Hello comrades! Friendly reminder that American leftists continue to be threatened by gun loving conservatives. You should know how to defend yourself and you should probably own a gun. Find an active SRA, John Brown Gun Club, or (if things are dire) pink pistols or other "apolitical" gun club.
I've been in the SRA for 4 years, it's not great, but I met comrades local to me. I've learned a lot from them and fash who post good firearms advice and I love to share that when I can.
Open for questions and I'll post more getting started stuff if this doesn't get banned.
No. I am not good with hand-eye coordination and I can't envision myself ever being able to kill someone.
This is something I also struggle with. So much of the lefty philosophy is around acknowledging and respecting everyone as intrinsically human with a life worth preserving. Often I have a hard time hating the average Trump supporter or fascist shill because I know there's a million factors out of their control that got them there.
I have to remind myself constantly that my life is worth more than someone's who's chosen to harm another.
Guns aren't for everyone and I understand that. I don't think I could ever become a partisan in a revolution but I don't intend to be a statistic. If you do choose to have a weapon for self defense please at least train with it. Even pepper spray you can get refillable water squirting versions.
If you do want to try guns one day, I'd suggest a Pistol Caliber Carbine like the Ruger PCC. It shoots pistol rounds out of a carbine/rifle so it's much easier to control. The rifle in this picture is a KP-9.
Shotgun.
What is the situation you envision where I'd be willing to pull the trigger on a shotgun but not willing to kill someone?
There are many loads you could use that have good survivability yet are also decent at incapacitating. Go for a high (18, or 20) gauge and use buckshot. You can even get out make rock salt loads that are even safer. Hurt like hell, but there's a decent chance they'll survive if you don't shoot them in the face.
I mean, look: if it's you, your family, or your friends, vs them, you still wouldn't be able to pull a trigger? Then at least ask your spouse to train, so they can protect you when the NeoNazis march.
Even if the answer is "no," and you know you could never intentionally kill someone, then at least arm yourself with the least lethal weapon you can find - a high caliber shotgun with rubber shot or salt loads. They make shotgun shells that shoot rubber and tear gas. You've tried to be minimally lethal while still protecting yourself and your loved ones. But with these chucklefucks, trying to be a pacifist and hoping they'll just pass you by, that they won't rape your daughter, or wife (or husband), or neighbor or neighbor's kid while you stand impotently by... to me, knowing I could have some something but chose not is cause for far more moral anguish and guilt than killing someone who was threatening me and mine.
No spouse? No kids? No friends or loved ones you'd protect? No concern for innocents - kids of the wrong color, or kids wearing pride shirts? Nobody you care enough to protect?
Edmund Burke is famously quoted[^1] as saying, «The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.»[^2]
[^1]: Burke did, in 1770, say, «When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.» There's no evidence Burke ever said the other quote, but it was immortalized by Kennedy in 1961 "quoting" Burke with those words.
[^2]: It is more likely a paraphrase of a quote by British philosopher John Stuart Mill, who in 1867 said «Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.»
Yes, I've heard the "wouldn't you kill people if your family was threatened" line before. Having never been in that situation, I can't answer it. I do know, however, that I do not want a gun. Is it okay with you that I don't want a gun?
Sure. You do you.
You didn't say "I don't want a gun," though; you said that you didn't think you could pull the trigger on a gun to kill someone, and that's different.
Are you anti-gun, uninterested in guns in general, a pacifist? I mean, could you kill someone with a knife, but just not a gun? Or are you opposed to all actions involving physical defense?
It sounded as if you just believe that you don't have it in you to take a life, which is fine; I think that's the normal, healthy human condition. But that's not necessarily an indication of pacifism.
This isn't an abstract, philosophical, unlikely prospect we face. Project 2025 outlines the extent to which American Fascists are willing to go, and January 6th demonstrated it.
I really do not feel the need to continue to justify myself to you.
Go ahead and imply that my stance enables fascism or whatever. I'm sure you'll definitely berate me into picking up a gun and getting in the trenches.
No, dude. Did you read what I wrote? I said
What I did not say is that you needed to justify yourself, and there was no ad-hominem attack in my response.
I think we've interacted before, and while I could be mistaken, I thought we'd had some good conversation with common ground. But it could be that we've butt heads before and that's why I recognize your username.
In any case, OP's post reflects a growing feeling, especially among the targets of P.2025 - minorities, the poor - that they need to prepare to defend themselves for violence. You obviously don't, for whatever reason, but many people do. And I think we should be talking about this.
Absolutely. No one should own a gun if they don't think they could use it. You and your views are 100% valid and ok to have and fuck the other edge lord who I'm guessing jerks off to war footage. I loath people with that kind of attitude.
Somebody can't read
You probably meant birdshot, not buckshot.
Yes, I did. Although, I think the rubber + CS loads are basically slugs.
But there, I did really mean birdshot.
No I meant for the coordination part. The fact that you'd rather lay down and let fascists and capitalists control you that's your own problem.
Although even a coward can lay down covering fire.
Or maybe I'm not the super brave person you are. I've never been in combat. I've never even been in a fistfight.