3 ms·

I dunno man I hang out in libertarian circles and know plenty of men and women going “camping with their friends” on the weekend. They’re spending their time do

by wincy 4y ago

I dunno man I hang out in libertarian circles and know plenty of men and women going “camping with their friends” on the weekend. They’re spending their time doing target practice and prepping for if shit hits the fan here in the US. I’d guess every one of those people is on a domestic terrorism watchlist as “potential terrorists”. They’re all good guys and haven’t done anything illegal, but the feds don’t know that.

HWR_14 4y ago
I have no idea what they think they are preparing for, but it sounds like the kind of people who want a new civil war. And those people tend to be bad.
- WalterBright 4y ago
  Pure speculation.
  - omniglottal 4y ago
    Based off inconclusive evidence, I speculate that your name is Walter. Speculation is a valid form of discourse and has a non-negligible chance of being accurate. What is the value in your attempted invalidation of such discourse?
- worldshit 4y ago
  or perhaps they are just fed up with bowing to a government that doesn't work for them? The USA was founded by terrorists too, from the POV of Britain...
  - HWR_14 4y ago
    "No, they are terrorists who want a civil war" is not the comeback you think it is. The people who think like that should be on watchlists and the registries that prevent them from buying guns.
    - notch656a 4y ago
      The last civil war in the united states happened something like two life-times ago. Being prepared for the possibility of an unwanted civil war is not the same thing as wanting to start one. Given that war within the border of the US in a lifetime is historically well within "one unlucky 6-sided dice roll" it doesn't seem that weird of a thing for people to worry about, or possibly even somehow "prepare" for.
      - HWR_14 4y ago
        Which has nothing to do with the person I was responding to who talked about "bowing to the government" and how revolutionaries are always perceived as terrorists.
        notch656a 4y ago
        You're right. My reply would have been more appropriately placed at your parent post.
        HWR_14 4y ago
        In that case, I would point out that trying to extrapolate a rate of civil wars from black swan events seems almost impossible. It's happened one time in US history (two if you want to count the American Revolution). And how do these people's preparations help in the event of a civil war?
        notch656a 4y ago
        >> target practice and prepping for if shit hits the fan here in the US. >And how do these people's preparations help in the event of a civil war? (scratching my head how they would not)
- ConceptJunkie 4y ago
  And apparently you don't know anything about history either.
WalterBright 4y ago
Do you really imagine anyone with a gun who goes out target shooting with friends is a terrorist? How about that armed fellow who shot last month's mall shooter dead? Most people think he's a hero. He saved a lot of lives.
- kennywinker 4y ago
  “Owns a gun” immediately puts you in an elevated threat category in my mind. That’s not the same as believing something specific like they are a “terrorist” but i’d be surprised if I was rare in thinking that way.
  - notch656a 4y ago
    When DHS flagged my passport gun ownership was one of the first things they asked me about. I don't think ownership is enough to flag you but your answer or lack thereof undoubtable is placed in the database for whatever sort of assessment they use.
  - Consultant32452 4y ago
    The purpose of owning a gun is to be a threat. That's why the government has them, to threaten you with.
  - Wyoming23 4y ago
    What a sadly ignorant, bigoted and unrealistic world view. This statement reminds me of the era when all gay men were treated as suspected pedophiles. There are more guns in America than people. 99.99999% of guns will never be used in a crime. An American who buys a car is far more likely to hurt someone with their car than someone who buys a gun is to hurt someone with that gun. Most gun owners use them to target shoot as a hobby, or hunt deer. Some people also consider them a supplement to locks on their doors as home protection.
    - kennywinker 4y ago
      There are more guns in america than people, but only 32% of americans own guns. I am way more likely to be hurt by a car - you’re right. The presence of cars in an environment puts me at an elevated threat level. When I’m standing waiting for a light I often try to make sure there is a pole between me and traffic. But with very few exceptions, it’s hard for someone to bring a car into environments where I am not expecting them. Guns, not so much. If you own a lockpicking set, i believe you when you say it’s for fun and learning - but to pretend owning it does nothing to the risk that you might unlock my front door is just denial.

by wincy 4y ago

HWR_14 4y ago

I have no idea what they think they are preparing for, but it sounds like the kind of people who want a new civil war. And those people tend to be bad.

WalterBright 4y ago
Pure speculation.
- omniglottal 4y ago
  Based off inconclusive evidence, I speculate that your name is Walter. Speculation is a valid form of discourse and has a non-negligible chance of being accurate. What is the value in your attempted invalidation of such discourse?
worldshit 4y ago
or perhaps they are just fed up with bowing to a government that doesn't work for them? The USA was founded by terrorists too, from the POV of Britain...
- HWR_14 4y ago
  "No, they are terrorists who want a civil war" is not the comeback you think it is. The people who think like that should be on watchlists and the registries that prevent them from buying guns.
  - notch656a 4y ago
    The last civil war in the united states happened something like two life-times ago. Being prepared for the possibility of an unwanted civil war is not the same thing as wanting to start one. Given that war within the border of the US in a lifetime is historically well within "one unlucky 6-sided dice roll" it doesn't seem that weird of a thing for people to worry about, or possibly even somehow "prepare" for.
    - HWR_14 4y ago
      Which has nothing to do with the person I was responding to who talked about "bowing to the government" and how revolutionaries are always perceived as terrorists.
      - notch656a 4y ago
        You're right. My reply would have been more appropriately placed at your parent post.
        HWR_14 4y ago
        In that case, I would point out that trying to extrapolate a rate of civil wars from black swan events seems almost impossible. It's happened one time in US history (two if you want to count the American Revolution). And how do these people's preparations help in the event of a civil war?
        notch656a 4y ago
        >> target practice and prepping for if shit hits the fan here in the US. >And how do these people's preparations help in the event of a civil war? (scratching my head how they would not)
ConceptJunkie 4y ago
And apparently you don't know anything about history either.

WalterBright 4y ago

Do you really imagine anyone with a gun who goes out target shooting with friends is a terrorist? How about that armed fellow who shot last month's mall shooter dead? Most people think he's a hero. He saved a lot of lives.

kennywinker 4y ago
“Owns a gun” immediately puts you in an elevated threat category in my mind. That’s not the same as believing something specific like they are a “terrorist” but i’d be surprised if I was rare in thinking that way.
- notch656a 4y ago
  When DHS flagged my passport gun ownership was one of the first things they asked me about. I don't think ownership is enough to flag you but your answer or lack thereof undoubtable is placed in the database for whatever sort of assessment they use.
- Consultant32452 4y ago
  The purpose of owning a gun is to be a threat. That's why the government has them, to threaten you with.
- Wyoming23 4y ago
  What a sadly ignorant, bigoted and unrealistic world view. This statement reminds me of the era when all gay men were treated as suspected pedophiles. There are more guns in America than people. 99.99999% of guns will never be used in a crime. An American who buys a car is far more likely to hurt someone with their car than someone who buys a gun is to hurt someone with that gun. Most gun owners use them to target shoot as a hobby, or hunt deer. Some people also consider them a supplement to locks on their doors as home protection.
  - kennywinker 4y ago
    There are more guns in america than people, but only 32% of americans own guns. I am way more likely to be hurt by a car - you’re right. The presence of cars in an environment puts me at an elevated threat level. When I’m standing waiting for a light I often try to make sure there is a pole between me and traffic. But with very few exceptions, it’s hard for someone to bring a car into environments where I am not expecting them. Guns, not so much. If you own a lockpicking set, i believe you when you say it’s for fun and learning - but to pretend owning it does nothing to the risk that you might unlock my front door is just denial.