Amid gun control debate, American minorities discuss uptick in firearm purchases: 'People are waking up'
By: Kyle Morris (Fox News)
The demographics for gun ownership is shifting. And that will influence the debate over gun control.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Firearm purchases by minority groups in America have soared over the past few years and the debate surrounding gun control following a deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, late last month has seemingly renewed their support for the Second Amendment.
Retailer surveys released by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSFF) found that between 2019 and 2020 there was a 58% increase in African Americans buying firearms, a 49% increase in Hispanic Americans buying firearms, and a 43% increase in Asian Americans buying firearms.
In January, NSFF stated the numbers among first-time firearm buyers in minority groups remained largely "unchanged" and that 18% of retailers witnessed an increase in Native-Americans purchasing firearms in 2021, while 14% of retailers saw an increase in Native-Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders purchasing firearms in 2021.
Speaking to Fox News Digital outside the 2022 National Rifle Association convention in Houston, Santee and Kel, both members of the NRA who reside in Houston and only wanted to share their first names, said they attended the event to see the "new firearms and to show support for the NRA and for the whole 2A community."
Asked about the uptick in gun sales among certain minority groups in America and why they believe that is, Shantee insisted she will do what is necessary to protect herself and her family.
"For me, when I look at it, we're now understanding — African Americans, minorities — are now understanding that basically it's on you to take care of yourself, protect yourself," she said. "We're not new to crime, so we want to make sure that we're protected. I think a lot more minorities are taking their own protection in their own hands, which is great, because the police cannot be there within seconds."
Noting the average time it takes for police to respond to certain emergencies, Shantee asked, "In between that time, what are you doing? What do we want to do? Are we gonna wait or fight back? I think a lot more minorities are realizing, look, let's do this and let's do this the legal way, and I think that's why you see this."
Kel said he believes minority groups in America are "becoming more aware of situations" and, like Shantee, said you cannot always wait for authorities to arrive if you are threatened.
"You've got to protect yourself," he said. "Make sure you protect your home, not every time you can wait for the cops to come to your house. You might be the victim … but if you protect yourself, you live another day. That's how we see it."
Discussing recent gun control proposals offered by certain members in Congress and pointing to protesters gathered outside the convention, Shantee said, "For us, that doesn't help. A firearm isn't gonna pull the trigger itself."
Shantee said she is unsure of why people are attacking the NRA or firearms and insisted that neither Republicans nor Democrats are to blame for shooting tragedies.
"We need to start looking at mental health, period," she said. "What is going on with people to where they would do something like that? That's not normal. If he would've left the firearm there he could've picked up any other weapon to go into that school.… That individual chose to do that."
With crime on the rise in major cities across America, Juan Ramireo, who legally immigrated to America when he was 13 years old and traveled from Arizona to Houston for the NRA convention, told Fox News Digital that he is "blessed" to be able to legally defend himself should he need to.
"I'm blessed, really," Ramireo said. "I'm 29 now and I've lived here for 16 years. There's nothing like it anywhere. It's a great country and the Second Amendment is a large reason as to why people feel safer here and in their homes at night."
"As a kid, I knew what it was like to feel helpless. Nobody want[s] that feeling. I saw my mom and grandmother go through several struggles and feelings of fear in our small Mexican town. It was difficult. But after moving here, it's a new world. I go to bed with no worry about defending myself and my family."
Asked about the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde that left 19 children and two teachers dead and how it relates to his support for the Second Amendment as a Hispanic, Ramireo said, "I send my prayers to their families and I can't imagine the pain they go through now, but it does not change my support for gun rights. I believe we need safer schools. These people will do bad no matter the cost. Take that shooter for instance, he was in a gun free zone and still did it. They always find a way."
"What we have to do is find a way to stop them and do it," he added. "We're failing kids for sure, but it's not because of gun laws. Criminals break laws every day. We need school officers now and secured entrances. As a Mexican immigrant, I feel that people are waking up. They realize they need to protect themselves, their family, their children. Without the right to protect ourselves, we struggle. I know that 'cause I've seen it too many times."
In a speech on Thursday, President Biden said the Second Amendment is "not absolute" and pleaded with Congress to pass what he considers "commonsense" gun control legislation, including reinstating an assault weapons ban, requiring background checks, and limiting magazine capacity.
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Firearms have become a unifying issue among races and ethnicities. That does not bode well for using old, stale, divisive racial politics to advocate for government overreach. Kneejerk diatribes over 'white supremacy' won't cut it in today's political environment. Gun ownership is reflecting the diversity of the United States.
Yep, and it is ticking off and scaring the crap out of many hard core leftist liberal anti-gunners at the same time as well. Many of those races and ethnicities were ones the Dems hoped to recruit to their cause. Chalk up another backfiring FUBAR cause for the Dems.
Actually it is ticking off and scaring the crap out of far right wing, racist, fascists.
The far right won't be able to bully armed minorities quite so easily as a result.
Doesn't the NRA and its devotees want more guns on the street?
Be careful what you wish for.
This is simply another far right wing fear mongering article.
Fear is the far right wing mantra and the source of its hate of the "other"
Fear sells guns and NRA memberships
The NRA went from gun safety instruction to fear mongering as a sales tactic.
I gave up my membership years ago when this became clear to me.
Oops, I digress.
Harsh reality has mashed the tried-and-true political narrative. The shooting in Buffalo was obviously motivated by bigotry and racial hatred which fit the political narrative. That's a real problem that does need to be addressed. Dems cranked up their usual politics but were blindsided by the reality of what is happening. There have been too many highly visible mass shootings by Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics that don't fit the political narrative. And those other mass shootings were motivated by politics, grievance, and social issues rather than bigotry. Dems can't just focus attention on what fits their political narrative and sweep the rest under the rug. The problem has grown too large, too visible, and too complex for political spin.
At this point, people are expecting something be done. Democrats don't know what to do because what's happening doesn't fit their political spin. Democrats are pushing their typical kneejerk response but, this time, if their kneejerk solutions don't work then Democrats are screwed. Democrats have placed themselves in the position of having to deliver on their promises. And that's what is scaring Democrats.
I gave up my membership years ago as well.
So you haven't been to the NRA website recently?
Through the Boy Scouts the NRA taught me range safety and marksmanship.
Too bad that they became a shill for specific gun manufacturers.
Remember back in Boys Life magazine where they pushed guns for Christmas?
[delete]
Your knee is jerking
As I was a boy scout in the 60's I remember it quite well.
Good for them. Exercising their “legal” constitutional right.
Oh wait, according to some here I’m not supposed to say that because I’m white .....
because I’m white
This centrist gun owner is also white and believes in rational gun regulation no matter the race.
Banning my AR-15, however, is not rational. It is just a ranch rifle for thinning out predators.
A ban will just create more divisions in a country that is already way too divided.
There are currently over 20 million AR-15s legally owned in the US.
America's rifle indeed!
Better let your Democrat masters know. They are dead set on banning that scary weapon.
Most US citizens are for rational gun regulations- which excludes the entire Democrat party. When Brandon starts popping off about banning 9mm ammo because of the "high velocity"; they are coming after handguns next.
People are buying firearms to protect themselves from the ever increasing violent crime; and a broken justice system that coddles criminals. Guess which party is to blame for that as well?
Several inconsistencies in the guy they were interviewing. One, people can own a gun in Mexico, two saying that the Texas shooter was in a gun free zone? He purchased the guns locally as far as I know.
The NRA only cares about profit.
Well, that and a little thing called gun rights.
I don't know why any emphasis whatsoever is placed on a gun free zone like it has anything to do with anything
Maybe...just maybe...they think they can go in and kill a bunch of people and no one will shoot back.
Pretty much the case.
Actually, the epidemic of mass shootings in America can be traced to far right wing hate media.
I like my firearms just like I like my expensive watches and hot rodded vehicles. As machines.
Ya gotta love a fine machine that does exactly what you want it to do every time without fail.
Don't ban machines, ban those with overly enlarged Amygdala who do all the killing with them.
Funny how autopsies of republicans and mass murderers all exhibit overly enlarged amygdala.
The Amygdala is the fear center of the brain. Radical decisions are made when it's enlarged.
Seems that fear is a terrible emotion to operate under all day every day. It debilitates.
Every right wing argument is based on fear/hate rather than positivity or reality.
I suggest that every politician be subjected to a brain scan and that the culling begin!
That is an explanation of Charlottesville but not Uvalde. There is see some sort of early trauma, home violence, sexual abuse, parental suicide or imprisonment. Dysfunction at school or the workplace or with a spouse. Hopelessness grows to despair to isolation. I think that most mass shooting are also planned suicide attempts wanting to go out in a 'blaze of glory' finally achieving fame.
There are many precursors to mental illness including bad initial wiring (genetics).
Spent many years as a bouncer, bodyguard, paramedic and have seen too much.
Have friends who come from similar backgrounds and got burnt out (PTSD today).
Everybody reacts differently to stressful situations.
I believe that one has to be predisposed from early on to become a mass murderer.
The 'Bad Seed' just waiting to happen should be diagnosed much earlier.
Yep, it's also known as suicide by police!
Bullshit. More like it can be traced to the fucked up mental state people are in after two years of Covid-19, divisive speech centered on the progressive left and sky high prices and inflation. People are simply and collectively fed up.
and like most lawful citizens you haven’t snapped and used them unlawfully against other people. What’s to fix there?
Define “banned” in your context.
Now that is a fine sweeping generalization and a mighty fine crazy rationalization. But you’re okay right. Ban other people’s shit just not yours. Classic tyrannical rationalization we see coming from some these days.
You caught me! I want to own the only AR-15 on the planet!
Lol .... I figured it might be something like that. I was hoping it wasn’t the old “I don’t do it so why should anyone else” saw.
Still interested in what you meant by “ban” in the context of your discussion.
Something like the U.S. Assault Weapons Ban of 1994.
Yeah, more interested in how you were going to ban “those with overly enlarged Amygdala who do all the killing” people.
You know as well as I do that the left won't do a damn thing about the actual problem. That would require actual WORK.
Yep
More crack pottery,
When you defund the police in the areas that need them the most it should be no surprise that law abiding minorities are taking it upon themselves to protect their families. Score another big fail for the progressive agenda. The only people that wanted to defund the police are the criminals and thugs.
Who is defunding the police? NO ONE.
What world are you living in? Are you seriously asking that question? Google to see how much money was taken out of the NYC police budget. Try educating your self just a little before making such ridiculous comments. They make you look bad.
"What world are you living in? Are you seriously asking that question? Google to see how much money was taken out of the NYC police budget. Try educating your self just a little before making such ridiculous comments. They make you look bad."
What world are you living in?
I choose to live in reality.
You're the one making yourself look bad. Not me.
Provide all the citations of all the cities who have defunded the police.
I'll wait.
Budget cuts are not defunding.
“ ” means reallocating or redirecting funding away from the police department to other government agencies funded by the local municipality. Simply put- defunding the police means budget cuts, fewer resources, and less ability to provide meaningful training opportunities due to lack of accessible funds.
I am absolutely shocked that you have provided zero proof,as usual.
Just your typical projection, deflection, and denial.
Yawn
I am not shocked by a comment from you without any substance at all. Just your stock accusations when you have nothing else.
"More than 20 major cities have reduced their police budgets in some form, an unprecedented tren d, though the scale and circumstances vary dramatically. The activists who have long campaigned to take money from US police are now fighting to ensure that the initial cuts are only the start – and that a growing backlash from law enforcement, elected officials and some community groups does not derail their progress."
"A ‘paradigm shift’: $870m cut from police"
For years, local advocacy groups have packed city hall meetings, demanding “jobs not jails”, “care not cops” and “books not bars” – urging officials to stop expanding budgets for police and jails. They have argued that cities should instead prioritize the programs that have been defunded over the years that would address root causes of crime and poverty, like education, healthcare and homeless services.
"Among the rallying cries were “defund the police” — a call for elected officials to reallocate some law enforcement funding elsewhere. In June 2020, the Portland City Council and the mayor answered by cutting millions from the police budget."
" Now, a year and a half later, officials partially restored the cut funds. On Wednesday, the Portland City Council unanimously passed a fall budget bump that included increasing the current $230 million police budget by an additional $5.2 million. The added police spending is occurring amid a year of a record number of homicides, the city’s greatest police staffing shortage in decades and reform recommendations made by the U.S. Department of Justice."
Which is exactly what I have said more than once on other articles here. So what we have is an exponential growth of gun ownership, achieved due to FEAR, the main reason for an initial gun purchase is to protect oneself. More and more guns are being purchased by more and more people and therefore more and more guns are going to be available for the possibility of wrongful use. As this keeps up my tongue-in-cheek "solution" to the problem, being universal distribution of guns and ammunition so EVERY American can "DEFEND" themselves may actually come to fruition.
That of course would be the "wet dream" of the NRA and the arms manufacturers they represent coming true.
Sounds good. I just priced an AR 15 and they are pricey.
Yep the price on a basic .223 is going up, averaging around 750.00 now I should have bought one when they were down around 450.00... But then I do have my SKS to fill the breach...
What a great idea! just make sure that everybody has a lesser gun than I. /s
That FEAR is also symptomatic of a lack of confidence in institutions intended to protect the public. Law enforcement has been portrayed as inept and self-serving. The courts have become lenient toward criminals. Justice has become a political device for advancing social grievances in the political arena. Prison reform is not about protecting the general public.
If institutional government is failing to address crime and security of civil society then who can people rely on? We're not seeing a decrease in the amount of crime. And political government is applauding attacks on civil society as an acceptable form of protest. When institutional government fails then it really does become every man for himself.
Since many of the republicans are believers in the ''replacement theory'' (whites being replaced by minorities) and seeing the dipshits in Charlottesville chanting ''Jews will not replace us'' as a minority I have a weapon (s) for the single purpose of defending myself when the dumbfuck replacement theory believers decide to try and replace minorities.
Cool. Fantasies of race war aside, you are much more likely to by murdered by a minority.
No fantasy of a race war, just stating a fact. Actually, Native Americans are much more likely, over 70%, to suffer violence at the hands of non Indians, mainly whites.
But thanks for your contribution which as usual is BS.
Cheers.
“Fantasies of race war aside…”
Wake up. This is being fomented by people running for office all across the country. Not in so many words, but in the ‘nationalist’ content implied.
As someone who isn't obsessed by race, your obsession with only protecting yourself against the statistically most unlikely threat is baffling. I object to being murdered by people of any race.
over 70%, to suffer violence at the hands of non Indians, mainly whit
Lol. Native Americans are most likely to be killed by other Indians, or blacks. Ask the FBI.
White accounted for about 15% of Indians who were murdered.
“White accounted for about 15% of Indians who were murdered.”
So 15% is somehow acceptable?
So fucking tired of the spouting of statistics when actual people die, families are shattered, and nothing is done. The collateral damage argument in protecting ‘your’ right is callous at best….tell me the tale when you bury a loved one.
Lol...What an absurd reach.
I believe in reality. Too many people here don't and like to peddle their racist fantasies.
The collateral damage argument in protecting ‘your’ right is callous at best
What are you talking about? I don't own a gun. I'm "protecting" reality.
Feel free to lecture the person who bought a gun to protect himself against largely imaginary "replacement theory killers" who pose an infinitesimal threat to him. He's many, many more times more likely to killed by a fellow Native American than "replacement theory killer"
I'm obsessed with protecting myself. Well, having lived for 80 plus years I've done a good job of it.
The quote I posted and you copied comes from a report from the US Department of Justice.
Being an Indian what would I know about this, after all someone like you would have a much better grip on this.
NA's did a fabulous job of dealing with the irish immigrant invasion 150+ years ago...
Sorry Sean - "stats" prove otherwise - stats that you've been presented with on other occasions - you should remember them.
You need to get up-to-date on your statements Sean.
Try this one -
In a nutshell,
NVDRS collected data on 2,226 homicides of AI/ANs in 34 states and the District of Columbia during 2003–2018. The age-adjusted AI/AN homicide rate was 8.0 per 100,000 population. The homicide rate was three times higher in AI/AN males than females (12.0 versus 3.9), and the median age of AI/AN victims was 32 years (interquartile range: 23–44 years). Approximately half of AI/AN homicide victims lived or were killed in metropolitan areas (48.2% and 52.7%, respectively). A firearm was used in nearly half (48.4%) of homicides and in a higher percentage of homicides of AI/AN males than females (51.5% versus 39.1%). More AI/AN females than males were killed in a house or apartment (61.8% versus 53.7%) or in their own home (47.7% versus 29.0%). Suspects were identified in 82.8% of AI/AN homicides. Most suspects were male (80.1%), and nearly one third (32.1%) of suspects were AI/ANs. For AI/AN male victims, the suspect was most often an acquaintance or friend (26.3%), a person known to the victim but the exact nature of the relationship was unclear (12.3%), or a relative (excluding intimate partners) (10.5%). For AI/AN female victims, the suspect was most often a current or former intimate partner (38.4%), an acquaintance or friend (11.5%), or a person known to the victim but the exact nature of the relationship was unclear (7.9%). A crime precipitated 24.6% of AI/AN homicides (i.e., the homicide occurred as the result of another serious crime). More AI/AN males were victims of homicides due to an argument or conflict than females (54.7% versus 37.3%), whereas more AI/AN females were victims of homicides due to IPV than males (45.0% versus 12.1%). For homicides related to IPV, 87.2% of AI/AN female victims were killed by a current or former intimate partner, whereas approximately half (51.5%) of AI/AN male victims were corollary victims (i.e., victims killed during an IPV-related incident who were not the intimate partners themselves).
Interpretation: This report provides a detailed summary of NVDRS data on AI/AN homicides during 2003–2018. Interpersonal conflict was a predominant circumstance, with nearly half of all AI/AN homicides precipitated by an argument and for female victims, 45.0% precipitated by IPV.
Characteristics of Homicide Victims
NVDRS collected data on 2,226 AI/AN homicides (1,681 male victims and 545 female victims) in 34 states (30 states collecting statewide data and a subset of California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Washington counties) and the District of Columbia during 2003–2018. A total of 5.7% of AI/AN homicide incidents involved multiple victims (8.4% of homicides of female and 4.8 of males). The age-adjusted AI/AN homicide rate was 8.0 per 100,000 population and was three times higher among males than females (12.0 versus 3.9). The median age of AI/AN victims was 32 years (interquartile range: 23–44 years). More than one fourth (27.5%) of AI/AN victims were aged 25–34 years; 10.3% were children aged ≤17 years ( Table 1 ). Three fourths (74.8%) of AI/AN victims were of a single race; 6.7% were Hispanic or Latino. For victims who were of multiple races, 15.6% were AI/AN and non-Hispanic White, 4.2% were AI/AN and non-Hispanic Black, and 1.3% were AI/AN and non-Hispanic Asian or Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (NHOPI). Among AI/AN victims aged ≥18 years, 14.7% had attended some college or more. Pregnancy status was known for 88 (25.7%) of 343 female victims of reproductive age (15–44 years); among these, 14.8% were pregnant or within 6 weeks postpartum at the time of death.
Approximately half of AI/AN homicide victims lived or were killed in metropolitan areas (48.2% and 52.7%, respectively) (Table 1). A firearm was used in nearly half (48.4%) of homicides and in a higher percentage of homicides among AI/AN males than females (51.5% versus 39.1%). A sharp instrument was used in 21.0% of homicides. More AI/AN females than males were killed in a house or apartment (61.8% versus 53.7%) or a natural area (e.g., field or river) (9.0% versus 5.4%), whereas more AI/AN males than females were killed on a street or highway (16.2% versus 7.2%). More AI/AN females than males were killed in their own home (47.7% versus 29.0%).
Characteristics of Homicide Suspects
A suspect was identified in 82.8% of AI/AN homicides (81.1% of homicides of males and 87.9% of females) ( Table 2 ). The age, sex, and race/ethnicity of the suspect were known in 69.6%, 90.8%, and 71.7% of cases, respectively. Nearly one fourth (21.6%) of suspects were aged 25–34 years and 20.1% were aged 18–24 years. Most suspects were male (80.1%). Nearly one third (32.1%) were AI/AN, 39.6% were non-AI/AN, and the race/ethnicity of the remaining 28.3% were unknown. Half (51.8%) of non-AI/AN suspects were non-Hispanic White, 28.4% were non-Hispanic Black, 16.3% were Hispanic (any race except AI/AN), and 3.6% were non-Hispanic Asian or NHOPI. The victim’s relationship to the suspect was known in 76.4% of homicides (73.8% of male victims and 83.9% of female victims). For AI/AN male victims, the suspect was most often an acquaintance or friend (26.3%), a person known to the victim but the exact nature of the relationship was unclear (12.3%), or a relative (excluding intimate partners [10.5%]). For AI/AN female victims, the suspect was most often a current or former intimate partner (38.4%), an acquaintance or friend (11.5%), or a person known to the victim but the exact nature of the relationship was unclear (7.9%).
So, NO, Native Americans are NOT most likely to be killed by other NA's or Blacks - the FBI did not say so.
Care to continue with this dance?
My data is from 2019, the most recent I could find and more recent than yours. If you have a more recent FBI UCR report, please share.
You should read your report again.
yes, it did.
Care to continue with this dance?
Sure. But understand the data first.
Cool. Never said you don't have the right to.
d you copied comes from a report from the US Department of Justice.
I have no idea what you are talking about.
Being an Indian what would I know about thi
Lol.. If you believe you replacement theory killers are the biggest threat to kill you, you've been bamboozled. The truth is out there.
“What an absurd reach.”
What an absurd justification.
Got any links for that????
Didn't say you did just pointing out a fact to you.
Didn't say they were the biggest but white supremacists are a huge danger in the US, ask the FBI. The white supremacists of today are simply another version of what has been a huge detriment/problem to our country for hundreds of years.
BTW, I've had a weapon since the 1950s, always handy.
I know the truth is out there, I've lived it, obviously, you can't say the same.
I understand, many take issue with data and numbers. I believe in math and science and data informed analysis.
“I believe in math and science and data informed analysis.”
Does that analysis include a bottom line? Or does the math allow for a certain number of deaths to justify our inability to act.?
Please, please, in your scientific analysis, give us the acceptable number so we don’t dare overreact.
I can see that you are already fucking tired of numbers and stats, I don’t want to further enrage.
Later, after resting, you might want to read:
“I can see that you are already fucking tired of numbers and stats…”
Indeed. Cite away, but never an answer…just how many must be buried to justify the status quo?
Stats are for the apologists. Apparent to anyone ready and willing to have a reasonable discussion as to how we acknowledge and address our national disgrace.
Are you also a climate change denier.
Why do you think that the link that I sent isn't supportive of a reasonable discussion?
“Are you also a climate change denier.”
Absolutely not, but as you feel compelled to conflate and deflect from the issue at hand in refusing to answer for the third time, we can infer you are obviously unwilling to state an acceptable mortality rate. Not to worry, wry…you are in plentifully pitiful company.
I've done neither.
You've asked twice, I can see your problem with numbers.
Acceptable versus what? You obviously didn't look at the link I sent anymore than you want to have a "reasonable discussion".
And you don't want to discuss analysis, only your feelings.
“Acceptable versus what?”
Are you daft or just being obtuse?
How many need be killed by an AR-15 to justify inaction in regulating their availability? Or have you no sympathy, empathy or (gasp) feelings?
Thoughts and prayers? A stale and fucking pathetic accommodation.
I didn't realize that you were shifting discussion on this seed to just an assaults' weapons ban, when did you do that?
No prayers from me.