(ThyBlackMan.com) Americans owning guns has never been an issue to me, though I champion gun control. The concept is rather simple to me. If there are laws and regulations I must follow as someone that owns a vehicle there should be laws and regulations for those that own guns. Open carry laws in a sense are a bit different. Before my previous encounter I never found an issue with open carry laws. My only problem is they open carry laws don’t seem to work the same for everyone that carries. Though the biggest American terrorist is a white male, black men are treated as a greater threat by law enforcement in the area of open carry. When many officers see a black person with a gun its as if open carry no long exists. I can admit I often feel more comfortable, as would many others, in environments with faces that are familiar to me.
There is so much in the news about tragic events that happen at Walmart. The one that was in my mind as I was in Walmart was a black woman in West Monroe, La that was harassed in the Walmart parking lot by two white men. I find that where I see brothers in a position of authority, I feel a little bit more at ease when I places like Walmart.
There are certain places that open carry doesn’t apply federal building, schools, churches, and maybe Walmart should be added to the list. I’m not sure what it is about this particular store, but it doesn’t have a reputation for customers behaving in a civil manner. I was in the customer service line one night waiting for my husband and son as they parked the car. I stood in line behind a white gentleman with a very beautiful service dog. Though the dog was a pitbull she appeared to be mild manners and was simply gorgeous. As I was looking around my eyes fell on the man’s pistol on his side.
It was hard to explain the anxiety that begin to settle within me. I found myself backing up further than I was already standing, I was looking for my husband constantly, and I was protectively holding my stomach and I’m almost 6 months pregnant. As many times as I have shopped at this particular Walmart I never felt that sense of dread. Immediately I felt guilty because I was internally questioning myself asking if I would feel this uncomfortable if a black man would have been carrying the weapon instead. I quietly began to question how I felt about open carry…was it in general or just in places like Walmart.
The bottom line was I was truly afraid. My anxiety didn’t begin to calm down until my husband was next to me, and I saw the gentleman in front of me conversing casually with a black man about dogs. I know we deal with crime in our communities, however in that moment I was fearful of white man with a gun in Walmart. I acknowledge that not all white people that open carry are a threat to me, just like every black person that open carries isn’t an ally. Yet, I couldn’t get past the fear what I saw…the fear of not knowing. That fear made me feel ashamed inside, and I am still questioning my feelings.
The climate of this country for Black Americans has never been safe; we are just being reminded of such due to a rise in open racist behavior. Honestly, I don’t think I will ever feel comfortable in the situation I found myself in…I acknowledge that I didn’t create the environment that led to my fear. Maybe there should be more public business that don’t allow us to open carry.
Staff Writer; Christian Starr
May connect with this sister over at Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/christian.pierre.9809 and also Twitter; http://twitter.com/MrzZeta.