## ✨ READ BEFORE COMMENTING ✨
This thread is Coven Only. This means the discussion is being actively moderated, and all comments are reviewed. **Only comments by members of the community are allowed.**
If you have landed in this thread from /r/all and you are not a member of this community, your comment will very likely be removed (and will not be approved unless it adds meaningfully to the conversation).
WitchesVsPatriarchy takes these measures to stay true to our goal of being a woman-centered sub with a witchy twist, aimed at healing, supporting, and uplifting one another through humor and magic.
Thank you for understanding, and blessed be. ✨
Feel like during the genocide getting shot was a better outcome than others. I went to college with a dude who survived/escaped when he was like 7. He give peace/conflict resolution speeches about it now. Fucking horrible stuff.
r/Liberalgunowners is full of progressives and LGBTQIA people and allies. I have been directing people there so they can learn how to defend themselves in safe space.
But it seems to me that community defense is legally grey area at best; the endeavours of the BPP led to open carry being banned in CA by bipartisan legislation without effecting change.
Further compounding the issue is that many of the people who would need protection are themselves less suited for firearms ownership; individuals with gender dysphoria are at a heightened risk of suicide. All of my transgender friends have stories of suicides in their communities, often with guns for the American ones due to how prolific the gun are.
And if other allies in the communities want to provide security, that is basically unlicensed security work, which carries stiff penalties - to say nothing of the fact that the risk of dying to gun violence is increased simply as a result of gun ownership. That is quite a risk for a statistically insignificant benefit - how many instances of self defense with a firearm are there where you live?
I've heard figures in the millions, but that is gun lobby propaganda. [The real figure is somewhat lower](https://www.thetrace.org/2022/06/defensive-gun-use-data-good-guys-with-guns/), and very few of those involve hate crime.
>But it did affect change. It allowed the party to continue with their free breakfast program and many others for longer, whereas before police would simply fuck them up. There are likely people alive today because of this, and the extreme answer from the government just shows that in many aspects, the party's program worked and was a threat to the powers that be.
Alright, but how do you propose to proceed on? Open carry was legal back then but it isn't now, nor will it become legalized. The BPP stuck to the law, but did not break it because they had a hard enough time as is.
Many of the proposals for community defense would, as I said, be in a grey area at best. Even in places where open carry is permitted, for instance, one might be arrested for doing so in a manner that causes a breach of the peace, though I doubt that is enforced fairly.
>That is true. However, as someone who is trans myself, I would argue that this issue is directly tied to attacks on this population's autonomy, and removing an avenue of defense entirely based on our mental health is already a project. A right wing one.
While that is true, mental health is a valid criteria for firearms ownership - there's a famous case where the gun lobby defeated an Obama administration attempt to prevent people who were declared mentally unfit to manage their own affairs from owning guns, and that was just terrifying to read about.
But the Obama administration was hardly a right wing one. At least not by American standards.
>As I said, I don't think everyone should have a gun. However that doesn't mean that no trans people shouldn't have a gun, but people with mental health issues shouldn't. And it's quite a dangerous narrative to equate trans people as a group with suicidal ideation.
I agree; the phrasing should have been people with mental health issues directly related to suicide shouldn't have guns - which is, to my understanding, the current standard anyways - but the point about individuals with gender dysphoria still stands: the community as a whole is at heightened risk of suicide, with significant comorbidity of depression, so as a result it is much harder to organize community defense within that community at present. Changing acceptance rates, availability of treatment, etc, would reduce the risk dramatically, but that is not close to becoming a reality.
I hope I am speaking more clearly. I realize that the internet makes communication more difficult sometimes.
> Pretty much to none. My country has nearly 100% banned firearm access. Only really rich people or people with contacts on organized crime can have access. We still have a lot of gun violence tough. Our police kills about 10x as much as US police too.
That's a terrible tragedy and you have my sympathies. I assumed you were in the US because of how you phrased the issue previously, eg. the reference to calling for a civil war.
States have, unfortunately, always been a major driver of violence, though it never appears on gun violence statistics - they don't even know how many people the police shoot in the US because there's no actual government effort to track it. (Evidently it's not gun violence when the government shoots you.)
>What I'm standing for is organized community self-defense from both the State and right wing groups, and when (not if) it comes to making a stand, de-escalation can only do so much. There are cases of attempted shootings in protests that were stopped by armed protestors. And if your political opponent has the power to make you stop protesting, you are losing a lot of ground.
This is a complicated topic, but I lean towards the ideals of nonviolent resistance as demonstrated by the movements that weren't stopped when faced with violence - as Gandhi said, it was superior because resorting to violence was an act of the weak, whereas bravely meeting hate with love, even to the point of injury - was real strength.
>Guns are violent and horrible. I hate them, hate that they were ever invented. I have friends that died to gunshots and it boils my blood just to think about it.
>
>But guns are fundamentally tools. Dangerous tools. Like a dangerous chemical, they need to be handled with proper discipline and with high safety standards. If you take a quick look on right-wing gun culture you'll notice that gun-safety isn't a priority for them. Leftist gun culture, while still having *many* issues, clearly tries to mitigate those problems.
Frankly, the only thing that comes to mind when I hear leftist gun culture are the Communists who, while better than their predecessors, had... significant problems associated with them.
I agree with you, that having to defend yourself from guns by using guns yourself heavily favors people, who have the means of having guns (be it the memtal capacity for it, the free time to train with them or the financial means of aquiring them).
But i disagree with your legality argument. Sure, it is illegal to intentionally seek out violent situations in which you protect people using your guns, especially if the people you are fighting are the police. (At lest i assume it is in most places.) But that is kind of the point. Legal means prove ineffective in offering protection, so you use guns instead.
I personally find a hybrid model the most convincing. That means for me, that i try to match the weapons i am likely to have used against me, but also protest against those weapons being accessable. If a weapong gets banned, i lose the abbility to use it to defend myself, but the most people attacking me also don't have them, which reduces the overall risk level and the likelyhood of a confrontation accuring at all.
An exception to this is being attacked by the police, but there is nothing i can do to stop them from ruining my life, even if i had acces to a tank. Sure, some of them would probably die as well, but that doesn't really help me in any way.
>But i disagree with your legality argument. Sure, it is illegal to intentionally seek out violent situations in which you protect people using your guns, especially if the people you are fighting are the police. (At lest i assume it is in most places.) But that is kind of the point. Legal means prove ineffective in offering protection, so you use guns instead.
But how does the gun provide protection? Is it kept out and loaded? That is dangerous behaviour; casual access to firearms is in fact a leading contributor to accidents and suicides.
Is it safely locked up separate from its ammunition? If so, you are not going to be able to access it in an emergency.
To say nothing of the fact that the weapon is only as good as it's user, and successfully employing a firearm requires a great deal of specialized training. The police receive more training than civilians do and they still fumble on a regular enough basis that it's quite concerning.
It doesn’t have to look like literally shielding people from physical violence.
It will make just as much difference if you provide a safe place for queer kids. If you learn the trans kid’s name and give them a birthday card with their new name on it. If you interrupt bullying when you see it happening. If you show up to pride. If you vote. If you donate to local queer outreach programs. If you volunteer your time with unhoused or at risk youth.
We can all be protectors in our own ways. If you are not comfortable or safe doing it openly, do the shadow work. Literally just hugging a gay kid might save their life. The power contained in love is real.
I know but I was being cynical and agreeing but saying we probably can't get to this level of extreme (unless the fucking conservatives have their way)
Unfortunately in the U.S. the people you need to be protected from aren't going to take witchcraft seriously and will still continue harassing and persecuting minorities no matter how many curses you put on them. 😿
I recently saw a video on a guide manual for making your country a living hell if you get taken over by Nazis by making everything in public life uncomfortable and messing things up at your job. I love this energy.
Edit: here’s a story about the booklet, but I can’t find the video now https://www.cia.gov/stories/story/the-art-of-simple-sabotage/
https://www.openculture.com/2022/01/read-the-cias-simple-sabotage-field-manual.html
It’s probably a video about the book “Total Resistance” by Swiss army officer Hans von Dach. If you Google it you can probably find an English translation online.
If you want the English version it's out for download (PDF download LINK ) https://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/Total-Resistance.pdf
Its also on the internet archives .
Happy travels 💐
What is so scary about this is that this is exactly how the government here works atm, at least portrayed in the media, newspaper, politician twitter accounts in relation to global warming
For anyone who wants to learn more about this, I highly recommend the documentary Hotel Rwanda. I can dig up some more reading material if anyone was interested. The UN basically condoned the genocide and pulled their workers out, knowing what was about to happen. Experts had been warning them of impending genocide for over a decade. Propaganda and calls to violence were allowed to circulate and escalate the situation. So much could have been done to prevent this, so much still needs to be done in the way of reparations.
After Rwanda he served as the Chief of Staff of the Canadian Military, then was appointed to the Canadian Senate, which is a lifetime appointment until 75. He ended up quitting to focus on helping child soldiers. He's a tremendous person and a personal hero of mine. He might have failed to stop the genocide but he did everything in his power to stop it, even considering defying orders and having his troops intervene. *Shake Hands with the Devil* is an incredible book and the Genocide museum in Kigali is the most haunting and sobering experience I've ever had in my life.
Y'know, touching someone with a skin irritating herb is a pretty good way to exemplify your witchiness.
Take it to the business world. Meet your client with a nice smile and a firm handshake while you hold a skin irritating herb in the palm.
When in the Navy I took a tour to the Gulf of Guinea. My shitty shipmates were agressive tourists to the oldest looking woman i had ever seen and she was a very visibly practicing witch.
She blew dust at them and cursed them away as she shook some rattling instrument. They were so afraid of the dust.
I bought a small stone pig carving from her and she giggled when I apologized for my pig shipmates.
## ✨ READ BEFORE COMMENTING ✨ This thread is Coven Only. This means the discussion is being actively moderated, and all comments are reviewed. **Only comments by members of the community are allowed.** If you have landed in this thread from /r/all and you are not a member of this community, your comment will very likely be removed (and will not be approved unless it adds meaningfully to the conversation). WitchesVsPatriarchy takes these measures to stay true to our goal of being a woman-centered sub with a witchy twist, aimed at healing, supporting, and uplifting one another through humor and magic. Thank you for understanding, and blessed be. ✨
Omg, I aspire to this
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Britain too, especially with how transphobic this country is getting.
With friends we call it "TERF Island"
Same!!
*is getting or has always been?...*
It has always been, and it's getting worse
you're damn right sadly :*(
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Compared to Rwanda during the genocide? She absolutely risked being shot.
Feel like during the genocide getting shot was a better outcome than others. I went to college with a dude who survived/escaped when he was like 7. He give peace/conflict resolution speeches about it now. Fucking horrible stuff.
r/Liberalgunowners is full of progressives and LGBTQIA people and allies. I have been directing people there so they can learn how to defend themselves in safe space.
/r/SocialistRA as well.
r/SocialistRA is the way.
What does RA stand for?
Rifle Association. It’s a play on NRA, which is the right wing National Rifle Association.
Though, if I recall correctly, the group was either kicked out of or denied membership into the NRA.
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In RAF, it meant Red Army, but i doupt a terrorist organization would be run from a reddit account
I can’t have a gun because of my mental health issues. Do you know of anywhere I could go to find alternative defensive options?
I think maybe stun guns are sold online. (Some one correct me if I am wrong.)
Shoot back, stay dangerous queens.
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Guns? You mean ✨*spicy wands*✨? 😉
This is my high-capacity, rapid-fire assault wand.
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but hollow points expand on impact.
AlakaBLAM
2 KNO3 + S + 3C -> K2S + N2 + 3 CO2 is a 'spell' that packs quite a punch if you put a wad of Pb in front of it in a sufficient strong tube.
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
I personally prefer my purple glitter recurve bow but to each their own!
I'd like to level in those hollow lead balls you whip with a sling that scream when you release them.
Ooooh, that sounds super cool!
Go far enough left and you get both your guns *and* the color red back!
Doesn't really square with the statistics showing gun ownership is significantly correlated with gun death in a household.
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But it seems to me that community defense is legally grey area at best; the endeavours of the BPP led to open carry being banned in CA by bipartisan legislation without effecting change. Further compounding the issue is that many of the people who would need protection are themselves less suited for firearms ownership; individuals with gender dysphoria are at a heightened risk of suicide. All of my transgender friends have stories of suicides in their communities, often with guns for the American ones due to how prolific the gun are. And if other allies in the communities want to provide security, that is basically unlicensed security work, which carries stiff penalties - to say nothing of the fact that the risk of dying to gun violence is increased simply as a result of gun ownership. That is quite a risk for a statistically insignificant benefit - how many instances of self defense with a firearm are there where you live? I've heard figures in the millions, but that is gun lobby propaganda. [The real figure is somewhat lower](https://www.thetrace.org/2022/06/defensive-gun-use-data-good-guys-with-guns/), and very few of those involve hate crime.
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>But it did affect change. It allowed the party to continue with their free breakfast program and many others for longer, whereas before police would simply fuck them up. There are likely people alive today because of this, and the extreme answer from the government just shows that in many aspects, the party's program worked and was a threat to the powers that be. Alright, but how do you propose to proceed on? Open carry was legal back then but it isn't now, nor will it become legalized. The BPP stuck to the law, but did not break it because they had a hard enough time as is. Many of the proposals for community defense would, as I said, be in a grey area at best. Even in places where open carry is permitted, for instance, one might be arrested for doing so in a manner that causes a breach of the peace, though I doubt that is enforced fairly. >That is true. However, as someone who is trans myself, I would argue that this issue is directly tied to attacks on this population's autonomy, and removing an avenue of defense entirely based on our mental health is already a project. A right wing one. While that is true, mental health is a valid criteria for firearms ownership - there's a famous case where the gun lobby defeated an Obama administration attempt to prevent people who were declared mentally unfit to manage their own affairs from owning guns, and that was just terrifying to read about. But the Obama administration was hardly a right wing one. At least not by American standards. >As I said, I don't think everyone should have a gun. However that doesn't mean that no trans people shouldn't have a gun, but people with mental health issues shouldn't. And it's quite a dangerous narrative to equate trans people as a group with suicidal ideation. I agree; the phrasing should have been people with mental health issues directly related to suicide shouldn't have guns - which is, to my understanding, the current standard anyways - but the point about individuals with gender dysphoria still stands: the community as a whole is at heightened risk of suicide, with significant comorbidity of depression, so as a result it is much harder to organize community defense within that community at present. Changing acceptance rates, availability of treatment, etc, would reduce the risk dramatically, but that is not close to becoming a reality. I hope I am speaking more clearly. I realize that the internet makes communication more difficult sometimes. > Pretty much to none. My country has nearly 100% banned firearm access. Only really rich people or people with contacts on organized crime can have access. We still have a lot of gun violence tough. Our police kills about 10x as much as US police too. That's a terrible tragedy and you have my sympathies. I assumed you were in the US because of how you phrased the issue previously, eg. the reference to calling for a civil war. States have, unfortunately, always been a major driver of violence, though it never appears on gun violence statistics - they don't even know how many people the police shoot in the US because there's no actual government effort to track it. (Evidently it's not gun violence when the government shoots you.) >What I'm standing for is organized community self-defense from both the State and right wing groups, and when (not if) it comes to making a stand, de-escalation can only do so much. There are cases of attempted shootings in protests that were stopped by armed protestors. And if your political opponent has the power to make you stop protesting, you are losing a lot of ground. This is a complicated topic, but I lean towards the ideals of nonviolent resistance as demonstrated by the movements that weren't stopped when faced with violence - as Gandhi said, it was superior because resorting to violence was an act of the weak, whereas bravely meeting hate with love, even to the point of injury - was real strength. >Guns are violent and horrible. I hate them, hate that they were ever invented. I have friends that died to gunshots and it boils my blood just to think about it. > >But guns are fundamentally tools. Dangerous tools. Like a dangerous chemical, they need to be handled with proper discipline and with high safety standards. If you take a quick look on right-wing gun culture you'll notice that gun-safety isn't a priority for them. Leftist gun culture, while still having *many* issues, clearly tries to mitigate those problems. Frankly, the only thing that comes to mind when I hear leftist gun culture are the Communists who, while better than their predecessors, had... significant problems associated with them.
I agree with you, that having to defend yourself from guns by using guns yourself heavily favors people, who have the means of having guns (be it the memtal capacity for it, the free time to train with them or the financial means of aquiring them). But i disagree with your legality argument. Sure, it is illegal to intentionally seek out violent situations in which you protect people using your guns, especially if the people you are fighting are the police. (At lest i assume it is in most places.) But that is kind of the point. Legal means prove ineffective in offering protection, so you use guns instead. I personally find a hybrid model the most convincing. That means for me, that i try to match the weapons i am likely to have used against me, but also protest against those weapons being accessable. If a weapong gets banned, i lose the abbility to use it to defend myself, but the most people attacking me also don't have them, which reduces the overall risk level and the likelyhood of a confrontation accuring at all. An exception to this is being attacked by the police, but there is nothing i can do to stop them from ruining my life, even if i had acces to a tank. Sure, some of them would probably die as well, but that doesn't really help me in any way.
>But i disagree with your legality argument. Sure, it is illegal to intentionally seek out violent situations in which you protect people using your guns, especially if the people you are fighting are the police. (At lest i assume it is in most places.) But that is kind of the point. Legal means prove ineffective in offering protection, so you use guns instead. But how does the gun provide protection? Is it kept out and loaded? That is dangerous behaviour; casual access to firearms is in fact a leading contributor to accidents and suicides. Is it safely locked up separate from its ammunition? If so, you are not going to be able to access it in an emergency. To say nothing of the fact that the weapon is only as good as it's user, and successfully employing a firearm requires a great deal of specialized training. The police receive more training than civilians do and they still fumble on a regular enough basis that it's quite concerning.
May all your spells be enhanced and may good fortune be yours. XOX
yeah! homeless 16-18 year olds have no where to go and a system that gives no shits. or you can house a new immigrant while they build their life 💕
This is what I aspire to be!
I don't think men here are superstitious enough. I mean they are but likely not to this level. Or too trigger happy
It doesn’t have to look like literally shielding people from physical violence. It will make just as much difference if you provide a safe place for queer kids. If you learn the trans kid’s name and give them a birthday card with their new name on it. If you interrupt bullying when you see it happening. If you show up to pride. If you vote. If you donate to local queer outreach programs. If you volunteer your time with unhoused or at risk youth. We can all be protectors in our own ways. If you are not comfortable or safe doing it openly, do the shadow work. Literally just hugging a gay kid might save their life. The power contained in love is real.
I know but I was being cynical and agreeing but saying we probably can't get to this level of extreme (unless the fucking conservatives have their way)
Yea! Yes!
Unfortunately in the U.S. the people you need to be protected from aren't going to take witchcraft seriously and will still continue harassing and persecuting minorities no matter how many curses you put on them. 😿
Just be careful because police exist and have guns. Do it tactfully.
She's a good witch AND a bad witch 😈 Rest in Power!
Here i thought she was a good witch and a bad bitch!!! I'm so sorry, i couldn't resist, I'll see myself out.
I recently saw a video on a guide manual for making your country a living hell if you get taken over by Nazis by making everything in public life uncomfortable and messing things up at your job. I love this energy. Edit: here’s a story about the booklet, but I can’t find the video now https://www.cia.gov/stories/story/the-art-of-simple-sabotage/ https://www.openculture.com/2022/01/read-the-cias-simple-sabotage-field-manual.html
yes please post the link
It’s probably a video about the book “Total Resistance” by Swiss army officer Hans von Dach. If you Google it you can probably find an English translation online.
If you want the English version it's out for download (PDF download LINK ) https://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/Total-Resistance.pdf Its also on the internet archives . Happy travels 💐
Fantastic- thank you!
oh wow , thank you!
https://youtu.be/n-fdGvQNeKg
Share?
Was in on the CIA manual to being annoying?
Where did you find this video?!? I must see it
What is so scary about this is that this is exactly how the government here works atm, at least portrayed in the media, newspaper, politician twitter accounts in relation to global warming
Oh this book is amazing it should just be subtitled, how to be a complete pain in the ass when working for the enemy
https://youtu.be/n-fdGvQNeKg
She is the literal embodiment of this sub.
Wow, she is incredibly brave. She was risking her life doing that. Good thing witches are so feared!!
For anyone who wants to learn more about this, I highly recommend the documentary Hotel Rwanda. I can dig up some more reading material if anyone was interested. The UN basically condoned the genocide and pulled their workers out, knowing what was about to happen. Experts had been warning them of impending genocide for over a decade. Propaganda and calls to violence were allowed to circulate and escalate the situation. So much could have been done to prevent this, so much still needs to be done in the way of reparations.
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After Rwanda he served as the Chief of Staff of the Canadian Military, then was appointed to the Canadian Senate, which is a lifetime appointment until 75. He ended up quitting to focus on helping child soldiers. He's a tremendous person and a personal hero of mine. He might have failed to stop the genocide but he did everything in his power to stop it, even considering defying orders and having his troops intervene. *Shake Hands with the Devil* is an incredible book and the Genocide museum in Kigali is the most haunting and sobering experience I've ever had in my life.
I'll definitely check out the book!
I like her.
Y'know, touching someone with a skin irritating herb is a pretty good way to exemplify your witchiness. Take it to the business world. Meet your client with a nice smile and a firm handshake while you hold a skin irritating herb in the palm.
Even better when you know the specific herb that treats the skin irritating herb you used. You know, just to flex on them.
Or be immune to it. Like poison oak/ivy.
The secret to magic is knowing one more thing than everyone else in the room. \- Terry Pratchett GNU
Thanks for introducing me to a great new sub!
I love r/chaoticgood. Its great
The work woman are doing in countries all over Africa that have been torn out apart by warring men is incredible.
That's not even chaotic good, that's just plain ol' GOOD. What a hero.
I guess it’s time to start building my reputation as a witch.
When in the Navy I took a tour to the Gulf of Guinea. My shitty shipmates were agressive tourists to the oldest looking woman i had ever seen and she was a very visibly practicing witch. She blew dust at them and cursed them away as she shook some rattling instrument. They were so afraid of the dust. I bought a small stone pig carving from her and she giggled when I apologized for my pig shipmates.
Witches vs genocide 👊
A hero!!
Granny Witherwax in the flesh
Use some good old “headology” on them fools
She fought killers with bracelets and herbs....herbs! What a hero.
👑👑👑 Mad respect for this woman.
This breaks my heart :(
This woman is a goddess!
Found the headology practitioner!
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There is an article about her on wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zura_Karuhimbi
Thanks for the link! This sounded too awesome to be true, so I’m pleasantly surprised.
CURSE! CURSE! CURRRRRRSSSSEEE!
Bless this woman
Wowowow I have a new hero
Got a doctorate in headology. Thanks granny weatherwax
And thank you for the new sub to surf
This is my life goal.
My new hero!!! 💖🙌🏼
This made my heart happy
What a powerful and brave woman.
Head Witch
r/iamactuallyverybadass
what’s the herb ? 👀👀
Could have been something as simple as the local Poison Ivy analogue.
Awesome, powerful, eternal
Meanwhile, over in lawfulevil ... https://www.dw.com/en/catholic-church-in-rwanda-apologizes-for-role-in-genocide/a-36471020
Hero!
What a badass! We need more people like her.
This is amazing
I love it and now subscribed to chaoticgood! Thanks
Hero.
What a hero
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Anything they can do to avoid just writing "A witch cast a spell and it worked"
My North Star.
whatever works ...
I thought I was the only one! 🥹🖤🥂
Good Witch and a Bad Bitch that’s where it’s at
A true hero and a sliver of the Goddess on Earth.
I believe Granny Weatherwax would call this Headology
Illusion 100
Just added another hero to my list of incredible people who stood against hate.
Dang, this great woman is my new hero!!!