My friend is a deep-dyed liberal. He’s also a hunter and has a concealed carry permit.
He said he told his son, “Man, if I’m there and I see those ICE agents acting like they do, bullying and attacking people, I would have to step and intervene. Then I added to him, I guess I’m going to need to start carrying.”
I said, “You’ll need to be a good shot. They armor up.”
He nodded. “I am a good shot.”
I wonder, how many other Americans are thinking like my friend?
I also wonder, is that what Trump and his minions want, to create armed confrontation?
Armed confrontation would give Trump the excuse he’s desperately hungered for to use the U.S. military to attack American citizens. During his first term, he was interested in having the military shoot protestors in the leg or the foot.
Since taking the oath to “protect, defend, and preserve the Constitution” to begin his second term, Trump used excuses to deploy National Guard forces to multiple U.S. cities, including Portland (Oregon), Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and now, Minneapolis in Minnesota.
These actions and statements he made, such as “The next time, I am not waiting,” (March, 2023) are concerning. I can’t know his intent—but the pattern is difficult to ignore.
I worry that Trump’s plan is to provoke violent resistance. That would generate excuses for him to use the military and law enforcement to attack people. From that, only small steps would be needed to establish a police state.
That’s where I’m at today, sitting and watching, breathing with concern about my nation and the President of the United States in 2026.
Michael Seidel, writer 
No. They don’t want it to be bloodless; they want it to be Republican blood-less. Per Kevin Roberts at Heritage, in regard to Republicans going in and doing as they please: “We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/16/project-2025-violent-rhetoric-heritage
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Yes, I remember reading that. They expect it to be bloodless while gutting the Constitution, eviscerating the Bill of Rights, and installing a dictator. They only things they want to keep is the flag, the nation’s name, and themselves in power.
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Hi. Roger a friend of my blog from England is a student of history and often times warns of the US following the path of Ireland and the time of the troubles. If a shooting war breaks out there are far too many guns in society but decent people hesitate to use them while the gang thugs in ICE don’t have that restraint as we have seen often enough. tRump has none at all and his minions use that. tRump’s view is if he wants it then he deserves it and someone should give it to him regardless of what it is. Right now I think Miller, Vance, Russell Vought all keep tRump in a bubble of misinformation, never telling him the truth. As he only watches his sycophant right wing media he only sees what he himself expressed or what the people around him want him to think is reality. This is a scary time and what is worse is that the republicans in congress are too cowardly to stand up to him in any way preferring to let democracy, our country’s world standing, and the public die just to keep their elected seat to keep enriching their personal wealth. Hugs
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Scottie, I agree with you. It’s a scary time for all those factors, and worse. Trump believes himself a genius, and yes, his handlers keep reassuring him that he’s right and the people love him. Stay strong, my friend. Hugs
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A very salutary and perceptive post.
I hope you don’t mind me adding a few words ‘from across the pond’….(I’m the ‘Roger’ Scottie was kind enough to refence)Trump and his court of oafs extremists and fantasy junkies might think they are ready for some kind of showdown.They are not. They have no idea. No one who has not lived through or at best witnessed relatively close by what forces can be unleashed once communal violence starts.Not that any of his ilk would have thought to have read anything of James Baldwin especially these words:
“The most dangerous creation of any society is the man who has nothing to lose.”
For as you so wisely pointed out “I wonder, how many other Americans are thinking like my friend?”I used to end often my comments to any of my American friends with ‘Best wishes’ or something similar.Now I am inclining to end with ‘Take care’ Take careRoger (UK)
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Thanks, Roger. I appreciate the comments. That’s a sharp quote from Baldwin and wholly applicable. Take care, my friend. Cheers
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