Can you imagine how police would react if bands of African Americans armed with assault weapons were to patrol the streets in communities where police have used violence against the citizenry?

Contrast that mental image with the way police reacted to armed Oath Keepers in the streets of Ferguson, MO.

The Oath Keepers are a right wing, white militia.

Their purpose was to intimidate and threaten peaceful Black activists protesting the police murder of Michael Brown.

Missouri is an open carry state, which means anyone can be legally armed in public.

The right is enthusiastic about the public being armed. But I suspect that enthusiasm would be tempered somewhat if the left were similarly armed.

There are no left wing militias practicing in the woods on weekends. No leftist militias at all, in fact.

No left wing leaders calling for preparedness against oppression.

Given the history of police murder of people of color, such preparedness would be more than warranted.

Native Americans and African Americans suffer more violence at the hands of police than do any other demographics. And revolution, were it to occur, would likely be triggered by those communities defending themselves against racist police actions.

The political left and Black activists should prepare to defend themselves.

Arming ourselves not only reasonable, it is necessary.