1967-The Year The NRA, Republicans and Ronald Reagan “Believed” In Gun Control.

You wouldn’t know it today but the National Rifle Association (NRA), and Republicans were once upon a time great advocate of gun control. Yes! It’s true, and so was the conservatives - “Real Conservative” Ronald Reagan.

The NRA, the Republican Party and Reagan wanted a ban on open carrying.

The Black Panthers, Sacramento, California U.S. Capitol, 1967

One of the first major gun control laws came from the state of California was signed into law in 1967 by then Gov. Ronald Reagan. and the NRA supported this law called Mulford Act.

The what? The Mulford Act! What is the Mulford Act? A California bill that prohibited public carrying of loaded firearms without a permit. This bill was named after California Republican assemblyman Don Mulford. The NRA supported California’s Mulford Act of 1967, and even contributed notes to guide Mulford in his drafting of the bill.

A ban on open carry. Really. But Why? Black people. More specifically. THE BLACK PANTHERS.

The Panthers instituted armed “Police Patrols” to protect African Americans, they said, from Oakland police harassment and in those days in California, it was legal to carry guns in public as long as they weren’t pointed at someone. The Panthers thought if officers noticed that they were being followed and monitored by them their interactions with black members of the public would be more fair.

So more then 57 years ago, Republicans with the assistance of the NRA banned public carrying of firearms in California after the Black Panthers began armed patrols in Oakland to protect communities from police.

Facts:

• The law, AB 1591 was named for its author, Alameda County Republican Assemblymen Don Mulford.

• The law banned the carrying of firearms in public,

• The law made it a felony to carry a felony with out a government-issued license.

In response to the bill the Black Panther Party’s demonstrated with a march on the State Capitol to protest gun control legislation on May 2, 1967. Reagan just happened to be there, and soon after signed the bill.

Reagans statement on the bill.

Reagan stated that he saw "no reason why on the street today a citizen should be carrying loaded weapons" and that guns were a "ridiculous way to solve problems that have to be solved among people of good will."

Reagan also said the law would not hurt “honest people”.

 Later in a letter defending the bill, Mulford wrote:

“This legislation was specifically designed with the help of the National Rifle Association to protect our constitutional right to bear arms and yet to assist the law enforcement people who asked for this bill do to something about the armed bands of citizens who are walking our public streets and in public places with loaded weapons.”

Know that all behavior is purposeful. There is a reason why individual’s or group’s opt to make certain decisions. Each decision made is a means to an end. Certain actions bring more benefits than others.

I find that the ironic that the NRA would go from backing gun control laws to inhibit groups they felt threatened by to lobbying against to any gun control legislation at all on the grounds of the 2nd Amendments.

A question we all know the answer to, is who benefits from the Mulford Act?

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