How far are we willing to go?

[CaptAmerica]

After reading a few other threads on this and other Forums, I have been sincerly thinking;
How far are we willing, and ready to go to defend our 2A rights??
On the surface I thought I knew the answer to this question, but the more I think about I am not so sure.

I caught myself high jacking another thread I was asking for clarification on this very question and the thread got out of hand quickly. I appologize to the OP'er of that thread. So I wanted to post the question here; How far are we willing to go?

It seams to me we all stand behind the Constitution, and we all hold dear the 2nd Amendment. But from there it looks like there are two schools of thought.

1. Work hard with your voice and your vote to get us back on track the way the founding fathers intended this country to be before it is to late.

2. Be ready willing and able to stand up and give your life (and take anothers life) if need be to defend our rights.

Maybe the third school of thought would be a combination of the two.
I think I find myself in camp 1, but in the back of my mind I knew I may have to be in camp 2 some day.

I consider myself a patriot. I am a conservative, Ex-Army, Father, Tea Party supporter and NRA member. I will not give up my right to self defense.
I know we are living in goofy times and I fear our elected officials have a very socialist agenda. I fear my children will not grow up in the same America that I did. That breaks my heart and makes me very sad.
But how far will I go? How far will we all go to defend the constitution?

Look at Katrina; What WOULD I have done if the National Guard came to my home demanding my guns? I know I would not willingly hand them over... but am I ready for armed conflict with other Americans? Am I ready to go to jail? In the back of my mind I thought I was... but then I realized I don't EVER want to have to shoot a bad guy. I will, but I pray to God I wont have to. Could I defend myself against LEO's? WOULD I?
I began thinking as I read the above mentioned post that maybe things will be much more subtle than I imagined. Maybe it wont be the Army walking door to door taking our guns. Maybe it will be something as simple as the police trying to take my legally owned and carried gun at a traffic stop. What would I do?
Is this what we are being set up for?? Imagine the MSM response to Law abiding citizens having shoot outs with LEO's who are trying to take our guns. The spin would paint us, the good guys, as a bunch goof ball extremists (Just like Ruby Ridge and Waco).
Is that the master plan? Set us all up to look like WE are the bad guys? I have no clue...

So I am just curious, how far would you be willing to go?

[JJFlash]

Interesting post as I was thinking about this the other nite. I was sitting in my study, just hacking about, and then suddenly thought: What would I do if SWAT appeared at my door right now demanding my guns? Just start shooting? That's a fight that I can't win and furthermore, seems fairly futile. I mean, we could all go down fighting individually (and we WILL go down) but to what end? As you state, CaptAmerica, the press would just paint me as a "resident extremist" and that will be that because the sheep will buy it.

So, my immediate thoughts: I need to cache some weapons and ammo off-site, keep a "throwaway" piece or two to "hand in". At that point, the S is in the F, so regroup and figure out what to do.

Bottom Line: I won't live on my knees.

[CaptAmerica]

Interesting post as I was thinking about this the other nite. I was sitting in my study, just hacking about, and then suddenly thought: What would I do if SWAT appeared at my door right now demanding my guns? Just start shooting? That's a fight that I can't win and furthermore, seems fairly futile. I mean, we could all go down fighting individually (and we WILL go down) but to what end? As you state, CaptAmerica, the press would just paint me as a "resident extremist" and that will be that because the sheep will buy it.

So, my immediate thoughts: I need to cache some weapons and ammo off-site, keep a "throwaway" piece or two to "hand in". At that point, the S is in the F, so regroup and figure out what to do.

Bottom Line: I won't live on my knees.

Great points JJ!!
It IS a fight we can't win, I would rather live to fight another day... on my terms.
Caching guns and ammo sounds radical.... but it may prove to be prudent.
I won't live on my knees (unless it is in prayer), but at the same time I won't throw my life away in a loosing battle.

It makes me wonder what the future may hold for us all. Pray it never comes to pass that we have to make the choice to fight or not.

[OUTTAHERE]

Caching guns off site makes perfect sense, IF we think and plan that far ahead. How many of us have already taken that step? How many of us are going to take that step at all? And what if someone does show up at your door before such steps are taken? Are you willing to hand over all of your guns and ammo or are you willing to take a stand even if it means loosing your life? Tough choices indeed, to some extent.
After reading about first hand accounts of Katrina survivors who had the police confiscate THEIR guns rather than the
criminal's gun, it's easy to see how quickly things can spin out of control. The LAST thing that those people would have EVER
anticipated was the police coming to take away THEIR guns. Well, now we know; we learn from recent history what could possibly happen. So, if you don't want to, can't or for any reason don't stash guns and ammo else where, you're instantly
placed in the position of complying or dying while facing the people that up to now we have entrusted our faith and security
in --- the local police/sheriff.
I've already gone over this in my mind many, many times and I keep coming up with the same answer: I'D RATHER DIE ON MY FEET THAN LIVE ON MY KNEES! Why would I even want to live in a country where we are not allowed to own firearms to protect ourselves, our families, our property and our country if need be? I don't. So, for me the decision is already made, but of course I hope it doesn't come to that.
I hope that we have a long way to go before we get to that stage anyway, but we have to think about it as being a
distinct possibility these days. Our best recourse at this time is to NOT RE-ELECT ANYONE, clean house and refill with
Patriots who cherish our country, our rights and our way of life. If we can't do that, then we can expect the worst.

[Ga9mm]

I have bills of sale for a guy named John Smith, who bought the firearms that I owned.

[Tucker's Mom]

I answered #2. I hope to get to #4 soon before I sell my guns to Mr. John Smith...

[6shootercarry]

#2. But here goes...
The people who come to the door (if we allow that to happen by ignoring camp #1) will be servants sent to perform a duty by order. They will be fathers or mothers friends of friends or the children of fathers or mothers we may know. I bet most will not agree with what they have been sent to do..

Look in the mirror and ask yourself if you have it in you to kill one of them...

The thug who tries to assault me or a member of my family, not an issue for me. I don't need to analyze that threat..

I'm not inclined to give my freedom up without a fight though...

More thought needed.

[CaptAmerica]

#2. But here goes...
The people who come to the door (if we allow that to happen by ignoring camp #1) will be servants sent to perform a duty by order. They will be fathers or mothers friends of friends or the children of fathers or mothers we may know. I bet most will not agree with what they have been sent to do..

Look in the mirror and ask yourself if you have it in you to kill one of them...

The thug who tries to assault me or a member of my family, not an issue for me. I don't need to analyze that threat..

I'm not inclined to give my freedom up without a fight though...

More thought needed.

That's just it...
Where is that line in the sand that we will not tolerate being infringed upon? The LEO's who are just following orders? The National Guardsmen who is just 18 years old?
At what point are we no better than the bad guys, and at what point do we have no other choice but to fight for our rights? It becomes a paradox of sorts.

Because we ARE NOT the bad guys, it COULD be just as simple to disarm us as it was the Britt's. How many of us are friends with LEO's?

It makes you stop and think....

[JJFlash]

I guess maybe the first 20-30,000 to die in their homes might finally wake up a lot of people, but the figure sure bothers me. I'd rather be fighting alongside my brothers (and I can't even imagine this) to preserve our freedoms. That's the basic reason why making an individual stand in your home bothers me; there seems to be minimal return for the sacrifice. Yeah, I might be ready to die, but I have a family. And that is additional sacrifice borne by me and them. The picture is complicated, indeed.

This is all theoretical discussion to me (that's my CYA statement!). I believe that any effort to disarm the population here will engender a response by the citizenry quite different from the process in say, England. Our gun culture is much stronger, I believe, and there are far more citizens who retain arms. What exactly that response might be, I don't know, but my gut tells me we won't go quietly, one way or another.

[CaptAmerica]

I think I have to agree. A stand in your home, or resisting being disarmed at a traffic stop is not going to solve anything. BUT That would be the line. Once that was crossed I think I'm heading for the hills because it will be time to face the sad reality that the beginning of the end has started.
Life as we know it would be changed forever.

This is alarming to even think about... pray it we never have to make that choice.

I think I am going to sell off a few of my guns to Mr. Smith tomorrow... just in case.