'They have firearms galore.' Lawmaker's comments about communities of color draw gasps

[Demovictory9]

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/legislature/2019/09/06/scottsdale-arizona-lawmaker-jay-lawrence-comments-black-hispanic-communities-draw-gasps/2228893001/

An Arizona lawmaker told a forum on gun control last week that black and Hispanic communities are "better armed than the police officers who are supposed to be controlling them."

State Rep. Jay Lawrence, a Scottsdale Republican, walked back the comments when reached Thursday by The Arizona Republic.

At the event, organized Aug. 29 by March for Our Lives Arizona, Lawrence was asked about crafting gun policy that does not disproportionately target people of color.

"Black and brown communities, if you look at the weapons that they have, they are not licensed," Lawrence said. "They are better armed than the police officers who are supposed to be controlling them. They have firearms galore."

The lawmaker said people disrespect the police.

"Black and brown communities, black communities in particular, have gangs. And the gangs have to be stopped," he said.

Lawrence's comments were first reported by Cronkite News.

The lawmaker said Thursday that he was not fair when he spoke.

"Gangs do have armaments, and in many instances better armaments, than the police who are supposed to be controlling them," he added.

But, Lawrence added: "I think that was too much."









Legislator backs off comments on minority communities, guns

https://www.kgun9.com/news/state/legislator-backs-off-comments-on-minority-communities-guns


PHOENIX (AP) - An Arizona legislator has walked back his recent comments that black and Hispanic communities "are better armed than the police officers who are supposed to be controlling them" and that they "have firearms galore."

Republican Rep. Jay Lawrence of Scottsdale told the Arizona Republic that his comments during an Aug. 29 forum on gun control were unfair and too broad and that he should have been clear that he was concerned about gangs in those communities.

Lawrence's comment was first reported by Cronkite News of Arizona State University.

Democratic Rep. Diego Rodriguez of Phoenix attended the forum. He told the Republic that Lawrence's comments came from "a place of ignorance" and said it's dangerous to paint entire communities with a broad brush.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. Black and Brown people with guns are THUGS....

according to asswipes like this.

Nothing worse than categorizing people by the color of their skin. I guess this same lawmaker calls White people with guns..."Patriots"? See the pattern here? How many Black and Brown people have committed the most recent mass shootings that have gotten media attention?

Yes! There is plenty of gang violence and innocent people are caught in the middle of it. But the mass shootings of late have been committed by non-Black and Brown assailants with guns and hundreds of rounds of ammo with a purpose.

[onethatcares]

2. where did he get the idea

the police are there to control the people? Time to break out the paint brushes and change that motto to "To control and Subdue" instead of "protect and serve"

[2naSalit]

5. You know what?

I haven't seen or heard mention of that motto for decades. And it's evident that it is not one put into practice.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

8. Also applies to right-wing politicians.

Rethugs have been brainwashed to think their politicians are there to "to control and subdue" the unwashed masses rather than being public servants elected to "protect and serve".

Their attachments to religion, international autocrats and the NRA reinforces their thinking.

Authoritarianism pure and simple.........

[Wounded Bear]

14. Dems govern, Repubs rule...

[Maru Kitteh]

17. White R's have always used institutions of force to control POC, "protect and serve" still

applies, just as it was intended - for whites. There is no inconsistency. R's believe the police are there to protect and serve white people by keeping POC afraid, and therefore in their place, under "control."

[PJMcK]

3. Exposing racism

Racist bigots like Rep. Lawrence have been emboldened by Trump's Republican party to openly express their hatred for the diversity of the United States.

In a way, this is a good thing because now we know who the bigots are so they can be targeted.

Of course, most Republicans share his views anyway.

[tanyev]

4. You know they really want to figure out a way to make guns legal for whites and illegal for poc.

And vice versa for abortion.

[2naSalit]

6. +1

They want apartheid in America.

[spanone]

7. gop is 100% full of disgusting liars & racists

[KY_EnviroGuy]

9. I would love to see true statistics on...

White people gun ownership vs POC gun ownership......

However, since Rethugs have suppressed collection of the data needed to do that, we'll never know.....

If I had to guess, it would be on the order of 4-to-1 white vs POC.

This guy Lawrence should be sanctioned for spreading lies and hate.

[NickB79]

10. The NRA and Reagan backed gun control when the Black Panthers armed up

The racism is very thinly veiled.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/nra-california-open-carry-ban/

[The_jackalope]

11. "better armed than the police officers who are supposed to be controlling them"

"Controlling them"?
"Controlling them"?

It's no big mystery where the BLM movement came from...

[pecosbob]

12. Been trying to figure a way to post this for a week now...

Start listening for calls from conservatives for more restrictions on who can own firearms. I know it sounds like the opposite of what they've been doing for forty years, but the truth is that to subvert democracy in a society that allows possession of firearms an authoritorian government will invariably need to disarm it's opposition.

[struggle4progress]

13. "And of course, when I said 'black and Hispanic communities' I meant 'gangs'"

[Wounded Bear]

15. The terms are synonomous in RW minds...

[struggle4progress]

16. +

[onethatcares]

18. it's like trying to get an answer

to the question, "Was Jesus a liberal or a concervative" from them. The back breaking swirlyswoos and buttstuttering is amazing but the question never gets answered.

[DanTex]

19. "They are not licensed." Hmmm...

Does this mean that he thinks you should need a licence to buy a gun? Great idea!

[KentuckyWoman]

20. That guy needs to quit watching TV.

There is so much dumbass in his statement that it's hard to know where to start.

[Skittles]

21. police are supposed to protect and serve, not CONTROL

fucking fascist repukes