About​ ​Rhode Island John Brown Gun Club 

The RIJBGC is an independent community defense organization with members​ ​from​ ​a​ ​broad​ ​spread​ ​of​ ​political, religious,​ ​and​ ​cultural​ ​backgrounds.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​a​ ​pro-worker,​ ​anti-racist​, and anti-patriarchal ​organization​ ​that​ ​focuses​ ​on​ ​working-class​ ​liberation​ ​from​ ​the​ ​oppressive​ ​systems​ ​which​ ​dominate​ ​our​ ​lives. Founded in June of 2017, we are active throughout Rhode Island and southern New England. 

Political​ ​Ideology 

RIJBGC ​members​ ​come​ ​from​ ​a​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​left-leaning ideological​ ​backgrounds​ ​–​ left-libertarians,​ ​socialists, anarchists,​ communists,​ ​and​ ​independents.​ ​Many​ ​people​ ​nationwide​ ​have​ ​become politicized​ ​for​ ​the​ ​first​ ​time​ ​over​ ​the​ ​last​ ​several​ ​years,​ ​and​ ​are​ ​now​ ​seeking​ ​ways​ ​to​ ​get​ ​involved​ ​and protect​ ​vulnerable​ ​members​ ​of​ ​their​ ​communities​ ​and​ ​keep​ ​them​ ​safe.​ RIJBGC​ ​stands​ ​ready​ ​to work​ ​with​ ​anyone​ ​who​ ​recognizes​ ​the​ ​urgency​ ​of​ ​building​ ​community​ ​defense​ ​organizations,​ ​and​ ​can​ ​work and​ ​learn​ ​in​ ​the​ ​process. 

Diversity 

RIJBGC​ ​values having​ ​diverse​ ​membership​ ​across​ ​our various communities. ​​RIJBGC​ ​believes​ ​that real​ ​working​-​class​ ​solidarity​ ​can only exist if every group and member of the working-class has their needs respected, acknowledged, and made a priority. We seek to be an organization where every single working-class person regardless of race, sexuality, gender ability, etc. has equal ownership of the organization.

Goals​ ​and​ ​Strategies:

● Directly​ ​countering​ ​the​ ​growth​ ​of​ ​white​ ​supremacist​ ​and​ ​reactionary​ ​organizing​ ​in​ ​working​-class communities.  

● Build,​ ​strengthen​, ​and​ ​support​ ​community​ ​defense​ ​initiatives​ ​and​ ​programs​ ​in​ ​targeted​ ​and marginalized​ ​communities. 

 Community​ ​Defense: 

In​ ​a​ ​climate​ ​of​ ​increasing​ ​violence​ ​and​ ​conflict​ ​against​ ​immigrants,​ ​people​ ​of​ ​color​​,​ ​trans​ ​and​ ​queer​ ​folk, violence​ ​against​ ​places​ ​of​ ​worship​ ​(synagogues,​ ​mosques,​ ​holy​ ​temples),​ ​community​ ​centers,​ ​and reproductive​ ​health​ ​facilities,​ ​RIJBGC​ ​believes​ ​that​ ​a​ ​stance​ ​of​ ​defensive​ ​action​ ​is​ ​increasingly necessary.​ ​​Club ​members​ ​have​ ​​no​ ​desire​​ ​to​ ​engage​ ​with​ ​anyone​ ​in​ ​armed​ ​conflict​ ​unless​ ​they aggressively​ ​target​ ​our​ ​communities;​ ​again,​ ​we​ ​believe​ ​in​ ​community​ ​defense​ ​only​ ​when​ ​called for​ ​by​ ​extreme​ ​circumstances.​ ​​All​ ​of​ ​our​ ​members​ ​undergo​​ ​firearms​ ​safety​ ​training​ ​courses. RIJBGC​ ​also​ ​views​ ​community​ ​defense​ ​as​ ​a​ ​broader​ ​initiative​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​security​ ​in​ ​our communities,​ ​which​ ​encompasses​ ​access​ ​to​ ​food,​ ​shelter,​ ​safety,​ ​and​ ​health.​ ​RIJBGC ​is​ ​building​ ​survival​ ​programs​ ​including​ ​community food distribution,​ ​free ​stores,​ and defense​ ​training ​--​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​defensive​ ​action​ ​in​ ​situations​ ​where​ ​community defense​ ​against​ ​reactionary​ ​violence​ ​is​ ​needed.  

Firearms​ ​Use 

Firearms​ ​are​ ​an​ ​important​ ​focus​ ​within​ ​RIJBGC,​ ​because​ ​club ​members​ ​feel​ ​that​ ​the​ ​current threats​ ​to​ ​marginalized​ ​folks​ ​in​ ​our​ ​communities​ ​are​ ​deadly​ ​serious.​ ​RIJBGC​ ​stands​ ​for​ ​the​ ​right​ ​of​ ​every​ ​community​ ​to​ ​defend itself​ ​from​ ​those​ ​who​ ​would​ ​exploit​ ​or​ ​oppress​ ​them,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​the​ ​empowerment​ ​of​ ​all​ ​individuals​ ​who wish​ ​to​ ​participate​ ​in​ ​the​ ​defense​ ​of​ ​their​ ​communities​ ​with​ ​the​ ​knowledge​ ​and​ ​equipment​ ​to​ ​do​ ​so.​ ​To this​ ​end,​ ​and to what extent we can, RIJBGC​ ​offers​ ​free​ ​firearms​ ​training,​ ​or​ ​works​ ​to​ ​connect​ ​community members​ ​to​ ​affordable​ ​training​ ​resources. RIJBGC​ ​does​ ​not​ ​see​ ​the organization​ ​as​ ​the​ ​first​ ​ones​ ​to​ ​arm​ ​ourselves,​ ​but​ ​rather​ ​have​ ​picked​ ​up arms​ ​as​ ​a​ ​reaction​ ​to​ ​increasing​ ​violence​ ​and​ ​threats​ ​against​ ​members​ ​of​ ​our​ ​communities.​ ​The​ ​current political​ ​environment​ ​has​ ​seen​ ​armed​ ​theocratic, xenophobic, and fascist militias​ ​intimidating​ ​people​ ​as​ ​they​ ​go​ ​into​ ​their​ ​mosques​ ​to​ ​pray, violent​ ​white​ ​nationalists​ ​attacking​ ​people​ ​in​ ​the​ ​street,​ ​Nazis​ ​openly​ ​calling​ ​for​ ​genocide​ ​all​ ​across​ ​the country,​ ​and​ ​political​ ​wavering​ ​around​ ​whether​ ​white​ ​nationalism​ ​is​ ​a​ ​defensible​ ​political​ ​ideology. RIJBGC​ ​members​ ​recognize​ ​how​ ​real​ ​the​ ​threats​ ​of​ ​violence​ ​have​ ​become​ ​because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​friends and​ ​loved​ ​ones​ ​our communities have​ ​already​ ​lost,​ ​and​ ​we​ ​organize​​ ​community​ ​defense​ ​as​ ​both​ ​an​ ​obligation​ ​and​ ​a commitment​ ​to​ ​defend​ ​each​ ​other.