# Maj Toure

Maj Toure (born Martin Anthony Jones) is an American libertarian political activist and rapper. Toure is closely associated with the Mises Caucus wing of the American Libertarian Party. Toure is commonly known for saying, "All gun control is racist!" and justifies this belief by stating, "It was literally started to stop black people from having the means to defend themselves."
A native of North Philadelphia, Toure founded the educational nonprofit organization Black Guns Matter in 2016. The organization advocates for the right to keep and bear arms, and promotes responsible ownership of firearms within African-American and urban communities.
He has released three rap/hip hop recordings: Solutionary Vol. 1 (2005), Solutionary Vol. 2 (2014), and Solutionary Vol. 3 (2016).
Toure was a candidate for an at-large seat in the Philadelphia City Council in the city's 2019 election. He ran as a Libertarian. In addition to his support for Second Amendment rights, his stated political priorities included: criminal justice reform; ending the practice of solitary confinement; legalization of cannabis; improved education in Philadelphia; and conflict resolution training for disconnected youths. On November 5, 2019, Toure finished 15th in a field of 17 candidates in the city's election, failing to secure a seat on the City Council. He received 5,676 votes (0.5% of the vote total).
Toure spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February 2019.
In a dialogue with Lawrence B. Jones in 2021, Toure applauded grassroots anti-racist protestors for emphasizing that black lives do in fact matter, while denouncing Black Lives Matter, Inc. as a "money laundering operation" that "fleeces the black community," with the goal of aiding Democratic politicians.

## Worldview and Influences

Maj Toure’s activism is shaped by his belief in personal responsibility, self-defense, and individual liberty. He is influenced by historical figures such as Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, and Harriet Tubman, who fought against oppression and advocated for the empowerment of marginalized people. He also draws philosophical inspiration from thinkers like John Locke, Thomas Paine, and Thomas Jefferson, whose ideas on natural rights, limited government, and the protection of individual freedoms are central to Toure’s libertarian worldview.
Toure argues that modern gun control laws are a continuation of systemic racism, originally designed to disarm black Americans and limit their ability to defend themselves. He believes these laws disproportionately affect marginalized communities today by perpetuating disempowerment and government control. Toure’s focus on the Second Amendment and self-defense is not limited to racial issues, as he views gun ownership as essential for all citizens to resist government tyranny.
In a 2021 conversation with Lawrence B. Jones, Toure praised grassroots anti-racist protestors for their emphasis on the value of black lives but criticized Black Lives Matter, Inc. as a “money laundering operation” that exploits the black community for political gain, particularly benefiting Democratic politicians. He emphasizes that genuine empowerment comes through education, self-sufficiency, and constitutional rights, rather than reliance on political movements that, in his view, often fail to address the real needs of black Americans.

## Criminal history

On July 6, 2006, Toure was arrested for recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and harassment by subjecting others to physical contact. On November 17, 2006, he took a plea deal in order to get into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program. He was sentenced to 20 hours of community service and anger management classes.
On February 21, 2013, Toure was ejected from the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program when he violated the terms of his ARD arrangement by committing trademark counterfeiting, a first-degree misdemeanor. An undercover police officer witnessed him selling bootleg rap CDs on a commuter train and arrested him. He pleaded guilty on April 1, 2013 and was sentenced to 12 months of probation.
Toure was arrested in Philadelphia on June 20, 2023 and was charged with carrying firearms in public in Philadelphia, a first-degree misdemeanor, and carrying firearms without a license, a third-degree felony. He was charged under the alias "Maj Tourney.". The case was moved to the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and Toure was convicted of both crimes on July 18, 2024 and sentenced on October 2, 2024 to 4 years probation.

## Electoral history

Philadelphia City Council Member At-Large, 2019 general election Vote for 7 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Helen Gym | 205,661 | 15.4 |
| | Democratic | Isaiah Thomas | 196,733 | 14.7 |
| | Democratic | Derek S. Green | 189,819 | 14.2 |
| | Democratic | Katherine Gilmore Richardson | 189,813 | 14.2 |
| | Democratic | Allan Domb | 186,665 | 13.9 |
| | Working Families | Kendra Brooks | 60,256 | 4.5 |
| | Republican | David Oh | 53,742 | 4.0 |
| | Republican | Al Taubenberger | 47,547 | 3.6 |
| | Working Families | Nicolas O'Rourke | 46,560 | 3.5 |
| | Republican | Dan Tinney | 46,270 | 3.5 |
| | Republican | Bill Heeney | 43,249 | 3.2 |
| | Republican | Matt Wolfe | 41,341 | 3.1 |
| | Independent | Sherrie Cohen | 9,116 | 0.7 |
| | Independent | Joe Cox | 8,880 | 0.7 |
| | Libertarian | Maj Toure | 6,179 | 0.5 |
| | Independent | Steve Cherniavsky | 3,480 | 0.4 |
| | Independent | Clarc King | 2,959 | 0.2 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 745 | nil |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,339,015 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
| | Working Families gain from Republican | Working Families gain from Republican | Working Families gain from Republican | Working Families gain from Republican |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |