On Second Thought, Perhaps Tom Would Rather You Stay Silent

“Brokaw: Silence on Gun Violence Like Not Speaking Out Against Segregation in 1960s South.”

OK, let’s talk:

When Charles “Chuck” Hicks does the Martin Luther King Jr. Day peace and freedom walks Saturday, he’ll also be taking a step for what the National Rifle Association has dubbed “National Rifle Appreciation Day.” That’s because Hicks is the son of Robert Hicks, a prominent leader of the legendary Deacons for Defense and Justice — an organization of black men in Louisiana who used shotguns and rifles to repel attacks by white vigilantes during the 1960s.

“The Klan would drive through our neighborhood shooting at us, shooting into our homes,” recalled Hicks, 66, who grew up in Bogalusa, La., and has been a civil rights activist in the District for more than 35 years. “The black men in the community wouldn’t stand for it. You shoot at us, we shoot back at you. I’m convinced that without our guns, my family and many other black people would not be alive today.”

As the Professor notes, “Condi Rice tells a similar story, of course. More background here.”

Related: “No One Needs An Evil Black Rifle. That’s what the left keeps telling us. Please allow me to retort.”

More: “Crackpot history: Roger Ebert tweets ‘The 2nd Amendment was ratified to preserve slavery;’” similarly, former author turned wannabe political pundit Joyce Carol Oates believes that Hicks and Rice are racists.

Update: “New gun control ad: This congressman kinda sorta killed those children in Newtown:”

Here’s the problem: The CSGV has done some selective editing in its video. In its version of the ad, Barrow displays a pistol and says:

“Long before I was born, my grandfather used this little Smith & Wesson here….”

It cuts the Augusta congressman off there. How did Barrow finish the sentence in the original, and what did the CSGV choose to omit? This:

”…to help stop a lynching.”

Incidentally, Allahpundit notes, “the congressman targeted here is a Democrat. And not just any Democrat but a Democrat who comes from a district in Georgia that’s much more conservative now, after redistricting, than it was in 2010. The plan here seems to be to ignite a primary challenge from the left, which would, if successful, paradoxically make things much easier for the GOP in the general election”