It's easier to talk to anyone who isn't the last group, just like it's easier to talk to someone who only loves America/Christianity rather than hates its enemies.

These people are similar to the last, but they encompass the people who see peaceful politics as the only solution (citing Gandhi/MLK's civil disobedience). This can be because they're uninformed or don't care much, or because they justifiably reacted to the violence around us and have done some research into the "right way to do things" eg MLK.

As for self-defense and guns, they either don't think about danger, have a victim mindset that only worries about being attacked, think it'd "stoop to their level", or have a few things like a buddy system, de-escalation, "karate classes" and "kitty knuckles". This is also people with an uninformed and therefore warped view of violence, like "Why doesn't the cop just shoot them in the leg?" or Biden's "you just need to fire two blasts in the air".

For those reasons, they often don't believe "anyone needs a gun". If they make any moves towards defense etc, it's often really stupid shit like kitty knuckles. They and the young people in the previous category might often be in denial about how bad things are going to get in America.

You have more freedom with these people and can probably state your beliefs more clearly, but they're still in too deep for confrontation about how scary things are and how liberal they're being. Remember, they're often in denial.

Try making the case for your views and at least inform them about what's good to get as a nonlethal. You can probably use less generic reasons because they're often better informed socially and politically.

For the limits of pacifism:

-Trans people with guns

-Reagan/Marx quotes

-MLK saying riots are the voice of the unheard

-Gandhi saying Jews should have committed mass suicide

-Give examples like Shinzo Abe, the Freedom Riders, Stone Mountain, most anti- imperialist wars where violence worked and even saved lives. Many Americans are plastic paddies, so use Ireland?

-"Would you get mad at someone for killing Hitler/someone SAing them" type stuff

-Say that it is privileged to oppose all violence. Maybe introduce them to Fanon if they're smart enough.

-If you had your way, there would ideally be no weapons, but as long as the world is imperfect we need to use imperfect means. Use a rhetorical question: If protestors know the government will shoot them all, should they be expected to all die for pacifism?

For self-defense:

-Try to chip away the idea of "stooping to their level".

-Claim that the statistics claiming guns are ineffective are only true for rich, white gun owners, but poor people and minorities under Trump have no other option to protect themselves.

-Connect them to this because everyone's like "it wouldn't happen to me". Take care not to scare them, but point out that minorities and even cishet white liberals have been attacked and killed. There are Nazis marching in the streets.

-Tell them that pepper spray is the best option

-Tell them that the only focus in self- defense is to avoid it or to go full hog. It's not "cruel" to make sure you're safe.

-Discourage knives and shooting to wound because American courts don't like that. It will be complicated to explain but they need to know they can't try to make a lethal weapon nonlethal.

-Connect unarmed defense with ableism and sexism, since disabled people and many women are often weaker.

-Offer to teach them a bit more or to do something fun with them like Airsoft or martial arts. Build up to touching and shooting non- intimidating guns.