No. If there ever comes a time when you will have to use a rifle for political violence, the group that conscripts you will issue you one and train you in its use.
If you think it might be a fun hobby, then sure. Just be safe.
As a contingency plan for a hypothetical outbreak of political violence, it probably won't be that useful. But you know your personal circumstances better than strangers on the internet do.
There's never a wrong time to exercise your Constitutionally protected civil rights. Just be responsible and keep a level head if you are going to do so.
As said, meet your neighbors and build a local/community network. The time spent training to be effective with a rifle is better spent building independent networks of communication and action.
You're more likely to need food, water, or shelter from a neighbor than you are to merc someone.
Hoping for the best & working toward it in a non-violent manner is entirely compatible w/ being prepared for the worst.
But if there comes a time when the answer to your question is unambiguously ’yes’, it will certainly be too late to do so. It’d be like buying plywood the day before a hurricane.
Only if you want to. There’s other ways you can be helpful. Get pepper spray, carry an IFAK kit with you whenever you’re out and about. Learn basic first aid, etc.
It's not a terrible idea, but I'd focus on meeting your neighbors first. Also a little FPV drone experience can help a ton with providing situational awareness to crowds
If nothing else, I’d recommend a single shot rifle first if you’re not a “gun person.”
I think since they’re simpler people are less nervous at the range and the range can be intimidating the first few times.
If you’re in an area with an SRA or LGC chapter I’d get hooked up with them too.
I agree with theophite that doing a color revolution is a much more effective strategy. But if that fails then it's good to have other skills you can't just pick up overnight.
I'm sympathetic to pro-gun leftists but, unless you have extensive prior experience with firearms and few other practical skills, I'm generally skeptical that weapon training is the best way for you specifically as an individual to contribute to a hypothetical future revolution.
I’m thinking about getting one for self defense. The last time the rapist felon was in office, he attacked Portland. And the Proud Boy felons were pardoned by the rapist felon.
that's your right as an American, and if you feel like it's time then I wish you straight shooting.
but I hope you are expecting to spend hundreds of hours drilling and training, and not some mystical apotropaic ward. in reality, the person you are most likely to shoot with that gun is yourself.
Yes, but I think it's probably a good idea for people to start getting training and familiarity with arms now, in case they need to defend themselves at some point.
WHILE doing other, more immediately useful stuff like community organizing and such.
perhaps. if you want an excuse to familiarize yourself with firearms, there are certainly worse reasons. it may help with self-defense, but your odds of targeted violence (or, y'know, suicide) also go way up.
The suicide states are a bit skewed, though, because quite a few buy guns specifically for the purpose of self-termination.
So it's not necessarily that having a gun makes you more likely to kill yourself, but perhaps more that wanting to kill yourself is more likely to prompt you to own a gun.
Similarly, people who own a gun--and who make this information public--can have increased chances of somebody attacking them, but it's more likely that the stats represent the fact that people who feel at risk of being targeted for violence are more likely to buy a gun to protect themselves.
if you DO have training and experience then I think orgs like the John Brown Gun Club that provide direct physical security for protests or drag queen story hours do important work.
but in terms of return on time investment ... volunteer at a food pantry? organize a tenant union? do mutual aid?
Even the JBGC people I've known of tend to emphasize that life skills like first aid, cooking, even sewing are pretty essential if your goal is a potential need to resist or support your community
i have always found it telling that very few of the men who tote guns everywhere they go (see e.g. /r/EDC) ever seem to pack a first-aid kit, even though a FAK is far more likely to save a life than a pistol.
the one item that's near universal in r/edc that's actually useful in survival situations is, afair, the knife and mostly because of how incredibly versatile a knife is as a tool
If you know Bob down the street is definitely going to try & kill you imminently, maybe. Against any force larger or more organized than that? Not at all.
And as others have said, it's far more effective to have all your neighbors on alert to yell, "Oh shit, it's Bob!" & bear witness to deter.
Comments
As a contingency plan for a hypothetical outbreak of political violence, it probably won't be that useful. But you know your personal circumstances better than strangers on the internet do.
You're more likely to need food, water, or shelter from a neighbor than you are to merc someone.
If this is just about direct action? Build your network.
But if there comes a time when the answer to your question is unambiguously ’yes’, it will certainly be too late to do so. It’d be like buying plywood the day before a hurricane.
if you have an urge to do something self defense related i think learning to box is your best bet
I think since they’re simpler people are less nervous at the range and the range can be intimidating the first few times.
If you’re in an area with an SRA or LGC chapter I’d get hooked up with them too.
Seems like it’s time.
but I hope you are expecting to spend hundreds of hours drilling and training, and not some mystical apotropaic ward. in reality, the person you are most likely to shoot with that gun is yourself.
WHILE doing other, more immediately useful stuff like community organizing and such.
semi-related, I'm a big fan of the game Receiver 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1129310/Receiver_2/
So it's not necessarily that having a gun makes you more likely to kill yourself, but perhaps more that wanting to kill yourself is more likely to prompt you to own a gun.
but in terms of return on time investment ... volunteer at a food pantry? organize a tenant union? do mutual aid?
And as others have said, it's far more effective to have all your neighbors on alert to yell, "Oh shit, it's Bob!" & bear witness to deter.