• ameancow@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      I taught self defense to families for many years, I always encouraged learning about and owning firearms as first-line items of defense because all the eye-gouging and groin-kicks in the world won’t help if someone enters your home with a gun.

      I am not a gun-nut. I believe we need stricter laws and required training to own the things, but that isn’t going to happen so the least you can do is make sure you’re not the one without a force multiplier.

      I have recently been telling trans people very bluntly and directly that they need to arm up. I get a lot of pushback, a lot of it is very “online” in nature and performative, and a lot of trans girls have a hard time reconciling it with their ideas of femininity, but I am telling you all now, they may come for you. You are literally in danger in the USA. Maybe not now, but very possibly in the near future.

      The only thing that will keep a fascist administration from going door-to-door to black-bag undesirables is if every home visit is a potential stand-off and bloodbath. Yes, it may come to that. It’s sad and shitty that they have put you in this position, but you have to become part of the meat-grinder, not a name that disappears off lists and census surveys.

      • Fondots@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        I really hate the term gun show loophole

        Maybe the situation and laws are different in other parts of the country, but at every gun show I’ve ever been to all of those people with stands set up selling guns are dealers, so to buy a gun through them you have to go through all the legal hoops as if you were buying from a regular gun store.

        I suppose there’s a lot of randos wandering around there who own guns who might be convinced to do a private sale, but that doesn’t really have anything to do with them being at a gun show except it’s a convenient networking opportunity. You could just as easily hang around outside of a shooting range trying to find a private seller.

        • shalafi@lemmy.world
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          9 hours ago

          Yep. Never seen a private transfer at a gun show. LOL, I would never try to buy a gun at one! Everything is overpriced and the background check always seem to take forever.

    • kibiz0r@midwest.social
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      2 days ago

      I’m conflicted about this advice.

      If we do end up in a civil war scenario, it’s important that gun ownership is not severely lopsided against vulnerable groups.

      But in the meantime, gun ownership is a massive risk factor for suicide (attempts and fatalities), and trans folks are at a higher risk in the first place.

      • AmbiguousProps@lemmy.today
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        1 day ago

        I do agree that suicide is a risk, and that guns increase the risk by making it very easy, 100%. I’m not gunna choose a side for you either, it’s a hard one.

        I do want to note two things though. It doesn’t need to be a full blown civil war for them to start abusing and arresting trans people, and many trans suicides are caused by transphobia, both from other citizens and from government policy.

    • shalafi@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Blacks, women and LGBT have been the largest gun buying demographic since Trump 1.0.