http://www.naacp.org/news/releases/gunlobby04303.shtml
"Kweisi Mfume, President and CEO, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), testified today in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York that the proliferation of handguns that kills thousands of African Americans, particularly young people, is partly 'the fault of the government for not enforcing existing laws and the fault of the gun industry for not self regulating the sale and distribution of handguns.'"
Which, of course, is absurd, for three reasons.
First, "the proliferation of handguns" has nothing to do with the murder of a black person. Many black people are killed with pipes, knives, and automobiles, but we'll never hear Mr. Mfume talking about the proliferation of those dangerous objects. Second, that "particularly young people" bit is only supportable by counting 16-to-24-year-olds involved in committing crimes as "young people." In fact, the rate of firearms-related deaths among American children under the age of 15 is at its lowest level in decades (check the stats for yourself at the CDC). Third, the sale and distribution of handguns, and firearms in general, is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the world. Surely Mr. Mfume, with his broad access to highly-qualified lawyers, is not ignorant of the myriad federal and state laws that regulate all aspects of the firearms industry. I can only conclude, therefore, that the man is a liar and a thief, using subversion to steal the civil liberties of the very people he claims to represent, not to mention the rest of us Americans.
Posted by jon at May 7, 2003 09:57 AM