Intelligence Squared Race and Guns in a Divided America, with Carol Anderson and Mark Mardell
Jul 6, 2021
In this discussion, historian Carol Anderson, the Charles Howard Candler Professor of African American Studies at Emory University, joins Mark Mardell to reflect on her book, The Second. They explore the complex interplay between the Second Amendment and the rights of Black Americans. From historical injustices in gun ownership laws to tragic events like the Elaine massacre, they reveal how systemic racism has shaped the narrative around the right to bear arms. The conversation also touches on modern legislation and its implications for racial dynamics in America.
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Second Amendment and Anti-Blackness
- The Second Amendment, often seen as the right to bear arms, has a historical connection to anti-Blackness.
- Fear of enslaved and free Black people drove the creation of militias, slave patrols, and gun control laws.
Virginia Ratification Convention Debate
- At the Virginia Ratification Convention, there was heated debate about federal control of the militia.
- Patrick Henry and George Mason feared the North wouldn't send militias to quell Southern slave revolts.
The Second Amendment as a Bribe
- Carol Anderson argues the Second Amendment wasn't hallowed ground, but a bribe to the South.
- Similar to the three-fifths clause, it was a concession to protect slavery and ensure Southern states joined the Union.
