“I would never have thought I’d see the LGBTI community siding with incredibly conservative, right-wing, pro-gun advocates that have been publicly homophobic and transphobic — that didn’t make any sense,” Abboud explained.
But after meeting some of the gun club’s members, Abboud said, there was a real fear that had only been stoked by the country’s rabid political landscape.
Gay Americans are arming themselves to stay alive
There as never a real dichotomy. There was (and still exist) a mountain-full of bullshit associated with Second Amendment Activism and its alleged hate for Gays. Pulse was a wake up call for many Gays who came to realize that nobody is there to protect them when the harm comes and even the sad realizations that they would be abandoned and bleed to death by the authorities.
The massacre in Orlando pushed some to actually look for not just buy a gun but to train with it for Self-Defense. Surprisingly, heir side came down hard on them for wanting to exercise the most basic of rights and it was only when they dared to seek help with the Evil “White & Racist” gun owners that they encountered a word they were not expecting: Welcome.
They encountered people of all colors, religions and even (gasp) sexual orientations that not only guided them in the basic of firearms but encouraged them to become responsible gun owners. And even for those who were a bit afraid of interacting with any stranger at the range, Operation Blazing Sword a network of nationwide instructors created by a bonafide member of the LGBTQ community for the LGBTQ community.
At the end, the decision is rather simple: Do you side with those who want you unarmed and ready for victimization? or, Do you become responsible for your own safety?
Welcome, indeed. I am involved in the martial arts and gun communities, and both those groups are far, far more welcoming and accepting than either the alt-right or cntrl-left fringes want you to believe.
Most of that “dichotomy” is nothing but anti Conservative bigotry and straw manning.
I saw a video of street interviewed at the West Hollywood Pride Parade where gay men swore that Trump was really building concentration camps for gays and were going to use electroshock on them. They KNEW IT.
The anti LGBT bigotry is 99% in their own heads. The rest of it is a bunch of guys looking at the angry fat chick with purple hair or the effete guy in leggings and saying “I’m not going to call you ‘they’ or ‘Zir.'”
I could not agree more.
If you are on the right side of the political aisle, that means you are a rabid homo/trans/islma/hispanic/color/womanphobe. None of which is actually true.
Yes, there are some anti-gay second amendment supporters. Then again, there are some anti-gay gun control advocates. Assuming the ones on your side of the political aisle are the exception, and the ones on the other side of the aisle are the rule is biased, prejudiced, and everything they are fighting against.
I’m a bisexual man and a conservative-libertarian, I’ve been politically active at a local-level since I was a teenager… Which would have been the Clinton Administration, for what it’s worth. I’ve been open about both the entire time, not to the point where I announce it via loudspeaker but I don’t shy away from it or avoid mention of it. I’ve also just celebrated my 15th anniversary to my husband.
When my fellow conservative/libertarians learn that I’m LGBT, the typical response is essentially: “Meh.”
When my fellow LGBTs learn that I’m “right-wing,” the typical response is is essentially: “BURN THE HERETIC! PURGE THE UNCLEAN!”
Now, I know that my personal stories aren’t solid evidence. The plural of “anecdote” is not “data.” But whenever I talk to other conservative LGBTs (especially gay men and trans women) they pretty much all share the same story. It’s definitely a trend.
Are there some full-blown bigots out there? Sure, of course there are, I’m not Pollyanna. But we’re talking a few dozen in any given group of several thousand… and they tend to be shunned by everybody else because they’re obnoxious assholes.
Are there some with deeply held religious beliefs who don’t approve of my sexual orientation? Sure, but disapproval is not – no matter what the Left beloved — the same thing as violence. Most of these people will silently disapprove of my choice and then go right on having a perfectly pleasant conversation with me.
Some years ago, I (conservative, gunny, hetero,nominally Christian, FOWG {fat old white guy}) was an RN in an urban ER somewhere. One of the other folks was, well, not. He was pretty flamboyantly gay, way, way, way liberal, etcetera. We got along. Because (a) we each LISTENED to the other in non-work conversations, and (b) he was pretty damned good medic, and very, very, very much about good patient care.
My take on it: “Kids, this is how grown ups play together!”
Mr. Ish, congratulations on encountering grown ups. I hope it spreads.
I moved to Portland about three years ago. Grown ups are in short supply.
I’ve been conservative since college exposed me to the idiocy behind most leftism. I’ve had multiple friends and co-workers who are gay, and it never mattered. Other people have felt the need to point it out, but it’s just never mattered; I wasn’t friends with them because of their sex habits, and co-workers, well, all I care about with them is if they do their job.
I remember reading an OpEd by a Log Cabin Republican who said (paraphrasing) he never had a problem as a gay man at CPAC but he always had a problem as a Republican at a Pride parade.
I was standing in line at a Starbucks in Ferndale (the “gay neighborhood” of suburban Detroit) whilst holding my infant daughter and wearing a GOProud t-shirt. A man threw his frappucino at me.
This was the only time in my life I was ever assaulted for being gay.
It would be interesting to repeat that experiment while wearing a Pink Pistols t-shirt. Or an Operation Blazing Sword one.
Never encountered anything more than a “tsk-tsk” or a sidelong evil eye in the same town in my Pink Pistols shirts.
I always got less pushback from the gun community, for being a lesbian, than the grief I got from the lesbians for being a gun owner.
We can sit down and talk about politics loudly, disagree as hell and at the end of the day when we are ready to go home, the last word will be something like :”Be safe,”
I don’t have to agree or even accept your beliefs, but your Right to fight any harm that comes towards you? By God I am there.