In response to MSI and your Facebook post from last night

[Zzzzz_man]

Originally Posted by Occam

This is true, even if many of the liberals/progressives really are dumb/brainwashed enough to not realize that's a necessary part of the things they claim to value. The "Green New Deal" is the most fantastically stark, dramatic manifestation of that we've ever seen. It's a wonderful talking point to perhaps educate a few moderate people, but only a few.



Here's where you're wrong. I know this. I live amongst and painfully interact with the sort of people in question on a regular basis. They are NOT thinking, at all, that there are armed citizens in between them and the utopian society they visualize. They are aware that there is a small percentage of the state's population that are bitterly clinging to their guns, blah blah blah, but THEY DON'T CARE. Not about the guns, per se. They have no notion that somehow that duck hunter out in Easton or the guy who has a pistol under the counter in his liquor store in Westminster are going to violently start shooting liberal politicians down in the street. They find the idea of a fistful of OFWGs shaking their fists at them to be the OPPOSITE of scary or an obstruction - they find it to be helpful to their movement. Because they've already won and completely control the lawmaking process in the state, and having a fading generation of bitter clingers complaining about it is exactly what they need to prove to themselves they're on the side of the angels.

Truly. You have to believe me on this. THEY ARE NOT AFRAID of some guys with guns stopping what they believe is the simple, normal, appropriate evolution of society and government towards what they value. It doesn't even occur to them that the sheriff or the county cops or state police or the FBI or god forbid the national guard couldn't overwhelmingly deal with what they believe would be a bunch of delusional cranks holed up a barn somewhere. Really, this is how they think. It doesn't matter if they're right or wrong, or if you could muster thousands of people to go sling lead in the street to show them they're wrong. The point is that this is how they see things, and it informs how and why they're going about their legislative agenda with that veto-proof majority they hold.

They don't see 40+ other states with shall-issue carry laws as being an example of how Maryland should be. This doesn't occur to them. They see those 40+ states as clueless children that need the noble progressives in MD, CA, NY & NJ to show them the way.

All of the talk of violent revolt against these people PLAYS DIRECTLY INTO THEIR HANDS. To them (and to the vast majority of the media) it proves them right about everything they say. Only a SCOTUS smackdown, hard and unambiguous, will force them to confront their counter-constitutional instincts. Which is, alas, where we need to put our resources. Testimony against these bills is philosophically vital. Voting for rational people is essential. But in Maryland, neither will do ANYTHING to change the hearts and minds of the large super majority we're up against in this state. Opposition from our side, soaked in violent rhetoric and promises to use the guns the liberals hate against them - that will only attract even more Bloomberg bucks to make them more comfortable in their assumption of righteousness. Talking about litigation gives them something to think about. Talking about killing them gives them something crow about, because it's exactly what they want, as it makes their case better than they could themselves.

This is so well-said, it should be 'sticky' to remind all the anarchists and McVeigh-wannabes here that fantasizing about and advocating armed resistance is just pure, unadulterated BS in this day and age.

You knocked it out of the park, Occam. Again.

[fabsroman]

Originally Posted by Decoy

They wouldn't even bat an eye. I was there in 2013, they were laughing at us.

Yeah, 50,000 demonstrators would clog up Annapolis like never before. Yeah, they wouldn't bat an eye. lol They wouldn't even be able to use the sidewalks and traffic would be abysmal. They would surely notice and the protest would be talked about for decades.

The number of people that protested FSA2013, all 3,000 of them, made the news and it has been talked about plenty. Now, imagine 50,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Doctor_M]

On an aside, there is one thing in this mess that makes me smile. We (the MDS community) are engaging in the EXACT same discussions that our founders engaged in in the 1770s. We are wrestling with the same issues and struggling with the same moral dilemmas. Essentially it comes down to when do we light the fuze? I take some comfort in knowing that these paths have been trodden before by men wiser than we. I hope that God will bless our actions and decisions. While I pray that we can make them listen to our words, it may come down to our actions. As the motto of our state says, "Fatti maschii, parole femine". We may need both.

[welder516]

I often wonder why we see so many fighting age men leave other countries and come to the US . I say to myself why don't they stay and fight in the place they were born or raised . Maybe it is easier to flee the country and now maybe it is easier to flee this state like many have done from here .

If there ever is a need I will not flee , not just yet . I feel like leaving this horrible state . but it won't happen for a whole host of reasons , so I guess I will have to fight .

[Biggfoot44]

I don't facetwit . Is the MSI comunication in question posted to MDS , or if not could someone do so ?

[pilot25]

Originally Posted by Zzzzz_man

This is so well-said, it should be 'sticky' to remind all the anarchists and McVeigh-wannabes here that fantasizing about and advocating armed resistance is just pure, unadulterated BS in this day and age.

You knocked it out of the park, Occam. Again.

[clandestine]

I take the position that Benjamin Martin made in this scene from The Patriot.

[pilot25]

What happened at the Oregon standoff? Bunch of militants took a stand. Very admirable.

What was the result? The two ranchers slated to go to jail still went to jail and a good man was killed in the process.

I'm not stating if anyone was in the right or wrong. I think it was huge government overreach. However, the end result of children living without their father was not worth it and the needle moved exactly zero. ZERO. Then through the rational process Trump was elected and the ranchers were pardoned. Voting moved the needle. Not protests or signs or harassing elected officials. Voting. Novel idea.

You guys are off your rocker if you think the average American is going to think this is normal behavior and be in your corner. It's amazing people don't want to vote in local elections but want to go 1776 militant and give the leftists a chance to say, "See told you. Bat crap crazy gun owners."

[SCV/SAR Patriot]

Originally Posted by clandestine

I take the position that Benjamin Martin made in this scene from The Patriot.

Many of my ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War and I will uphold that honor as well. I would rather fight it in my time than burden my children or grandchildren with it. For those of you who don’t like it or understand so be it.

[Zzzzz_man]

We're our own worst enemies. We really are. While the opposition organizes and galvanizes voters, we sit-back, piss/moan, point the finger at each other and advocate for armed resistance. WTF. No wonder the other side is winning.