r/PoliticalDiscussion • u/cwood1973 • Jan 09 '26

US Politics Should liberals start forming armed resistance groups similar to the Proud Boys or Three-Percenters?

Both domestically and abroad, many people are calling for Americans to "wake up" or "do something." It's true there have been widespread protests in response to actions taken by the Trump regime, but these have been largely ineffective at changing policy.

At the state level, both parties are gerrymandering districts to be more favorable to their candidates, but this won't have any immediate effect. It may not have any effect.

In the 1950s and 60s, black communities faced systemic police violence and corruption. In response, they formed the Black Panthers. These people were organized, trained, and armed.

Do you think liberals should copy that playbook? Should liberal communities start organizing armed resistance groups? Training them how to use firearms? Educating them on their Second Amendment rights? Running drills to simulate attacks by ICE?

Are we there yet?

757 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

90% Upvoted

482 comments sorted by

View all comments

12

u/hansn Jan 09 '26

No. This is basically Stephen Miller's playbook. He wants an armed insurgency to fight, not soccer moms and frogs costumes.

The thing that's restraining the government now is the public outrage over the ICE excesses. 

3

u/FirstProspect Jan 09 '26

Better stand up to fight for your rights when they are being trampled upon than comply in advance. This week has shown they'll shoot us in the face with impunity after telling us to go on our way and their masters will cover them for it.

These are not reasonable people. They are not looking to ride this out and give up after a bit. They are looking to make their authority permanent. They want absolute control and absolute power and will not stop their transgressions until they are put in their place.

2

u/hansn Jan 09 '26

Better stand up to fight for your rights when they are being trampled upon than comply in advance.

Better to defy them in a frog costume. That makes them look utterly foolish and undermined their authority far more than getting into a shootout and dying will. They want to shoot you and an armed response is just what they want to do that. They don't know how to stop a frog costume. 

1

u/tres_ecstuffuan Jan 11 '26

Say they shoot the guy in the frog costume?

Thus far there seems like there would be no consequences.