• foggianism@lemmy.world
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      Turns out the lax gun laws were never meant to protect the citizens from the government, but to protect the government from the people, because easy militia. I know that ICE doesn’t use their member’s private guns, but fact is that most of their members are gun owners who eagerly applied to join ICE. They have been waiting for an opportunity to roam the streets and shoot people legally for ages. They have been conditioned for times like these.

        • j_elgato@leminal.space
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          A supposition made when rifle barreling was the pack of military technology, the solar system had only six planets and when people wrote with feathers…

          Fucking update that shit ever so often. Jesus.

    • tehmics@lemmy.world
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      Am American. The only nuance they missed is that not every American has 100 AKs, but the ones that do have been screaming about ‘protecting us from tyranny’ for decades, then sided with the tyrants

      • BeardededSquidward@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        But the “nothing happens” thing is entirely wrong. Minneapolis is a great example.

        As well not understanding those saying that the loudest are fine with this fascism.

        • MiddleAgesModem@lemmy.world
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          But the “nothing happens” thing is entirely wrong. Minneapolis is a great example.

          Not regarding this issue specifically, if anything what happened in MN goes AGAINST the notion that people have guns for armed rebellion.

          We’re talking about gun ownership for the purpose of violently overthrowing the government. That has not been demonstrated in MN.

          • BeardededSquidward@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            Even Jan. 6, the shitshow that was, took a lot of planning and lead up to it. It didn’t spontaneously come up overnight. That was a childish person’s thought process of how to take over a government. The real work of trying to overthrow a government is longer and more methodical requiring so much pressure no the right points to make it collapse. All I’m seeing with these arguments really is they just want to see bloodshed which makes them no better than the generalizations they have of us.

    • Birds are not real@lemmy.world
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      Don’t overeact, the US ain’t France where half of the popular opinion is leftist, pro-strike and progressive and the other is outdated hateful conservatism. Instead, to most of the international population, the press corruption is very apparent since the popular opinion is very uniform and both of your politcal parties have times and times failed to recognize popular ideas and keep up the neo-liberalism, foreign interventionism and collaboration with lobbyists.

      It’s not an attack on individual americans, it’s someone pointing out obvious systemic flaws that show in the way the citizens behave.

        • Birds are not real@lemmy.world
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          Yes and it is on the US citizens to correct the narrative. Being angry at international opinions that are gaining traction is (and I use this word seriously) stupid. I also wonder what chinese citizens have to say about western generalization of their social identity, or afghan social identity for that matter.

          • BeardededSquidward@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            Except when it’s used to shutdown any and all discussion or criticisms. Generalizations don’t bring understanding, just division and outright hypocrisy.

            • aesthelete@lemmy.world
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              Dude, the “they’re murderers and rapists” guy is president again. Begging for other countries to take a nuanced view of American politics when we elected such a generalizing, stereotyping blockhead multiple times to the highest office in the land – while simultaneously making that office more powerful – is a bit ridiculous.

              • BeardededSquidward@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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                No, it’s not. The reason is the same one we have such issues with conservatives and similar who generalize. It’s not constructive to have highly generalized views and try to change something. It’s a crutch to just ignore something which again, leads to the predicament we’re in. If a person shows a trend for doing that then they’re also going to be misinformed. Asking people to be better and understand others is NOT a huge ask.

                • aesthelete@lemmy.world
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                  Asking people to be better and understand others is NOT a huge ask.

                  Apparently it is, because we can’t get people to do this in our own country, and those who aren’t trying to “be best” and don’t “understand others” are elected to office over and over again.

                  Your take is like “not all men” but for Americans, and look man, I’m an American and I’m not offended by the characterization that we haven’t really done shit about this administration. We haven’t.

            • Birds are not real@lemmy.world
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              I agree that the perception of Americans lacking the agency to reform their own systems is a valid critique. However, I would respectfully add that this perceived inertia is not just a failure of internal will, but also a symptom of a profound lack of substantive, critical input from within the dominant cultural narrative.

              The issue is self-perpetuating: a system that prioritizes defensive certainty over rigorous self-examination actively stifles the critical discourse necessary for its own health. When negative or challenging feedback is dismissed as unpatriotic or illegitimate, it creates an intellectual vacuum. There is no reason to remain self-critical if the only acceptable dialogue is celebratory or accusatory without nuance.

              This is the core flaw of a one-sided, regressive, and restrictive Western narrative (particularly the American engagement in it). It often confuses loyalty with unanimity of thought. The historical pattern is clear and alarming when one has the brillance to read historical records: when a powerful system prioritizes being right over understanding why it might be wrong, it enters a state of dangerous decadence and insularity. We see this time and again, from the hubris of empires to the downfall of leaders like Nero, whose tyranny was enabled by a court that echoed rather than examined.

              True agency isn’t just the power to act, but the wisdom to course-correct. And that wisdom cannot exist without the uncomfortable, essential gift of critical perspective—whether it comes from within or from outside looking in.

  • ragebutt@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    Gun ownership is disparate. While the mean is 1.2 guns per American the median is 0. gun owners tend to own many guns. 68% of Americans don’t own a gun at all per pew research, and about 20% of American gun owners own 65-70% of all guns.

    • The Quuuuuill@slrpnk.net
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      also the “it’s so i can overthrow the government” crowd was mostly (though not universally) talking about a dangerous persona like a black woman, not their godking pedophile. the people with guns who would challenge this are maybe 2% of the population and 0.5% of the firepower of the united states military forces.

      learn from our mistake: never let a single faction develop a monopoly on access to violence

  • Hazel@piefed.blahaj.zone
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    I don’t think it’s a lack of willingness, but rather a lack of ability. Militant action requires a lot more than simply owning a gun.

    • deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
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      Heretic!

      If those gun toting hicks could read. They’d be very upset.

      It’s almost as if some form of militia, possibly a well regulated one, would also be necessary.

      • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        “Well regulated” in the 1700s sense or “well regulated” in the “I think the government should have direct control over the militia that is supposed to violently fight the government” sense? Because imo one seems more viable than the other.

        • TheRealKuni@piefed.social
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          The second amendment was never intended to let the people overthrow the government. It was intended to serve instead of a standing army for the defense of the republic. Madison didn’t want military power centralized in the Federal government.

          • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            Ehhh the federalist papers make it pretty clear that the second amendment and the aforementioned militias were for threats both foreign and domestic. Plus, considering the whole “starting a revolution against what was at the time ‘their own’ country” thing alone I think they recognized the possibility that they may need to do it again in the future.

            “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants” and all that.

            -Thomas Jefferson

          • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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            Not only did he not want it centralized, it was really uncommon and expensive to have a standing professional army at the time. The US was a new nation, and it was pretty poor. The idea they’d be able to have a federal professional military, at least one large enough that you don’t need supplemental militias, would probably be laughed at.

    • Donkter@lemmy.world
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      It was a powerful lie to convince most gun owners that a “right to a well-regulated militia” meant being able to individually own a gun and never be trained to use it or organize.

    • Goodeye8@piefed.social
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      I imagine ICE would be less openly hostile when there would be a legitimate risk of getting shot by a vigilante.

      Not saying it justifies having the amount of guns Americans have, but since they already have them they should be used for the reason they have them, to oppose a tyrannical government.

    • theolodis@feddit.org
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      What are the guns for then? I thought the second amendment was to fight the government? But now you’re saying being armed is not enough?

      Why even let people arm themselves, if all they do with the weapons is school shootings?

      • Hazel@piefed.blahaj.zone
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        I’m saying you need training and organizing in addition to the guns.

        And to answer your last point, personally I’d be more in favour of citizen’s weapons depots rather than privately owned guns for the murder/suicide reasons you mention.

  • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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    It’s because we’re all educated enough to have seen similar uprisings fail unless we can gain more support. With times getting hard, Republican voters are starting to turn on their masters.

    Also, last year there were votes (plural) where every single Republican voted to keep the Epstein Files sealed and every single Democrat voted to release them to the public. It’s pretty wild to claim “every government official”.

    • Clot@lemmy.zipOP
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      both of your statements contradict

      Republicans and democrats would still vote pretty much the same in next elections no matter what happens. America’s cultural divide is too deep now to actually fill

        • timbuck2themoon@sh.itjust.works
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          Yep. Those of us paying attention realize that 1/3 voted for the fascist, 1/3 for Harris and some progress, and 1/3 didn’t bother to care because they’re lazy and didn’t care.

          The only way the tide turns is convincing 2/3 they have to either vote at all or change their affiliation, which is a huge ask given the problem here.

          If theyre in, let’s welcome them. Let’s fix it.

  • EldritchFemininity@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    Guns McGee, who has a bed made of 10,000 AK-47s with 20 more hidden underneath it, is a statistical outlier and should not have been counted.

    The average American owns roughly 1.5 guns, with 40-50% of all households owning at least one gun. Of those households, those who own 2 or more guns account for about 89% of all guns in the US. (Fucking absurd)

    Too bad the half of Americans with too many guns and not enough common sense are the ones who love fascism. Of course, if they had more common sense, they’d probably have less guns. A real catch-22 there…

  • MiddleAgesModem@lemmy.world
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    It has always been a fantasy - pushed by gun manufacturers/sellers and believed by people who like to fantasize but are unwilling to uproot their lives to actually do it.

    “Every government official” is outed as a child rapist? This kind of ridiculous hyperbole doesn’t help one’s argument.

    • Soulg@ani.social
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      Let alone the idea that everyone here has a million guns pouring out of our clothes at all times.

    • allidoislietomyself@lemmy.world
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      My best buddy is hard core 2A, not full right wing but he tows the line. He’s literally been preparing for this exact scenario the past 15 years of his life. When I ask him about this he says “there’s two sides to every story” then he spits out the same drivel they all spew. I told him the problem is that he and the rest of the 2A folks are just as afraid as the rest of us. They just don’t want to admit it. Probably more afraid, because I haven’t been building a small arsenal the past few years. All those guns, ammo, and fancy gear for what? It’s fucking cosplay. A nerdy hobby. Like model trains but these 2A cunts all act like a tough guy that’ll lay down the law if push comes to shove. Well we are being shoved. What now? At least take the guns to a protest so they can get some fresh air. Are these 2A folks afraid their guns might get dirty or something?

      • MuskyMelon@lemmy.world
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        Train enthusiasts are more courageous cause if they get into a fight, they’d use large metal hand tools; 2A cosplayers would stand around talking about how big calibre weapon they got.

  • arrow74@lemmy.zip
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    Realistically only a small percentage of gun owners have that kind of weaponry.

    I own guns and have a surplus of ammo. Probably wouldn’t be enough to last more than 5 minutes in a fire fight. Which is not all that useful, especially when this country’s military doctrine is to send as many bullets at the enemy as possible

  • BillyClark@piefed.social
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    There is a basic conflict between freedom of speech and democracy. As long as people’s sources of news and information are permitted to lie and spread misinformation and disinformation, citizens will be unable to make informed decisions.

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    It was never gonna happen, even if people believed it.

    You want to fight authoritarianism? Be an example of disobedience. Violence activates authoritarian followers against you 100% of the time, but an act of defiance gives courage to people who would be your allies. Most people don’t know how to defy authority, are taught not to. They need to be the second one to do it. It gets easier with practise, but it’s hard to be the first one.

    • karashta@piefed.social
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      This. The fascists want militant action against them so they can overtly accelerate their own use of force exponentially. Until we have obvious overwhelming numbers, we have to remain peaceful.

      The real power, though, is our ability to strike. Both from work itself and from buying things from mega corporations.

      I’m hoping more people find all this out before I end up in the camps for domestic terrorism for speaking out.

    • Clot@lemmy.zipOP
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      bullshit

      non violence doesnt work if the fascist state is already doing violence against you. Performative protests change nothing