One of the few blackspots in Reagan's otherwise great public life (Calguns, post by cmth):

I know you hate open carry and take every opportunity to bash those who do it, but you need a history lesson.

The Black Panthers march on the Capitol did not cause the Mulford Act to be passed; the vote was already assured. The bill was being debated in committee when they performed their stunt. It was a tactical mistake from a publicity standpoint, but it had no effect on the outcome of the vote.

The Mulford Act was passed because many minority civil rights activists, the vast majority of whom were not members of the Black Panther Party, were lawfully arming themselves for protection against racist and violent police officers. The cops didn't like the citizens being able to lawfully defend themselves, so they requested assistance from the state legislature, and Governor Ronald Reagan had no problem signing the bill.

Much like today, it was very difficult for the politically-unconnected to obtain a CCW, and was all but impossible if you weren't white, so open carry was their only option. It was not until that right was on the very brink of being taken away did they "march on the Capitol" in protest.

Any time that you exercise a right in California that the state does not think you should have, they will do everything within their power to take that right away. Today is no different than it has ever been.