No, we're not there yet. But it also doesn't hurt to remind them that there are millions of us who will not be disarmed under any pretense. As long as they still have a healthy, respectful fear of the constituency, the 2nd amendment is still working.
You've read my tag line. I've also exposed myself as being involved with the militia movement back in the 90's in another thread on THR. This game is not new to me. You know where I stand on the issue.
This being said, I don't advocate violence as a means to an end, nor threat of violence as a deterrent. The leader of the militia I was involved with ended up doing prison time for threatening public officials and Intimidation of Law Enforcement; both chargeable as felonies in the State of Illinois. You need to recognize that there is a line, a very specific line, where rhetoric and freedom of speech are no longer valid.
There is no point in getting thrown in jail for expressing your views prior to the main event. Or in drawing attention to yourself to the point that you'll be "the top name on their list" when it starts.
This being said, with the world being an uncertain, unpredictable, and often violent place to reside in, it is entirely within the realm of possibility for a Call to Arms, should sufficient cause be established.
We have not yet reached this point. We cannot claim the moral high ground by starting a fight, or provoking the other side in to a fight.
I recently read a thread on another gun board where a moderator, an ex LEO of 20 years, said "if they come for me, bring lots of body bags; I have the same arms and the same or better training as they do." I read another post on that same board advocating violence, taking the offensive, hitting them before you are alone and surrounded.
Rhetoric such as this... has a very real possibility of causing the very thing none of us truly want. No one wants war. Or, if they do, their views would quickly change once it starts. Life would never be the same, regardless of the outcome. Were we to lose, future generations would never know what "freedom" truly means. Were we to win, we may very well get a force in power that does worse to us than we can envision.
Face it, do you REALLY want a radical force who just won by force of arms calling the shots? What if a force within the US military steps in and assumes power? What if we're so fractured and weakened a foreign power steps in to increase their resources and land?
No.. Best to leave Pandoras Box closed as long as possible.
