• shalafi@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Sorry, but I agree with this one. Not the “great” violence part, but yeah. If you are not capable of inflicting violence, you are not making a choice. You have no choice but to be harmless.

    We used to say this a good bit in r/liberalgunowners, along the lines of, “I am a peaceful man, but that does not make me harmless.” You would have a hella time pushing me hard enough to draw, but I have the choice if it comes to that.

    This notion is exactly why conservatives think they can run roughshod over us. They see us as harmless little twerps that couldn’t fight back if our life depended on it.

    • Benjaben@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      As a lefty gun owner, couldn’t agree more. Peace as a choice is only available to the folks who know how to do otherwise, and frankly even simple know-how isn’t enough. Pacifism is no virtue, peace is no natural state.

      • shalafi@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Nope, know-how don’t get it. Refurbed a sweet box knife for my wife today. She wants to carry it, “just in case”. If I were attacking her, I’d smack that thing across the room. She couldn’t possibly threaten anyone with it. (Not at 100lbs. she can’t.)

        If you carry, knowing how your gun works is only step 1. To actually carry you have to be able to use it on reflex alone. Friends and neighbors, that takes shitloads of practice. I wouldn’t carry her gun, not familiar with the pistol itself, nor SA/DA pistols nor the safety. My Ruger 9mm and Colt .45 are less practical in ways, but I can operate them in my sleep and hit what I point at.

    • Crikeste@lemm.ee
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      4 months ago

      I get that and don’t disagree, it’s just the way it’s worded. Reads as if a 12 year old wrote it lol

      Also the: ☝️🤓 Important distinction