Gee, that must really stink for the people who own guns. Me, I don't have any any longer.
To the first point, yes. There are people who need to wear masks. I have been that guy. You usually don't see a lot of pearl-clutching and knee-jerking with this crowd. They know what they need to know, and they know to to deal with society in a way in which they will be the safest.
To the second, I have given this a lot of thought, looking at many different angles. I am not one easily given to wearing the "Hi, my name is 'conspiracy theorist'" nametag. I don't believe the event (however you want to call it) was staged or planned. I think it was largely a combination of Swiss cheese effect and ineptitude government combined with "good intentions" (and as an old now-deceased German friend would say to me, "ze high vays und bywaves to hell ees peved wit gud intentions"). That said, I DO with certainty believe the government learned how to use peoples' fear against them while simultaneously mapping a strategy to implement new TTPs to become more totalitarian when the next crisis occurs.
Absolutely agreed. Sure, I think the virus came from a lab and sure, the government and people were confused and scared in beginning but yeah, government totally fucked folks and some of us bought into it, hook, line and sinker.
Knowing now what we know, I'll know who will be with me vs against me.
God will judge but I'll be aware.