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While I am afraid that it is just a further attempt to arm the Dominionists (the church IS an AoG church) and to ramp up the violence against non-Dominionists, at the same time I wish people weren't so anti-gun. When I joined the Democratic party a few years ago, I told the people I knew that the only reason I waited so long was because I feared all the attempts at gun control.

You see, I've been to ceremony where some of us were armed. The KKK had been making threats from what we was told. In fact, the KKK WANTS gun control- for us. That way we'd be defenseless and they could have their way with us (and believe me, in the southeast, the Klan HATES us and would have us dead if they could. After all, most of us can pass for white- and many have to!)

I've seen a few situations in the last 18 years where Native Americans being armed (not just with guns) may have saved lives. We do have enemies.

At the same time, owning and having a gun has saved my life at least three times- and I broke up a violent attack (beating) on a woman by her boyfriend/husband one time! There are evil people out there- most of you are walkaways and know how evil those churches can be- well, there are also evil individuals who think they have the RIGHT to rob, beat, and kill others. (The good thing is that all I had to do is show my gun to back off the monsters. In the case with the woman being attacked- the man came after me until he was looking in the business end of my pistol! I AND the woman might be dead now if I hadn't been armed!)

I also have a friend who if he didn't own and have a pistol (he worked the graveyard shift at his family's gas station), it is believed that he would have been killed on the spot. As it was, the crooks crawled out the store begging for their lives. (They were later arrested and got long prison sentences for their many violent crimes.)

I might add that the US HAD gun control for many years- it was against the law for Native Americans (at least in the Southeast) to own firearms. The reason- it's harder to steal and abuse people when they can defend themselves. If you knew our history, you'd agree that what our ancestors were put through was intolerable (but they were forced to tolerate it). Think about the laws against trading firearms to Native Americans- and remember our history.

So, there are good reasons for people like myself to fear gun control.

Oh... and we can't trust the police to protect us. Some of them (actually, around here I've heard quite a few) are in the Klan, and they're more likely to abuse people than protect. I've been there!!! (I might remind people that the purpose of the police is to maintain order and to "enforce the laws", not to protect people or to promote justice!)

I must add- WE ARE NOT A THREAT TO OTHER PEOPLE OR TO THE POLICE. We only use guns/weapons for self-defense and for hunting (part of our culture)! We aren't the bad guys- so please don't send the troops after us!

I know this is a hot topic that people have knee-jerk reactions with (and only tangentially on topic). I've shared this so people will see that some of us have good reason to fear gun control. Please, think about this (and please don't attack and flame me- like I've experienced in the past!)

A very good nonfiction research book (one of many in my research library) is "Two Nations" by Andrew Hacker. I suggest this one because of the reality of differential experience based largely upon race (and partially upon wealth/class). I might add that few race researchers have tackled the reality of Southeastern Native Americans. Most focus on other groups (like Hacker does). I could name several others, but "Two Nations" is a good start.

I advocate cultural change to solve the problem of violence. It won't be easy and there ARE very powerful people who don't want things to change. When I've talked about this (and my experiences), I've been told "America- love it or leave it!!!" and I (and others who study the things I do) have been condemned for being "unpatriotic" when we talk about the reality that many people experience.

I think pointing out the errors and flaws in a nation (and working to change them) is far more patriotic than blind support. I tell people I believe in the PROMISE of America, rather than in it's reality. I think that if these glaring differences in this society were to be reduced or eliminated, the violence would be greatly reduced.

Also, if these differences were reduced, I believe that the Pentecostals/Dominionists would loose their power and be marginalized. There is an idea (which I accept) that Fundamentalism (regardless of religion) is the recourse for people who are not elites and realize that the "system" isn't working for them. (That same idea- not tested so not a theory- also states that the elites turn to eclectic spiritualism and so on when they realize the system doesn't work well for them either!) I think America could "work" if people were given a real chance- and not just lip service paid to the ideals.

I can only hope!