"On the one hand, the guns were there to help capture the imagination of the people. But more important, since we knew that you couldn't observe the police without guns, we took our guns with us to let the police know that we have an equalizer"

This quote by Bobby Seale talks with the power of importance as well as the requirement for defense. Seale is describing the Black Panther Party, a revolutionary black nationalist and socialist organization that was active in the United States from 1966 to 1982. The weapons were a sign of the Party's dedication to self-defense and to the security of the black community. Seale is additionally emphasizing the significance of having guns to secure the Panthers from cops cruelty. By carrying weapons, the Panthers were sending a message to the cops that they were not to be taken lightly which they had the ways to safeguard themselves. Seale's quote is a pointer of the power of meaning and the demand for defense when faced with oppression. It is likewise a suggestion of the significance of defending one's legal rights and also of the demand to be prepared to safeguard oneself in the face of oppression.