Roger's Mailbox

Reader Andrew Frechtling responds to this comment:

You wrote: "There isn't a gun control organization in this country which was founded on the principle of denying guns to African-Americans, and there isn't one which advocates (or which has ever advocated) that gun control laws should apply differently to members of different races." Actually. it is fairly well documented that most early gun control laws were implemented to keep guns away from blacks, Italians, Indians, etc. See Guncite.com link. In that organizations like the Brady Campaign seek to maintain and expand on such laws, one can certainly see more than a little racist taint surrounding their efforts. For example, if the net effect of Brady's opposition to concealed carry reform is to make it impossible for poor people or those not politically connected to obtain a carry permit - as currently the case in New York City - then they certainly favor laws that have a disparate impact on blacks, Hispanics and the poor.