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.
39:45
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
insights INSIGHT
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.
question_answer ANECDOTE
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.
insights INSIGHT
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.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
How the Politics of Racial Resentment Is Killing America's Heartland
Jonathan Metzl
In 'Dying of Whiteness,' Jonathan M. Metzl explores the unintended public health consequences of right-wing backlash policies related to taxes, gun control, social safety nets, and healthcare. Through field interviews, research, and public-health data gathered in Missouri, Tennessee, and Kansas, Metzl shows how these policies, despite being marketed to benefit white Americans, actually increase deaths by gun suicide, lower life expectancies, and raise dropout rates. The book highlights the paradox of whiteness, where the pursuit of white privilege leads to detrimental health outcomes for both white and non-white populations.
The Second Sex
Simone de Beauvoir
In 'The Second Sex', Simone de Beauvoir delves into the concept of feminism by examining historical facts, biological differences, psychoanalytic theories, and societal myths that have led to the subjugation of women. The book is divided into two volumes: 'Facts and Myths' and 'Lived Experience'. Beauvoir argues that women are not inherently inferior but are made so by societal constructs and historical injustices. She critiques the notion that women are defined as 'The Other' in relation to men, emphasizing that this distinction denies women their humanity and autonomy. The book explores various stages of a woman's life, from childhood to old age, highlighting how societal forces condition women into accepting passive and dependent roles. Beauvoir advocates for women's equality and autonomy, particularly through economic independence and the ability to support themselves through work.
Throughout history, the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States has protected the right to bear arms. For Black Americans, this has come with the understanding that the moment they exercise this right (or the moment that they don't), their life - as surely as the lives of Philando Castile, Tamir Rice, Breonna Taylor - may be snatched away in a single, fateful second.
In this week's podcast historian Carol Anderson speaks to Mark Mardell about her new book The Second, illuminating the history and impact of the Second Amendment: from the seventeenth century, when it was encoded into law that the enslaved could not own, carry or use a firearm, to today, where measures to expand and curtail gun ownership continue to limit the freedoms and power of Black Americans.
To buy the book click here:
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-second/carol-anderson/9781526633682
Intelligence Squared 
