GoVia Community Police Safety App Blog
An inside source speaking with CBS News Chicago, under the condition of anonymity, revealed something many Black communities have been saying for years: there is personal and financial gain for some officers who arrest legal Black gun owners, even when those individuals have valid FOID cards and Concealed Carry Licenses (CCLs) under Illinois law.
Let’s be clear from a Black perspective — this is not about public safety. This is about power, profit, and a policing culture that criminalizes Blackness itself.
The Trump-Era Context: “Law and Order” for Who?
Under the Trump administration, “law and order” rhetoric intensified. Historically, that phrase has often meant expanded police discretion with fewer consequences, especially in Black communities. We saw:
- Encouragement of aggressive policing
- Rollbacks on consent decrees
- Public praise for officers “not being too nice”
For Black Americans, this translated into more stops, more searches, more arrests — even when the law is on our side.
Legal Black Gun Owners Are Still Treated as Criminals
Illinois requires:
- A FOID (Firearm Owner’s Identification) card
- A CCL for concealed carry
Black residents who follow these laws are still being arrested, detained, and charged — only for cases to later be dismissed. Why does this matter?
As one commenter powerfully stated:
“Arrest records affect employment. They know exactly what they are doing.”
Even without a conviction, an arrest can mean:
- Job loss or rejection
- Housing denials
- Damaged credit and legal costs
- Trauma and public humiliation
This is not accidental. It is structural.
The Comment Section Tells the Truth
Over 1,353 comments flooded discussions of this issue, revealing public awareness that the system is working exactly as designed.
One user asked:
“Where’s the NRA? I thought this was kinda their thing.”
Historically, organizations like the NRA have remained largely silent when gun rights violations involve Black people. This silence echoes a long history — from the disarming of Black communities during Reconstruction to the support of gun control laws that followed the rise of the Black Panthers.
Another comment cut straight to the heart of it:
“Race is not a big factor in this case — RACE IS THE ONLY FACTOR.”
From a Black historical lens, this rings true. Black people in America have been:
- Denied the right to own property
- Denied the right to read or congregate
- Lynched for asserting autonomy
- Terrorized by the KKK and enforced by law
Black gun ownership has always been politicized because it represents self-determination.
Why GoVia Matters
This is where GoVia, a community police safety app, becomes essential. GoVia empowers people to:
- Document police interactions in real time
- Share verified information with the community
- Create transparency where the system thrives on silence
Technology alone won’t dismantle systemic racism, but community accountability tools are a form of modern resistance.
This Is Bigger Than One Arrest
This moment reflects a deeper truth:
Black legality does not equal Black safety in America.
Even when Black people follow every rule, the system often finds a way to punish us anyway. That’s not a bug — it’s a feature of a system built during slavery, refined during Jim Crow, and rebranded during mass incarceration.
Books to Deepen Understanding 📚
If you want to explore this history and context further, consider these powerful works by Black authors:
- “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander
- “We Do This ’Til We Free Us” by Mariame Kaba
- “Negroes and the Gun” by Nicholas Johnson
- “Stamped from the Beginning” by Ibram X. Kendi
Each offers critical insight into how race, law, and power intersect in America.
At GoVia, we believe community safety means accountability, transparency, and justice — not selective enforcement.
