Fear + Racism + Gun Culture = It’s Time To Strap Up Black People

It’s time to stop playing nice, and start being safe.

Photo by Rock Staar on Unsplash

So, I did what I never thought I would do. I bought a piece.

A while back I wrote about the first time I fired a gun — the profound effect it had on me and the immediate realization I had after doing so. Having the power in your hands to take a life, no thanks. Not for me.

I recall at the time, after taking my first (and only) shot, thinking this is not who I am. What I learned about myself that day is I am not wired to align morally with a weapon that can be so destructive.

Well, my friends, the world — America in particular — is considerably different than it was 35 years ago when I fired that 38 Snub Nose.

Perhaps when in my late teens, I understood the allure, the cool factor, the power of such an instrument. But today, after a lifetime of introspection, I choose to defend my life by any means necessary, as it is worth more than what those who fear me place on it.

We live in scary times, plain and simple. This is not where many imagined we would be in 2026 — I certainly didn’t — but any sane and discerning mind can understand the current overcast of dystopian influence has been brewing for generations. Accelerated in the past 10 years and hell-bent on delivering a whitewashed country that benefits a particular demographic.

As a Black person who grew up in the suburbs of Boston at a time when diversity was only a punchline, the underpinnings of division and cruelty to non-whites was nothing new. What we are seeing today, however, is a brazenness of depravity that is out in the open, and accepted.

All this to say, it can be a challenge to brave each day knowing in the back of your mind, opposition to your existence could be right around the corner and at the ready to disrupt your life (or take it). This is what’s most disturbing about the events of today: witnessing the collective embrace of horrific treatment of Black and Brown citizens by those who wish us harm.

A path to today

During the last few years, there has been an increase in the racial profiling of Black and Brown communities. A narrative of hate is trending, and violence against non-whites is being encouraged. This may sound like a horror movie treatment, but I assure you, it is not.

This is America.

Unfortunately, this is a reality many of us cannot ignore. If you are Black in America, the likelihood of you being harassed, intimidated, attacked, or even murdered is far greater than that of your white counterpart. It is this injustice that has plagued our community for centuries, and it is completely understandable to question whether we have ever had the same freedoms as our fellow American citizens.

With increased attacks on DEI, immigration, women’s rights, and other civil liberties, it’s plausible to factor in the influence the current political climate has had on these numbers. According to a Pew Research study, Black Americans, especially Black women, are the fastest-growing demographic of new gun ownership.

There’s been a huge uptick, mostly for Black women. People are paying attention to what’s going on around the world. You are your own first responder. The police are not here to save you. They just have to put the pieces together. In the Black community, because of all the trauma, we’re all now deciding to take our own lives into our own hands now, especially with what’s been going on… — Anthony Nolan Howard, 617 Defense Firearm Instructor and National African American Gun Association (NAAGA) New England Chapter President

In More liberals, people of color and LGBTQ Americans say they’re buying guns out of fear by Frank Langfitt; for decades, the image of gun ownership was white, rural, and conservative. Over the years this has changed dramatically, especially in recent years due to a divided political climate, an upward trend in far-right ideology, and a lack of support from our elected officials.

Marginalized communities now more than ever are taking action and embracing ways to self-protect. We have to.

Once I accepted my new objective, the process was quick and deliberate. I signed up for a firearms safety class, attended defense training, filled out the firearm ownership application, met with the town’s police chief for review, and then, as the final step, bought a piece. I never thought in a million years (well, 35) that this would be me, yet here I am and honestly, I don’t regret the decision.

Each day it feels like we are going into battle. I don’t recall it ever being this horrible. Of course, there were challenges throughout the years — many challenges — but none that weren’t overcome. This was just how life was growing up Black in white spaces.

You would think that in 40 years we would have seen significant social progress. I would argue, has there ever been any progress — not for certain communities?

Progress is fleeting, full stop!

Life is not guaranteed in general, but as of late there has been an increased fervor to harm non-whites.

Am I being a doomsayer, or am I simply pointing out what many are too afraid to discuss?

The hard truth is, we live in an environment where every day our rights are being attacked, and it is becoming increasingly obvious, there is little support, especially for those who don’t reflect the majority. It is up to us to be our own first responders and defenders.

The concern is about the supporters of the right wing who feel that they have been given permission to run roughshod at least, if not commit outright violence against people they don’t like. — David Phillips, Liberal Gun Club trainer

Those of you who are gun owners might relate to this notion that owning a gun is a lifestyle — at least this is how it was positioned to me in my firearm safety class. A lifestyle? Again, not for me. My objective from the jump was to get a license, buy a gun, train, and have it at the ready just in case. It is because of the accelerated targeting of Black and Brown people and a failed administration that refuses to protect ALL American citizens that I am now a gun owner.

Believe me when I say, I never thought I would be at a point in my life when I felt I needed to purchase a gun to feel safe. Even while growing up in a diversity-free environment and experiencing frequent encounters of racism, did I think a gun would be the solution. That said, we must do what we must to survive. With an ever-growing sentiment of violence toward Black and Brown people in this country, let’s just say I won’t make it easy for anyone who wants to keep me from living my life.

Time to return the favor

Throughout my life, my 6’4” frame and skin color often kept those racist bad actors from approaching me with their BS. Not always, of course, but frequent enough for me to live my life undeterred.

Oh, how I miss those days when racist encounters were one-offs and could be dealt with accordingly. Today feels different. The frequency of racial targeting in this new era of hate is beyond unsettling — it’s a nightmare if I’m being honest.

Like many who have experienced their fair share of racism, I have been forced to radically change my perspective on how I must deal with the reality afflicting our society. No longer am I going to allow this groundswell of hate and overt bigotry control my life and affect those I care about.

The fear they are hoping for to keep me submissive will be met with unquestionable resistance.

If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. — Malcolm X

It’s sad watching the decline of our nation in real-time, but I must worry about my own safety and that of my family. It’s a sh*tshow out there, no doubt, but keep in mind many of us have no choice but to be hypervigilant every time we go outside. This is no joke; our lives are being threatened on the daily.

Where we are going

Growing up in white spaces and experiencing the ugliness of my surroundings, it was often a challenge finding moments in life when I could sit back and exhale.

Back when there were unwritten societal rules for living with those who were different than you, a general feeling of mutual respect, many adhered too. The pendulum has shifted dramatically over recent years, with today being a wakeup call.

Hate is a powerful drug that can seep into every cell of somebody and take over, ultimately creating a moral collapse.**

With the increase of conservative influencers, news platforms, podcasts, and a general sentiment from the far-right to realize ethnic cleansing as the answer for a future America, is this the true “enemy from within?” Yes, I know this sounds extreme, but ask yourself, is this NOT what is happening in the country right now?

Moving forward

I am still very much anti-gun and do NOT consider myself part of America’s gun culture. Knowing I have a firearm provides that, albeit limited, piece of mind that will allow me to feel somewhat less stressed as I go about my days.

Gun ownership isn’t for everyone, but everyone has the right to do so should they choose, however, I do believe given the current divide in this country, Black and Brown communities MUST do whatever we can to self-protect.

Hopefully, I will never have to use my recent purchase, but if put in a position when I must defend myself or my family, I will make no apologies.

The idea of hurting another human being makes me sick to my core. I have spent my entire life trying to help others and be that pillar of support for those close to me as well as for my fellow citizens.

The sad reality is not everyone shares in this perspective, and it is because of this we find ourselves in the mess we are currently in.

This is what it has come to, unfortunately. We MUST be vigilant and never back down. Our lives depend on it.

Stay frosty and take care of one another.

Thank you for reading!

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