Without directly engaging the issue of police bias or excessive use of force (about which I do not know enough to engage intelligently), I do want to address the issue of people being “unarmed” at the time of their encounters with law enforcement officers. People often declare “the victim was unarmed at the time” to … Continue reading
Following is the text of a paper one of the students in my Sociology of Guns seminar wrote last semester. His thoughts on guns as a “Southern Pacifist and Vegetarian” were also posted here last September. Although not about guns in the first place, the issue of police militarization is one I have learned about … Continue reading
Although I am certainly no expert on “gun violence” (recognizing the term itself it problematic, as I will discuss in my next post), I was asked to serve as a “discussant” for a panel on the topic at the recent meeting of the American Society of Criminology (see session #292 in the on-line program of … Continue reading
I should have been more critical when I saw a recent item about African American’s and concealed handgun permits in Illinois that was promoted by Bloomberg’s The Trace gun violence reporting site. I should have been more critical but the idea that there are alot of African Americans in high crime neighborhoods in Chicago who … Continue reading
For some time I have been meaning to write about concealed carry and race in connection with my reading of Jennifer Carlson’s book, Citizen-Protectors, but it just keeps getting away from me. This morning an email digest from the Bloomberg-funded “independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to expanding coverage of guns in the United States” reminded … Continue reading
Since I cannot even keep up with the work I have to do, I don’t often venture into the comments section of the blogs I read. But I woke up yesterday morning to a headline on The Truth About Guns that caught my eye: “Shooting at Gay Pride Parade Not Sexual Orientation Related.” The story … Continue reading
As usual, Jennifer Carlson publishes her insightful thoughts before I can even formulate mine. Whatever your position on America’s racial past and present, Carlson’s essay highlights the fact that the aftermath of a rare and horrific event is a terrible time to try to make public policy about guns. Especially when the issue is not … Continue reading
