Is it wrong to consider being prepared?

[vercetti2021]

Now I'm not worried about the election. Its more of what his nazis will do once it's clear he's not gonna win. I went out and loaded up on some ammunition for the first time in awhile because I'm not taking a chance especially living in a red part of Texas.

Now is it wrong of me to be thinking like them but in sense of self defense and not blood thirsty?

[pdxflyboy]

1. No. n/t

[elleng]

2. No, tho I hate to 'encourage' such.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

3. No

Trumps followers are violent and narcissistic.

I'd be prepping if I could.

Don't know crap about guns don't want one while I got a diagnosis of major depression.

[better]

11. "don't want one while I got a diagnosis of major depression"

Then CLEARLY, you are a more responsible prospective gun owner than most of Trump's followers.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

38. Aww thanks

However I have a collector sword and ornamental daggers but they can't be used for self harm,they are magickal/ spiritual tools. The sword is called the lion lord sword. It's beautiful. It hangs on my wall when not being used in ritual.

[better]

56. I have a few magickal/spiritual pieces myself!

It's good for us to talk about the intersection of gun rights and mental health, though.
I, for one, strongly believe that background checks should be not only universal, but also recurring, for exactly this reason.

There are some situations, like major depression, that can undeniably render owning a firearm inherently, but also perhaps only temporarily, unsafe, and recognition of and appropriate response to those factors is an important part of responsible gun ownership.

I've got a couple of small caliber long guns (.22lr), exclusively for recreational target shooting, but honestly, when it comes to self defense, in the VAST majority of situations I'm actually likely to encounter, I'd MUCH rather be unarmed and rely on hand-to-hand.

I'm of unimposing physical stature, so I'm easily underestimated and don't register as a clear and present danger without a weapon in my hand, and there's FAR less risk of collateral damage.

But I've also been studying martial arts for about 35 years, so my unimposing stature is highly deceptive.

[Piasladic]

31. Good on you

I'm in the same boat, so I'll be thinking of you.

[Rorey]

4. Considering that some of them are batshit crazy, I don't think you're wrong

If it makes you feel more secure to be prepared, then that's reason enough to make preparations. I wouldn't consider that to be "thinking like them" because some of them ARE blood thirsty.

Personally, I'm going to make sure that I'm stocked up on things I'll need for a few weeks so if things get too crazy I can stay home.

Editing to add: I don't do the gun thing, so that's not a preparation that I'm going to make. I do believe in the right to bear arms, but I can't even imagine the idea of using one to harm another living creature. I have a hard time killing a bug.

[cayugafalls]

5. Scout motto. Be prepared. Personally, I don't advocate violence in any form,

but having some ammo and a means to provide for yourself in Texas is like having snow shoes and flint in Alaska (so long as you are trained on how to use them, they might save your life).

We have a lot of Proud Boy and other militia groups here in Texas.

Be vigilant. Remember situational awareness.

Be prepared, but stay calm and remember, calmer heads always prevail.

All this being said, for the most part, continue to practice good social distancing, wash hands, wear masks and self isolate and most people will be just fine no matter what happens.

A lot of times it is those who panic that end up needing to be saved.

[vercetti2021]

8. I'm trained

Been shooting since I was 12. Most if not all my shooting is purely recreational

[cayugafalls]

13. Same here, plinking tin cans with my 22 as a youngster.

Now I have a couple of others, but only for the range, never went hunting. I like target shooting. I'm a fair shot and really get a kick out of hitting the bullseye.

They call me a paper cowboy...lol.

[vercetti2021]

14. Paper cowboy

That's my nickname for ya here!

[cayugafalls]

16. I like it... ;-)

[vercetti2021]

17. I hate to even consider what can happen

I live nextdoor to a Trumper. He just put a cops for Trump sign up with a Punisher skull on it. They think they are the fucking Punisher! Like c'mon

[cayugafalls]

22. That is pretty sickening. Is he an ex-cop? My back neighbor is an ex-nypd retired

He is an ass hat of the highest order, so I keep my eyes wide open.

[vercetti2021]

24. No clue

We don't engage with him. He threatened us once after leaving his dog water in the 100+ degree heat about 8 seasons ago.

[JI7]

6. How about putting Cameras around your property including vehicles ?

[vercetti2021]

7. Already done

Probably the reason why our Biden signs haven't been jacked.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

39. I wonder if I could

Install a doorbell camera on my apartment door without damaging the door?

[Hoyt]

9. That's exactly what NRA, trump, 3%ers, etc., want. Screw em, as long as I have

a machete and big heavy cans.

[vercetti2021]

10. NRA can go fuck themselves

I also have bladed weapons too lol

[Piasladic]

65. I don't have a machete,

but I do have big, heavy cans. I also have pickled beet jars and lentil soup.

[better]

12. No, it's not wrong of you, because you are NOT thinking like them. That's false equivalence.

You're contemplating being prepared to repel violence.
They're preparing to inflict violence.

The two are NOWHERE near the same.

[smirkymonkey]

55. Thread winner!

[Flaleftist]

15. There is nothing wrong with being prepared to defend yourself.

Trump is a wannabe dictator who just told white supremacists to stand by. He has no intention of leaving quietly and there is no telling what his most rabid and psychotic supporters will do.

[BannonsLiver]

18. I'm not understanding what the specific fear-threat is?

Are you concerned they make try to come to your home?

[vercetti2021]

20. I live in a red area

My next door neighbor is a huge Trumper.

[BannonsLiver]

21. Yeah

I’m in Oklahoma so I get it, and then some. Not criticizing just having a different reaction, I guess. Stay safe.

[vercetti2021]

23. Its understandable

I was hesitant about posting this. I know how some here are.

[cwydro]

35. I asked the same thing, and I still don't get it.

[kcr]

19. In general, no

But guns for self-defense is a racket propagated by the NRA.

[sarisataka]

25. Where did you find ammunition?

Local stores have been sold out for months

[vercetti2021]

26. Surprisingly one of the local shops

Academy has been dry. I got lucky with a mom and pop shop. I also picked up a box of clay pigeons too. If nothing happens after the 3rd. I'm gonna go recreational shooting.

[GulfCoast66]

27. Personally I can't imagine a scenario where after trump loses

Average members of the Democratic Party will be threatened.

That said, I’m a hunter and a very responsible gun owner.

I’m not worried about violence in my suburban neighborhood which is diverse. Not at all.

But if I lived in some of the rural areas of Florida I might be concerned. Its a cult with flags and all. They are all in like the Jim Jones people. When he loses they may go crazy until put down.

[vercetti2021]

28. I live in a red area

Panhandle of Texas as ruby red as anywhere. Don't get me wrong I've seen plenty of Biden signs around. But I live next door to a nutter. He has a cop's for Trump sign in his front yard and the sign has the Punisher skull on it. These motherfuckers think that they're The Punisher... God they're so stupid

[cwydro]

29. So you think someone considers you enough of a threat to come shoot you?

Why?

[vercetti2021]

30. I don't understand the question

[cwydro]

33. You said you've loaded up for self defense.

Do you expect an attack, a home invasion?

[vercetti2021]

37. Well given my neighbor is a right winger

I'm just being cautious

[cwydro]

40. So if the buffoon loses, you expect him to come after you?

[vercetti2021]

41. I don't know

Like I said it's just taking a precaution

[cwydro]

42. I see nothing wrong in being prepared for contingencies.

I just find it odd to think someone would risk going to jail for attacking a neighbor over an election result.

Is he known to be violent? Have you had other problems with this guy?

I have right wing neighbors, I’m sure - I live in a red county. But it has never entered my head that they would come after me if their dear leader loses. I can’t imagine how they would think that would make anything better.

I’m not criticizing you, just genuinely curious about living in such a situation. I would find that truly frightening. Stay safe.

[vercetti2021]

43. Now he's already threatened us before

A couple of years back he left his dog outside when it was over a hundred degrees and being the good neighbors we are we decided to go over and leave the dog some water. Got the bowl back saying that he was going to kill us

[cwydro]

47. Yikes.

I hope the dog’s ok. There’s nothing worse than having a bad neighbor.

I live on a large corner lot, and my closest neighbor is a good egg. No idea of his politics.

Maybe get cameras if you don’t have them already? I’m glad you’re prepared, but please be careful.

We’ll all be glad when this election is over, though the months between November and January are a bit worrying for sure.

[vercetti2021]

51. Oh the dog died

The dog died a few years later because of his negligence and irresponsible behaviour.

But we have cameras already

[cwydro]

52. Sorry about the dog.

Sounds like you have the same kind of useless animal control as we have.

Glad you have cameras.

[vercetti2021]

53. Pretty much

Then again Amarillo just has a bunch of fucked up services. Con ran city in the shitter. We are a prime example that con runned cities are just as bad as they claim democratic cities are.

[Amishman]

32. Not at all

It's good to be prepared for trouble that might come out way. Normalcy bias is a real thing and causes us to not take precautions.

[hunter]

34. I'm building a moat around my house.

Filled with hydrochloric acid and radioactive cesium.

And land mines.

With an electric fence around that.

And a wall topped with broken glass.

And anti-aircraft guns on my roof.

And a few anti-aircraft missiles.

And a hydrogen bomb.

Those fascists will never take me alive!

I'll turn them all into radioactive dust!

Or, I suppose, I could just vote.

[Hotler]

36. No. nt

[jayfish]

44. Loaded up on Ammo Where?

I haven't been able to find anything other than .22 and shotgun ammo since March. Oh, and no, you are not wrong.

[vercetti2021]

45. Just a local shop

A little bit more expensive than Academy but still it was available.

[bluestarone]

46. NO! You have very right to be prepared. PROTECT your family at all costs!

I really feel it's your duty to protect your family IF you've had ANY type of bad feelings about this neighbor. We ALL know what is possible with people that support RUMP! THEY are fucking crazies!!!! I wish you the best!!!

[Silver1]

48. We are all worried about what they'll do and we all know there will be incidents.

So, yes, we should be prepared to act based on the circumstances of where we live. That would not be an over-reaction by any means.

[brooklynite]

49. I think its wrong to be thinking up fringe conspiracy theories

Simple question: why would "they" come after you, such that a gun would be needed?

[vercetti2021]

50. I didn't think it was a conspiracy

Because I mean I live in a red area my neighbor is a Trumper and I have signs all over my yard. So why wouldn't I be an obvious Target

[pwb]

54. They are all bluster. Don't be afraid if anything

they will shoot each other or themselves.

[LanternWaste]

57. Ethically? It's a neutral position... neither right nor wrong.

But it is a waste of your time to prophesize a vague, diaphanous, and sinister intent directed at you, regardless of the vagaries of an overly-emotional neighbor (says this poster who also lives in a blood-red area of Texas).

But it's not like you're really asking for permission or a moral imperative, is it? Seems more as though you simply desire this undefined, unsupported paranoia validated by other people.

[Kaleva]

58. If someone or some people want to kill you, you will die

Stocking up on ammo won't do you any good as most likely those who wish you harm will not confront you directly as that is a high risk move. My guess is that you will be picked off at long range by a person in a place of concealment and who is armed with a high powered hunting rifle.

Down there in the panhandle of Texas, I imagine many have experience at hunting and a hundred yard shot is well within the capabilities of many of them.

A few extra boxes of ammo will not save you from a rather predictable fate.

[vercetti2021]

59. Well that makes me feel so much better

For some reason I always thought the proud boys were more of a gung-ho run in and shoot like Rambo type

[Kaleva]

60. No. You'll be picked off at long range.

Some of those people have military training and they'll use that training against you.

If you feel that your life may be in serious jeopardy, spend the money instead on a bus ticket out of the area.

[vercetti2021]

61. You make it sound like it's going to happen

I mean I have a doubt it's going to happen anyway

[Kaleva]

62. I'm just saying buying extra ammo isn't going to do you any good if it does happen

As I said in a previous post, they aren't going to confront you directly as that's a high risk move on their part. They will instead pick you off from a distance.

This is what I said in post #58 in response to your OP:

"Stocking up on ammo won't do you any good as most likely those who wish you harm will not confront you directly as that is a high risk move. My guess is that you will be picked off at long range by a person in a place of concealment and who is armed with a high powered hunting rifle.

Down there in the panhandle of Texas, I imagine many have experience at hunting and a hundred yard shot is well within the capabilities of many of them.

A few extra boxes of ammo will not save you from a rather predictable fate."

Edit: I'd suggest that instead of buying ammo, you prepare by putting together a plan and the means to flee the area if things do go bad.

[gulliver]

63. No.

It's perfectly legitimate as I see it. I'm just a regular suburban working guy, but I do have a gun.

Here's my reasoning. I think it's good that all of us regular people of whichever political leaning know a lot of the the other regular people have guns. Regular people, as opposed to yahoos, are generally content with life. Yahoos want to die and kill. It's the regular people whose job is to shove the yahoos into the basement and lock the door. Part of the motivation for those regular people to do that job is knowing that the other regular people aren't defenseless. In other words, it's good for regular people to know that if this stuff goes south, it's their ass too.

[ecstatic]

64. My mom is preparing a panic room, my friends are all going to the gun range

to practice. Before the week of the election, I will plan a meeting to discuss muster/contingency plans of what to do/where to meet should the power go out or something.

At the VERY least, make sure you have a full tank of gas and charged phones, portable power banks, etc.

It is NOT wrong to prepare, especially for those of us who were threatened the other night by the so called POTUS. Let's be clear about what trump was advocating: He wants racist thugs to show up at black and brown polling locations. Not only do volunteers have to worry about Covid, now they have to worry gun toting racist terrorists coming through.