this post was submitted on 26 Nov 2024
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[–] [email protected] 102 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

I do not blame any woman or queer person arming themselves in the U.S. right now. But I think that you should think of it as personal protection rather than preparation for something larger.

Be aware of this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disarmament_of_the_German_Jews

The Jews of Germany constituted less than 1 percent of the country's population. It is preposterous to argue that the possession of firearms would have enabled them to mount resistance against a systematic program of persecution implemented by a modern bureaucracy, enforced by a well-armed police state, and either supported or tolerated by the majority of the German population. Mr. Carson's suggestion that ordinary Germans, had they had guns, would have risked their lives in armed resistance against the regime simply does not comport with the regrettable historical reality of a regime that was quite popular at home. Inside Germany, only the army possessed the physical force necessary for defying or overthrowing the Nazis, but the generals had thrown in their lot with Hitler early on.

Obviously, women and queer people are a lot more than 1% of the population, but you can't count on every queer person being on the right side and you certainly can't count on every woman to be on the right side.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

The second amendment was not made for personal protection

[–] [email protected] 39 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

It was also opposed by George Washington on the argument that "A bunch of farmers with guns will never defeat a trained army." He basically did exactly that, but it took the support of one of the world's largest super powers at the time in order to do it - France.

Not to say don't arm yourself. I plan on doing exactly that myself. But don't expect to be overthrowing the dictatorship to come. There are no resistance groups being armed by the EU here.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Washington was talking about the militias that were present in the early parts of the war that were under trained and undisciplined. The red coats took them easily and they fled often so the continental congress started the continental army lead by Washington, which was a trained and disciplined army in the style of European standing armies, which was able to take on and even defeat the British occasionally.

After the war the ruling elite still had this idealized vision of citizen militias protecting the liberty of white man and saw it as a less tyrannical, and cheaper model then the European professional standing army and made the second amendment to encourage it. Washington was saying that that system failed and will never work and that we should have a trained army ready to take on European powers if they come back.

Now we have the worst of both worlds, a massive army that gobbles up tax dollars and a bunch of untrained citizens with guns who barely understand what a militia is much less can protect the liberty of the nation.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yeah, pretty much what I was getting at. We live in a country where everybody believes themselves to be the hero in their own Rambo style action movie.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

"Just another American who saw too many movies as a child? Another orphan of a bankrupt culture who thinks he's John Wayne? Rambo? Marshal Dillon?"

Edit: I can't be the only person who's seen Die Hard.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago

You mean the best Christmas movie?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

There are no resistance groups being armed by the EU here.

Not yet.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I'd like it if indigenous Amazonians had better tools than bows to defend against loggers, ranchers, miners and various land grabbers. And a few SAMs to take care of those chemical airborne attacks.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago

Getting another superpower to arm Americans is like putting a hat on a hat

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago

I’m going to make myself harder to black bag.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

that was before tanks and instant communication. the army would have been less organized and maybe you could have a chance against the government, especially as a militia. today you don't.

you do have a chance against a bunch of fuckwads who threaten you because the party they voted for won and the think they can rape freely now. just not the government.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

in what way is the US even remotely comparable to Afghanistan?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

We have psychos trying to implement a theocratic government and oppressing women and minorities like Afghanistan

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

The last three wars have been pretty recent, and haven’t not gone well against a foe no where near or equal. Not so much as a pyric victory, but an eventual unwillingness to keep wasting time and money and lives, and we just left. What do you call it when you just leave a war failing all your objectives and handing over territory to the enemy?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

what are you talking about? control over your own land is nothing like invading a remote country halfway around the world.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

Yes, like its two completely different things

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

That is historically true, unfortunately the conservative artificial supermajority Supreme Court doesn't respect its own precedents and historical facts.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago

I mean the Supreme Court can say what they like. But their power is derived by the people. It can be taken back.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

What a bunch of slave-owners thought about guns hundreds of years ago is not really relevant to today.

And if you're going to attack someone for thinking people should be armed for the wrong reason, maybe you should find better targets.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago (23 children)

Whoa, I’m not attacking you. I have a difference in opinion as to why people should be armed. Not saying that one does not have a right to self defense, just that i put stock in the need to collectively hold the government accountable and fight tyranny

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

When're you gonna start?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

i put stock in the need to collectively hold the government accountable and fight tyranny

It sounds good until the majority of gun owners in the country decide they like the tyranny.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (7 children)

Would you argue that the resistive elements in nazi Germany were wrong?

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It's not about mounting an organized resistance. It's about making the black bag squads scared of coming to your house specifically.

When the chips are down, nobody's got your back like you do.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

That's literally what I said:

I think that you should think of it as personal protection rather than preparation for something larger.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

That's actually the sentence that was cryptic enough for me to misread it, but the rest of your comment is pretty clear.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I think we agree that it is important to consider parallels in history, but the US is not 1930s Germany.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

The U.S. is almost exactly like 1930s Germany in 1932. It's not 1933 yet.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

As an alternative, if we assume that a significant portion of the left is armed instead of just a minority, Rojava would be a good modern day example of the realistic effectiveness of an armed populace, as they employ horizontal citizen militias to survive against both ISIS and Turkey.

The Spanish Civil War is another interesting example, as the initial response from the left/anarchists when the fascists began their coup attempt was made up of civilian militias formed quickly and armed with whatever they had or could source from a local armory, and they were able to effectively fight off the initial coup in almost half the country, and gather themselves up for a protracted conflict. It's not quite as direct an example, as the leftists in that conflict we supplemented with tanks and airplanes and artillery from the USSR, but firearms were an essential piece to their resistance, and had the populace been more armed before hand, it would've been helpful, as they had trouble producing and acquiring enough through trade.

There's a great series on the Spanish Civil War here that gets into the nitty gritty, if you're interested. :)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Sorry, you're calling what is happening in Syria a good example? Do you know how many people died? Also in the Spanish Civil War?

It's great how people here are willing to sacrifice so many innocent lives on their behalf.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Both conflicts are horrific, but what was their alternative? We saw what happened in Germany when few fought back, and that was just as horrific an outcome, if not more so (6 million Jews killed vs 300 thousand on the left side in the Spanish civil war, though estimates vary).

Tens of thousands died under Mussolini in labor camps and via execution, and the same would've happened under Franco in Spain (and eventually did, post civil war)

To be clear, I'm not advocating that any country rush to armed conflict, but history seems to indicate that it's better to be capable of defending yourself vs. not having the option at all.

If you have examples of pacifism being effective against fascism, I'm quite open to having my mind changed. In fact, I would prefer if that were the more effective option, if evidence supports it.

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