National

Concealed Carry Permit Holders Kill Hundreds

Published

10 years ago

May 20, 2015

By Freddie Allen
NNPA Senior Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – George Zimmerman, the former neighborhood watchman who shot and killed Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Black teenager in Sanford, Fla., three years ago was involved in another shooting in the Sunshine State, again raises questions about concealed carry permits and the billion-dollar gun industry that advocates for legislation aimed at making it easier for Americans to carry firearms everywhere, all of the time.

Matthew Apperson of Winter Springs, Fla., who said that Zimmerman threatened him following a road rage incident last year, claimed that he was acting in self-defense when he fired a single shot through the passenger side window of the truck that Zimmerman was driving.

Last Friday, police charged Apperson with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and firing a deadly missile into an occupied vehicle, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The dispute with Apperson follows a series of events where Zimmerman has been accused of threatening people with guns. In September 2013, just a few months after Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder, his estranged wife and her father said that Zimmerman threatened them with a gun and in November 2013, Zimmerman’s then-girlfriend accused him of threatening her with a shotgun.

The Orlando Sentinel reported that Don West, Zimmerman’s lawyer, said that his client was armed and but didn’t wave the gun or shoot at anyone during the altercation with Apperson. West added that Zimmerman has a concealed weapons permit and often travels with a gun for protection.

Despite the self-defense claims propped up by the supporters of concealed carry laws, the Violence Policy Center (VPC), a nonprofit group that seeks to address gun violence as a public health crisis, concealed carry permits holders are more likely to kill themselves or others during non-self defense events.

The center tracks fatalities associated with concealed carry gun permit holders at ConcealedCarryKillers.org and found that 743 people have been killed, including 17 law enforcement officers.

“In the vast majority of the 561 incidents documented (468, or 83 percent), the concealed carry permit holder either committed suicide (222), has already been convicted (184), perpetrated a murder-suicide (46), or was killed in the incident (16),” stated a press release about the website.

More than 70 people have been killed in Florida alone by concealed carry gun permit holders.

In a press release about ConcealedCarryKillers.org, Kristen Rand, the legislative director of VPC, said that research shows that concealed carry permit holders are involved in murders or suicides far more often than they act in self-defense. Rand added: “The NRA is relentlessly lobbying state and federal lawmakers to allow more concealed handguns in public despite the clear evidence that doing so puts more people in danger.”

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OP-ED: The Illusion of Allyship. White Women, Your Yard Signs Mean Nothing to Me

NNPA NEWSWIRE – “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 9, 2024

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Political yard signs can symbolize intentions and allegiance. But this year, they’ve also symbolized betrayal. During this general election, Black women were led to believe that more White women would stand with us. Exit polls, however, told a different story. Despite overwhelming displays of support, more White women still chose to vote for the convicted felon, reality TV star, and rapist. White women answered the call but left us hanging at the polls.

A Familiar Disappointment

I live in DeKalb County, Georgia, and the abundance of Harris-Walz yard signs could’ve fooled me. But I’ve seen this before, back when Stacey Abrams ran for governor. White women showed up, put up signs, attended rallies, knocked on doors, and phone-banked. Yet, when it came time to vote, they let us down—not once but twice. I’ve been here for over 15 years, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that political signs are symbols without weight.

In every election, I’ve talked with White women. Most aren’t the primary earners in their families and vote along party lines, aligning with the preferences of their fathers and husbands. These conversations reveal a reluctance to break from tradition, even when their votes affect women and certainly when their votes impact the lives of people who look like me.

The Illusion of Solidarity—Symbols Are Not Enough

On social media, I’m seeing White women posting pictures of blue bracelets to “prove” they didn’t vote for Trump. “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

I’ve seen Black Lives Matter signs and black squares posted on Instagram to “prove” support for Black people, but we now know that was a lie, too. Will those same people who claimed Black lives mattered now take down their Harris-Walz signs and show their true selves?

Navigating these truths is a daily struggle for me—professionally and socially. White women often misuse their privilege, supporting us only when it’s convenient. Seeing overqualified Black women sabotaged or abandoned by White women at critical moments is a constant emotional challenge. It’s exhausting to live with this reality, especially when solidarity seems like something they pick up and discard at will.

One clever campaign ad from Harris-Walz that spoke directly to White women. “Your Vote, Your Choice” emphasized that their vote was private—independent of their household situation. Another was from Olivia Howell Dreizen, the “Vote Without Fear” campaign, which empowered women to consider the greater impact of their choices. But it seems many still couldn’t choose the roadmap to freedom—even when it was handed to them.

A Call for Action Beyond Words

White women, I want to believe you care, but actions speak louder than yard signs, bracelets, or Instagram posts. Show up in our communities, advocate in your workplaces, and stand up to dismantle the structures that uphold white supremacy. Only through real action will we know where you stand.

If you choose not to act, we see you—and we know exactly where you stand. Good luck these next four years.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BlackPressUSA.com or the National Newspaper Publishers Association.