wcaleb’s Twitter Archive—№ 8,623

1. .@TexasTribune story this morning says the "open carry" movement gaining "momentum" in TX. Once again my thoughts turn to Reconstruction.
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2. Recently, many have pointed to "open carry" movement as example of American hypocrisy on race. E.g. this tweet: @Bipartisanism/540193704326463489
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3. General idea of most commentary is that black men could not openly carry assault rifles, which exposes persistence of racial prejudice.
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4. But do we also need to see open carry movement as case of what historian Steve Hahn called "militarization of politics" in post-CW South?
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5. In 1870s, whites opposed to black political power formed "rifle clubs" like the Red Shirts that openly intimidated Republican voters.
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6. Some of these "rifle clubs" would oh-so-coincidentally hold drill meetings at a polling place on election day. Totally by chance. Right.
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7. So black voters responded by arming themselves, as seen here. quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/ABL5152.0001.001/435?rgn=full+text;view=image
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8. Today, not hard to find ev. that open carry activists will push for right to carry at polls. Some already have. al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2014/11/pelham_voter_wearing_holstered.html
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9. And a July 2014 article in @nytimes suggests local courts could erode boundaries to guns at polls. nytimes.com/2014/07/13/us/alabama-ruling-hobbles-ban-on-guns-in-the-open-at-polls.html?_r=1
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10. Point being, important to call out Open Carry not ONLY as evidence of ludicrous racial double standard. ...
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11. … but ALSO as potentially anti-democratic "militarization of politics" uncomfortably reminiscent of the late nineteenth century.
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12. Many elements already in place: election monitors, erosion of Voting Rights Act. Radical Open Carry activists would add guns to mix.
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13. But if you're looking for good news, @TexasTribune report says the "movement" is still a circular firing squad. texastribune.org/2014/12/08/parade-open-carry-bills-exposes-divide-ranks/
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14. PS, here's the source of the image of armed black voters, which also appears in Hahn, Nation Under Our Feet: quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/ABL5152.0001.001/435?rgn=full+text;view=image
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15. PPS, whenever I do one of these chained "Twitter essays," I feel like I'm supposed to send @HeerJeet a check.
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