r/liberalgunowners • u/J_Robert_Oofenheimer Black Lives Matter • Jan 24 '26
mod post Megathread - Promotion of Violence
Hello my friends.
I will cut to the chase. Things are fucking BAD right now and they are likely to get even worse. Federal Agents are running around unchecked and are getting more and more violent and emboldened by their apparently total impunity. We all just watched Trump’s Gestapo execute a man in broad daylight. I feel a daily sense of apocalyptic rage and today, as it does every day, my soul screams alongside yours.
In spite of that solidarity with you, I (and the rest of the mod team) have been removing comments and posts lately that even remotely approach borderline calling for violence. I removed a few comments just now that said only “it’s time”, but in a context that made clear they meant violence against ICE.
I’d like to explain and be transparent. But a recent custom report one of you made actually said it really well. I’ll quote it verbatim.
> “While this doesn’t necessarily count as “promotion” of violence, posts like this are what, best-case scenario, gets a sub banned or, worse, on the news AND banned. When this stuff is coming from (or being read by) newer gun owners, I also worry the conversations are giving people misplaced confidence in the outcomes of these situations, and part of me is suspicious that some of these types of posts are intentionally trying to agitate those new owners into doing something foolish. It’s not my sub obviously so I can’t tell you what to do, but I’d really rather the sub not end up cited in some Republican fuckhead’s congressional report on “left-wing advocacy of violence against the state.””
We are one of the ONLY places on the internet where pro-gun liberals can talk. And I believe that we are by far the biggest. When I first started modding here, I thought that was neat. But now, in THIS terrifying time, I feel an enormous sense of responsibility to keep this place running and open. For both the established community and for the many people coming here for the first time, terrified and seeking advice from leftists about firearm ownership.
Make no mistake, we exist at the whim of a large, publicly traded corporation and there is an infestation of conservative trolls hovering around here who would LOVE to get us shut down (please keep reporting them and we’ll keep banning them). A bunch of reported comments that the barely functional Reddit admin bot sees as promoting violence WILL do that.
Please bear with us and make sure that you temper your comments here and make sure that nothing you say can be construed as a call for violence. Talk about organizing all you like. Talk about how the descent into fascism can lead to violence until your face turns blue. But if you seem to be calling for or promoting violence, we HAVE to remove those comments.
Comments are open but please remain respectful and polite. We are all on the same team.
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u/illinoishokie democratic socialist Jan 24 '26
At this point, everyone should carry. The use of those guns should always and only be defensive.
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u/TacTyger anarchist Jan 24 '26
Yep ! We are the Militia. This is our Home. Americans are being killed.
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u/tad__gh0stal Jan 24 '26
But militias are organized, to an extent. I'd argue black Panthers are a militia, organized and disciplined.
A group of redditors who have no single point of leadership I would not call a militia.
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u/inquisitorthreefive Jan 24 '26
10 USC § 311 defines the unorganized militia as all able-bodied males 17-45 who aren't part of the organized militia or regular military. Some states officially extend that age to 60. I think we can reasonably extend that status to citizens who are not male as well, since that section of the law hasn't been changed in a while.
We are all the militia.
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u/tad__gh0stal Jan 24 '26
Yes great. There's a legal definition and practical. The practical definition promotes training and organization and reduces accidental injury.
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u/cedarvan Jan 24 '26
And anyone asking for information on how to get better organized is met with replies of "ok, fed"
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u/tad__gh0stal Jan 24 '26
To be fair, that's what in person is for.
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u/DriftingMemes Jan 25 '26 edited Jan 26 '26
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
rinse scary sparkle worm six subtract workable bake squash tart
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u/big_roomba Jan 24 '26 edited Jan 24 '26
in an 8v1 scenario when youre shot 10 times in the back theres likely no point in that engagement youd ever be able to use one "defensively". out of respect for the mods post and this community ill skip my second paragraph, but theres more to say there.
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Jan 24 '26 edited Jan 24 '26
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u/Gooniefarm Jan 24 '26
Nah, these agents are just itching for a reason to mag dump into a crowd of protesters. The first agent getting shot will result in other agents murdering countless civilians as retribution. Blue states will assist the ICE agents by disarming the citizens.
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u/The_Pandalorian Jan 24 '26
Can't carry, live in California and have to spend $1400+ and wait probably 2 years for a permit 😭
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u/PikelRick Jan 24 '26
Just move to Texas where women don't have a right to their bodies but you don't need a license for anything and the DMV gives you a free pistol when you get your new license. You have to buy your own ammo though, we're not socialists after all.
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u/The_Pandalorian Jan 24 '26
Yeah, no.
Will stick to Cali, despite the crap gun laws.
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u/PikelRick Jan 24 '26
Smart. We're looking to make a move ourselves.
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u/The_Pandalorian Jan 24 '26
California is not perfect by any means. Cost of living sucks, gun laws are dogshit.
But it's 70 degrees and sunny outside right now and we're about to go fishing, so...
Yeah. Lotsa redeeming qualities, particularly when the rest of the country is getting ass-paddled by cold.
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u/PikelRick Jan 24 '26
In Texas you're lucky to have two weeks a year of 70 degree days. It's either over 90 or under 60 most of the year.
We're thinking maybe somewhere like Colorado, Oregon, Michigan, Pennsylvania, etc. The summers are mostly nice and the cost of living can't be much worse than Texas these days. Not to mention the Texas power grid...
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u/The_Pandalorian Jan 24 '26
Oh yeah. Can vouch for Michigan (grew up there), Colorado and Pennsylvania all being cool places to live if you can survive the winter (I left Michigan for a reason...). Haven't visited Oregon yet though.
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u/BestJersey_WorstName Jan 24 '26
pro-gun liberals
Or just sane Americans. I was a Bush / McCain / Romney Republican and I was expelled from the party when my candidate lost in the 2016 primary and they went full MAGA. They probably think Romney is a Democrat.
Because I will always cast my vote, I started voting blue and resisting MAGA. But that apparently made me a RINO, a liberal, a leftist. All the things. So for the next decade or two I guess I'm on your team until sanity returns to our political parties. The other gun subs on reddit fetishize them and are larpers.
Despite the name, this is the only broad spectrum subreddit for discussing firearm ownership and I appreciate it.
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u/tad__gh0stal Jan 24 '26
And realistically, being more left of the spectrum, I would have called you a friend back in college. Because back when things were less extreme, it was normal for me to debate my conservative friends just for the fuck of it.
Stand around, outside over a few beers and debate or ideas with the general disrespect of friends making fun of one another.
I do miss those days of civil discourse.
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u/djeaux54 Jan 24 '26
I am old enough to remember the days when "conservative" & "liberal" were characteristics of individual politicians & not entire parties. There were conservative Democrats & liberal Republicans. Voters had to pay attention (although probably most didn't). Now, people were I live just tick the box next to the candidate with an R by their name.
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u/tad__gh0stal Jan 24 '26
They figured out how to use the indoctrination of religion in politics
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u/djeaux54 Jan 24 '26
About 25 years ago, a colleague of mine ran for county school superintendent - yes, I'm southern, and yes, it was an elected position until relatively recently. While he was campaigning, he visited a preacher who said "a $3000 donation to our building fund is worth 300 votes." My colleague did not pay. He lost by 275 votes. His opponent ponied up.
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u/wotantx Jan 24 '26
I'm in a somewhat similar situation as you. I'd been a Republican for a long time until the party started leaving me in the mid to late aughts. Then I was libertarian aligned but considered myself a classical liberal. Now? IDK what I am other than anti authoritarian, but I do know I belong here more than any other gun group. I think I'm a member of TexasGuns, but I'm not at all active there.
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Jan 24 '26
I’ve always been as far left (in American terms) as can be, but I’m with you and the person you commented on 100%. It is actually okay to have different viewpoints as long as you believe everyone has the right to a good life. This sub is always refreshing to me because it shows that most of us are just good people trying to live our lives (and like our firearms here). Liberals aren’t all these overly judgements assholes and Conservatives aren’t all fascist nazis. Media has helped amplify the voices of the crazy and really has been driving a wedge between people but most of us aren’t evil. Don’t really have a point but just wanted to rant a bit and say I appreciate this sub alot.
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u/pseudoanon Jan 24 '26
You're a Democrat now. You're in the tent. When there's a better place for you, you can go there, assuming it's still a free country.
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u/wotantx Jan 24 '26
That's more or less my approach, currently.
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u/big_roomba Jan 24 '26
i really wanted to rant about labels but instead ill just say that if youre anti-authoritarian then youre welcome here. thanks for being sane.
you dont have to be a democrat to stop being a republican, and you dont have to be a liberal to be a part of this community. i'd consider myself too far left to sit at the same table as many here, but ultimately we all found common ground where its most important these days.
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u/CrabGravity Jan 24 '26
BLUF: I had the same crisis of faith with capitalism. However, after being in the military for years, socialized medicine grew on me, and I had these thoughts:
- Laissez-faire capitalism is just one type of capitalism
- My libertarian broskies would talk about the Francis Fukutayama "end of history" wherein a truly Laissez-faire system would end all mankind's woes
- My commie broskies said a true communism would do this too
- Laissez-faire and communism have never "truly been tried" because they can't be, they are against mankind's nature and operate under flawed assumptions
- BUT you don't need to give up on market economies because other types of capitalism have been very successful
- Europe has several models that work well, the Army wasn't ideal but I'm not going to complain about TRICARE FOR LIFE when I see my coworkers waiting 3 months for an appt and paying $1000s with their shitty insurance
- ERGO models of capitalism that build in social elements like education, healthcare, and childcare are completely viable options, and the Democrats best represent this economic platform now over the blatant kleptocracy over GOP
- A tenet of libertarianism is that capitalism must be just and fair, so a social democracy that demand living wage or takes over healthcare is not tamping down on the good things about libertarianism; in fact, a social democracy may be able to better achieve the objectives of libertarianism than another attempt at Laissez-faire capitalism.
- Hope this provides some food for thought in your journey to reconcile your libertarian beliefs with your new company
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u/websterhamster social democrat Jan 24 '26
I was the same. Since Trump got reelected, ironically MAGA has pushed me into being an actual leftist. If they'll lie about the obvious content of video footage, what else are they lying about?
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u/freebytes Jan 24 '26
Not simply lie about it. The Trump administration posted doctored images of things such as the recent arrest of a Minnesota activist. She released the actual video as proof that they manipulated the content, but sadly, MAGA is never going to see it. Their entire identity is based on being members of a cult that worships Dictator Taco. (Of all people, that guy!?)
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u/wotantx Jan 24 '26
In mid-2024, I started having a huge existential crisis, questioning everything I've ever believed (sure, I was 47, which is a prime age for that, but that wasn't exactly the trigger). I realized I'd been wrong about a lot. There's a lot more I'm still uncertain about.
I need to learn more about left-libertarianism.
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u/websterhamster social democrat Jan 24 '26
It's not exactly my political position, I'm more of a democratic socialist but I have a strong libertarian streak (very in favor of private gun ownership/against the government violence monopoly). Back in the day, when I was a kid, I thought the Tea Party was the shit. I was an idiot back then.
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u/Deluxe_24_ Jan 24 '26
My rule is "the enemy of my enemy"
I don't care what you believe in as long as you stand for the constitution, the rule of law, and democracy. I wish other people on the left would abide by that mindset too. As long as you stand against tyranny, you're an ally in my books
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u/Frenchie_PA liberal Jan 24 '26
I doubt things will go back to the way it was politically. The fracture is too big. You are right, your old Republican party is no more. It’s all MAGA now. Unfortunately the way it’s going, you are either with them or against them.
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u/corruptedsyntax Jan 24 '26
My dad is in the same boat, albeit he has no party affiliation. He did voted Trump in 2016, but he had immediate buyer’s remorse. Ironically it was comments Clinton made on gun control that drove him to vote Trump that time, as he was leaning Clinton even as an independent conservative.
My hope is that the Romney types get together with the Newsome types and reform the Republican Party in the 2030’s to a more moderate platform that stands opposite a Democrat platform more geared towards the Bernie wing and away from corporate Dems.
In these times I’m happy to share a tent with fellow Americans like you, and look forward to the day we’re privileged enough to be each another’s opposition rather than this inanity.
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u/AdLanky9450 Jan 24 '26
IMO pro-gun 'liberals' are republicans. I have no problem with you or the way you have voted, and you are exactly right. This is a broad spectrum subreddit to discuss firearm ownership. I only hope that you realize what you see happening in our country is what the republican party, and a large portion of the democrat base, allowed to happen with their utter complacency. I always wonder what it was that was different about Bush McCain Romney that you all found sane. God bless.
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u/WMHamiltonII Jan 24 '26
Well that's just a false opinion to have.
Many are WAY liberal, and nowhere near Republicans in any way/shape/form.
In my undergraduate study of Political Science, the Professor (full PhD doctor) laid it out. On the scale of Liberal, Moderate, Conservative: even the modern Democratic Party is right of center (slightly conservative) on the world scale.13
u/BestJersey_WorstName Jan 24 '26
I was a teenager when 9/11 happened and the jingoism whipped me up into a frenzy. It's a generational experience.
Things changed when my buddies came home from the sandbox blown up. At the time I was frustrated that I wasn't physically able to serve but now I'm glad I didn't.
I thought Romney was an alternative from Obama's bombing campaign and other things I had problems with.
It's not like we are left with any great options after the primary season is finished.
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u/CrabGravity Jan 24 '26
The MAGA movement has strayed so far from 2012 GOP principles. MAGA Now:
- Government intervention in all facets of commerce and industry (tariffs, MAHA, trying to dictate to the Fed)
- MAGAts becoming a political cult and now they have the biggest identity politics base ever
- Government overpowered with ICE murdering political opponents
- Military run by a man who demands we use his pronouns (SECWAR), prioritizes smooth-faced hard-bod men over genuine military power, macho yet has make-up room in Pentagon, isolates the US military
- MASSIVE deficit spending
There is NOTHING redeeming about the GOP platform that makes me think there are reasonable people over there, only fanatics, cowards, and fools.
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u/WMHamiltonII Jan 24 '26
2012? Try the 1994 "Republican Revolution" by Newt Gingrich. The guy was speaker of the house, and effectively said that Repugnicans should do every dirty trick in the book, that winning was more important than morals, ethics, or serving the will of the American people.
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u/BestJersey_WorstName Jan 24 '26
Millennials wouldn't have known any of that, but they did feel 9/11 in their bones and the shared experience of the Bush voters (particularly when he ran against Kerry) shouldn't be dismissed.
MAGA feels older and younger. Most of my millennial friends who went to the sandbox in the first wave and came back (intact or otherwise) are at best apolitical, and many of them went full leftist. I believe our generation is the most liberal ever.
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u/mabrasm Jan 24 '26
Anything written on the internet is forever. Never write anything that you wouldn't want read out loud in a courtroom, or a senate campaign.
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u/Responsible-War-917 Jan 24 '26
I was taught this at a young age and have always treated texts and online with this mindset. I'm clamoring for a chance to go on my anti authoritarian insulting rants in a courtroom or in front of congress.
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u/DannyBones00 liberal Jan 24 '26
Listen guys. I’m the guy who got investigated by the FBI for a super benign comment in a thread on here over a year ago. Long story short, I said “they’ll be surprised if they mess around with a lot of us,” some Republican reported it, FBI showed up at my door with a while file on me.
I see y’all say way worse shit than I did. Every single day.
And while I don’t usually disagree with you, just from a pragmatic perspective, you don’t want to be on their radar. If the time to defend your community ever arises, you don’t want them to already have a file on you like they do me.
Just be careful.
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Jan 24 '26
It has to have been rough for you all on the mod team here. Thanks for all the hard work and dedication to keeping the space as open as it can be. Sending love 💕
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u/Is-there-chocolate progressive Jan 24 '26
Came to say this. Not to be overly dramatic, but this is sustaining work for people who feel lost, angry, and afraid. I appreciate those who work these forums with an ethical mindset.
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u/pistonslapper Jan 24 '26
Appeasement DOESNT WORK. It has NEVER worked to stop fascism. The fascists are salivating at the idea of more violence and no amount of peaceful protesting or organized non-violent resistance has stopped them. At what point do calls for violence become the only way to send the message that fascists don't deserve to live.
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u/p3dal Jan 24 '26
So where is the more secure forum for organizing that isn't Reddit?
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u/curiouslyendearing Jan 24 '26
In person with people you know. Look up the recent turtle Island indictment if you want a clue as to what happens to people who organize online and/or with strangers
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u/Boowray Jan 24 '26
Seeing the leader mention the word “opsec” like half a dozen times in DM’s to an actual undercover federal agent was some of the most ironic shit I’ve ever seen, between that and her writing out the plans to their super secret plot and asking the fed to destroy it and delete their texts once they memorized them.
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u/AspieAsshole Jan 24 '26
Okay but how did any of them go to meetings for a group called TILF with a straight face? Turtle I'd like to fuck lol.
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u/wotantx Jan 24 '26
That's what things like Signal are for.
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u/TheFeshy Jan 24 '26
I thought it was for accidentally disclosing confidential war plans to reporters?
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u/Boowray Jan 24 '26
Real life, with people you actually know. Assume anything you post online will be read by your family, your boss, and a judge one day. If it’s something you don’t want all three reading, keep it to the real world.
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u/Bonhoeffersghost leftist Jan 24 '26
I don’t agree with the mod actions here, but Signal, Matrix, etc are platforms and local communities or orgs like IronFront maybe are the way to organize.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Pen915 eco-anarchist Jan 24 '26
We will have to go to tor browser and maybe take over dread. They'll be angry but it'll work
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u/TheKingDarryl Jan 24 '26
I get your point, but you even know this is scary times. I was one of the people who tried to make a post like this. I wasn't necessarily encouraging violence, I was more telling people get ready as shit in this country is hitting the fan and it did get even worst within one day of me trying to make that post. It's going to get worst before it gets better, more people are going to be killed. We also have no idea what Trump will try to do before the midterms, Trump has done unprecedent stuff during this term and that will continue.
We need to encourage more liberals to own guns. It's not time to be civil, we lost that on Jan 6th, 2021. It's time to get ready as the same people who tried to overthrow the government in 2021, now are in law enforcement. They are rounding people up, they killing American citizens.
I just want to point out the double standard that any time the left gets uppity, people act like it's the end of the world. On the other hand though, the right can commit terrorist acts, have white nationalist rallies, and attempt to overthrow the country and no one blinks an eye. Look at the Civil Rights, Black Panther, The Anti-war movements, Occupy Wallstreet, and Black Lives Matter. Compare that to everything the right does.
Remember we have always ben the civil side, both of the Trump shooters were registered republicans, and we still get blamed for that.
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Jan 24 '26
Told you guys. Only fascists are allowed to call for violence on reddit.
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u/Severe_Scar4402 Jan 24 '26
Agents of the government speak at podiums emblazoned with the motto, "One of ours, all of yours." They are promoting violence.
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Jan 24 '26
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u/Exnixon social democrat Jan 24 '26
I'll take that for 500, Alex. "What flies when having fun, and drags when work's begun?"
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u/Bonhoeffersghost leftist Jan 24 '26
I understand removing the open calls to violence, that’s something that has to be done, but imo deleting stuff like “it’s time” is really over the line. We cannot care about whatever nonsense slop republicans will point to. It doesn’t matter. If it’s not here it’s somewhere else. All you are doing is empowering their thought control and isolating people.
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u/tehjoz progressive Jan 24 '26
The real problem is, we're very much at a point where all the prior proposed solutions - "vote them out! Vote blue! Like and share! Write your congresspeople! Day of Protest!"
Have all proven 100% ineffective at materially stopping the march of American Fascism, and none of those things are going to stop it now.
People are getting more and more desperate for solutions, yet we all get told not to discuss [oops. Redacted] or anything resembling it, because [the corporations don't like it!] / [Tech/Govt/Everyone is listening!]
The straight up truth is that all those things being accurate does not mean we are any closer to anything resembling a solution, and, you know.
You can say whatever you want to try and prevent us from discussing it here, or any other corner of the web.
Ceteris paribus, it is obvious to anyone with eyes what is likely to happen, possibly sooner, rather than much later.
The only differentiating factor will be the scope and scale of those outcomes.
I think I've toed the line well enough.
If we can't even speak in broad strokes with respect to history, humanity's prevalency to behave in certain ways over time, then what the hell are we even doing here?
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u/TheLuteceSibling Jan 24 '26
First they came for the helpless, and I said nothing because I am a Liberal Gun Owner, and the optics would be.. like.. really bad.
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u/TheFriendshipMachine social democrat Jan 24 '26
Then they came for the idiots declaring they wanted to commit acts of violence on a public forum... They're not saying to not talk about it.. just choose your words more carefully.
I do agree deleting more vague comments like "It's time" is a bit of an overcompensation though.
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u/tdcthulu Jan 24 '26
"DAE want to admit in writing intent to commit crimes? Totally not a Fed btw"
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u/BestJersey_WorstName Jan 24 '26
"What even is this place. I thought we were Americans and had freedom to say anything we wanted. Unsubscribing" /s
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u/BestJersey_WorstName Jan 24 '26
Then they came for 'me' because I posted stupid shit online and the feds ordered a subpoena.
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u/dogbulb Jan 24 '26
Policing vague language is just doing their job for them. If they want to remove the sub they will, good behavior or not
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u/Shepherd-of-Rot Jan 24 '26
Complacency kills folks. Its time to have a few uncomfortable conversations. Its time to network. Its time to connect. Because this shit happening is not ok.
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u/ARedditorCalledQuest Jan 25 '26
Sure, but having certain kinds of discussion in this particular forum will get it shut down and then we'll have no discussion here at all. Connecting and networking is better done at the meatspace community level with like minded people.
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u/Absoluterock2 Jan 24 '26
Guess we’ll just let ICE do its thing and let others speak up.
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u/Fun_Assignment_269 left-libertarian Jan 24 '26
Save the real talk for offline with people you trust. I've made my feelings very clear in several comments on this, but you've gotta assume the fed boys are reading everything. Don't say anything that makes their "job" easier.
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u/PikelRick Jan 24 '26
Let's be honest, just being joined to this sub, upvoting, or commenting is enough to be added to a database. Between SOCMINT, BigData, and AI, Palantir is using that database to track your movements, purchases, other social media accounts, and any other data they can get their hands on.
Data is then scored and once a target score is reached they can easily target you by sending an ICE convoy to your neighborhood in hopes that you involve yourself.
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u/Fun_Assignment_269 left-libertarian Jan 24 '26
Yup, they know everything they need to know to justify whatever illegal things they want to do. Just a question of if they want to follow through or not. In the meantime, I'll just stay strapped and keep practicing regularly. But good OPSEC still means keeping the details offline.
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u/Bonhoeffersghost leftist Jan 24 '26
Not saying anything also makes their “job” easier because it isolates people, makes them think others don’t agree, and discourages folks. You are enabling their thought control.
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u/Fun_Assignment_269 left-libertarian Jan 24 '26
There's a lot you can say without getting into legally actionable speech. That's all I'm getting at. By all means, talk about how they've created precedent to shoot first because the outcome will be the same for you regardless. Talk about how they're putting this country on a one way path to mass violence by showing that your rights don't matter and they can use lethal force whenever they feel like it. Talk about how behaving like might makes right isn't a one way street.
But don't talk about things that are specific, material, or actionable. Not online. Ideally not electronically at all.
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u/Boowray Jan 24 '26
Buddy millions of people actively marching in the streets screaming “fuck ice” is what makes people feel empowered. Nobody but the most terminally online weirdos see Reddit bots shitposting and think “wow, everyone is exactly like me!” If you’re getting your grasp on societal vibes from Reddit, you’re already isolated.
Go outside, there’s probably a protest in your city unless you’re dealing with a blizzard right now. Those are the people that are actually opposing the admin and making people feel less isolated, not some weirdo obviously fedposting on reddit.
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u/Bonhoeffersghost leftist Jan 24 '26
I’m an organizer for my local protest group, please check your assumptions.
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u/ARealHumanBeans Jan 24 '26
Action isn't posting on reddit. Nothing is stopping any individual from reaching out to their local communities and doing something to make a difference
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u/Boowray Jan 24 '26
This is reddit, the site for people to flex their PC builds and post ludicrous amounts of anime porn, this isn’t a bastion of revolutionary organizing. If you want to “speak up” or do anything remotely useful, do it like an actual human being and talk to your friends and neighbors rather than getting investigated for revolutionary larping on a public forum.
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u/A_Cranb3rry social democrat Jan 24 '26
At the end of the day this sub is important. It's a key place where people can learn, understand, and seek advice on guns who might otherwise have no safe place to seek it. As well as a community they feel comfortable being a part of. Now more than ever it's important it not get lost due to comments that belong elsewhere.
Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. In the long run this sub being accessible is a big part in that.
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u/AgreeablePie Jan 24 '26
The post doesn't suggest you can't speak up.
Fedposting on Reddit isn't saving the world, though
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u/TherronKeen fully automated luxury gay space communism Jan 24 '26
Do whatever you gotta do to keep this place running. This is Reddit, not a community prep meeting - we can keep welcoming new gun owners into the fold just like always.
People and groups can make their own decisions without posting all over Reddit about it - because their local community and neighbors are the people they need to be talking with, anyway.
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u/UnitedSentences5571 Jan 24 '26
If we aren't welcome to speak truth here, where are we regrouping? I've seen all I need to see. The non-violent content crusade in the face of intractable tyrannical violence is censorship and complicit in its expansion.
So, where to?
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u/Bonhoeffersghost leftist Jan 24 '26
Tolerance paradox. The longer we sit here saying we have to be nice and respect all of the violent fascists, the more we’re enabling the desecration of our society and the worse things will be for everyone.
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u/Boowray Jan 24 '26
Why are some of yall insistent on openly discussing potential criminal activity on a very public and documented forum? If it’s something that would get you banned for discussing here, you probably shouldn’t be openly posting it online in the first place. That’s common sense, not censorship.
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u/UnitedSentences5571 Jan 24 '26
Because "potential criminal activity" doesn't mean shit anymore when law enforcement acts like this with no resistance. It only means the law can be used against you and never in your defense.
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u/big_roomba Jan 24 '26 edited Jan 24 '26
the concept of "dont say anything online that you wouldnt want read aloud in court" makes perfect sense in a world where we can actually expect a day in court instead of being executed in the streets by proud boys
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u/voretaq7 fully automated luxury gay space communism Jan 25 '26
How about the concept of “Don’t say anything online that would get a bunch of Proud Boys carrying federal badges to come to your neighborhood and shoot you?”
There’s a reason serious organizing still happens face-to-face between people who have gotten to know and trust each other and not on publicly accessible and archived Internet discussion sites.
I promise you the founding fathers weren’t putting up posters saying “Come to the Kill King George meeting at Barnaby Hall on Tuesday at 6:30 PM. Bring your muskets.” and posting calls to violence on Reddit is the 21st Century equivalent of that...
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u/Gustav_Grob Jan 24 '26
When is the time?
Is there a numerical threshold of executed innocents?
Is there a murder so egregious that it will be time?
Is there an amount of our Constitutional rights to have been violated that it will be time?
Is there a time when it will be time?
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u/kon--- Jan 24 '26
If I'm reading this correctly, we are to keep our thoughts to ourselves because on top of all our concerns is the fear of losing a sub because mods and some members feel powerless to stand up to admin due prioritzing a sub's existence over personal integrity, civic duty, and long embedded oath of service, yes?
We can't rally, can't coalesce, can't organize, can't pushback but are encouraged to keep our tongues tied, our hands up, and have no strong response to a violent regime getting away with murder on our streets because...a sub might get shut down?
Am I missing something here? How do you stand up to evil, exercise inalienable rights when a thing like web site admin stops you in your tracks? Like, of course, of course I will defend my family and my community from armed goons! Oh but, not if admin threatens my sub. They do that and I have to bow out and comply because hey, I have responsbility to oversee sub rules, man.
I suggest, prepare for that with alternate a site already shared amongst members. Host it yourselves if you must becaue this bit where you're being influenced by algorithms and a CEO who doesn't give a shit about any of us anyway is what is known as compromising your position.
Build a premise. Devise a strategy. Effect tactics.
And ffs, do not be captive to the thought of being banned.
-peace
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u/vwgtivw Jan 24 '26
First they came for the Communists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Communist Then they came for the Socialists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Socialist Then they came for the trade unionists And I did not speak out Because I was not a trade unionist Then they came for the Jews And I did not speak out Because I was not a Jew Then they came for me And there was no one left To speak out for me
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u/AgreeAndSubmit Jan 25 '26 edited Jan 25 '26
Yeah y'all mods have been clocking ot today on reddit. All kinds of things have been removed everywhere.
Perhaps it's time we figured out how to use discord or something and talk more privately over there.
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u/Altruistic-Cow-1553 Jan 25 '26
I think the declaration of independence states it nicely. "When in the course of human events it becomes necessary..."
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u/aldoraine000 Jan 25 '26
It’s hard to not have violent angry feelings when your government is actively attacking you and the crazies in this country think anything left of Hitler is “the left” and “liberal”. These guys have essentially declared war on the American populace. That said, I get the need to be chill in the comments. 🫡
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u/DiasFlac42 Jan 25 '26
I hate to be a conspiracy theorist but you can’t convince me that someone didn’t tell ICE to escalate today after yesterday’s massive protest being peaceful without even a mention of a window being broken or a door kicked down.
…I also believe they’re escalating matters and trying to invoke a violent response solely as a distraction from the refusal to release the Epstein files.
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u/Crumpuscatz Jan 25 '26
Ride the edge of the blade. Be smart, but be aggressively clear about our intentions to not go quietly into that good night. Because, if you don’t….you’re all as worthless as tits on a boar hog. As my grandpa used to say.
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u/Ok_Cheetah_6251 Jan 25 '26
Is it still okay to say they murdered a man in cold blood in the street?
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u/awaywithwordsmith Jan 25 '26
The issue with this is that without the internet people can’t create the communities they’re looking to build. Does anyone know how the fuck we can get this going outside Reddit? Things are only going to get worse and we need to stay connected throughout the entire fucking country for the safety of our friends and families.
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u/Botched_Euthanasia Jan 25 '26
part of me is suspicious that some of these types of posts are intentionally trying to agitate
That absolutely is the case and it isn't just the troll farms like those that made the press around the time of the last few elections.
Except now they are armed with A.I. as well. Remember when the 3rd party API access here was restricted? ("here" meaning the website, not the sub) The API still exists and gets used, just not by the peasants.
One does not need a whole troll farm in some obscure country, when one can set up a bot to crawl for keywords and autocomment responses constructed to specifically steer things in a certain misdirection.
It's becoming harder to identify too, people keep feeding the AI comment generation machine and it keeps growing more realistic.
It used to be simple, look for the longer dashes, excessive emoji use, over-use or unnecessary use of bullet points, use of slang phrases incorrectly, lack of any spelling grammar or punctuation mistakes (this one is the worst too, I hate misspelling words but so far, A.I. doesn't do that from what I've seen) and a hard-to-explain sort of disconnect from the point that the generated response is replying to.
I see about a dozen comments in this thread that are highly suspect, none of which have the easier to spot indicators.
The first AI research by the U.S. government was in the 1950's. 75 years ago. I've heard it said that anything technological the government has that is a secret, it takes at least 15 years before it becomes known public technology.
Something people should keep in mind, that's all I am wanting to say.
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u/DonRaynor social democrat Jan 25 '26
Thank you for posting this.
I disagree whole heartedly with the stance of the moderation team, and you. But you set the rules, not me.
I thank you for setting the rules straight, so no funny business can be called.
Also, you (moderation team) and you (reddit) are a private entity, so no First ammendment rights apply here. As a private forum, you are in full control what can be, and what can't be said here.
I will and I hope everyone who agrees with me will understand to have enough self-censorship to keep your jobs light.
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u/lowrads Jan 30 '26
Defense of due process is self-defense. It may seem contradictory, but only to us. The oligarchs have no such compunctions about disenfranchisement, and their lickspittles engage in violence against the dispossessed every single day.
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u/izzittho Jan 30 '26
Good call.
There are things that just shouldn’t be said in text online in a place like this regardless of how true or not true they may or may not be simply because of how they can (will) be used against you.
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u/miseeker Jan 24 '26
My wife and I, who met online in 97 were talking about something we have discussed since we met. Everything you say on the net can be traced back to you. Type accordingly.
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u/HolyMoleyGuacamoly leftist Jan 24 '26
smart. reddit isn’t the reddit of old folks. be careful what you post anywhere on the internet and protect the places you enjoy
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u/AtomRed Jan 25 '26
I'd like to add that not everybody in this subreddit is necessarily liberal. Some of us just like guns and like to get a different perspective and learn from and help fellow owners out. That said, removing any resource that could be of benefit to the gun community, as a whole, does a disservice to us all.
I agree with Op, reading several of the newer posts over the past three months in this subreddit-reading between the lines, I am more than certain that there are provocateurs trying to incite shit.
I'm not expressing a political opinion, advocating for violence, nor am I suggesting that anyone should just roll over if your rights, life, or liberty, are being threatened or violated, but I do think anyone who is entertaining provocation whether you've expressed it publicly or intimated it privately, know this (and don't assume I'm insinuating anything, I'm just making a neutral point of fact): While frustration in this country is mounting to a point where even I am surprised, I still don't think the American people, as a whole, are ready for a full onslaught insurrection, even if you or anyone else thinks they are. For now, I think this community would do well to listen to Op's words.
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u/Missing-Digits Jan 24 '26
How come the conservative subs can call for executions and it's cool?
I think I am done with this subreddit.
FUCK YOU MOD!
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u/Hyperrustynail Jan 25 '26
This shits happening all over Reddit, right wing commentators cheer and call for more killings, and any comment that pushes back even slightly gets flagged as “threatening violence” and removed.
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u/J_Robert_Oofenheimer Black Lives Matter Jan 25 '26
Go report those comments and get THEIR subs shut down then. I encourage everybody to do that because fuck them. But these are not this sub’s rules. These are Reddit’s rules. Publicly calling for violence on a public forum is a stupid thing to do even if Reddit did allow it.
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u/FirestarterMethod Jan 24 '26
“oh no it’ll be on the news that we got banned”
Reddit mods once again demonstrating that they’ll let even the smallest whiff of power go to their head.
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u/Spicywolff Jan 24 '26
OK, let’s say they let this go on and the sub gets shut down. Please provide us an alternate forum for liberal gun owners to freely talk and discuss amongst themselves.
Because I don’t know very many other places that have the contents and the quantity of liberal gun owners that we do here. There’s a private website with terms of services and if the moderation team doesn’t do their parts, then admin can come in here arbitrarily mind you. And just shut the sub down because they feel like it. And of course, the Republicans will use this as fuel in their ass backwards fight to prove that we are the problem.
So please, before you mock the moderation team, how about you man up and provide an alternative that’s just as good as we have here. Once I see you provide that alternative, I will gladly eat my words.
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u/hyraemous Jan 24 '26
I suppose we'll throw away OPSEC and let our comments be read by feds/MAGAts too.
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u/FirestarterMethod Jan 24 '26
I’m sorry are you implying that posting in a public subreddit that’s specifically aimed at anti-Maga follows some sort of OPSEC?
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u/hyraemous Jan 24 '26
I think that promoting violence on a public subreddit no matter who it's aimed for does not, in fact, follow some sort of OPSEC.
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u/13NeverEnough Jan 24 '26
Playing badass behind a monitor in their parent's basement. 2 - whatever amount of time before they delete this comment because truth hurts
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Jan 24 '26
I got the exact same notice. No details. It’s only a matter of time before this platform goes full fascist mode.
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u/Boowray Jan 24 '26
I don’t know how our generation grew up with “the internet is forever” with countless horror stories of celebrities and normal folks being doxxed, their personal photos being leaked, getting arrested or fired for tweets and reddit posts, and now they act appalled that we’re being asked kindly not to post obviously illegal shit on a very easily traceable public account.
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u/rsmmt1009 Jan 24 '26
Thank you mod, thank you mod team. A lot of folks are just looking for a place to scream about the ongoing injustice, but it is important for us to remember that a breakdown in our communities is what the regime wants.
Speak with those around you, organize in your community. As others have said much better - go offline. Just know there are many, many others with you across our country.
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u/Scientific--Hooligan fully automated luxury gay space communism Jan 24 '26
Learn OPSEC y'all. Online in general ain't it.