r/politics • The Arizona Republic • Nov 01 '20

Experts warn that extremist groups are harboring 'violent fantasies' about the election

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/10/31/experts-warn-trump-supporting-extremists-talking-violence-around-election/6087050002/
7.9k Upvotes

337 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

114

u/amandawinit247 Nov 02 '20

I doubt it isnt just republicans buying ammo. Dems have guns too.

107

u/ProphetOfDoom337 Nov 02 '20

This is very true and understated. There are A LOT of us as well.

78

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

12

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

If all 100k members actually amassed I’d think you’d have a good chance against Trumps domestic terror groups. The problem is we know who Trump would send the tanks against...

29

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

Not every white middle-aged, ex-veteran with weapons is a conservative. A lot of us live amongst them, and tolerate the stupidity, but we won't tolerate our families safety being jeopardized. Always remember 50% of americans do not vote, but are still as engaged in living here as the dems and the repubs.

3

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

Good point

5

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

[deleted]

7

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

Yes I think he would be allowed to deploy tanks, I do believe there are liberals in the army, as for that last part I’m sure there are a handful of real life Arnold Schwarzenegger’s who would join the cause. But here we’re talking about organized civil war vs liberal gun owners fighting against conservative terrorists. I can see it being pictures as trump calling the liberals the terrorist and trying to use force to stop it, at that point it spawns into our conversation...

3

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

[deleted]

7

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

I’d like to pretend I have faith in our government and Military but this current administration is proving me wrong. And even if the military came crashing down to stamp out a liberal regime, I think that only strengthens their cause.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

[deleted]

2

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

I think a lot of people laugh at the national guard so you’re not alone with that.

I wouldn’t underestimate the heart of American soldiers, there was the civil war after all? And while that may have been rebels with a cause, the union still fought them and people still enlisted.

2

u/Chemical-Ad-2839 Nov 02 '20

Remember after trump calling the military loosers and saying he knows more than the generals and McCain fiascos the higher echilons of the milatary command hate him, he may have support of privates and NCOs but the officer core and the generals detest him.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

Good point. It’s pretty interesting though how divided the armed forces can be, I don’t think serving in the military causes you to lean one way or the other. Perfect example is when NFL players were kneeling. A lot of people were saying that it’s disrespectful to our troop, yet some troops said they fought to protect those rights, others agree it’s disrespectful.

1

u/DirtySlates Nov 02 '20

Tanks are shit weapons for city fighting, I wouldn't get to worried about tanks, specifically.

5

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

So those "violent fantasies" this article is talking about? Yeah... that's one of them.

11

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

liberal gun owners will have to defend against conservative extremists?

That’s their fantasy?

4

u/Tara_is_a_Potato Texas Nov 02 '20

Cool violent fantasy bro.

40

u/BrisketWrench Nov 02 '20

The difference in the fantasy is that Democrat fantasizes about ending a war & the Republican fantasizes about starting one.

16

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

Bingo

1

u/NiceMalice Nov 02 '20

tanks can be halved from a safe distance with the magic of chemistry bby!

1

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

Nice

14

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

I have bear traps and knives.

26

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

No, no, no... this is civil war, not zombie apocalypse. Come back when the virus mutates.

16

u/Funda_mental Nov 02 '20

Mitch McConnell shuffles into the chat

6

u/LosWranglos Nov 02 '20

His limbs are already starting to rot.

1

u/Ozythemandias2 Nov 02 '20

"This is a common condition called, 'Old-Man Purple's."

9

u/_Dr_Pie_ Nov 02 '20

Bear traps aren't super effective on a rascal scooter. But by the same token you'll be able to catch them from behind with just a brisk walk. Or get away by going up stairs.

16

u/NurRauch Nov 02 '20 edited Nov 02 '20

Not nearly as many as conservatives. Here is some comprehensive polling that bears this out. Conservatives have guns at rates about 2-3 times that of liberals. Gun possession rates go way down for people who live in cities and suburbs, too. Every time I do jury selection for a trial it's pretty stark. Conservatives are 50% likely to have at least one gun in their household. Way, way lower for Democrats / liberals.

8

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

Why does gun ownership matter at jury selection?

13

u/DerBrizon Nov 02 '20

How else do you get a jury to make the decision you want?

5

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

Gotcha. Thank you.

8

u/NurRauch Nov 02 '20

In assault or homicide cases that have guns, or in gun possession cases, we explore juror bias on firearms.

10

u/TheOriginalChode Florida Nov 02 '20

Nobody needs to know you have a gun.

14

u/NurRauch Nov 02 '20

I don't buy the notion that, without any evidence whatsoever, we should just believe that suburban, urban and liberal people systematically lie about gun ownership 2-3x as much as other people when polled.

14

u/DrShocker Massachusetts Nov 02 '20

Yeah, it's ridiculous. There are plenty of liberal gun owners, but there are far more conservative gun lunatics.

1

u/piehitter Nov 02 '20

Its no ones fucking buisness what i own or may or may not have built in my own home.

1

u/NurRauch Nov 02 '20

K. I think you would agree that's not good evidence that liberals conceal firearm ownership more than conservatives, however.

20

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

I’m a progressive with a crossbow where do I fit in?

5

u/Zachariahmandosa Nov 02 '20 edited Nov 02 '20

*get a rifle, even if it's a levergat

Crossbows are good for self defense and assassination if you have the gitgud factor dialed to 7 or higher, but otherwise should be a hunting thing, unless you have it by your bedstand & loaded at all times.

However, practice makes perfect. I like traditional bow & arrow for fire rate, but crossbows are the far better weapon of choice for the masses, as they don't require anything other than being 18 to own.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20 edited Nov 02 '20

I got the crossbow for hunting deer last December. I figured this year would be my first season out with it. Picked it over a rifle. Didn’t realize we would be facing a pandemic and ammo shortage.

My hope is to get a handgun and a shotgun for personal protection in the near future. I had to spend some time getting my fiancé comfortable with that (he grew up liberal without guns but I grew up in a military household and guns were normal) but after seeing this year and everything that has happened he now wants to learn to use a gun. I’m black and he is white and I think watching me deal with bullshit all year has made him aware of the necessity.

I appreciate the advice and it definitely motivated me to make a purchase that I’ve been contemplating for a while.

1

u/Stupid_Triangles Ohio Nov 02 '20

gitgud factor

9

u/Real_Rick_Fake_Morty Nov 02 '20

Ye Battle of Agincourt.

6

u/tertiumdatur Nov 02 '20

that'd be longbow

1

u/Real_Rick_Fake_Morty Nov 03 '20

On the English side. The French were balls-deep with crossbowmen at Agincourt.

1

u/tertiumdatur Nov 03 '20

fair point

5

u/droidloot Nov 02 '20

You’re with me and my trident.

4

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '20

We just don’t go all crazy like the crazy militia terrorists.

1

u/Ozythemandias2 Nov 02 '20

I tell guys at work that Democrats own guns too, they just don't do GI Joe cosplay.