billboard-exploits-native-american-history to sell pro-gun message...

[loyalsister]

"I thought it was pretty cowardly that someone would put something like that up and spend the money for a billboard but didn't have the courage to put their name on it," said Greeley resident Maureen Brucker, an honorary member of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, who added that the billboard brings to mind the infamous Wounded Knee Massacre, which took place at Pine Ridge.

"It wasn't just about our guns," notes Irene Vernon, a Native American who chairs the ethnic studies department at Colorado State University.

http://gawker.com/billboard-exploits-native-american-history-to-sell-pro-486105840

A ignored\forgotten fact is that the Constitution did not fully protect Native Americans when their guns were allegedly confiscated because they were not officially considered citizens until 1924.
Aside from that, it's kind of sick to brag about that imbalance and how the US military took advantage of that fact to effectively commit genocide.
Surely, some gun advocates would see a problem with this.

[gejohnston]

1. Constituional protection does not depend on citizenship

it does depend on being on US soil. It had more to do with being a "hostile military force or insurgent group."
I don't think it is bragging as it is saying not blindly trusting State power is a healthy thing. If it were bragging, I would have a problem with it.

[loyalsister]

3. Begging the question

of the legitimacy of calling native geographic residents "insurgents."

I wonder what the majority of gun rights advocates think of constitutional protections for immigrants?

[gejohnston]

4. I am speaking strictly of the goverment's view at the time

which has nothing to do with anyone today.

I wonder what the majority of gun rights advocates think of constitutional protections for immigrants?

Probably the same as the rest of the population. Views on immigration and guns have nothing to do with each other anymore than what someone thinks of abortion has anything to do with their view minimum wage. Gun owner does not equal white xenophobic.
The best answer I can give is:
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/54209#.Us9171GNPuM
http://saf.org/viewpr-new.asp?id=431

That said, the Gun Control Act forbids non immigrant aliens (work visa, tourists, student visas etc) from purchasing firearms in the US and may possess firearms hunting or target competition.
http://www.atf.gov/files/firearms/faq/non-immgrant-aliens-2.pdf

[loyalsister]

6. And yet

Guns and immigration are probably the least intellectually understood political discussions in this country. Case in point, birthers and advocates who claim the government is going to confiscate their guns.

Do you believe that RW gun advocates (who also happen to be the most strident and least reasonable) would advocate for immigrant gun ownership?

I would not expect any gun advocates who frequent this site would be likely to support those billboards.

[gejohnston]

9. the guy that runs SAF is pretty right of center

and they sued Nebraska on the behalf of an immigrant. I don't know what immigration has to do with the billboards. Beyond that, I don't know any far right wingers, and I avoid xenophobes. All of the conservatives I know are more Eisenhowerish or libertarian. I don't know any general consensus among them. I know some very lefty gun advocates, and I mean real socialists, who are as strident as Ted Nugent.
I view it as insensitive, and would not put it up. That said, I'm not Native American and don't pretend to know how they generally might view it.

[NYC_SKP]

2. It's insensitive, to say the least. And, I commiserate with the Native Americas who feel exploited.

And your point is also well-taken; they weren't considered protected citizens able to enjoy Second Amendment rights.

Perhaps that's part of why they, and African Americans, weren't for the longest time.

http://www.myblackhistory.net/Voting.htm

[loyalsister]

5. Deacons of Defense

I have not seen any suggestion that 2nd amendment protections were denied.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deacons_for_Defense_and_Justice

[NYC_SKP]

7. Pre-civil rights act of 1866?

The framers of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 argued that the issue of the right to keep and bear arms by the newly freed slaves was of vital importance, since, as Senator Trimball noted from a report from Vicksburg, Mississippi, "[n]early all the dissatisfaction that now exists among the freedmen is caused by the abusive conduct of this militia," meaning the white state militia. He continued, stating that rather than to restore order, the state militia would typically "hang some freedmen or search Negro houses for arms."[17] Representative Henry J. Raymond (R., N.Y.) explained that the rights of citizenship entitled the freedmen to all the rights of United States citizens: "He has a defined status: he has a country and a home; a right to defend himself and his wife and children; a right to bear arms ...."[18] Senator William Salisbury (D., Del.) added that " n most of the southern States, there has existed a law of the State based upon and founded in its police power, which declares that free Negroes shall not have the possession of firearms or ammunition. This bill proposes to take away from the States this police power."[19]

http://www.saf.org/lawreviews/tahmassebi1.html

See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_rights_act_of_1866

[giftedgirl77]

8. Just a heads up, this happened almost a year ago.

They posted it when the gun debate was in full swing. It made national news for like 6 seconds then fizzled out. I keep hoping they would get tired of this shit but they seem to be in a competition to offend everyone in the country that isn't a rich, Christian white person or token minority.

[loyalsister]

10. Thanks!

I just saw it today not that it has started to circulate on FB.

[Eleanors38]

11. Given MSM's pro-ban outlook, I'm surprised this wasn't on 60 Minutes

a year ago.

There are 80,000,000+ plus Americans with firearms, therefore it is difficult to profile them on any issue, like immigration. It is easy, however, to stereotype them for some reason.

[loyalsister]

16. You are correct that it is likely to be an unfair stereotype

I just know from my personal experience, one of those attitudes predicts the other. I have heard about needing guns because of "immigrant invaders." My neck of the woods used to be more middle of the road. But it is specifically those 2 issues that have driven it rightward.
A conceal carry measure that was defeated by popular vote was enacted when the republicans gain a slim majority. Every year there is a huge RW celebration recognizing the day the bill passed. Meanwhile, an influx of immigrants into the midwest has resulted in extreme hostility, including hate groups. As one friend put it, immigration was not on the political radar until the racists in the south (outside of TX) and midwest became aware of it.

[Eleanors38]

17. When one looks at the growth of concealed-carry states,

the increase of weapon sales, and I believe, the increase in the number of gun owners, there will be many explanations, immigration fears being only one. Frankly, the upward trends started before Obama was a blip on the radar, and before immigration was sold as the new bogey. This group has studied in detail the trends, and what causes them. I invite you to drop in and take part.

[Eleanors38]

12. Have you seen the "Original Homeland Security" t-shirt?

"Fighting Terrorism since 1492" it says. Been around for years, worn by some Native Americans I have met. Quite popular, I hear. It's common on the innertubes. What do you think of it?

[loyalsister]

14. Consider the source

I don't mean that derisively. I see a real difference between a message coming directly from Native Americans recognizing a cultural and historical truth, rather than co-opting the experiences of travesties committed by the invaders for a political agenda. The source for the billboard was anonymous, but a number of prominent Native Americans were not impressed.

[Eleanors38]

18. I see your point. But the t-shirt has been around for years

and I don't know who came up with it, either.

It would be interesting to see gun-ownership data among Native Americans. I suspect it is fairly high, even though the U.S. and many state governments have a history of denying 2A rights to minorities. Prohibitionism being what it is, the laws were evaded regularly.

[petronius]

13. It seems to me offensive and inappropriate to co-opt and 'sloganize' the injustices

suffered by a specific ethnic group in order to make a tangentially-related (at best) political point. Particularly when the group is still dealing with the legacy of those injustices. And while I understand that a firearms confiscation was part of Wounded Knee, this billboard really seems to massively simplify and cheapen a few centuries worth of painful history...

[loyalsister]

15. Thanks!

You said it much better than I did.