this post was submitted on 16 May 2024
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Just once Id like to meet a gun advocate that didn't day dream about hypothetical scenarios where they get to use them.
It's not just "the state" writ large that concerns me. If you've been paying any attention the last few years, you may have noticed a rising trend in right wing violence. Fascist paramilitary groups have become increasingly emboldened and are rarely held to any account by the state. Left wing paramilitary groups have historically had a different experience altogether. Are you one of those people who are genuinely concerned that this might be "the last election"? If so, why would you want to risk giving this kind of data to a Trump administration?
Howdy! I only daydream of scenarios where I no longer need to own them to feel safe from the rising fascism.
We use them all the time to hunt for food. However, the weirdos that think they can rise up against the state are something else.
What if it isn't the state so much as fascist militias that worry me the most? Is it ok to want weapons to defend myself and my friends from them?
Sure. Just make sure it's as tightly regulated as say, cars.
Imagine a future, maybe January of 2025 and we start seeing laws classifying trans (or gay) people as mentally ill. Gun confiscations affecting only "undesirables". People that actually really need those weapons for self defense. People that are harassed by ever emboldened fascist gangs. People the police treat dismissively at best.
I don't love guns, or even have them for their own sake, or because of some dusty parchment written by hypocrites. I would love to live in a world where nobody has guns, but holy shit do we not live in such a world right now. I would urge you to reconsider your political priorities before you go harming (only) the people you probably want to help.
As a progressive in favor of responsible gun ownership, I stand by my point. Guns are fine. Regulation is good. The gangs you are worried about aren't going to be able to look up your registration. I'm from one of the most gun tootinest states.
Those gangs often have some membership overlap with local law enforcement, or at the very least, common ideological aims. I can easily imagine a scenario where a lefty trans journalist carries a pistol for good cause. This journalist is a target for local hate groups, who are buddies with local cops. Those cops could use a law like the one I mentioned to disarm this person, leaving them defenseless, and perhaps even informing the hate group of the change in status.
This is a hypothetical scenario, but one I don't see as far-fetched. I would have to say that in general however, I would still be against such a national registry even under less threatening circumstances. For one, I'm unsure how effective it would be in relation to the types of gun crime we see. For another, I just generally prefer that data (especially sensitive data) not be collected in bulk. Maybe a compromise and treat it like HIPAA data?