Scared and refused to have picture taken with a Gun

[ktgee]

A few year ago, a friend bought his relative from China to my home. I showed him my guns, AKs ARs and etc. He was so surprised to see that I have all these guns, and was excited to touch and hold. When I was about to take a picture of him with his or my phone, he refused. He told me that the government will find out because they can easily access to his stuff on his phone. He was so concerned that he stop touching the guns. Don't want to be seen holding the guns. Also, he was concerned that if, the government seen a photo of him holding a gun, they will arrest him. Ok, I respect his wish. He was afraided of me posting on social media and police searcing his phone. I said ok, you can take picture of the guns only and he refused. He also asked me, Does the police know you to have all these guns? I answered, No. He replied, Why? He also thought that I was doing something iilegal and he is involved because he was shown the guns. Then I answered, don't worry about. It's ok to have guns here in USA. That guy was so paranoid. He back in China enjoying his life in his tyrannical society.

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[Lazyfaire]

Our problem is that many in our society just do not understand the ramifications of exaulting another country and denigrating their own. As is said, we are only one generation from losing our rights. Scary thoughts.

 

[papersoldier]

I don't know if I'd describe your friend as "paranoid" really, more just "careful."

It's a pretty well established fact that a lot of tech related devices coming out of (or being sold in China) have an alarmingly high likelihood of being compromised by the government there. A good example of this is Huawei phones, which are Chinese made and were banned from most US (and a few European) cellular networks back in 2019 for being a massive security concern due to Chinese government monitoring and data collection.

I'd say it's a pretty safe bet to assume that if you're using a Chinese phone (especially in China) you shouldn't have any expectation of privacy when it comes to that device.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

That your friend's relative was concerned should not be a surprise , given where he is from.
Not sure if your comment of "He is back in China enjoying his life in his tyrannical society" is meant sarcastically or not....

Something to consider here , is that his concern , or him being paranoid as you put it...
Is normal for him.
What you have and enjoy is not his normal...or anything that he is used to experiencing.
Conversely ...
His normal of way of thinking , is not yours or within your realm of everyday experiences.

Please note that I am not defending China's government or their political system....
Just pointing out that not everyone has the same Rights and freedoms that we here in America enjoy.
Andy

 

[SrMachoSolo]

I don't like having pictures of my junk blasted on the net. Maybe I'm just more a private person, but I've always found it odd that people want to show off so much. It's not the guberment I'm so concerned about, rather it's that certain people will cause problems.

-Robert

 

[Hueco]

I don't quite understand the point of your post. You have tinfoil hat wearing American with no more evidence than a conspiracy theory…those I'd call "paranoid".

A Chinese dude not wanting his government to know he's using a contraband item in another country…a government that actively data mines all information through multiple channels within their borders, uses a social credit system, and can easily make someone disappear? Doesn't sound paranoid to me.

He was so concerned that he stopped being interested? Sounds like you pushed the photo thing a little too hard and failed to adequately explain the cultural and legal differences enough to calm the dude's nerves.

 

[bradsteen]

He has every right to be concerned. Digital privacy is virtually nonexistent there, and their government is extremely intolerant of any real or perceived internal dissent. They kill or imprison people they suspect of undermining the regime - look up the Tiananmen Square massacre or the genocide of the Uyghur to see examplesof how they treat what they consider "subversive" behavior. Hell, during their "cultural revolution" they encouraged children to report their parents to the authorities if they said anything negative about the government - the same tactics Nazi Germany used to identify and exterminate millions of Jews.

Nowadays if someone suspected of subversion is "lucky" enough to not be executed, they're sent to "re-education" camps and indoctrinated further. Add in the scary advances in machine learning and AI that China has made over the last 10 years, their national video surveillance and facial recognition system, and their social credit score system... your friend is living in as close to a panopticon as one can get. If I lived in the same circumstances, I would be paranoid too. Respect his fear, do not demean him for it.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

I get him being spooked. It is way different over there. While we consider it being a non issue here.. but over there, Id assume its another story.
Its just crazy how life can be so different in other nations.. to think that a simple picture could be used against him.. scary stuff.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Had a similar experience with an Aussie a few years back. I had met him at his work, in a large video game studio. He was (is?) a highly paid programmer. Having him as a guest in my home, and having seen the stuff he worked on, I figured he'd get a kick out of my pile.
First thing I brought downstairs after dinner was my .500 revolver. It was a relatively recent purchase, and it's so obnoxious in person that I started show and tell with it. The poor guy almost jumped out of his chair. I tried to help him laugh it off ,but he was shook. I went and locked her back up and had a brief conversation about freedom and irrational fears with the dude, but he just couldn't fathom the "why". No drama or bad feelings after that, just left it alone. I reckon I won't ever assume that foreigners are ready for what I consider to be everyday stuff.

 

[Texanna]

Well even worse, images can now be "deep faked" to show just about anything, so even avoiding taking certain pix doesn't mean security/safety.

 

[Lilhigbee]

Anyone who thinks the Chinese guy was being paranoid should read Life and Death In Shanghai. Then realize that it takes place in an essentially "tech-free" China. Paranoid?? Hardly.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Had a similar experience with an Aussie a few years back. I had met him at his work, in a large video game studio. He was (is?) a highly paid programmer. Having him as a guest in my home, and having seen the stuff he worked on, I figured he'd get a kick out of my pile.
First thing I brought downstairs after dinner was my .500 revolver. It was a relatively recent purchase, and it's so obnoxious in person that I started show and tell with it. The poor guy almost jumped out of his chair. I tried to help him laugh it off ,but he was shook. I went and locked her back up and had a brief conversation about freedom and irrational fears with the dude, but he just couldn't fathom the "why". No drama or bad feelings after that, just left it alone. I reckon I won't ever assume that foreigners are ready for what I consider to be everyday stuff.

Exact same experience minus the bringing out of a firearm. My show and tell was mere pictures. I had family from England come over to visit other family in California.. I just happened to also be there visiting. They had the exact same sentiment as yours from Aus.. I think its more societal conditioning and fear guzzling propaganda they endure on a regular basis which forms this irrational fear and misguided understanding of firearms, their use and the community.

 

[The Heretic]

I don't know if I'd describe your friend as "paranoid" really, more just "careful."

It's a pretty well established fact that a lot of tech related devices coming out of (or being sold in China) have an alarmingly high likelihood of being compromised by the government there. A good example of this is Huawei phones, which are Chinese made and were banned from most US (and a few European) cellular networks back in 2019 for being a massive security concern due to Chinese government monitoring and data collection.

I'd say it's a pretty safe bet to assume that if you're using a Chinese phone (especially in China) you shouldn't have any expectation of privacy when it comes to that device.

The NSA (of the USA) collects ALL electronic data (including voice and photos) that is transmitted via satellite, land line (of any type that goes thru the internet, phone lines, etc.) and WiFi (onto the internet) in the USA and much of the world. The NSA also collects a lot of the financial data that financial institutions collect and share with each other. Same for pretty much any records it can get its hands on.

The NSA analyzes and correlates all of this data, including relationship data - it knows who your relatives and friends are, who and where you have bought anything you did not pay cash for, your medical history, and pretty much all other data about you, your family, coworkers, etc.

It also shares at least some of this data with the DHS and CIA.

So don't think that the USA is any different from China in this regard.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

I don't like having pictures of my junk blasted on the net

We appreciate that. No one wants to see your junk.

 

[PiratePast40]

His reaction is interesting and, as others have pointed out, probably normal given his experiences. Does anyone remember when you could only buy liquor and wine at a state store and that they were closed on Sunday and at 5 pm on Saturday? I remember when it was a huge deal for K-mart to be opened on Sundays and many considered it to be scandalous. In both cases, we now just laugh at someone who thinks it's atrocious. I remember being in Chattanooga Tennessee quite a few years ago and stopping at a liquor store. Thought I'd get a pack of smokes while there and the clerk says they could only sell wine and liquor. No cigarettes, matches, lighters, bottle openers, beer, newspapers, or anything else.

That's how conditioning works.

 

[nwslopoke]

Well, it's not just China. Many places in the US, people could lose their jobs. While working from home these days with the computer in my "gun room", I make sure none of my tools, symbols or other stuff is visible. We do video chats.

I work for a corporation and it's not worth the trouble from the pearl clutchers. I've seen practically every other nerd porn in the background, including one semi dressed wife doing laundry (it's never what you'd hope for).

In my case I wouldn't fear arrest but eventhough I never saw it expressly forbidden in any agreement, I'm not so silly to fail to understand the politics of a paycheck.

 

[American123]

A few year ago, a friend bought his relative from China to my home. I showed him my guns, AKs ARs and etc. He was so surprised to see that I have all these guns, and was excited to touch and hold. When I was about to take a picture of him with his or my phone, he refused. He told me that the government will find out because they can easily access to his stuff on his phone. He was so concerned that he stop touching the guns. Don't want to be seen holding the guns. Also, he was concerned that if, the government seen a photo of him holding a gun, they will arrest him. Ok, I respect his wish. He was afraided of me posting on social media and police searcing his phone. I said ok, you can take picture of the guns only and he refused. He also asked me, Does the police know you to have all these guns? I answered, No. He replied, Why? He also thought that I was doing something iilegal and he is involved because he was shown the guns. Then I answered, don't worry about. It's ok to have guns here in USA. That guy was so paranoid. He back in China enjoying his life in his tyrannical society.

Literally thousands of years of being subjects is bred into that culture. Beyond that, yes, we've had the same experience with a foreign exchange teacher. Was willing to target shoot, no pictures, same reasons. People act like China is like any other modern society, hell no it isn't, the CCP will haul anyone away they want if they smell dissent or even the roots of free thinking.

 

[Idaho44]

Aren't Apple I-phones made in China? How about some of the other brands? Not sure when I last saw a USA made cell phone. How routers, cable modems etc?

 

[American123]

The NSA (of the USA) collects ALL electronic data (including voice and photos) that is transmitted via satellite, land line (of any type that goes thru the internet, phone lines, etc.) and WiFi (onto the internet) in the USA and much of the world. The NSA also collects a lot of the financial data that financial institutions collect and share with each other. Same for pretty much any records it can get its hands on.

The NSA analyzes and correlates all of this data, including relationship data - it knows who your relatives and friends are, who and where you have bought anything you did not pay cash for, your medical history, and pretty much all other data about you, your family, coworkers, etc.

It also shares at least some of this data with the DHS and CIA.

So don't think that the USA is any different from China in this regard.

Except voicing an opinion against the current administration won't get you hauled to the work camp.

 

[RX-79G]

I am a gun owner, and like showing my fancy possessions to those who are actually interested.

But I do think we sometimes lack perspective when we talk about the fact that we own police and military type weapons as if there isn't at least an implication of violence. Or that we think of violence in a matter-of-fact way, like it is inevitable or likely, rather than horrible and to be avoided.

Other Americans feel the trappings of violence show immaturity or paranoia on the part of conspicuous gun owners, and it shouldn't be shocking that people from much lower violence countries than the US feel that even more so.

I would prefer to live in a time and place where weapons are largely viewed as both completely unnecessary and about as important as monster trucks and cartoons. I just don't want to live where it is someone else's choice if my personal 'kink' is a problem.


But I don't think our community's attitude towards weapons is necessarily natural or healthy. The bloodthirsty things members of this board feel so comfortable stating often grosses me out. Maybe joking about murdering, dismembering and burying a tow truck driver is a lot more screwed up than being shocked by a Dirty Harry's gun appearing in the dining room.