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But the threat of violence is what seems to work: https://www.vox.com/2015/4/30/8518681/protests-riots-work https://www.vox.com/2015/4/30/8518681/protests-riot

by mtgx 9y ago

But the threat of violence is what seems to work: https://www.vox.com/2015/4/30/8518681/protests-riots-work https://www.vox.com/2015/4/30/8518681/protests-riots-work Many Americans like to whine about their gun rights because they need the guns to fight an oppressive government! But it seems the U.S. government has gotten away with quite a lot lately in terms of how corrupt they've become and the fact that so many Americans own guns doesn't seem to have deterred them too much. In fact, every protest seems to be met with increasingly more violence from the government. Something tells me they aren't too scared at all about people's guns. I can only imagine how they will act when they start allowing police departments to launch drones against protesters in the future (taser-armed, pepper spray-armed, whatever).

vkou 9y ago
The left is shooting itself in the foot, by having gun control on its agenda. If Occupy or BLM brought as many guns to their protests as more right-wing protesters do, the police would probably think twice before dispersing them with riot police, beatings, and pepper spray. At least, that's a theory. It might turn into a bloodbath.
- forapurpose 9y ago
  The mass incarceration of African-Americans effectively eliminates the Second Amendment rights of a large segment of that population. (Many have observed that mass incarceration, via the drug war, began soon after segregation became illegal: When one tool of mass oppression became illegal, another was developed. There is some evidence that Nixon intended the drug war to suppress blacks and hippies.) And more importantly, law enforcement responds much differently to guns possessed by black people and guns possessed by whites. An African-American only has to put their hand in their pocket or reach for something, and they are shot. White Americans are encouraged by some in law enforcement to own guns and to use them to prevent crime. People talk about gun owners stopping criminals; you would have to be insane to be black and draw a firearm anywhere around police officers or white gun owners, and especially at the scene of a crime.
- mirimir 9y ago
  That hasn't worked out so well. For example, Wounded Knee, MOVE, Ruby Ridge and Waco.
  - vkou 9y ago
    A century ago, and the rest were people resisting search/arrest warrants. That's generally an incredibly poor idea. Right wing protesters/militias regularly parade around with clearly visible guns. Now, perhaps there is a double standard w.r.t. how police deal with them, as opposed to left-wing protesters... But perhaps there isn't.

by mtgx 9y ago

vkou 9y ago

The left is shooting itself in the foot, by having gun control on its agenda. If Occupy or BLM brought as many guns to their protests as more right-wing protesters do, the police would probably think twice before dispersing them with riot police, beatings, and pepper spray. At least, that's a theory. It might turn into a bloodbath.

forapurpose 9y ago
The mass incarceration of African-Americans effectively eliminates the Second Amendment rights of a large segment of that population. (Many have observed that mass incarceration, via the drug war, began soon after segregation became illegal: When one tool of mass oppression became illegal, another was developed. There is some evidence that Nixon intended the drug war to suppress blacks and hippies.) And more importantly, law enforcement responds much differently to guns possessed by black people and guns possessed by whites. An African-American only has to put their hand in their pocket or reach for something, and they are shot. White Americans are encouraged by some in law enforcement to own guns and to use them to prevent crime. People talk about gun owners stopping criminals; you would have to be insane to be black and draw a firearm anywhere around police officers or white gun owners, and especially at the scene of a crime.
mirimir 9y ago
That hasn't worked out so well. For example, Wounded Knee, MOVE, Ruby Ridge and Waco.
- vkou 9y ago
  A century ago, and the rest were people resisting search/arrest warrants. That's generally an incredibly poor idea. Right wing protesters/militias regularly parade around with clearly visible guns. Now, perhaps there is a double standard w.r.t. how police deal with them, as opposed to left-wing protesters... But perhaps there isn't.