I'm the oldest daughter of two Lt Colonels, and the product of a three-generational military family on both sides, and I think y'all need to listen to the next bit:
We ended the draft because the military's analysis of the Vietnam War revealed that 90% of all draftees would not shoot to kill, even when it was life or death. They'd shoot high or low, but they *couldn't* shoot to kill. As such, they actively degraded the war effort.
So you need to think twice before arming yourselves.
(1/?)
There's a lot of *wildly* irresponsible rhetoric floating around right now about how all queer folk should arm themselves to resist what's coming. And, deadass?
If you're armed, and you're not 10000% sure that you can shoot to kill, the only thing you're gonna do is get yourself and everyone around you dead.
Period.
A weapon is a *massive* escalation. Meanwhile, the tool that really gets you out of deadly trouble in a fascist dictatorship?
A silver tongue and steely guts.
(2/?)
Resistance is about far, far more than the image we have in our heads of the brave French resistance fighter in WWII. It's making the gears of their fascist machine grind. Drop a little sugar in the right gas tank. Lose important paperwork and records. Follow all the rules, *exactly,* in excruciating detail, explaining to the fascists that their superiors will come down on you if you don't.
(3/?)
Fascism is a machine. All machines have moving parts. You don't attack the reinforced bits. And fascism, specifically, is a machine built to kill. When you take up the same arms, you're attacking them where they're strongest.
So, when you plan your resistance, unless you're a very rare sort--probably with preexisting military experience--don't plan for a violence that you can't and won't win.
(4/?)
Governments are nowhere near as omniscient as you think, and have nowhere near enough resporces to follow up on what data they do have.
Wanna resist? One of the very best things you can do is look suspicious as fuck while doing *absolutely nothing* illegal.
Consume their resources. Frustrate the machine. *That* is how you save lives. Not weapons. Not for the overwhelming majority of you.
Leave that trouble for those truly prepared for it.
(5/5).
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.
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.
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 I train with bladed weapons (well, blunt ones) every week, and the thought of using them in self-defense is fucking stupid. Like what's the plan here? You get jumped and then expect to have a minute to pull a knife out of your bag? Or walk around with one in your hand whenever you feel unsafe, thus pre-escalating any confrontation? A knife is an offensive weapon, not a defensive one. They only get more people hurt.
No, your first plan should always be to de-escalate and defuse the situation. Keep your hands low, make it clear you're not interested in a fight. Don't brandish anything at anyone.
Your second plan, if you can, is to run. Keep an eye on your escape routes, don't let people back you into a corner.
Only after both those options are exhausted should you turn to fighting. And the only "weapon" I'd recommend is a good stout umbrella. It's not perceived as a weapon, meaning you can still de-escalate with one in your hand. You can give someone a swift knock in the jaw or round the head to daze them, or you knock the knife out of their hand, and then you run.
Self-defense is about getting away safely, not escalating a confrontation into a fight.
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@zgilmore
In the UK, I sometimes hear heavy flashlights recommended. Like a âthrow it and runâ kind of deal.
@MxVerda
I was on a knife-fighting-truths thread a while back (wanna say it was on Metafilter?) where REALLY BRIGHT flashlights with an easy on-off switch were recommended as a tool to blind an assailant so you have a chance to run.
@zgilmore
Might be OK if you're a nice straight-presenting cis white lady, but those are dicey in many US jurisdictions. People often carry baseball bats for defense, & attorneys with criminal experience will often caution their clients to make sure they also carry a mitt that shows signs of use - because otherwise in many jurisdictions you could be charged with carrying a deadly weapon. (Which it absolutely can be.)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Seeton
Miss Seeton book series (aka the battling brollie). The first five books by Heron Carvic are very funny.
@Tattie
The umbrella thing is solid. There are lots of workable self-defense maneuvers that just need a stout stick that doesn't have to be very long or heavy (I'm sure you know them better than I). Plus the umbrella likely won't be flagged as a weapon by cops, who can & often do cite people for 'concealed weapons' such as baseball bats carried in absence of baseball gear, if the person fits a profile they're interested in citing.
don't bother answering, but has your home ever been broken into?
mine was as a child - we were robbed. and then i *caught* someone breaking into my apt as a single woman
the gun was useful that day
i really appreciate that some people will never want to own a gun, & those that do should learn a lot about them, & maybe consider not getting one if they have kids.
but in 2024 USA i'll NEVER agree that we should tell all Americans "guns are bad, stay away from them no matter what"
@rustoleumlove
Iâll proceed assuming you write with genuine intent.
That sounds horrific and you should not have had to experience either of those.
You deserved better. Iâm glad you found use and comfort that day, gun or not. Iâm glad you felt capable enough to use it.
However, that is still twice in your life.
I donât intend to undermine the chronic impacts of serious crime on anyoneâs life.
But that final statement is not an accurate summary of OPâs points, either.
To add to that: if you donât know what youâre doing, why, and how it helps, then you are LARPing help ffs.
Live, help others live, find joy, take notes of who capitulated, and donât lose yourself.
That is significantly more familiar (and therefore more likely to work) than whatever tf else
Doc Impossible
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