How to Not Get Shot in the Street

I mean no disrespect for the victims of the baby terrorist, but on the Left I perceive some confusion in the reactions to the Rittenhouse trial.

I’ve been to many demonstrations, some where police assaulted demonstrators, some where demonstrators fought police, some where demonstrators fought each other, and some where demonstrators broke other laws. I’ve been assaulted by police myself.

The weapon of the Left in the U.S. is organization deployed for peaceful public assembly, non-violent civil disobedience, armed self-defense where unavoidable, and the use of democratic procedure. No armed insurrection is coming from the Left.

Effective public assembly happens in the full light of day, in sufficient numbers that being seen by the public and the press carries some political import. There is no case for running the streets at night as isolated individuals, especially when fascists and police are out hunting for people to shoot.

Public assembly in conflict situations requires numbers and organizational discipline, to protect one’s fellow demonstrators. I can’t tell you how many videos I’ve seen where right-wing goons converged in beat-downs over some lone leftist. THAT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN. To the extent possible, such situations should either be avoided or prepared for.

There is no case for open carry of firearms, day or night, except in groups that are both large and disciplined enough to discourage any attackers. In other words, as with nuclear weapons, the point of being armed is to never need to use the weapon. Otherwise firearms should be kept for self-defense at home, if kept at all.

There was an instructive episode regarding open carry in Dallas in 2016. Some lunatic killed and wounded a number of police officers. There was a story about some other fellow — a black man — who was carrying an assault rifle out of some desire to protect the public. This was in the evening, while police were hunting for the shooter. When reports of the shooting surfaced, he realized he was in big trouble, a black man walking around downtown Dallas with a rifle, while police were searching for a cop-killer.

There is no sense in open carry in any potential shoot-out situation, since for anyone left and/or black, the authorities are more likely to shoot you than anyone else. The other side will invariably have more firepower. Don’t bring a skateboard to a gunfight.