Hysteria over "foreign flags"

[Gadianton]

I think this is a fair question for our conservatives. For years, conservatives have bandied the right to bear arms as existential to the American way, ultimately to survive the encroachment of a militarized government. However, the assumption was the militarized government would be a bunch of clueless liberals forcing freedom lovers to read LGBQ fiction and get vaccinated. During Stupid 1.0, there were lots of conspiracies, especially promoted by a sixteen-year-old troll who called themselves Q, about the military prevailing over the deep state. However, the actual methods of violence relied on signaling to far-right para-military organizations, gangs, and societies, to take to the streets and commit crimes on behalf of Stupid. Far right organizations were greatly empowered. Stochastic terror does in fact fit well with the conservative philosophy on guns up to that point.

However, Stupid 2.0 no longer needs the thugs except for votes. The pardons ended with the pardons, there are no further instructions explicit or implied. No more ask by the president to stand ready with guns to take on the deep state. Not now that Stupid has figured out how to direct the military for their domestic purposes. Since he's got tanks rolling through the streets, he doesn't need the para-military. Wouldn't this emerging moment be a good time to reform gun laws? Now that conservatives have the real military doing their bidding, there is no longer a need to arm citizens to stand up to the military unless the citizens are liberals, in other words, it's time to take the guns away. Right?

[Kishkumen]

I think this is a fair question for our conservatives. For years, conservatives have bandied the right to bear arms as existential to the American way, ultimately to survive the encroachment of a militarized government. However, the assumption was the militarized government would be a bunch of clueless liberals forcing freedom lovers to read LGBQ fiction and get vaccinated. During Stupid 1.0, there were lots of conspiracies, especially promoted by a sixteen-year-old troll who called themselves Q, about the military prevailing over the deep state. However, the actual methods of violence relied on signaling to far-right para-military organizations, gangs, and societies, to take to the streets and commit crimes on behalf of Stupid. Far right organizations were greatly empowered. Stochastic terror does in fact fit well with the conservative philosophy on guns up to that point.

However, Stupid 2.0 no longer needs the thugs except for votes. The pardons ended with the pardons, there are no further instructions explicit or implied. No more ask by the president to stand ready with guns to take on the deep state. Not now that Stupid has figured out how to direct the military for their domestic purposes. Since he's got tanks rolling through the streets, he doesn't need the para-military. Wouldn't this emerging moment be a good time to reform gun laws? Now that conservatives have the real military doing their bidding, there is no longer a need to arm citizens to stand up to the military unless the citizens are liberals, in other words, it's time to take the guns away. Right?

You are very forward-thinking, and I have no doubt that if this becomes our long-term situation, the same nuts who have been freaking out about state power will become apologists for the state. To protect the power that MAGA has, it will become necessary to prevent others from gaining access to the gun. Indeed, MAGA may buy up guns and melt them down. They will claim that now the patriotic thing to do is destroy any tool that might challenge their dominance. We'll see how that goes over. Maybe a white Christian nationalist government will be satisfactory and worth the sacrifice of actual freedom for these people.