As I write this, I’m keeping a close eye on most news websites. You see, I’m in a tough spot. While I have committed to writing here every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I also have commitments to Bearing Arms.
Right now, I’m keeping that one eye on news sites looking for news on a mass shooting at a Maryland newsroom. This follows a serious string of events that has me more convinced than ever that unless something serious happens, the citizen warriors, or “real world warriors” as I’ve taken to calling us, are going to be more needed than ever.
First, let’s touch on mass shootings. Regardless of whether the media is inflating them and making them feel like they’re happening more often now than they did before or not is irrelevant. They’re happening. These are manufactured crises, for crying out loud. These are real things.
Couple that with the broader unrest we’ve seen over the last couple of years, stuff like Antifa wrecking anywhere they go and even a sitting United States Congresswoman calling for supporters to actively harass members of the president’s administration, and we see something deeper taking place.
Quite frankly, I can’t help but wonder if the crazy is going to get worse.
When I wrote earlier this week about needing more citizen warriors, this is the kind of stuff I was talking about, the reason we need them.
The right person with the right tools and training and a will to act can completely change the nature of the encounter. It has happened before. It can happen again.
But I can’t help but note that mass shootings aren’t the only violence out there these days.
Rep. Maxine Waters told a crowd of followers to basically harass any and all Trump administration officials they encounter. Oh, I’m sure she wanted them to just chant things and scream, but she can’t control them. Once a mob gets riled up, things could get ugly.
Worse, however, is that she’s essentially given sanction to the harassment of ideological opponents. Her words will justify others trying the same tactics on people they disagree with, even if they don’t work for the administration.
And the thing is, they can easily encounter someone when they’re unarmed because the law doesn’t trust us to be adults. For example, in some states, you’re required to be disarmed if you’re going to consume alcohol. If you’re going to have wine at dinner, you have to leave the gun in the car.
Now, imagine you’re spotted at that restaurant by someone who you’ve argued politics with. He calls up his friends, all ideological opponents of yours, and they decide to storm the restaurant and talk about how you’re a Nazi, a racist, a homophone–which would be hilarious if you were out hanging with your gay, black, Jewish friend–and they’re going to make it impossible for you to enjoy your meal.
You get up to leave. After all, you don’t have to take that kind of abuse. The problem is, they’re enjoying abusing you and trusting your better nature to keep them safe. One decides he’s going to push you back down in the chair so they can yell at you some more.
See how this is going to shape up?
Don’t get me wrong, this is speculative only. This hasn’t actually happened. Yet.
The reality is that our ideological differences, differences that were always there, have been amplified thanks to social media. No longer can we simply ignore our friends’ political opinions. They put them out in public where you can’t really miss them anymore.
Then, we gather in groups that allow us to discuss things…only “discussion” often leads to “argument.” Those arguments start to get ugly and what do you think happens?
It was just over a year ago that Rep. Steve Scalise was shot while practicing for a freaking baseball game. The gunman wanted to kill as many Republicans as he could. Why? Because he disagreed with them.
The thing is, I think I’ve already laid out why we need Real World Warriors. Yet, despite this, the world seems inclined to remind us of why they’re needed.
Unfortunately, I suspect the future will give us far, far more evidence than any of us would prefer. I hope I’m wrong, but I won’t hold my breath.
In the meantime, dig in, hit the gym, hit the mats, and hit the range.
I have a feeling you’re going to need it.
