Pink Pistols - Definition and Overview

The Pink Pistols are a gay gun rights organization in the United States. Their mottos are "Armed Gays Don't Get Bashed" and "Pick on someone your own caliber". There are now 40 Pink Pistols chapters that are principally made up of gun owning homosexuals, though neither condition is mandatory for membership. Their symbol consists of an overhead view of a picto-person in an isoceles stance aiming a handgun over a pink triangular background, the latter referring to the symbol gays were forced to wear in the Nazi concentration camps.

This is unusual in that, in general, firearm owners and gays tend to generally have diametrically opposed political outlooks, though there is nothing within either of the two single issues that is mutually exclusive in theory. Their activities involve firing range visits and political activism. Additionally, the group occasionally produces report cards on politicians based on their stand on issues of interest to members.

Some critics have accused Pink Pistols of being far more interested in the gun side of their platform, with sexuality only an afterthought to get attention for what is essentially just an atypical libertarian group.

Quote from the Pink Pistols website

"The Pink Pistols get together at least once a month at local firing ranges to practice shooting, and to acquaint people new to firearms with them. We will help you select a firearm, acquire a permit, and receive proper training in its safe and legal use for self-defense. The more people know that members of our community may be armed, the less likely they will be to single us out for attack."

External links

• The web site of Pink Pistols (http://www.pinkpistols.com)
• National Review on Pink Pistols (http://www.nationalreview.com/murdock/murdock070102.asp)
• Pink Pistols (http://dir.salon.com/news/feature/2000/03/14/pistol/index.html?sid=681403) from Salon Magazine.