So, yesterday during the bi-weekly dev meeting, someone brought up guns and how someone he used to work with got fired for bringing one to work. The discussion switched to why would anyone need a gun at work which then devolved into the general disdain for people who carry a gun.
I said nothing.
There’s a time and place for everything. I try to keep my personal life and work life separate. As much as I’d have loved to dropped into a discussion about rights and how I pose no danger to anyone, but I need this job. My last job I could carry to work, here in supermegacorporationwithareallylongname, that’s not an option. I’m a contractor and not only would I lose the position here, the company I work for would get a black eye and it would be much more difficult to find employment.
However, there are opportunities to work things into conversations if you make them. You can do a lot for gun rights not by jumping up and down and screaming SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED!!!! but by simply being an example. Eventually, I can mention that I’m a 2A activist and by the sheer virtue of not being a crazed lunatic, I can show that gun ownership is a normal thing. If the conversations lead there, then so be it, however it behooves me to not make it an issue.
Activism doesn’t have to be in your face. Subtlety often works quite well. Sometimes it requires a bit more visibility. There is no one-size-fits-all solution and what some people might consider over the top sometimes works - and sometimes fails.
Food for thought.