Marcus Weldon: If You Are Black and Pro-Gun, an Activist is Hard to Find

Seems like the left is ready to be involved in activism for the environment, for Hillary Clinton, and for black lives that meet their criteria for mattering. But try being a black man who is pro-gun and in need of some activism and the left is strangely quiet.

I learned this the hard way after using a gun for self-defense and finding myself $50,000 in the hole due to legal fees.

At first, I asked questions like, “Why did I not know about programs like the United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) or Firearms Legal Protection?” “Why did this overzealous prosecutor withhold evidence and scare off prime witnesses?” “Why aren’t the Black Lives Matter activists helping me? After all, I’m black and I’m getting railroaded!”

Then, I just buckled down and understood that it was going to be a bumpy ride.

I want to take you along this arduous journey of uncertainty as my life hung in the balance of the broken criminal justice system. After a long night of working at a Christmas party, I encountered a situation that ultimately, required me to use deadly force to defend myself. As a result, I faced seven felonies, including assault with intent to murder, which is punishable by life or any number of years in prison. I also faced assault with intent to do great bodily harm less-than-murder, which is punishable by a maximum of ten years, and assault with a dangerous weapon, punishable by a maximum of four years.

Then there were the charges of weapons felony firearm, which carries a mandatory two years consecutively any term of imprisonment imposed for a felony or attempted felony conviction.

As a single father, I was determined to fight and not accept a plea deal that would have sent me to prison, losing everything but most importantly my daughter. I was treated like a criminal, and the media labeled me the “SANTA SHOOTER.” During this time, I met and networked with numerous high-profile civil rights activists and came across some very unlikely allies.

I realized, if you are black and get prosecuted for a Second Amendment issue or any type of firearm issue, there is no use going to activists on the left for help. That is not an issue that fits the left’s agenda. Also, I realized, if it is not a high-profile case and there “ain’t” any cameras around well, good luck! Sadly, it is all about television time and self-promotion for a lot of activists.

This is the reality of the new wave of activists. You are better off going to a grassroots organization or a gun rights organization for help. Now, if you get shot by a cop, that is a different story, but it has to be a white cop that shoots — news stations like the racial stuff because it gets better ratings and more national attention.

I realize that activists like taking stands on those types of cases because it looks good on their resume. Everything is agenda driven — altruism is dead and black lives only matter (to some activists) when the cameras are on!

Marcus Weldon is the author of The Santa Shooter and a guest columnist for “Down Range with AWR Hawkins.”