gun show
Do you feel radicalized yet? (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Atlanta Gun Show, held over a weekend in late September, had everything one might need for a coming apocalypse or civil war: flame throwers, hundreds of rifles, thousands of handguns and knives, body armor, survival kits, medical supplies.

Sprinkled among swords, boxes of sutures and night-vision goggles were the insignia of the modern extremist far-right: bright yellow patches for the Oath Keepers militia group, holsters and clothing engraved with the logo of the extremist Three Percenters. A stall at the back sold paperback copies of “The Anarchist Cookbook,” which describes how to make homemade bombs, along with a book called “Two Component High Explosive Mixtures…”

Gun shows like this have long been part of the connective tissue between mainstream conservatism and the American extremist movement. The vast majority of gun owners are law-abiding citizens, but experts and former members of the extremist far-right said a passion for gun rights often serves as a gateway to radicalization – one eagerly exploited by recruiters and leaders in the movement.

“It is one of those things that far-right activists will use to get in the door,” said Jeff Schoep. He was once the leader of the National Socialist Movement, the largest neo-Nazi organization in the United States; now he advocates for leaving the life. “Just like illegal immigration, guns – the gun rights issue – all of these things are gateways that can be utilized…”

– Will Carless in Down the barrel of a gun: How Second Amendment activism can be a gateway to extremist ideologies

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

100 COMMENTS

  1. So I guess college courses on communism/socialism are “gateways” to antfa and blm rioting!?

    • The writer will carless is obviously history illiterate because if Gun Shows had anything to do with nazis there would be no guns there because history clearly confirms Gun Control is a racist and nazi based agenda.

      The Gun Control will carless and his deranged ilk dream about is as nazi as nazi can get. All that is missing between the ears of the sneaky democRat will carless is America’s law abiding Gun Owners being rounded up and put in cattle cars and transported to concentration camps for extermination. And what stands in the way of will carless and his demented Gun Control ilk? The answer is America’s law abiding Gun Owners exercising their God Given Right of self defense.

      Bottom line…The only people who have a problem with your Second Amendment Right are murderers, thieves, rapists, kidnappers, perverts, child molesters and pompous gun control zealots like will carless.

      • RE: “Sprinkled among swords, boxes of sutures and night-vision goggles were the insignia of the modern extremist far-right: bright yellow patches for the Oath Keepers militia group, holsters and clothing engraved with the logo of the extremist Three Percenters. A stall at the back sold paperback copies of “The Anarchist Cookbook,” which describes how to make homemade bombs, along with a book called “Two Component High Explosive Mixtures…”

        The “Sprinkles” will carless failed to mention was the diverse crowd attending Gun Shows today. Chances are good the Gun Show will carless attended just to snoop around for something to fit his perverted narrative was also diverse.

        Perhaps will carless should have set up a booth to sell his Gun Control along with its very close relatives slave shacks, nooses, burning crosses, etc. Filth that forever remains inherent with any shape, matter or form of Gun Control.

  2. Literally any hobby or passion can be a gateway to radicalization. Any good recruiter will find something a person cares about and try to exploit it. And at the end of the day, most of these groups are protected by the first ammendment and have every right to try and recruit new members. It’s up to individuals to decide if they want to buy what they’re selling. A passion for gun rights also breeds individualism which helps people resist radicalization.

    • Yup..I like guns.. alot. I have some. Not lot. Yet. I have spent many hours at gun shows, too.. a lot of them. (shows, and hours). At every one I have seen some goofy things in which I hav NO interes. NONE have ever reached out and tried to ensnare me int their lair, or forced me to even handle their (useless to me) wares. So what?

      Much of the popular stuff is stuff in which I have n interest. But SOME do else the builders and purveyors would not show up. The ONLY way a businessman can prosper is to have and make availble things people want for themselves. WHen folks don’t BUY stuff they have, they go hungry. First law of success in businss.. have what people with money want to have. Then they will be eager to part with their money for the stuff yu have.

      This clown (Carless) seems to think folks who attend gunshows are so stupid they are just there to buy the things HE despises. Fool.. he is not the centre of the universe. Despite his delusion tat he is.

      • He’s selling a book based on poor assumptions just like the schmucks selling reproduction turd Reich crap and anarchist cookbooks do before they go blind or blow themselves up.

  3. Lefties posting inane I told you so’s below with any thoughtful refutation being met with name calling and baseless accusations of various thought crimes. But for anyone closer to the Kingston Area of NY Safe Shoot is having their gun show this weekend 8th and 9th and they were one of the better ones of the capital region/hudson valley last year.

      • Not yet, is that on the State fair ground or elsewhere and how are the tables looking? Did notice the selection at the tables over here pre-covid had a much larger mix of questionable functionality firearms.

  4. Sounds like that fella is scared sh-tless about what might happen if the communists continue. Good.

  5. Yeah not buying it , Careless. You use a Nazi as your proof? Maybe use a crackhead next time.

    • That’s what struck me immediately:

      “…Jeff Schoep. He was once the leader of the National Socialist Movement, the largest neo-Nazi organization in the United States…”

      It says right there in the name: National SOCIALIST Movement.

      Only a Liberal would consider that a gateway to right-wing extremism.

  6. I live near enough Shanksville, PA that I have been preparing for the apocalypse since 9/11, when for a little while I seemed to be surrounded and realized I hadn’t shot a gun in a decade, although I had lots of experience before that. I will not make that mistake again!

    • If you have a situation where upgraded dry fire practice would help look into LaserLyte if you have common pistol or 556/308 rifle they really helped my family with correcting flinches and grip issues cheaply. Probably a bunch of knockoff chinese products by now as well.

  7. AOC told the public is was time to radicalize.

    All this says to me though is that Carless considers the American Constitution something to be put down and removed from existence.

    • The Marxist BLM movement of 2020 was about radicalizing the youth and shutting down any opposition. You either co-opt their talking points or you’re a racist. If you think it’s bad now, just wait until those kids get a little older.

      The schools have been getting all of the press, but that isn’t really the problem. The problem is social media. Yes, seeds are planted in school, but kids are more likely to trust their inner circle on social media than school. Kids don’t even pay attention half of the time in school. Last year, they taught kids that you’re a racist unless you’re an anti-racist. The only way to be an anti-racist is to repeat DNC talking points and yell racist at anyone voicing a different opinion. They aren’t just exploiting black people for political gain, they’re exploiting kids. BTW, the younglings love drama queen AOC. She’s good at using social media.

      • All the coverage I saw of BLM participation in recent riots (including Kenosha, BTW) was overwhelmingly white people. Fascinating.

        • I just realized my comment about exploiting black people may not have been clear. If you don’t give the Left whatever they want, then they say you’re racist. It’s implied that you’re racist toward anyone that isn’t white, but mostly toward black people. “Voting rights” is a prime example of this. Dems pretend that black people aren’t capable of everything that white people are capable of, so we must have loose voting regulations so black people can vote. If you call them out as a joke, they just call you a racist.

    • Yeah, but you can bet Carless does not plan to get his hands dirty accomplishing his goals, that will be for the suckers .. OOoops .. soldiers.

  8. “…Jeff Schoep. He was once the leader of the National Socialist Movement, the largest neo-Nazi organization in the United States…”

    Uh, hate to be a spoiler, but “National SOCIALISTS”/NAZIs are left-wing, not American conservative organizations.

    NAZI/Socialist/Communist/American Progressive proponents hardly advocate that normal citizens be allowed to own firearms or any method of protecting themselves from their rulers/government. The individual means nothing- only the elite and the collective matter.

    As one who has had an NRA Recruiting table at large gun shows for 35+ years, I will acknowledge that some organizations of which I wouldn’t become a member often buy table space. That they may be present has little to do with the Second Amendment- it is more in line with the First.

    In my experience, traffic at these tables is often quite sparse, and I firmly believe that the best way to “deal” with what Carless labels “Extremists” is to let them continue to bloviate rather than attempt to silence them.

    Even as piss-poor as American public education has become over the past 25 years, most Americans can still put “2+2” together, even if Carless can’t. That will likely explain the outcome of the elections held 11 months from now. (Either way they turn out…)

      • You aren’t allowed to say social …um… ist without waiting for the comment to be moderated. Go ahead and try it. Why would that word be on the naughty list?

    • Yep, the moment you point to a socialist group (national or not) as an example of ‘right wing extremism’ you lose all credibility with anyone with an IQ above room temperature.

  9. Just a sad attempt to demonize anyone that believes differently from them. Carless is just jumping through the hoops his masters set for him.

    He’s a mouth piece for fascism who’s one job is to convince folks that the conservative and patriotic Americans are evil.

  11. Personally, I go to the local gun show twice a year to get my knives sharpened. There’s a heavy set bearded guy who is always there and he does a fantastic job for cheap.

  12. I read that name as Careless, because I care less on what that guy has to say.
    The Anarchist Cookbook, OMG this freedom of speech stuff needs to be restricted. I don’t think anyone needs freedom of speech unless they’ve been vetted and registered and only publish or speak what a government deems useful or beneficial .
    Do you realize how many children have nightmares because of Grimm’s Fairytales?

    • The funny part is that The Anarchist Cookbook is showing it’s age. Much of it is obsolete. So very few people have landline telephones anymore that there really is no point. I haven’t even seen a telephone booth around here in atleast ten years, maybe more. Don’t let the name fool you. That book was more about black hat hacking decades ago.

      • Well I’ve never read the A cookbook, however 10gr aspirins are hard to find if you know what I mean.

      • I had a copy over 30 years ago. Gave it to someone else.

        As for phone booths, downunder the providing telco made them all free for calls within the country.

      • The Anarchist Cookbook is, and always has been, a joke on the gullible. NONE of their “recipes” were ever worth a good gotdayum, and I personally believe that the three Weather Underground idiots who blew themselves up in a NY brownstone did so BECAUSE they were following that execrable piece of crap.

        Sure, improvised explosives are real and effective (for what they are capable of), but NOTHING in that piece of dreck is anything but a way for stupid people to commit suicide.

    • Yup…howmany little kids have been traumatised when they learn about Grannie putting sweet little innocent children into the oven? This fear porn is ridiculous. Doesn’t this Careless Carless guy (he really should get a bicycle since he does not have a car… perhaps the exercise would clear out the pollutioin between his ears) realise most of us have outgrown the Monster in the Shed and Wolf Under the Bed memes of fairy tales past? The last piece I saw an another thread was allabout Antarctic glaciers ready to crumple any second and raise seawater levels ten feet worldwide. The one before that is that Omicron is here to put us all in hpsital then underground because it is spreading so rapidly, “infecting” tens of thousands. Thy conveinently forget to inform us that so far there has only been ONE death with/from omicron in the US< and that "victim" had multiple serious health issues, any one of which cuild have dropped him in the next week or so anyway.

      Arm up, carry on. Let the bleating whlves in sheep's clothing blather on.

  13. Besides looking at the guns, I look at the people looking at the guns. It is usually easy to spot “inexperienced” lookers. The way they look, dress and act. The “lefties” often have a look of fear, horror or anger.

    Keep an eye out for ATFE…xyz, they are there.

  14. It’s a Gun Show if it scares you , Stay Away, Just a silly show. Most walk thru and look and wish they could afford an item… sheesh.

  15. Ehh…haven’t been to any gun show’s in 10 years. After I bought bad ammo I couldn’t return. With ILLannoy & it’s 3 daze wait buying a gat is a no go. I also have good relationships with several gun shops & pawnshops.

    • I haven’t been to a gun show in over 20 years. Same junk every time, just a bit more rusty the next time. No bargains or deals unless you already had a Permit To Acquire.

      And it is common knowledge all the good stuff is traded among the dealers on the Friday night before the show opens.

  16. It seems to me that there is a far larger threat of radicalization churning out potential leftist extremists, such as antifa and BLM, in most of our colleges and universities.

    I’m guessing that the Carless critter isn’t overly concerned about our cities burning

  17. Need a complete list of radicalization factors.

    I’m a veteran – that trips Liberal triggers. Baby killer, and all that silly nonsense.
    I’m a gun owner – that’s in the title of the article.
    I’m a registered Independent – that’s worse than being a Republican.
    I’m 65 years old, and that trips a lot of liberal triggers, in and of itself.
    I’m a heterosexual male, and I’ve never considered identifying with any of the 6,497 other “genders”. Big no-no there!
    I’m kinda Christian – very big no-no!
    I’m kinda white. I mean, my Grandpa wasn’t white, but today, Polish people are accepted as white. And, we all know that being white is not alright!
    I’m American, and no one likes Americans except other Americans, and people looking for handouts.
    I live close enough to the land that I know where my food comes from, unlike liberals and big city people who believe food grows on the store shelves. Again, that’s a no-no.
    I am very anti-Marxist, which definitely makes me a radical.

    Is my list complete? If not, feel free to help me out here!

    • possum specifically reminded me that I have a helluva lot of reading material on my computer that makes me a radical. Anarchist’s cookbook for starters, I’ve read the Turner Diaries, I’ve read Mein Kampf, I’ve read Neitsche, I’ve read Marx, and the list goes on, and on. I even download and read military manuals from time to time. Want to know the secrets of a 102 recoilless rifle? I’ve got the manual – somewhere.

      I’ve even skimmed through all those super-top-secret Church of Scientology documents, courtesy of Wikileaks.

      Most definitely a radical!

    • I believe that the U.S. Constitution is an inspired creation by brilliant thinkers and that it could not be duplicated by today’s mental morons in power.

      • Our current leaders are way too authoritarian to endorse something as radical as the Constitution.

        • True. I also do not think that they have the classic, encompassing education and eloquence of language to craft such a simple, inclusive document clearly delegating Federal, State and Individual Rights. A current attempt at a Constitution would be all F’woked up.

        • The guys that wrote the constitution got sht on by a foreign country and they didn’t want the future generations to get sht on too.
          Todays senators make $3,100 a week, a middle class working man makes around $750.
          What employer pays his laborers more than he makes? We’re getting sht on.

      • It seems likely there was some divine intervention in the shaping of said document. Just my opinion, but there is obviously something missing today. Maybe that something is education and maybe it’s education about and a relationship with God. Believers will say one thing and others will say another.

  18. I have been very selective on participating with any gun show venue. I find very few items that are of interest and these items are usually way, way overpriced. Some priced significantly more than what I could buy new at my local gun shop. It is however intresting to see what guns are be offered at minibar prices.

  20. When I’m at a gunshow and see Nazi stuff, I think historical collector, not radical. If they seem to promote Nazi ideals, I think nut job bigot. Also, when I see non gun stuff at a gun show I think “Go away… you’re taking up useful vendor space with your candles and gutters and copper bracelets!” Beef jerky guy can stay. Free samples.

    • Great pickles for the ones between Kingstown and Queensbury in NY as well. Cant say I like the mystery meat steel plates being sold as armor though.

  21. And lets just pre-suppose all of his accusations are correct and that gun shows are a “rightwing gateway to radicalisation”.

    Perhaps, it would be wise if you on the left stopped making it so reasonable for the right wing to become radical. These gun shows existed for quite a long time and the were not radicalisation gateways. So….what did the left do to make them so?

    Again, assuming Will Careless, is actually correct. (Note: misspelling of the name is on purpose)

  22. It should be obvious to anyone with unimpaired thinking skills that the real problem America is currently facing is Left wing radicalization. It’s in our schools, advertising, government, sports, entertainment, and MSM “news”.

  23. Leftist propaganda in schools and media has moved the normal understanding of extremism.

    They are in fact the extremists in light of the Constitution.

    • Its called being a product of higher education. Something as foreign to the far right as critical thinking.

      • Coming from they guy who mocks Australian’s and their restrictions on purchasing the gunms U.S. citizens can.
        And at the same time you believe U S. citizens have to much gunm freedom.

      • I’d rather have an IQ to boast of, than dozens of stupid papers to hang on a wall. I never bothered to count the educated idiots I’ve met in my life, who couldn’t tie their own shoes, or turn a wrench, or navigate to a restaurant without a Google phone to help them along. With an IQ, you can survive outside of the coddled academia walled garden, which makes me free to go anywhere, and to do anything.

      • Yeah, tell us about all your alleged “hgher education” you lying POS.

        The cable is waiting for your tender ministrations.

  24. Been a while since I went to a gun show…mostly eye popping prices on any gun or ammo and loads of over priced trendy junk. And for this I gotta pay $10 for entry, h3ll with that!

  25. I have met more than a few Oath Keepers and 3%.
    Most were not the fringe right-wing nuts this yahoo describes or applies a blanket description to.
    They were common sense citizens, concerned for America, and their children’s future. Not militants.

    Sure, there are the one off kooks.
    “Key Dems are lizzard people from Planet-X, putting a secret ingredient into KFC to make Americans more docile!”
    Or,
    “The Geico Gecko is sending subliminal messages into God-fearing patriots to surrender their weapons without a fight, when the black helicopters come!”
    My personal favorite,
    “Let’s go, Brandon is code for a slow-moving insurrection!”
    Oh, wait, that last one is a real leftist wing-nut conspiracy theory. My bust.

  27. Thought for the day.

    As we approach the anniversary of Herr Drumpf’s Beer Hall Putsch to establish a one party Nazi Government the thought for the day is: “When stupidity is considered Patriotism it is unsafe to be intelligent”. And there is no shortage of stupidity among the jackbooted Trumpite’s.

    • Additional thought of the day,
      The Biden admin has succeeded in less than a year, the authoritarianism, Nazi like government, that MSM accused Trump attempting for 4 years.
      And still do to this day.
      When the Leftist propagandists speak, their faithful zealots follow blindly.

      • And anyone still supporting Herr Drumpf at this late date is shouting to the world what he is and who he supports and what he wants which is against everything America and the Constitution stands for. No sane person wants a 1 party Nazi State.

        • 1. If you are of a supposedly product of higher education, using childish words like, “Herr Drumpf,” only goes to prove that higher education does not equate to intelligence, critical thinking, or common sense.
          2. I did not vote for Trump. Thus,
          3. I can see what is going on, apply critical thinking, analysis, and draw my own, independent of what MSM tells me to think, conclusions.
          4. No, no one wants a 1 party Nazi State. That is why we need to fight against the so-called intellectual academia, who promotes a 1 party Nazi State, that has permeated college campuses, corporate boardrooms, MSM, and the entertainment industry.

          Additional thought of the day,
          A coup is when senior military officials conspire against a lawfully elected official, even to the point of swearing an oath to the highest senior military official. And that senior military official then conspires with a senior political official against said lawfully elected official, all based on some delusional idea of a nuclear war was imminent.
          That senior military official even offers to conspire to warn of the imaginary nuclear war to the would be target nation.

          China must be loving this WH Admin, and our military.

          No, it is you and your kind who are the real threats to American and the Constitution.
          We need to fight against you and your kind in all quarters, least we will face a 1 party Nazi State.

    • Don’t worry, dacian the stupid, no one will ever mistake you for intelligent. Your primacy among the sick, sad and lame is well established. An actual thought and a cold glass of water would end you.

  28. There is a fine line between legitimate collectors of WWII memorabilia and reproductions that Far Right Nazi’s use to promote their neo-Nazi cause.

    I think E-Bay and Yahoo went to far on May 10th 2001

    Last week, eBay expanded its ban to include not only items that were less than 50 years old — a rule the site instituted in 1999 — but all Nazi war pieces, regardless of age or authenticity. Yahoo announced a similar ban in January.

    The bans make no distinction between legitimate collectors like Mr. Peters and Nazi sympathizers looking for props to promote their cause.

    I think banning Neo-Nazi reproductions at gun shows is long overdue as it only fires up the Far Right who long for a one party Neo-Nazi State that most Trumpites long for and tried for on Jan 6th 2021.

    Make no mistake the Far Right Neo-Nazi Trumpites want guaranteed White Power over all minorities both racial and religious in the U.S. And as more and more Latin’s immigrate to the U.S. Far Right panic and paranoia reminds one of the panic that set in when Blacks were given voting rights in the 60’s. The Far Right is a fanatical following for Herr Drumpf and his jackbooted storm troopers as is also the latest push to once again take voting rights away from minorities because they are viewed as a threat to white power.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/10/technology/ban-on-nazi-items-upsets-collectors.html

      • In other words, I don’t think many people visiting TTAG care what you think. I might be wrong but I’m willing to put it to vote.

      • possum,

        Where did “thinking” enter into anything dacian the stupid EVER said?????

        If he were capable of ratiocination, he wouldn’t be the persistent clown on these threads that he insists on being.

        But, never forget, he insists that he is “educated” (and refuses to discuss the particulars). I probably should follow the advice of other posters on this site, and ignore his worthless, ignorant @$$, but he’s just too much fun to mock.

    • I get that it’s (D)ifferent, but when your major publications are lamenting the possibility of ending the Jim Crow Era may issue laws in NY, I can’t help but ignore them when they talk about any other ‘racism’.

  29. Collecting war trophies is fine by me. For that matter, the regulations our warriors must live by should be greatly rolled back where war trophies are concerned.

    However there is a serious brain malfunction in anyone who supports or longs for the return of Nazi rule.

    And plenty of those people also support the Q-ANON and Trump insanities.

    • WTF did I even say? I was drunk when I said it. And, I thought that girl was at least 14 years old . . .

  30. Three cheers for right-wing radicalization, which now apparently means “upholding the Constitution.”

  31. I read the article. I fully expect the racist Liberals to keep saying, ”the only reason liberals are buying guns is because of the far right”. That is how they deflect and avoid explaining why all these women and blacks are buying guns. This being Atlanta they must have gone out of their way to show only white people buying guns.

    There is no far right in NJ, CA, NY, WA, IL, etc, etc.

    USA Archived.
    https://archive.fo/mscBb

  35. Well, yes, the majority of those who attend gun shows are of centrist, to far right mindset. Simply because those are usually the folks who also support the rest of the Constitution and expect to be able to exercise those rights. I’ve seen a few of the Neo-Nazi’s and other radical groups with booths/tables there. Usually right between the guys selling septic systems and rain gutters. And I have seen a few people buying and selling WWII memoribilia. Usually post war crap for the souvenier market. Same with Samurai Swords. Stamped out junk for collectors who know nothing about what they are buying. But, it looks sort of, might be real.
    Those fringe wing nut usually look bored and confused because very few people bother to do more than nod or glance as they move past.
    Now, I am likely one of those the leftists would call a radical. I expect people who are able to do so to support themselves, Pay their bills, be responsible for their offspring, and be able to keep what they earned. I only ask to be left to succeed or fail by my own efforts and not have some unelected bureaucrat tell me how to opperate my business or live my life.
    I fully expect those who commit whatever crimes face whatever consequences that society, through our legeslative bodies, deem appropriate, in open court, before a jury of their peers.
    I fully expect, and demand all people be treated equally under the law. And fully expect and demand people follow those laws, so long as those laws are considered just and fair under our Constitution.
    I do not believe there should be any limitations, or restrictions on what type of arms a person posseses. With the understanding that criminal missuse of that weapon or armament will result in legal consequences.
    I’ve seen the results of Marxist governments in several countries first hand, and will fight to the death to prevent such a government from developing here. Marxism, under any guise is a disaster for the citizens who it is imosed upon and is doomed to failure by it’s very premise. I’ve seen what happens when the citizens are disarmed while the government, and the criminals are not.
    And, finally, why, if Jan.6 was some sort of innsurection, has no one been charged with anything but the minor offense of tresspassing and obstruction? With a few charged with assault on an officer because of what in reality were minor scuffles with the Capitol Police?
    I’ve been in countries where real insurections took place. Jan. 6 was nothing but a minor riot promoted and instigated by paid government informants/agents. Even the FBI searching for some link to any organized group or political party could find nothing.
    And, lastly, the Speaker of the House is responsible for security of the Capitol Building and Chambers. As Speaker, Nancy Pelosi was warned, by the FBI, by President Trump, By the Capitol Police, as much as several weeks before Jan.6 that there could be some sort of riot or protest that could turn into a riot. Why did she not add extra security precautions or bring in extra personell? Pelosi is just as much responsible for what happened as anyone.

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