So, Now You Feel Threatened?

I’ve read it online. I’ve even heard it from some people in “face to face” conversations. Apparently, some people (primarily on the left end of the political spectrum) are feeling threatened since the election of Donald Trump. As I mentioned in a previous post, I did not vote for him or Clinton. In fact, there were no candidates I could endorse wholeheartedly. With that said, I have some comments.

• Roe v. Wade is not going to be reversed. Yes, there are people who object to it for a variety of reasons. So what? It is well entrenched in the US and isn’t going anywhere.
• The KKK is not going to become a socially accepted group. Racist pigs will remain racist pigs and aren’t going to be accepted by the vast and overwhelming majority of people (including people who voted for Trump).
• No, you will not be required to embrace a religion to which you object (or any religion at all)
• The SCOTUS ruling on gay marriage isn’t going to be overturned, either. The Court hates to reverse itself.

The way you’re feeling right now? That’s how many conservatives and libertarians have felt for years. Guess what? In spite of the words of some of our more, ah, reactionary members, the world did not end, the sky did not fall and our republic did not collapse. The same thing will be true for you. Life is virtually guaranteed to go on – and in much the same way as before.

With all that said, I really do feel for you. I know what it’s like to feel your most basic beliefs and values are either under attack or simply disregarded. It’s no fun, but it is not fatal. That doesn’t mean you have to like it. It doesn’t mean you should change what you believe simply to be accepted. It simply means some people, including perhaps those represented by people in power, have views different from yours.

Still, what should you do with these feelings of now being threatened, in danger or at risk of physical attack? Larry Correia has published a post on his blog dealing with this. Please note, if you are easily offended or reflexively opposed to effective self defense (including self defense with, gasp, guns), it may be a little difficult to read. He covers a lot of ground, including at the end, some non self defense stuff. His main points, though, are:

• What guns are for
• How self defense works
• Learn how guns work
• How gun laws work
• How to buy a gun
• Get better
• What about doomsday

All of them are worth your reading and serious consideration. The only thing I would add to his excellent article is this: If the absolute worst does happen (and I really don’t believe it is, nor can I tell you how very much I and other libertarians and conservatives don’t want it to happen), if you really do find yourself faced with interment, prison and state sanctioned violence, this is what you will learn. The very people you have so vilified for years, the people you have denigrated and painted with the “stupid redneck” brush, are the same ones who will stand with you to oppose that oppression. They are the ones who will, in defense of you and your freedom (and theirs), stand with you in resistance.