While I don’t want there to be a Mexican standoff future, the ability for a minority to protect themselves is insanely valuable. If you look back in American history, being armed was sometimes the reason why minorities were able to continue living.

This is because political power does come from the intent and capabilities of violence. While it’s disgusting to see paramilitary groups like the Klan trying to enforce white supremacy, people are often blind to the state’s use of violence for its own political power. And if the state is enforcing a hierarchical structure that places a minority on the bottom (much less the inherent hierarchy of the state), it’s probably a good idea to arm yourself if you are a minority.

That doesn’t mean we need we need to derive political power from the intent and capability to carry out violence, but as long as there are hierarchies, there will be violence to maintain them. And as long as that violence is aimed at you, being armed is not a bad idea.

my vision for a peaceful future isn’t a perpetual Mexican standoff. Nor do I like the idea of political power and representation being directly proportional to one’s intent and capability to do violence.

The unfortunate reality is that all political power is derived from one's capability to do violence, whether we want to acknowledge it or not. I pay my taxes because if I don't the federal government will forcefully take the money from me, or my other possessions. Yeah, arresting someone is "nonviolent" until that person just says "I'd prefer not to." Forcing someone to pay a fine is nonviolent until they say "I'd prefer not to."

It's the only motivator the government or any body of real power has at the end of the day. It's a bunch of social norms and agreements all backed by the understanding that you will be made to comply by force otherwise.