Craig Hudson/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP

I’ve long argued that Antifa is a group we need to take very seriously. These are Leftist extremists who not only embrace the most fringe concepts humanly imaginable but are also more than willing to use violence to achieve their goals. What started with riots progressed into M80-filled bottles and bicycle locks which has now progressed into rifles and incendiary devices.

Fortunately, the Antifa adherent who tried that last bit bought himself a dirt nap for his efforts.

What’s more troubling, however, is how Antifa is responding to the attacker’s actions and subsequent death.

Seattle Antifascist Action called him “our good friend and comrade Willem Van Spronsen” and said he “became a martyr who gave his life to the struggle against fascism.”

The group went on to call for more such attacks in memory of Van Spronsen.

“We cannot let his death go unanswered … May his death serve as a call to protest and direct action,” the group wrote on its Facebook page.

In other words, they want more.

Of course, this shouldn’t come as any sort of surprise. Antifa has been violent from the start. Further, the lack of any action by the authorities has only emboldened them. They’re further bolstered by a media that is notoriously uncritical of many of their actions.

A few years back, Antifa attacked a free speech rally in Berkeley, California. The attendees at that rally were prepared, though, and launched a counter-attack. Antifa fled.

Today, I’m not sure it would go that way. While those activists were right to fight back, I can’t help but believe that the violent escalation Antifa has been on would result in at least some of the free speech rally attendees being shot or stabbed, at a minimum. While it’s possible that most Antifa members would run from victims who refused to be victims, it only takes a couple who instead see it as justification for murder.

At this point, Antifa is calling for more such acts as Van Spronsen’s. They’re calling for outright terrorism.

This is scary because these are people who you may interact with on a daily basis. They’re also people who may well learn your politics and decide there’s just too much risk attacking ICE or similar government facilities but you, on the other hand, are a softer target. They may decide to strike terror in all the hearts of people like you by killing you and making sure everyone knows why you’re dead.

Prison isn’t scary, after all.

Death is, though, which means we need to be vigilant and carry the necessary tools to deal with the threats. If you don’t have your carry permit, get one. If you’re in a state where that’s almost impossible, make it a point to record any and every threat made against you. Document them and present them to the officials as your reason for “needing” a permit, then get it. No, you shouldn’t have to, but we have to deal with what’s here and not how things should be.

Be ready because I have a feeling that this is just the tip of the iceberg. This is also why we have a Second Amendment.