andrewrgross , 30 days ago (edited 30 days ago)

I hate to say this, but … the shooter IS antifa. That’s what antifa means.

It’s not an organization with member rolls. It’s a term for people who are prepared to fight fascism by any means necessary, which I think it’s clear this person thought they were doing.

It’s a shitty situation to be in if you don’t like fascism. But there’s no use in getting semantic or trying to polish facts. This is where we’re at.

Personally, I have been saying for YEARS now something that seems consistently unpopular but true: “punching Nazis” is strategically ineffective. Justified? Yeah. Gratifying? Surely. A good strategy if you don’t want to live under fascism? Definitively not. It is choosing to embrace a playing field tilted wildly against us. Like it or not, we’re now on that field.

If you’re thinking of buying a gun right now, don’t. Instead, make sure you know all your neighbors by name. Plant gardens and stock up on canned goods. Put your efforts into putting people in positions of local power who are prepared to defend against either state terrorism or militia terrorism.

We cannot win with violence. Violence may be necessary defensively, but as an offensive strategy it is a tactical mistake, and we all need to accept that.