this post was submitted on 17 Apr 2025
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Luckily for me I got the job in-store for bicycles, but then after a few months they couldn't keep people behind the gun counter and had to ask me to start filling in. By the time I left, I was behind the gun counter more than the bike counter.
I'm positive my looks nowadays would draw plenty of comments, but back then I looked like the stereotypical straight white guy that didn't have any strong political opinions..... I know I'd be getting comments about my appearance now. Lgbtq+ support and long hair are enough I'm sure I'd even have some locals waiting for me to get off work to harass me. It wouldn't be the first time a republicunt took issue with an employee and tried to wait until closing to start shit. Which is a bad idea when half the employees have their CCW.
No worries about the neighbors owning guns. They're citizens, they just don't pass the "paper bag test" for cops, and have their own firearms. They used to be staunchly against firearms until 2020. Then with all the political bullshit leading straight into covid made them reconsider.
I miss being able to shoot a text to 6 friends asking if anyone wants to go shooting at friend 2s house, and within two hours we're all laughing, chowing down on snacks, setting up a ton of clay targets for some friendly competitions... Now I'm down to 0(ish) friends that aren't primarily my wife's friends, and they don't do target practice. They can strip and maintain all their guns with a blindfold on, but I don't think they've even sighted them in properly. Many discussions have been had over this unfortunately.
The bystander effect made 8 people watch from 15ft away as I literally crawled across a street, covered in blood, my leg twisted the wrong way, after a close call from a truck while riding a bicycle made me eat shit. After one person FINALLY ran over to me, suddenly all 8 were walking over, apologizing saying they thought someone else was coming over first.
Because of that I have decided unless there is a CLEAR leader in getting things taken care of, I'm always going to try to be the first to act when someone is in need. If someone collapses on the ground, I'm running over to make sure they're breathing/conscious, and I either actively calling an ambulance or pointing at a specific person and going "YOU, MALE WITH THE RED SHIRT, CALL 911 RIGHT NOW" since people react far quicker when called out specifically. Don't assume someone else will show up to help. You ARE RIGHT THERE. So help.
Anyways, daily reminder that armed minorities are harder to oppress. Armed minorities make governments afraid.
Where were you working that sold both bikes and firearms? I've worked in bike shops off and on (wrenching), and they definitely didn't sell firearms. OTOH, the last couple were in Chicago, and the city of Chicago at the time had exactly zero gun stores within city limits.
May I suggest telling them to check out InRangeTV? There's a fairly decent sized community of people that are truly supportive of the idea that the 2A is for everyone, and they tend to push each other towards training and competition, with a goal of being effective first and foremost. ...Because a gun isn't a magic talisman, and shooting ability is a skill that degrades quickly without practice.
That was one of the things that was covered in a trauma class I took. I highly recommend that everyone take one, even if it's just a very basic 'stop the bleed' class. But if they have the time and money available for the training, TCCC CLS classes, or wilderness first responder classes are better. People are far, far more likely to need to save someone's life before an ambulance can arrive than they are to need to use a firearm to defend themselves or someone else.