A lot of progressives and radicals in the US are making the mistake now of downplaying the utility of owning a firearm, many of which are saying it's better to learn first aid.
"I've never used a gun to take or protect a life, but I have used first aid."
Learn first aid, by all means please. Don't get a firearm (or knife or pepper spray or baton) if you can't learn to use it or doing so would be too risky to you. But looking at the past 20+ years of society and thinking those rules will apply under a rabid fascist regime if pure folly.
First aid can only be rendered if someone is there to drive the attackers away. If fascists jump you or start shooting at you, knowing how to bandage a grievous wound means very little if said fascists are still actively attacking.
"Not everyone needs to learn self-defense. That's what community self-defense means."
Not everyone can, but everyone who is able should learn the means of defending themselves and others. You are part of the community, and you too need to defend it. Deferring it to some nebulous third party (even if it's "antifa") is how you get warlords or are left with no one to protect you.
You (yes you personally) have some responsibility to learn to take care of yourself, be it disaster prep or self-defense, because if you aren't prepared, you become a burden on those who are. You become a drain on critical and limited resources. Yes, mutual aid exists, but we can stretch that much further and take better care of those who can't fully care for themselves if everyone who is able first takes care of themselves.
Don't get caught in a dangerous situation. Don't do so unarmed. Don't get injured. You have to learn all these skills. If you don't, it's okay. People will still be there for you. But please try.
=> More informations about this toot | More toots from hakan_geijer@kolektiva.social
Perhaps it's who I'm following (and what does that say), but there are far far far more people talking about why you don't need a gun or other form of self-defense than there are who are advocating for it.
Times are changing. We need to adapt with them.
=> More informations about this toot | More toots from hakan_geijer@kolektiva.social
"I don't think I could enact violence."
Just say that. Don't moralize about weapon ownership or downplay very real threats.
"I'm not mentally well enough to have one."
A some point the threat of violence from fascists will exceed the threat of self-harm. Only you know when that will be, but it may be sooner than you expect.
"Guns are scary."
The future is scary. It doesn't mean we won't have to face it.
=> More informations about this toot | More toots from hakan_geijer@kolektiva.social
@hakan_geijer When gun discourse comes up I'm reminded of the attack on Hypercacher in '15, where one of the employees actually got hold of a gun, but couldn't use it and got murdered (I think the first reports said the safety was on).
I'm not sure he'd lived if he'd had gun training, but I'm sure he'd had a better chance.
=> More informations about this toot | More toots from Mabande@mastodon.social
@Mabande the wiki page said it jammed, but I'm not sure if that means "an actual jam" or of that's a layperson term for "couldn't fire" meaning safety.
=> More informations about this toot | More toots from hakan_geijer@kolektiva.social
text/geminiThis content has been proxied by September (3851b).