Liberals: Gun Control leads to violation of other rights; Conservatives: The right to bear arms is violated with Stop-and-Frisk

Anthony Gregory of the Independent Institute explains:

Even today, gun laws are much like drug laws in that they are disproportionately used against minorities. Gun control is the chief impetus behind New York City’s Stop-and-Frisk program, which in 2011 ensnared young black men more times than there are young black men in the city, and targets minorities by a ratio of nine to one. Conservatives who defend this program are defending gun control at its most invasive—the wholesale profiling and searching of people in the attempt to procure guns, which conservatives claim people have a natural and constitutional right to carry in the first place. Liberals opposed to this program should recognize that to violate gun rights, government must violate other rights.

He also quotes a former Black Panther party leader on the matter:

Elaine Brown, head of the Black Panther Party in the 1970s, recently explained:
The position of the Black Panther Party was that black people live in communities occupied by police forces that are armed and dangerous and represent the frontline of forces keeping us oppressed. We did not promote guns, but rather, the right to defend ourselves against a state that was oppressing us — with guns. There were innumerable incidents in which police agents kicked in our doors or shot our brothers and sisters in what we called red-light trials, where the policeman was the judge, the jury and the executioner. We called for an immediate end to this brutality, and advocated for our right to self-defense.  

On Reagan:

As governor of California, Reagan signed the Mulford Act into law in 1967. Written by Republican Assemblyman Don Mulford, the legislation was the most sweeping state edict in all the country, prohibiting the more or less free carrying of firearms in public. It went along with the rest of his heavy-handed entire law-and-order agenda and inspired an avalanche of new gun laws nationwide.The purpose of the law was to disarm the Black Panthers, a radical leftist group that openly carried firearms, kept an eye out on the police, and even took their rifles to the state Capitol to protest what they decried as racist legislation. (bold edits are my own ~GR)

The Tea Party and the Black Panthers have something in common. Strange bedfellows.

What Will The Obama Agenda Do To Black America?

The Black Agenda Report asks.

Part 1

Progressivism produced "Rule by Experts"

The Progressive movement at the turn of the twentieth century—the doctrine from which the main current of modern liberalism developed—is sometimes erroneously viewed as an “anti-business” philosophy. It was anti-market to be sure, but by no means necessarily anti-business. Progressivism was, more than anything, managerialist.

Taylorism, Progressivism, and Rule by Experts | The Freeman

Lupe Fiasco recommends progressive books on Twitter

(GoinsReport.com) - Apparently, Lupe Fiasco is a progressive - or at least deeply influenced by some - and not a free-market anarchist as the GoinsReport.com had known but hoped anyway.

A day after publicly calling President Obama a terrorist in a CBS News interview, the Chicago rapper tweeted to some of his followers book recommendations. Among them were "Twelve Steps Toward Political Revelation" by Walter Mosley, "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" by Paulo Friere, and "Gun, Germs, and Steel" by Jared Diamond.

As a starting point, he recommended the late left-leaning historian Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States of America." He also recommended getting a subscription to National Geographic.

Clearly, there was no mention of Walter Block's "Defending the Undefendable," Henry Hazlitt's classic "Economics in One Lesson" or Thomas Woods's new hit "Rollback."

The conversation on books began when a Twitter follower of Lupe's asked a simple question: "the question is how? how do you step out and stand up?" The question was asked in response to a series of Tweets that Lupe sent out inviting his followers "to step out of line and look @ what's really going on and not just @ the back of somebody else's head! Step out and stand up," he Tweeted.

On June 15, the rapper checked in with his followers asking "Who managed to get/read/skim thru "Twelve Steps Toward Political Revelation" By Walter Mosley?"

Several of his followers did, as evidenced by his re-tweets that day.

The relevant tweets are below.

June 10:

Damn right I'm out of line! Out of the line of the lost and the inactive. Out of the line of war and cowardice. U line up to be lied to. #FF

But please put your two cents in...agree or disagree. Welcome To Democracy not that fascist cancerous capitalism they call American politics

I invite u all to step out of line and look @ what's really going on and not just @ the back of somebody else's head! Step out and stand up

"@momaleek: the question is how? how do you step out and stand up?"<-- Education. Learn who u are FIRST and what the world IS then ACT!!!

An HONEST education of the past, current affairs (and not just CNN) and an honest education about YOU and your connection with mankind.

And here is where u can start: For the PAST read "A Peoples History Of The United States Of America" by Howard Zinn

For an alternative view of current affairs: Visit And WATCH!!! www.democracynow.org and www.cryptogon.com Both sites are regulary updated

And if those ain't gangsta enough for you hood niggaz get it fresh from a LIFER: www.prisonradio.org Broadcasts from Mumia Abu Jamal

For a basic knowledge of this world read: Guns, Germs & Steel by Jared Diamond and Get a National Geographic subscription

For a guide to understanding YOU: LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND ASK AND HONESTLY ANSWER YOURSELF: WHO AM I? AND WHAT AM I DOING HERE?

Then read: Pedagogy Of The Oppressed by Paulo Freire and Twelve Steps Toward Revelation by Walter Mosley (I'm reading them right now!)

That's my advice and ACTIONS to help get things started in a positive wholesome and meaningful way...what are YOU doing???

June 15:

#TheReaders Check-In! Who managed to get/read/skim thru "Twelve Steps Toward Political Revelation" By Walter Mosley?

You can follow LupeFiasco on Twitter by clicking here.

[Editor's Note: Not all books mentioned are considered "progressive"]