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Pentagon employee launches 'DSA Explorer' site to track left-wing groups (www.newsweek.com)
submitted 3 weeks ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] 4 points 3 weeks ago (9 children)

It’s not. They’re doing it as a form of political intimidation. It’s a problem that the second amendment in America exists to solve

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  • [–] -4 points 3 weeks ago* (8 children)

    Has it? When?

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  • [–] 2 points 3 weeks ago* (7 children)

    Oh a number of times throughout American history.

    The most popular single example of which was the Battle of Athens, where returning WW2 veterans used firearms to fight back against their corrupt local government that was using police brutality and voter intimidation to remain in power.

    Then there’s the rabbit hole of the whole Jim Crow era of American history. Back then local law enforcement was often allied or directly members of the Ku Klux Klan and would harass black communities at night. These communities would form an armed militia to protect their neighbors from government sanctioned violence.

    Ultimately, the whole anti-gun debate hinges on public trust of the government and law enforcement. You limit the possession of guns to people in positions of public trust and allow them to police the community and keep you safe from danger. When those people are the danger however, you only have America’s legal system to defend you. We obviously don’t allow the police to be openly corrupt. However what happens when all branches of government to the highest level are corrupt and you become an enemy of the state? Appeasing the government by giving up the one measly way you have of resisting them is not going to spare you.

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  • [–] 0 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

    That's against the local police though. My guess is your 2nd amendment won't be worth much against the pentagon.

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  • [–] 0 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (4 children)

    Oh no there are plenty of other examples involving federal agencies, but they’re far more rare. A big part of how the second amendment helps is that it prevents the government from even trying. It’s much harder to quietly disappear people in the middle of the night with secret police when the attempt would cause a loud and deadly shootout that would rile up the rest of the rabble nationwide. You’ll have noticed how even our currently blatantly corrupt government had to save face and fire top officials after just two people died in open confrontation with police. Dozens of armed standoffs nationwide would not be conducive to their plans.

    The pentagon isn’t relevant, that’s a military institution.

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  • [–] 0 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

    My bad, I went for the pentagon, since that was what the linked article was about. I always thought this was just a thing gun lovers said to themselves to justify keeping their murder weapons. I didn't know things were actually so bad that, contrary to most of the rest of the civilised world, you really do need them to protect yourself from the government.

    I sincerely hope for you can find a way out of that mess.

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  • [–] 0 points 3 weeks ago* (2 children)

    The linked article wasn’t about the pentagon.

    And yes things are currently very bad in the US, but we’re far from the only country that are dealing with a resurgence of fascism. We’re just the only country that has retained our means to do anything about it.

    In the last year alone UK authorities have arrested thousands of innocent people on terrorism related charges for simply supporting Palestine.

    The rise of the AfD in Germany.

    The push for chat control in the EU, turning several countries into complete surveillance states.

    Americans will ultimately sink or swim on their own. Your thoughts and prayers are better utilized on European countries that have thrown themselves to the mercy of their governments.

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  • [–] 0 points 3 weeks ago (1 child)

    I doubt it will ever come to that. Standards of living, life expectancy, consumer protections, the list goes on - all of these are way way worse in the US vs Europe.

    But hey, at least you have guns that could have stopped this. With no negative side effects whatsoever.

    I do agree with you on thing though - things are getting worse. But at least we will have you to lead the way, give us a hint what to prepare for, and to remind us that things could always be worse.

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  • [–] 0 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

    I’m speaking only of things it has already come to. Even in our current admittedly low point, the things currently going on in some European countries would be considered a failed state scenario in the U.S. we can’t be Europe’s lead to follow because we haven’t yet fallen as far as some European countries have.

    A country where you can be arrested by the government for a mere opinion cannot in any sense of the word be considered a civilized country, I’m sorry to say.

    Standards of living, life expectancy, consumer protections, the list goes on - all of these are way way worse in the US vs Europe.

    Patently false. The U.N.’s Human Development Index, which is the defacto standard measurement of global standards of living, ranks the United States above 70% of European Nations.

    I get that the unearned Euro-centric world superiority complex is implanted at birth and all, but even if you live in one of the minority of European countries that actually do consistently rank above the US in standards of living and personal and economic freedoms, don’t let your obsession with the U.S. blind you to the dire state of your neighboring countries on your side of the pond.

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