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Help Dealing with Coworkers ProGun Beliefs


HeWhoSingsAmongTheStars

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HeWhoSingsAmongTheStars

So I mentioned to an older male coworker that I couldn't believe that some people were against gun control simply because it would make getting and owning guns more difficult when it could help prevent school shootings. He immediately went on a rant about how gun control didn't help anyone and how he was completely against it. He started bragging about owning five different assault rifles and about how he planned to use them to protect his family if they ever had a home invasion or something and how he absolutely refused to give them up. When I mentioned that having stricter gun control laws would make it harder for mass shootings to occur his response was literally, "Well if they're going to kill people then let them. If they want people dead then they'll just kill them and if they can't get guns then they'll just find a way. They could even make pipe bombs. Hell I could go home and make twenty pipe bombs right now and it would be easy."

 

I did try mentioning that not everyone knew how to make pipe bombs (I certainly don't) (Also @ coworker - WHY DO YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE PIPE BOMBS?!!!!) and that if someone tried to attack a school with knives or something then they would be a lot easier to fight off if necessary. He just kept repeating that it didn't matter and that he would never go along with increased gun control or obey any new laws that might limit or remove people's ability to own assault weapons.

 

At this point I was beyond uncomfortable, especially since he was giving me a ride home and I was trapped in a vehicle with a guy rhapsodizing about how much he loved guns and how much he didn't care about if they were the main cause of death in mass shootings and school shootings. This guy is a lead. If the lady supervisor isn't available then he's the one who's supposed to give me a ride home since we all get off at 1:30 in the morning when none of the buses are running and I live on the other side of town. I don't want to be trapped in a vehicle with him again unless I have a solid plan to either derail him if he brings it up again or counter him.

 

Anyone have any ideas? When I get freaked out I pretty much lose the ability to debate, so any suggestions would be helpful!!

 

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Not someone I'd hang around with, I can definitely understand why he'd make you nervous.

 

If he's your (assistant) supervisor at work... yikes. I'm not sure what to say there. Can you afford to quit that job?

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If he ever brings it up again, is there a polite way to bow out of the conversation? I tend to say "We're just going to have to agree to disagree" when in arguments that will go nowhere with my friends. Then there's also just "I'd rather not talk about this." Hopefully he's calm enough to agree. He doesn't seem like the kind of person who would be swayed in conversation with someone more casual in debates on heated topics. It's better to just avoid those kinds of things with those people.

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I usually ignore people when they talk about topic that I am not interested in or a topic that I disagree with. I just give 'ya', 'hmm', 'ok' when I am expected to say something.

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Just passively "agree." That way, you won't have to debate him.

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Sometimes its useful to try to really understand the other side in a political argument.  All too often people on one side only hear about the other from their own side - and that can lead to a very distorted view. I think this is a big part of what is splitting politics in America. I always try to really understand why people think the way that they do. Sometimes there are good reasons, but if not, it also puts you in a much better position to convince them to change their minds.

 

For guns, I've seen several reasons for allowing guns:

 

1), Sporting (eg shooting Bambi)  I personally find hunting deeply disturbing but since I'm not a vegetarian I really can't bject. 

 

2)  Protection.  Some people feel safer with a gun.  Law enforcement can punish someone AFTER they attack you but generally not prevent the attack.  There are women with violent ex's who feel safer believing that they can defend themselves.  Its not statistically true, but it does make them feel better

 

3) Resisting a government gone bad.    There are some disturbing trends in the current US government, and I could imagine things going extremely badly.  Various insurgent wars have shown that it is very difficult to completely suppress an armed population.  (The US spent trillions in Iraq and never completely succeeded).

 

4) Culture - its an almost religious thing, part of american culture like muscle cars. 

 

I'm not saying these are good reasons but I think its worth understanding them. 

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Yeah, some conversations are just better to avoid if possible.

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HeWhoSingsAmongTheStars
4 hours ago, Mysticus Insanus said:

Not someone I'd hang around with, I can definitely understand why he'd make you nervous.

 

If he's your (assistant) supervisor at work... yikes. I'm not sure what to say there. Can you afford to quit that job?

Sadly no. I live in a college town and I'm trying to save up to move out. It took me a long time to find this job and right now I have to work full-time and part-time in order to make enough to pay all the bills (including my increased rent and student loans😔) and have enough left over to put away for moving. I've been looking for almost two years for two other jobs that would work timewise, but I haven't been able to find anything. So this job it is 😢

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Just avoid the topic as much as you can.  There's no point in getting involved in a debate, because you won't be able to convince him of your views.  

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If I were in your position, I would just try to avoid any further debates on the topic.  Sometimes, it's better to just avoid the conflict altogether, particularly when the other person is that determined.

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Calligraphette_Coe
On 10/22/2019 at 6:24 AM, HeWhoSingsAmongTheStars said:

So I mentioned to an older male coworker that I couldn't believe that some people were against gun control simply because it would make getting and owning guns more difficult when it could help prevent school shootings. He immediately went on a rant about how gun control didn't help anyone and how he was completely against it. He started bragging about owning five different assault rifles and about how he planned to use them to protect his family if they ever had a home invasion or something and how he absolutely refused to give them up.

I work for a place that is predominately uber conservative. When they bring up the 2nd Amendment and all the gun talk, I mention that our extremely righwing management has a policy that says "You bring a gun on to the property, we can fire you instantly." "How do you reconcile your arguments with that? That management doesn't want the riff-raff armed? That they know a different set of rules applies for the convenience of the plutocracy?"

 

If they aren't totally at a loss for words after that, they'll say something like "Well! They would if the insurance compainies didn't prevent it!"

 

To which I reply 'So, the insurance companies are gun grabbers.' Seriously? Maybe because it's because guns are dangerous and they aren't THAT interested in the constitutionally of 'We have a divine right to be armed and by God the Constitution says SO! So when can I bring MY AR-15 to work? :::::yawn:::::'

 

About then, they get flabbergasted, angry, and sometimes abusive.

 

Game over.

 

 

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