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What If..?
The fears and hesitation that are being expressed by some of us on the Right are cringeworthy. The list of concerns is piling up, and it’s always a valuable strategy to plan for the future; but we must stop developing rhetoric and actions that paralyze us when we worry about what might happen in the future. This kind of talk is stultifying, contagious and if we are serious about fighting back against the government’s attacks on our freedom, we have to reframe what is happening. Just what am I hearing?
- The Left will initiate riots if Roe v. Wade is limited or eliminated.
- I’ll lose my job if I don’t comply with my employer’s mandates.
- The government will resort to more lockdowns and other mandates.
- The container ships stuck in the harbor will ruin our Christmas.
- The cost of gas will limit my Christmas shopping and other expenses.
- The new variant will cause a panic.
- They will try to close the schools.
- If Roe v. Wade is revoked, they will try to take our guns.
This is only a partial list; I’m sure many of you could point to other fears that are being expressed. And it’s understandable that we are alarmed about the potential freedom-limiting actions that could be tried over the next few months. But we can’t let our fear cause us to pull back or remain silent. None of these possibilities are etched in stone.
So what should we do?
- See if the riots begin again. Shout from the rooftops that law enforcement and the National Guard should shut down civil unrest at the first sign of violence. Don’t let the media dictate your words and actions. Bombard your mayors and governors with emails and demonstrations that declare our insistence on peace and calm.
- If your employer demands private medical information from you, tell them no; you don’t need to make threats. Then wait and see what happens. If they set new deadlines, ignore them again. (Hat tip to @seawriter .) You should wait to see if it’s a bluff. If they fire you, work to organize your fellow employees to protest the mandate. If enough people resist and know that others are doing the same, your employer will likely back down.
- Refuse to comply with lockdowns. If you have a business in a small town, organize your colleagues to protest and keep your businesses open. Let the town cite you. And still keep your business open.
- If you don’t receive items you planned for Christmas, be creative! Offer coupons to the people who don’t receive their gifts, to be redeemed as soon as the gifts arrive. Or reduce your gift list. Or cook, sew, knit something that offers a personal touch. Teach your kids that this is how you live big with less.
- If you have less money to shop with, don’t run up your credit card. Again, be creative. Do something as a family. Have a baking party. Design an exotic meal cooking party. Do something that everyone can participate in and enjoy their time together. It will provide memories for years to come.
- Wait and see what happens with Omicron. All indications are that it will spread widely but mildly. I said recently that since most of us will catch the virus at some point, I vote for this variant for myself.
- If they try to close the schools and you didn’t take action before, you’ll need to consider homeschooling, private school, or pod schools. We can’t tolerate hurting our children again.
- If the Left threatens to take our guns, arm yourself. I think their reaction will be a lot of empty bluster. But be ready. Pay attention.
We must couple our alarm with acting rationally in spite of our fears. This is not their country to destroy. It is our country to preserve and protect.
Let’s act like it!
[photo courtesy of unsplash.com]
Published in Culture
Yes I have ammo. I plan to retreat and defend as much as I can. If others come out to play than maybe I will also. If cornered I may die but it will not be for lack of firing back.
I figure I will die, but I hope to take a couple of the the bastards with me.
I understand the fear but I also see the power in standing up. Maybe there will be riots and lockdowns but there is also fatigue and fear of these actions on the other side. Didn’t Southwest back down? Are there not some encouraging signs coming from state AGs and federal courts? I just spoke with someone who had quit her job rather than be bullied and found another better job immediately. In many areas there is a demand for workers and businesses are not so eager to lose employees. Schools lose money when students are pulled out, so pull out because that is one institution that will not bend without force. Gas prices are tough but we’ve weathered this before. Slim pickings for the holidays are not, IMO, a serious problem except for Dems. Living a lie is mighty uncomfortable. Good!
I’m with you, Sandy!
The left prefers we roll over rather than push back and fight. If January 6 taught you anything, it should have taught you how much they fear us and opposition.
I wonder how we can best capitalize on that fact–when we fight hard enough and loud enough, they panic. Certainly the Congress needs to figure that out, too.
Susan,
Good thoughts.
A decade ago I worried about being called a racist for expressing conservative views. The accusation seemed, at the time, actually a serious thing that carried connotations that could destroy a man’s reputation in his community.
I’m not scared of being called a racist anymore. The old saw has lost all of its teeth.
It would be nice if people would stop being afraid of words.
Good to see you, John! And I totally agree. There are still words that can trigger me; I try to be aware that my reaction is my problem, not the other person’s.
Resistance is futile.
Resistance is voltage divided by current.
Live free or diode.
I have no doubt that the state will eventually come for our guns, but I’m confused as to how Roe v. Wade comes into play – can someone enlighten me?
I’m repeating what I’ve heard others say, Britanicus, but I assume that the Left will be so angry and revolted by the revoking of RvW that they will try to disempower us in any way they can; they will want those on the Right to be defenseless and devastated. The Left also believes that we live and die by maintaining gun ownership, so they also believe that we would be as upset as they are about eliminating ready abortion; I don’t know if that’s true or not. And finally, they don’t realize that we know what happens to a country that takes its citizens’ weapons. They will not be taking our guns, and we will fight them over it, fully armed with plenty of ammo. That’s my take, but I’d be very happy to hear from others.
I think it has to do with the Texas case. The mechanism they are using in this case could be turned against gun owner and manufactures and those that finance them. So if it is approved to be used to stop abortion it can be used to stop guns.
John, people may think that using that mechanism is possible, but I doubt it. Many people have said that the Texas approach isn’t usable the way it’s written (with an outside party filing suit), and I tend to agree. But just because it might not work won’t stop people from trying!
I think the Left is busy redefining, twisting and lying about laws to get their way. If we want to keep our country we need to do the same so they understand why their method does not pay.
I remember an Australian saying that when the Army shows up at your door and demands your guns or else — and it will be the roughest damn else you’ve ever experienced –, the bluster fades away and you hand over your guns. Now if the whole armed community stood with you, it might be different, but they won’t. Bongino mentioned “The Prisoner’s Dilemma” and it applies here.
I think one of the most foolish things people do is buy guns from stores etc with lots of government paperwork, rather than buying privately without the paperwork.
It is worse than that. The government is good at leverage. While many may be willing to die with a gun in their hand for their rights. But will they be ready to watch their child go to jail or killed for that right? Because make no doubt. They will come at you from every direction. Take all your resources. Take your family resources. Sit your family in jail and destroy their future. Because that is how these folk roll. Total destruction of you and yours.
I tend to get robbed or lose them every 5 or so years.
They don’t need to do any of that, nor do they need to go door-to-door. All they have to do is freeze your bank accounts and other financial assets.
You guys might be right. But I refuse to dwell on those possibilities. I would rather focus on what I can do, not sit around feeling helpless and sorry for myself. What is the point of swimming in that dark place? How does it make my life better? Will some people, if these things happen, find satisfaction out of saying, “I told you so”?
I think we should do everything we can to prevent these kinds of things from happening. But dwelling in darkness will not help us address any of them.
Unless you file police reports and/or insurance claims they probably won’t believe you. Meanwhile, if you file police reports and/or insurance claims and they’re not actually lost or stolen, then you go to jail for false police reports and/or insurance fraud. In addition to illegally having guns.
The only question that matters is what you can do to address those possibilities, or probabilities. Recognizing them is not “dwelling in darkness” or feeling helpless and sorry for ourselves. Denying that those probabilities exist serves no purpose.
I hope we agree that not dwelling on the possibilities is not the same as “denying the probabilities.” Paradoxically, I believe we can acknowledge them, accept them, even act on them, without drowning in their negativity. It’s not easy.
Any government that would do that deserves a repeat of 1776.
Yes, but the government loves leverage. I had a dispute with the IRS a while back for about a $1000 in dispute. So to make the point they took $20K from my bank account then grabbed another $20k from my mothers retirement. Why? Because that is how they roll…..
Returned eventually?
eventually after scaring my mother to death. In the end I had to send them a check for the $1000 in dispute before they would give back the two $20k. And the real twister is that we both were wrong and in the end the IRS gave me back a $1750 refund. Just took months of arguing.
I got a call from the IRS saying I had not filed the necessary forms. I pointed out that they had sent me a check for 110.82 in response to the forms being filed. The IRS had included $4.82 over the amount I was due to cover interest. The guy kept insisting that I needed to file the forms, and I suggested that we settle this in person rather than over the phone. He took that as a threat for some reason. He then said, “Send the form and I’ll work with you.” So, I sent another copy. About three weeks later, I got a letter and a phone call from him offering an apology. The problem had been on their end all along, and he said he was personally calling over 80 more people who had been hassled wrongly. Twice I’ve gotten apologies for their incompetence, refunds that included interest, and a notice that the interest is taxable income.