Gregory's ServerTl;dr: Don't be the queer version of Meal Team Six. You're gonna be just as ineffective as they are.
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62 comments
 @Dani Saying "you must do this thing, but you have to have started some years ago" is never useful. It's redundant to those who already have done it and worthless to those who haven't.  @daviddlevine @Dani It's not at all worthless to those who haven't in this case, the point is don't start now if you don't want to get dead because you can't get to where you need to be to stay alive in the time you have left. The most important thing is, if you bring a gun to the fight, the fight will be about the gun. Are you prepared to struggle for possession of a firearm? Doubt it. @daviddlevine it's extremely useful; it establishes a reality check on what investment is necessary to be competent to with a tool in order to accomplish some goal. If someone isn't capable of coming to terms with that idea, I'd prefer they not do the thing. @Dani Okay, I see now what you were trying to say. It's a valid and very important point, but I'm afraid the words in your initial post didn't convey that message well.  @daviddlevine @Dani  @daviddlevine @Dani I would say it advises those that haven’t how they might better use their precious time. @Dani @Impossible_PhD  @Dani @Impossible_PhD Meh, pretty much everyone knows how to use a hammer and it's not a whole lot more complex than that. You have to maintain and secure it because it's more dangerous than a hammer. Mistakes are a bit more costly. It's not complicated though. You can go practice aiming and such to be better, but you don't need to be Rambo to rid the world of bigots trying to rid it of you. You better be willing though, and you might lose still and lose harder so...everyone's got choices I own guns. Despite everything I believe about guns, I have thought about carrying because I just haven't felt safe. This is exactly why I have decided I cannot allow myself to carry one. @Wendy But doing _anything_ under pressure is different. And under that much pressure...?  @Dani @Impossible_PhD How they react to Trumpism will go a long way towards defining what our resistance is going to be. @Dani @Impossible_PhD yep. If you aren’t very competent in using a tool and keeping hold of it in relevant contexts, then all you’re doing is giving them a free gun to use near you. @Impossible_PhD @Impossible_PhD "Meal Team Six vs. Rainbow Division" would make a great team v team game akin to team fortress though. Addendum: What the fuck, people?! I talk about how bad an idea it is to arm yourselves and a bunch of yall start arguing about blades and homemade bombs instead of firearms?! When I said weapons and not firearms, I meant ***all*** weapons. This is not a fucking movie. This is your lives. All your posturing is gonna do is get you and the people around you dead. Knock it off, dummies. Knee jerk, I am afraid. Folks, don't be daft, don't get killed. You will not respawn. Or, if you have such a death wish, do not write about it in public (which means internet at large). Save your contacts from unwanted visitors. @Impossible_PhD Out of all topics... I guess "missing the point" illustrates the point, huh. I am absolutely NOT questioning your practical advice with respect to the current situation AT ALL, but out of curiosity, given your position, what is your take on the role that armed self-defense historically played for Black resistance in the he US? I know there are people who argue it was crucial in that situation. Not to anticipate your response, but I suppose that DID include Black veterans from WWII and Korea, and therefore partly fell under the exceptions you mentioned? @bifouba armed self defense was *always* the minority for Black folks. There were a few who carried, and in doing so made it much riskier for white oppressors to harass Black folks. And most of those people who did were indeed veterans, as I understand the history. Which, honestly, is exactly my point. @Impossible_PhD not just that but also maybe don't (plan to) commit crimes on the public internet. It's a bad time for everyone @ahuggingsam lol, yeah, that's a dumb fucking idea too. Seriously, the number of people in this thread who *absolutely do not get it* is astounding. And for the record, everyone? I'm from a military family and I don't own a weapon of any kind *because I'm from a military family*. I did not enter service because I know myself well enough to know that I am not capable of enacting that sort of harm. @Tattie @Impossible_PhD I heard of this thing a while back, and maybe it could also be a good self-defense weapon. It’s also something that wouldn’t be seen as one until it’s used as such. https://poshmark.com/listing/Cat-Knuckle-Keychain-2-Pack-Self-Defense-Ring-5f736336fadba46e29a133ba  @Tattie @Impossible_PhD I regularly re-read The Art Of War, and it's if note that Sun Tzu describes many kinds of ground your army will find itself on. The only one where all-out attack is advisor without question is called "fatal ground" or "lethal ground"; all other circumstances suggest a strategy of struggle without engagement. Clearly "only fight when you absolutely must" was understood for centuries. Addendum addendum: Jesus fucking christ, a lot of you need to get your heads out of your asses and out of video games/action movies. You are not fucking John McClain. You need to *survive*, you lunatics. I'm muting this insanity. @Impossible_PhD The people cosplaying John McClain remind me of Summer in that one R&M episode.  @Impossible_PhD There may be a fair degree of recklessness in how people are going about it, but I do not call arming ourselves irresponsible, to the degree we are able. What is irresponsible is thinking a silver tongue will keep you safe forever: indeed to even think in terms of being safe is irresponsible. We are at the "better to die on your feet than live on your knees" phase. And anything less than that is not principle, it is cowardice.  @FinalOverdrive @Impossible_PhD There are 400M firearms in this dystopia. Some people have dozens of them & Trump is giving them permission to terrorize minorities. Buying a gun is like buying rat poison. Mostly you are less safe due to accidental death, but if you really need it nothing else protects you as well. Me? I’m considering a freezer to stock up before the meat packing plants no longer have workers. Or become a vegetarian to balance our new drill baby drill CO2 levels. Lots of beans! @Runyan50 @Impossible_PhD How about both? It's a tool for defense. Nothing more. It reckless to be unarmed when the enemy is armed to the teeth and only sees targets. We have to close the gap in both weapons and survival skills. @MxVerda @Runyan50 @Impossible_PhD I was referring to those able. Of course I don't expect those not able to do it. Don't try to push us to not be violent. It did nothing to stop the Nazis. Only bullets can do that. @MxVerda @Runyan50 @Impossible_PhD There is still a gap that needs to be closed...and we are at war. @MxVerda @Runyan50 @Impossible_PhD And of course. I at no point argue only fighters matter. But a warfooting is required.  @Impossible_PhD +1. Know what's nore effective than an AR-15? A small razor blade applied to the tire valve stems of any immigration vehicles you encounter. Superglue and newspaper on unattended federal law enforcement vehicles' windshields. A bullhorn through which you announce "Run! Immigration agents are arresting people!" in Spanish.  @Impossible_PhD or a friendly knock on the door from the FBI, ATF, or SS. Anyone who talks like that is trying to get themselves and/or you thrown in jail. Shun them from your lives instantly and severely. They are not allies, they are dangerous enemies. And possibly undercover cops. To add to that: if you don’t know what you’re doing, why, and how it helps, then you are LARPing help ffs. Live, help others live, find joy, take notes of who capitulated, and don’t lose yourself. That is significantly more familiar (and therefore more likely to work) than whatever tf else  @Impossible_PhD I agree with all of this. It's very interesting that we can more easily imagine taking a life than not being as efficient as possible. |
@Impossible_PhD Also also? Not to put too fine a point on it, but arming one's self is a responsibility - to do so safely involves building and maintaining perishable skills. And the best time to have started that is not "now" it's "some years ago".
Weapons aren't magic talismans; they're tools with a specific purpose and like any other tool they're not that useful for someone who doesn't know what they're doing.