TOO MUCH WIN! Black Woman Carries Gun on Campus. Leftist Heads Explode

Gun control is racist, classist and sexist. Not surprisingly, the comments under a recent New York Times opinion piece written by Antonia Okafor, a University of Texas-Dallas student, prove the point better than any gun rights supporter ever could. The Times published the op-ed, "Why I Bring My Gun to School" and all hell broke loose in their comments section.

Gun-hater heads, reacting to the cognitive dissonance of a black female campus carrier, popped like Orville Redenbacher in a microwave. Reading a young, intelligent African-American female describe how carrying a gun makes her safer proved to be more than the tolerant, high-minded readership of the old Gray Lady could safely process.

An excerpt from Ms. Okafor's piece:

This was in 2015, around the time the Texas Legislature began debating, and ultimately passing, a so-called campus carry bill. I grew up in a Democratic, immigrant household in a suburb outside of Dallas, where guns and gun policy were never discussed, so I hadn’t paid much attention when similar bills failed in 2011 and 2013.

But that year something changed. I was 25 years old, commuting alone, and as a minority woman, I felt particularly vulnerable.

I started fighting for students’ rights to carry concealed weapons for selfish reasons: I wanted to be able to protect myself. But I quickly found a network of women who felt the same way I did, and we began to advocate for our safety together.

I eventually became the Southwest director of Students for Concealed Carry, and am now the founder of the self-defense nonprofit Empowered, which will open its first chapter this fall, at the University of North Texas.

…Female gun ownership isn’t a matter of political affiliation. I’ve met women across the political spectrum who own guns for self-defense or for shooting recreationally. In particular, black women have become a lot more interested in gun ownership and shooting classes.

The rights and values of gun-owning women aren’t being addressed by either political party. While conservatives aren’t paying enough attention to sexual assault, liberals are actively hurting women’s access to self-defense.

Many liberals — including many female professors my organization approached as potential sponsors for Empowered — don’t support a woman’s “right to choose” when it comes to her own self-defense. They can’t get behind a vision of female empowerment that doesn’t match their own.

Okafor's op-ed prompted enough of a reaction that The Times ultimately closed comments on the story. Upper West Siders, along with other like-minded, enlightened folk from around leftysphere rained flames of ignorance down upon the author and millions of other People of the Gun.

Here are a few selected gems and bon mots, starting with an oldie but a goodie; "gun owners are racist".

Dadof2  NJ

One of the most racist and misogynist alt-right organizations call themselves the 3% (or something similar) referring to the statistic that 50% of the guns in America are held by 3% of the population—and those descendants of the lynching KKK consider themselves emblematic of that 3%.

And they are more and more boldly carrying them in public as they shout in public protest for a return to white male "Christian" tribalism, where white "Christian" men are at the top of the heap, with absolute superiority over "their" women, and "lessor" races and religions.

And they have a history, from before the Civil War through to Dylann Roof, of using those guns to terrorize women and minorities, a documented history of Terrorism that has murdered at least 5,000 people, nearly double the deaths in 9/11. The ultimate bullies.

Ignoring facts or claiming that established facts aren't true is akin to closing one's eyes and plugging one's ears to make the terrible man (or in this case, woman) go away.

Atticus  New York, NY

Belief in guns is much like the belief in God: Just because it makes you feel better doesn't make it true. Here we have yet another gun lover relying on feelings rather than facts. There's been no credible research demonstrating that carrying a gun makes your safer. In fact, it's just the opposite. All the writer has accomplished by carrying a gun is climb up the ladder from Low Risk to High Risk.

Ms. Okafor is clearly craven, morally shaky and mentally ill…

mike  nola

so you, the weak, fearful, distrustful, downright scared person feels "empowered" by feel of a Ruger LC9 pistol in your hand…that's just nifty. Now what about my right not to have you and your craven, shaky and frankly terrified self in control of a killing machine?

…I don't care that you are female or a person of color, I care that you are mentally and emotionally unstable and your stated information demonstrates that you are both. An inanimate object capable of killing "makes you feel powerful" and your ego may just kill someone just because you wanted too.

This educator claims to be terrified by her students.

Dee Katz  Syracuse NY

As a college professor, the thought of my students carrying guns is terrifying.

Okafor is sure to be shot by a cop when he sees her printing!  Oh no!

Jasonmiami  Miami

Well, as a fellow African American, you should seriously ask yourself the question of whether or not you are are more likely to be abducted and brutalized by some random criminal or shot by a police officer when he sees you "printing."  …I've been pulled over and searched by jittery police far more times than I've been held up by jittery criminals.. A sad testament, but true.

We must repeal the Second Amendment!

NorthernVirginia  Falls Church, VA

Repeal the Second Amendment and allow our legislators to pass common-sense laws regulating the ownership, possession, and use of firearms.

As for individual concern for personal safety, it used to be that one had to demonstrate a need for a concealed firearm and demonstrate proficiency in its use. Like to see that return.

For now, every person in range of the village idiot's firearm of choice must take the risk that he will accidentally discharge it, or will misunderstand a situation or mistake his target and will purposely discharge it. And the carnage goes on…

While racism and sexism are abhorred by The Times' readers, misandry is alive and thriving.

masayaNYC  Brooklyn
…On a side note, if _only_ women, the disabled, minorities, were permitted to carry a concealed gun in this country – and men were not – I might be much more comfortable with the idea of concealed carry.

Jes Gunn fears Jim Crow era racism in the Texas courts should Ms. Okafor use her firearm.

Jes Gunn  Portland Oregon

I wonder if the author has given much thought to how a Texas court would handle a self-defense case when a woman of color shoots a white assailant.
That would also be an interesting read.

Oh, and she's clearly not skilled or intelligent enough to use a gun for personal defense.

N Guest  Berkeley, CA

I'm afraid you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. You're more likely to injure or kill someone with a poorly-aimed shot than you are to save yourself.

The People of The Gun… only one bad day from revealing themselves as the murderers they truly are.

Justice Holmes  Charleston

I can't tell you how infuriating this article is. Why should I or any commenter raise the issue of "responsible" gun ownership that only seems to last as long as someone's self control. How often have we seen a situation wherein a responsible gun owner turns into a murderer! Enough.

How dare she entertain badthink as a liberal woman of color? She's clearly left the gun control plantation without permission!

danrosenbaum1  New York

You opinion on gun rights and safety is alarming, especially from a self proclaimed liberal woman of color. The simple fact is quantitative data doesn't support your anecdotal feelings of safety when you carry a concealed gun. Do you walk with a loaded gun out and ready to shoot in anticipation of an assault or do you think you will be able to unholster a gun and shoot a sexual predator without being overpowered as a petite female? The reality of the situation is in this country it is a shame that you have to fear a 10pm walk to your car across a college campus, but the likelihood of you being shot by your own gun is probably substantially higher then any defense the gun will provide.

Texas redneck students are sure to open fire on those with political differences.

Max Deitenbeck East Texas

I too am a student at a UT school. You have every right to protect yourself, and yes, you are right about women being in danger.

What about my right to be able to argue in the classroom without fear of angering one of the extremely conservative (and oh boy are there a lot of those at my particular campus) students who might be carrying a loaded gun?

Fortunately, somehow, a few supportive comments managed to sneak through the miasma, including this one:

KarlosTJ  Bostonia

Congratulations and many thanks for an eloquent description of the challenges you faces as a minority woman afraid of the fact that there are evildoers in our society who mean you harm. You are indeed "selfish" to want to protect yourself – YOU have the right to YOUR life, YOUR liberty, and YOUR pursuit of YOUR happiness, and that is intentionally self-ish. Anyone who chastises you for being this kind of selfish is a moronic child with no ability to think.

Self-defense is a primary right – and you should never give it up. And only moronic children believe you are wrong to hold onto it.

Nailed it.