Issue #331
Fox News’ latest phony obsession: Ferguson, gun control, and Second Amendment hypocrisy
It may be apocryphal, but the story goes that in 1967, Gov. Ronald Reagan agreed to sign a California gun control law that made it against the law to walk around in public with a loaded gun after he saw a Black Panther rally. It’s certainly possible that Reagan was motivated by that rally. But there was a lot of unrest in America in those days and gun control was not a right-left issue then—even the NRA was for it. But it doesn’t take too much imagination to suspect this was of particular concern to the conservative, law-and-order governor. Today, in many states, open carry advocates demonstrate all the time in their state capitols. School kids touring the state capitol building today shared the space with gun owners participating in an annual event called ‘Open Carry Day.’ Why would anyone be afraid of bunch of strangers walking around in full-battle dress in the middle of a building where heated political arguments take place? It’s obvious they are good guys and are not a threat to anyone, right? But then they don’t look like Black Panthers, do they? Heather Digby Parton, Salon, 8-25-14.