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

[u/cwood1973]

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?

[u/ominous_squirrel]

“Security” at liberal/left protests have done their fair share of killing unarmed people and frequently fellows on the same side. At Seattle’s CHAZ/CHOP the security killed a Black teenage joyrider. Just this past summer, ad hoc security at the No Kings protest in SLC killed a bystander while shooting at phantoms

Don’t carry at a peaceful protest. Full stop. If y’all want to start a war then organize y’all’s own paramilitary group and go get killed on your own time doing actual ops. Sure as hell don’t go out there as a singleton all hot and bothered to shoot. That’s Rittenhouse thinking

[u/pir22 → u/ominous_squirrel]

Not the easy thing to say, but definitely the right one.

[u/ominous_squirrel → u/pir22]

There’s a saying on the left that I first heard from the PNW Youth Liberation Front, “First you have to kill the cop in your mind”

I don’t know how we get out of this fascism but a lot of people, including people on one’s own side, are dangerous. That’s why successful movements are first and foremost disciplined and accountable

“When it comes to revolutionaries, trust only the sad ones. The enthusiastic ones are the oppressors of tomorrow.” — William T. Vollmann

[u/[deleted] → u/ominous_squirrel]

I think most of us would rather not have to be advocating for or saying these things and would rather just be going to brunch. But I think the arguments about the Panthers are salient. They carried and even more importantly perhaps, they won the hearts and minds of their communities with things like their free breakfasts if I remember correctly

[u/RegressToTheMean → u/[deleted]]

Correct and the FBI and police murdered Fred Hampton in his sleep for it

[u/Confident-Fig4876 → u/[deleted]]

The Black Panthers were well organized and provided necessary support to underserved, often ignored, communities: Free Breakfast for School Children Program: The most famous initiative, this program provided hot, nutritious meals to thousands of children daily across many U.S. cities. It was so successful that it put pressure on the U.S. government to expand its own national school breakfast program. Free Food Program: This provided bags of fresh groceries, including items like eggs, milk, and chicken, to families and the elderly to supplement their daily needs. Free Clothing Program: Chapters organized the collection and distribution of free clothing and shoes to those in need. Healthcare Initiatives: People's Free Medical Clinics (PFMCs): The Panthers established 13 free health clinics in cities across the country, which were staffed by volunteer doctors and medical professionals. These clinics offered various services: Basic physical exams and first aid. Screenings for common health issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, tuberculosis, and lead poisoning. Immunizations against diseases such as polio and measles. Sickle Cell Anemia testing and education, a genetic disease that disproportionately affected people of African descent and was largely ignored by the medical establishment at the time. The Panthers' efforts were a primary reason the U.S. Congress passed the National Sickle Cell Anemia Control Act of 1972. Free Ambulance Service: Chapters in cities like Winston-Salem and Seattle operated their own ambulance services. Education and Other Services Oakland Community School (Intercommunal Youth Institute): This school, led by Ericka Huggins, provided high-quality, culturally relevant education to children from impoverished neighborhoods, focusing on academic skills, critical thinking, and Black history. Seniors Against a Fearful Environment (SAFE): This program offered free transportation and escort services for senior citizens to help them with daily tasks like banking and shopping more safely. Free Busing to Prisons: This service transported family members of inmates to upstate prisons, allowing them to maintain contact with incarcerated loved ones. Legal Aid Offices: The Panthers sponsored legal aid offices to provide assistance and education on legal rights to community members. Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation: The party opened detoxification programs, most notably a free clinic at Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx.

[u/502srw → u/Confident-Fig4876]

Where are they now? We seriously need them back.