Why Revisiting The Black Panther Revolution Resonates Today

"The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun." - Wayne LaPierre

The Black Panthers were ahead of their time. They armed themselves against the bad guys. (The police and the FBI.) They also scared the shit out of many white people.

The problem with the thinking of people like Wayne LaPierre is one of definition. Who are the good guys, and who are the bad guys? Who gets to decide? The Black Panthers made that decision when LaPierre was about seventeen years old.

I don't claim to understand the Black Panthers, but their claim of self-defense as a reason to arm themselves seems like a strong one.

Personally, I support non-violent civil disobedience.

I wonder if Wayne LaPierre was inspired by the Panthers? Somehow I doubt it.