I’m no lover of firearms. In normal times, I think firearm proliferation makes for a nervous and violent populace. These ain’t normal times though.
I’m a pasty white man, I can, and do, blend in with crowds dominated by Trump supporters. I have basically no social media presence (tied to my actual identity) to betray my political inclinations. I don’t really have to worry about being scooped up by ICE, I’m more likely to be recruited if anything.
But that’s not the case for my wife or neighbors. This administration can claim credit for inspiring my enthusiasm for the Second Amendment.
And I think that’s not an uncommon position for leftists. We are, largely, in the awkward position of feeling conflicted between our distaste for mindless gun violence, and the very real threat of a fascist administration. This leads to some apprehension towards the whole firearm acquisition process.
Just do it. I went into a gun shop today for the first time ever to buy an AR-15 because it’s a popular and reliable platform, and I had my reservations. But it was quick and easy. I did my research and knew what I wanted to buy, and I was in and out in 20 minutes. Still gotta wait 5 days to actually pick it up, but it was a surprisingly simple process.
If you’re on the fence, just do it. Do it now, get some range time in, learn to use and service your weapon. Be ready when shit really hits the fan. Don’t wait to prepare until it’s too late, who knows what kind of obstacles may be erected in the near future.
Personally I went with a Ruger 556 because it’s highly regarded at a ~$600 price point. If you have a bit more budgetary restriction, Palmetto State Armory has options under $500 that are still pretty well reviewed.
But if you’re intimidated by the prospect, don’t be. It’s really very straightforward, at the end of the day a gun shop is a business and they want to make a sale. Especially if you’re a minority, get a firearm and learn to use it.
I could see the process being a bit more complicated if you’re trans, personally if your ID reflects your birth sex I’d bite the bullet (no pun intended) and crawl back into the egg on your application for simplicity. No need to complicate your personal safety, though !trans_guns@lemmy.blahaj.zone can probably offer more targeted service.
Just do it. It’s surprisingly simple and you didn’t want to be caught unprepared when it’s too late.
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I have neither the money nor the mental stability for a gun. I’d’ve blown my brains out several times over if I’d owned a gun. Furthermore, I’m not convinced of considerable utility of private firearm ownership in anti-fascist resistance, especially considering how easily purchases are tracked in the modern day.
What I do agree with, however, is firearm familiarity being important going forward. Should the worst happen, getting a gun will likely be less arduous and time consuming than getting familiarity with guns.
I would have agreed with you before we had brown shorts, official and unofficial, roaming the streets. Should the worst happen, the fascists aren’t going to wait patiently for you to arm yourself. If you don’t already know someone with a stockpile, getting a gun quickly is arduous.
If you’re mentally unstable, it is what it is. But there are plenty of guns that can be gotten fairly cheaply, under $200.
I would have agreed with you before we had brown shorts, official and unofficial, roaming the streets.
I would argue that this makes my objection more relevant - the ease of tracking purchases means that unless you intend to couple gun acquisition with disappearing from the grid entirely, a legally owned gun will be a ludicruously easy way for the government to track you once any sort of action with it against fascist goons is taken - or simply to mark you as a threat by the purchase combined with past political activity.
Should the worst happen, the fascists aren’t going to wait patiently for you to arm yourself. If you don’t already know someone with a stockpile, getting a gun quickly is arduous.
Maybe it’s a product of my upbringing in a semirural area, but uh, I’ve always known the prospect of getting a gun to be incredibly easy so long as you don’t need it legally.
a legally owned gun will be a ludicruously easy way for the government to track you once any sort of action with it against fascist goons is taken
My logic is that once that becomes an issue, it’s past the point of no return anyway. Similarly, when I talk about acquiring a gun being arduous, I’m specifically referring to post-SHTF. I worry that once it’s something obvious to do, there will be additional obstacles. Some, perhaps, insurmountable.
or simply to mark you as a threat by the purchase combined with past political activity
Luckily my past political activity has been relatively incognito. Obviously a dedicated and technically inclined detective could find my accounts, that’s basically true for anyone, no matter how careful. At least my identity isn’t first-order retrievable, so that offers some friction.
In any case, I can’t see a way to leftist victory that does not incorporate arming ourselves. Even if just performatively, to demonstrate that we’re not the easy targets the other side assumes. We have to acknowledge that the Rubicon might be crossed any day now, and preparation might not be so easy the day after.
In any case, I can’t see a way to leftist victory that does not incorporate arming ourselves. Even if just performatively, to demonstrate that we’re not the easy targets the other side assumes. We have to acknowledge that the Rubicon might be crossed any day now, and preparation might not be so easy the day after.
I mean, I don’t disagree that force or the potential to exercise force is a necessary factor both in resistance and deterrence, I’m just not sure about the utility of private civilian firearm ownership in this.
I think it’s an ‘agree to disagree’ moment, since we’re not really disagreeing on the principle of “Get prepared for worst-case scenarios”, only the details (Me opting for “IF you’re going to do it, be minimally traceable; remember that later acquisition is easier than later familiarization”, you for “Better to have it now and not need to seek it out later”)
Gods willing, we won’t ultimately end up in a worst-case scenario - but as it stands now, it’s a very nonzero possibility, especially considering the already-extant abuses of the fascists in office.
I’m just not sure about the utility of private civilian firearm ownership
Six months ago I would have agreed. Six months ago I was resolute that ownership should be tied to training and membership in some well-regulated militia.
That was six months ago.
I think it’s an ‘agree to disagree’ moment, since we’re not really disagreeing on the principle of “Get prepared for worst-case scenarios”, only the details (Me opting for “IF you’re going to do it, be minimally traceable; remember that later acquisition is easier than later familiarization”, you for “Better to have it now and not need to seek it out later”)
I think we basically agree. I also think training is paramount; I’m also very frugal, so buying up front instead of renting or trying to piggyback on someone else just seemed like the practical call. I’m also registered Independent, my social media presence is non-existent, and I could easily blend into a MAGA crowd if I wanted to. It’s probably not a terrible idea to be more discreet than me if you’re more conspicuous, but on the other hand it may be valuable for their records to show a spike in ownership among their targets. That sort of thing leaks down to the front line, and it may give the goons up front some pause.
I think our main split is in how paranoid we are that acquisition will be considerably more difficult post-SHTF. My wife is an immigrant, legal citizen who “did it the right way” but how long is that gonna matter? We’ve crossed my threshold, when optimism gives way to paranoia. I don’t know when it’s going to be too late, and I don’t really want to be on the wrong side of finding out
Six months ago I would have agreed. Six months ago I was resolute that ownership should be tied to training and membership in some well-regulated militia.
I think one of the core disagreements here may relate to usage. My thinking is that firearms are most useful in situations where the left-resistance has a pre-existing plan to use them, while ‘reactive’ scenarios - like your home getting raided by ICE - firearms are less useful (not completely without use - but less useful).
When ICE breaks down your doors in the middle of the night, or swarms into your workplace just before lunchtime, they have chosen the time, the place, the circumstances. The chances of you being prepared enough to make a difference, even if armed, is fucking slim. It’s the same reason that irregular resistance so often opts for ambushes.
Where guns are most useful would be pre-planned confrontations in public, retributive acts, or active participation in a resistance militia.
I think our main split is in how paranoid we are that acquisition will be considerably more difficult post-SHTF.
That too. I’m of the opinion that shit hitting the fan will lead to more firearm proliferation through unofficial channels, rather than less. Especially in a country as bizarrely armed as our’s.
My wife is an immigrant, legal citizen who “did it the right way” but how long is that gonna matter? We’ve crossed my threshold, when optimism gives way to paranoia. I don’t know when it’s going to be too late, and I don’t really want to be on the wrong side of finding out
I have family and friends in the same scenario as your wife. I hope, for all our sakes, that it never comes to that, as dark as things seem now.
If it does, I hope your preparations make the difference, legitimately.
My thinking is that firearms are most useful in situations where the left-resistance has a pre-existing plan to use them, while ‘reactive’ scenarios - like your home getting raided by ICE - firearms are less useful (not completely without use - but less useful).
Agreed. However, I’m also a tool guy. I like having tools that cover broad use cases. This is a tool with utility in both cases. Sure, it’s not much of a boon in the reactive case, but it is another tool in the box, and it would sure be nice to have handy if it would be useful. Then I also have it handy for planned use.
I also hope it doesn’t come to that, but at this point I can’t be content with hoping. I need to be prepared.
I would, but I have to worry a bit about my suicidal ideation. And another person I live with’s potential mental instability.
I mean realistically I’m too afraid of dying to ever pull the trigger on myself… but man IDK… seems like a bet I’d rather not risk until I’m a bit happier about my current life circumstance.
Probably not a bad idea. Still, you can generally rent guns from ranges to at least get some practice while your circumstances improve.
If I owned a gun I wouldn’t be alive anymore.
My chronic pain is so bad that furing the worst moments I know if I had a gun on my bedside table I wouldn’t be here.
The best thing about guns is that they let you steal more guns
