4 chapters across the catalog
The hosts revisit the history of the Black Panthers' armed patrols in Oakland, which led to the passage of the Mulford Act. They argue that modern gun control efforts often begin when Black citizens exercise their Second Amendment rights, prompting the state to restrict access for everyone.
The hosts detail the history of the Mulford Act, a 1967 California law signed by Ronald Reagan that restricted the public carrying of loaded firearms. The law was a direct response to the Black Panthers' armed patrols. They draw a parallel between this historical event and the current push for "Patriot Act 2.0" following the Capitol riot.
In 1967, Governor Ronald Reagan signed the Mulford Act to ban open carry in California specifically in response to the Black Panthers patrolling neighborhoods. This was followed by the 1968 Gun Control Act, which targeted "Saturday Night Specials"—inexpensive handguns used by poor and minority communities. Adam Curry reflects on how the term was used as a form of psychological programming against the poor.
The history of modern gun control is traced back to the 1967 Mulford Act in California, which was a direct response to the Black Panthers' armed neighborhood patrols. Ronald Reagan, then Governor, signed the bill to prevent "bands of armed people" from intimidating citizens. The hosts argue that gun control has historically been used as a tool to disarm black men who were protecting their own communities.
