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Culture War Roundup for the week of January 1, 2024

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Yes exactly, why would any of that be wrong?

That would be wrong because- I apologize if this is overly tribal- why does it always have to be my side that unilaterally disarms as a show of faith? Allow Louisiana the death penalty for pedophilia again, and then we'll talk.

And I think that's the crux of the matter, really. I do not trust progressive politicians(or any politicians, but especially progressive ones), and the latent fear that they seemingly all have of the AR-15 owners of America all coming for them, personally, helps me sleep at night. Under a regime I fully trusted I would have no qualms about Czechia-like gun control, or maybe even France-like if they can get street crime under control(more and I would bitch about unnecessary bureaucracy). I fully believe that, given I have to be ruled by people who suspended civil rights over a glorified flu, that giving up my guns would just result in a brutal authoritarian regime casting me and mine under cagotage. Is this a rational belief? Don't know, don't care. When progressives disarm first I'll think about that question seriously.

That would be wrong because- I apologize if this is overly tribal- why does it always have to be my side that unilaterally disarms as a show of faith?

It doesn't, and I routinely would encourage my progressive friends (back when I had them) to do the same. But at the end of the day someone has to take the first step, and neither side trusts the other to reciprocate. So unless you're prepared to accept perpetual animosity between you and your political enemies, you should try to find ways to show good faith where possible.

So unless you're prepared to accept perpetual animosity between you and your political enemies,

My political enemies have demonstrated, to my satisfaction, that they will hold perpetual animosity against me and mine, and so I'm pretty much ready to return the favor. What then?

Then, you should probably refrain from letting your anger rule your decision making. The rest of us don't particularly care to watch the political crossfire continue to destroy the country.

  • -11

Please be more careful and specify for whom you’re speaking.

The rest of us

Who is "us"? This sounds like consensus-building/speaking-for-the-forum talk to me.

So unless you're prepared to accept perpetual animosity between you and your political enemies, you should try to find ways to show good faith where possible.

Again I point to Obergefell. There was very little resistance, and what there was was crushed with the assistance of conservatives who had respect for the institution if not the decision. Did this "show of good faith" result in any reciprocal co-operation? No. Defectbot continues to defect. There is no reason to co-operate, it will not result in reciprocity, it will only result in further defection.

When it all happens, I might consider objecting to conservatives pushing gun rights in blue states. Probably still reject it on the "it's in the god-damned constitution in black and off-white" grounds, but I'd consider it. Until then, they're absolutely doing the right thing, just not enough of it.