Miles O'Brien

I mean, after a certain point, yes.

Two frogs sit in a pot of water, one turns to the other and says “were on a fire, we should leave before the water boils”

The second frog turns to the first and says “you’re being alarmist, things aren’t that bad.”

This sounds like the second frog.^‡

It might be the more practical choice to keep backing away and keeping yourself and the people you care about out of the spotlight as long as possible, it’s certainly the safer choice and one that probably leads to a longer life…

You are certainly more optimistic about the future of the country than I am. I train because honestly I find it a little fun, competing with my own best times on various drills and courses. I also in recent years have come to train even harder and begun introducing LGBT friends to firearms, because I believe the country is headed toward civil war.

I’m not inviting my LGBT work friends to my range because I want them to attack ICE. I invite them and encourage them to buy their own firearm and train for self defense because I have literally heard other coworkers say, out loud to be met with nods and agreements, “any day now they’ll let us loose and I can go killin all them fs and tr***s (slurs for LGBT people)” and no end of bullshit about how “mentally ill” and “unstable” they supposedly are.

Besides, if my choices are “concentration camp v0.95” and “best case scenario being on the run after a shootout with the gestappo” then I know which choice I’m making.

You definitely have way more faith in our (metaphorical) neighbors and the system than I do. That probably a good thing, I’m a depressed pessimist with tons of anxiety about the state of the world. If more people were like me we would be like 10 years into a Civil War already or worse.

^‡(frogs don’t actually sit in blowly heating water as certain movies like to say, they still will leave at some point when it gets uncomfortable)

My state surprised me during covid.

It’s not surprising me now…

You’re still more patient Than I.

It’s great that they’re rational enough to change their views in the face of evidence, even if it takes more evidence than it usual.

bit my tongue to not torpedo our relationship

I’m so glad my wife is basically no contact with her parents, because I never have to play nice with them.

“EU considers following modern Nazi policy”

Diogenes bursts into Plato’s military lecture: BEHOLD! An unstoppable armored column!

I have a few LGBT friends who come over for range time, away from the type of people who normally frequent the public ranges around here. We have a loose plan of action if they need somewhere to hide, and low profile tents and 3-day packs are on standby for a couple close friends. Funds are tight, otherwise I’d be making sure there’s a tent, sleeping bag, and 3 day survival pack for all of them, their partners, and their friends.

I have been told my entire life that I am “overreacting” because “that will never happen/you’ll never need that”, and in nearly every instance, it’s been simply a matter of time.

I can very easily present myself as someone very far down the “first they came for” list, but I’ll be cold and buried before I disguise myself and let the people further up fend for themselves.

While I’m not expecting death squads to be roaming the street this year, I’m also not going to wait for it to happen before I begin preparing.

If I can’t directly shelter people in need, I’m damn sure going to get them heading in the right direction, with the knowledge they need, and with more than just the clothes on their back.

Make friends with your neighbors and watch each others backs.

My neighbors fully support government sponsored death squads that get to go around indescriminate lynchings of LGBT and POC.

Lucky for me, the closest one is about 1/4mile away.

Two small towns in Ohio also had a surprising turnout considering they’re both pretty damn red.

“Dutch government does X”

“It’s them fuckin Americans again”

And gadsden flag, and trump flag, and thin blue line flag.

Quickest way to stop massive Russian losses: TURN AROUND and march your happy asses to Moscow, and have a few words with the shit bags in power.

Fuck, even just every soldier going home would cripple any ability to punish them for being AWOL.

They might.

Personally I mean the entire country goes back to pre-1948 borders.

… They left?

And here I thought they just gave authoritarianism a nice coat of paint and called it “law enforcement”

Weird how “law enforcement” always seems to avoid the places where they might get something more than a papercut.

Almost like they’re cowards…

It’s always “well the lazy democrats will take it so it’s perfectly fine for one of us to take it so they can’t have it” or some variation.

No needle in the syringe, apparently.

Still a good way to get bodyslammed into a wall. I’m not waiting to see if there’s a needle or not.

Can’t wait for one of my coworkers to speak positively of this move so I can ask them why they’re praising SOCIALISM

I mean, I think the world would be a better place if capitalism died and socialism were recognized as being far superior, but I can say with 100% certainty that THEY do NOT.

has a left-wing bias

So does reality.

But some people are, perplexingly, still concerned with “being fair”.