.
Black Guns Matter founder says conservatives should reach out to potential allies in inner cities

 

[Curmudgeon]

There's no conversation. It is what it is. Welcome to 'murica

 

[MoMan]

"The conservative room, has honestly, not done enough for urban America," Toure said.

The conservative room CAN NOT solve the problems of urban America. The 1st steps need to be taken in the home, WITH a Family unit. The real problems can begin to be worked on after inner-city males start to own up to the obligations, and act like a Father, instead of just a sperm donor. The next thing is that the inner-city has to acknowledge that the demonRATS are keeping them downtrodden, for their own political gain. They need to "own" their own success, and take responsibility for their actions, and failures. They need to understand that America is still the GREATEST country, that EVERYONE has an opportunity to be successful in, and that it will take hard work to be successful. They need to want to work for what they get. That's where it all starts.

 

[subsonic]

The conservative room CAN NOT solve the problems of urban America. The 1st steps need to be taken in the home, WITH a Family unit. The real problems can begin to be worked on after inner-city males start to own up to the obligations, and act like a Father, instead of just a sperm donor.

You're not wrong, but you're also not listening. There are good people including good family people in the cities. The 80% of the U.S. in urban areas is not going anywhere; it's growing. By all means we need to fight for our rural weigh of life and the respect we deserve for ourselves but we should also have allies in the cities. In particular on the gun issue. As much as I would like to excise downstate from upstate that is simply not going to happen so winning battles in the city is also important.

There's a total ignorance of guns from people living in entire cities where they've never handled one and guns are exclusively the province of hoodlums and criminals. Once people get a chance to actually handle, shoot, and learn about guns, the scales start to fall from their eyes.

Maybe we need something like the Fresh Air Fund but with guns.

 

[Blimey]

I talk to a black guy at work often and he’s hardcore dead set liberal. Lives in th city. But he also is increasingly into guns as is his best friend (also black) and he is under no illusion about the dems’ views on guns, and he doesn’t care for it.

So yes I think there is potential.

 

[GOPerfect]

I have nothing in common with those in the inner cities. Don't care what they have and what they do not have.

 

[masterswimmer]

The problem as I see it is priorities. No different than many on this site who heavily weigh their political allegiance to those who support the 2A and disregard other political issues such as education, abortion, gov handouts, legal/illegal immigrants, etc, the inner city population also sets their political priorities. 2A rights falls between the cracks compared to their support for section 8 housing, gov handouts, abortion, etc.

Will some of the inner city folks set the 2A rights as their priority? Sure. But the vast majority will set food on the table as their first concern.

 

[@thewheels]

The logical point regarding gun control as rooted in racism has been beaten to death and discussed/essayed everywhere for at least decades.

Those groups haven't been left out but they've been indoctrinated their entire life. You can lead a horse to water...

 

[masterswimmer]

I have nothing in common with those in the inner cities. Don't care what they have and what they do not have.

Then you can't fault them for having zero concern for your wants and needs.

That's why the distinct, polarizing difference in voting separates the two.

 

[GOPerfect]

Then you can't fault them for having zero concern for your wants and needs.

That's why the distinct, polarizing difference in voting separates the two.

I do not fault them for their beliefs, their politics nor the way they vote. I do not care if they are concerned about my needs or my wants.

I have spent more than enough time in some of the most inner parts of the inner city, they are different than I am. They have different wants and needs than I do. I cannot imagine a time where our two worlds become one. Their priorities are very different then mine.

 

[Robin]

Then you can't fault them for having zero concern for your wants and needs.

That's why the distinct, polarizing difference in voting separates the two.

The problem is that the politicians who represent them constantly find fault with the way people like me live and are dead set at imposing their 'concerns' on us! Apparently with the approval of their urban, clueless, amoral, socialist constituency.
Robin

 

[masterswimmer]

The problem is that the politicians who represent them constantly find fault with the way people like me live and are dead set at imposing their 'concerns' on us! Apparently with the approval of their urban, clueless, amoral, socialist constituency.
Robin

Ohhhhh don't think for a moment that I don't agree with this. That's why I support New Amsterdam.

 

[Saltwater60]

I agree they should be included. Many minorities from the inner city of Buffalo were in my pistol permit class and they were just fine people.

 

[Marine Cpl]

I was a city kid. I grew up thinking guns were supposed to be illegal. I joined the military and was stationed in California. Another gunless place. As a young teen and early 20 something year old man, I knew about the Constitution but it meant nothing to me. It was something Mr. Manganelo my history teacher always talked about.

It wasn't until I got out of the military and went back to NYC that I started realizing about gun infringements when I looked into ways of getting one. A few years later, I moved upstate. Now I'm in my 40's and I wish upstate cared about me when I was stuck in the city. There are many like me there that are stuck. There are many that would vote republican if showed the way. There are people who work two jobs just to pay their rent that only vote democrat because everyone else around them does. My wife voted democrat when she lived in the city. Now she's a Trumper.

 

[subsonic]

Will some of the inner city folks set the 2A rights as their priority? Sure. But the vast majority will set food on the table as their first concern.

Do you think rural folks do not have food on the table as a first concern? Do you think we do not have poverty, welfare cases, broken homes and drugs in our communities? We do, and we have it just as close to home. There are still different values and ways of life. The idea that the inner cities have a backwards approach to guns because of poverty or hunger is simply not true.

Right to bear arms is teachable. There may be a lot higher proportion of prohibited persons in the inner city, but, still a large proportion are not and need self-defense even more; also, the cities are not just the ghetto. They are affluent and middle-class neighborhoods too.

After all there are big cities in free states where citizens have and exercise gun freedoms. Houston, Phoenix, Jacksonville, etc.

 

[eris]

Maj Toure is right. The cities are where the most people are and they are more and more dominating political discourse and decision making. If we can't change their minds on guns then the 2nd will eventually be repealed whether we like it or not.