Maryland Liberals on Nextdoor Discover Federalism and Firearms—Too Late

Screenshots circulating from the neighborhood app Nextdoor reveal a curious twist among Montgomery County residents—many of them older, liberal Marylanders—who are suddenly talking like neo-Confederates and Second Amendment activists.

In threads from Randolph Hills and surrounding neighborhoods, locals discuss “soft secession” as a way to resist federal overreach and even encourage neighbors to buy firearms to defend against “fascism.” It’s a strange scene: Maryland liberals, normally the strongest voices for gun control and federal power, now dipping into states’ rights and 2A rhetoric.

What Is “Soft Secession”?

The posts link to a Substack essay describing “soft secession” (sometimes called “quiet breakaway”), which isn’t Civil War-style secession but rather a legal strategy rooted in federalism. It involves states using their constitutional rights to refuse enforcement of federal mandates they see as hostile or unlawful. Key tactics include:

• Refusing commandeering – keeping state and local agencies focused on local priorities, not federal enforcement.
• Litigation – filing restraining orders, injunctions, and briefs to block federal actions early.
• Shield laws – protecting doctors, patients, migrants, voters, or journalists from federal investigations.
• Budget power – using procurement and spending leverage to resist Washington.
• National Guard control – keeping units under state authority rather than federal.
• Data privacy laws – blocking state agencies from sharing sensitive information with federal authorities.

The movement is catching on in progressive states like California, New York, and Illinois, where governors are openly exploring ways to wall off their states from federal directives. Advocates point out that blue states generate more than two-thirds of America’s GDP, so withholding cooperation could starve federal programs or red-state funding.

In other words, the rhetoric of “states’ rights”—long demonized by the left as code for reactionary conservatism—is suddenly being adopted by liberals when they see federal power as a threat.

The Irony of Maryland Liberals Promoting Guns

Even more ironic than “soft secession” talk is the call for Marylanders to “obtain and learn to use firearms” to resist fascism. These are the same voters who reliably elect one of the most anti-gun state governments in the country.

As of 2025, Maryland:

• Requires a Wear/Carry Handgun Permit for concealed carry, with strict training and background checks.
• Maintains an assault weapons ban that outlaws AR-15s and high-capacity magazines.
• Bans open carry statewide.
• Criminalizes improper private transfers of firearms, with penalties up to five years in prison and $10,000 fines.

The state’s Democratic leadership has doubled down on new restrictions in recent years, citing gun violence prevention, even as neighboring states saw homicide rates fall faster. For law-abiding citizens, exercising the right to bear arms in Maryland is more difficult than in almost any other part of the country.

So when these same Maryland liberals suddenly argue that citizens should arm themselves against tyranny, they run into a problem: they’ve already voted away their own means of defense.

What’s Going On With Nextdoor?

Nextdoor is notorious for blending neighborhood gossip, paranoia about crime, and political grandstanding. Posts about fireworks get mistaken for gunfire; “suspicious” strangers trigger calls to police; neighbors posture about “protecting the block.” It’s no surprise that in the heat of 2025’s political climate, even Maryland suburbs are seeing their liberal residents talk like militia groups.

• Crime obsession: Hyperlocal posts amplify fear, often leading to gun talk.
• Toxic debates: Nextdoor has a reputation for bias, finger-pointing, and escalating arguments.
• Political irony: In blue areas, the same people who back anti-gun laws now talk about firearms as tools of resistance.

The Bigger Picture

What these screenshots show is not so much an organized neo-Confederate revival as a symptom of political anxiety. Liberals who once mocked conservative calls for federalism or gun rights are discovering that those tools become attractive when they feel federal power could turn against them.

But here’s the catch: conservatives have warned for years that weakening the Constitution’s safeguards—whether the Second Amendment or the balance of powers between Washington and the states—leaves all citizens vulnerable. Maryland’s liberals are finding that out the hard way.

The irony is rich: vote away your gun rights, then tell your neighbors to arm up. Champion federal supremacy, then complain about federal overreach. It’s panic politics on display—served up on an app best known for lost-dog alerts and complaints about fireworks.

If anything, it proves a timeless point: when people feel threatened, they suddenly rediscover the very constitutional principles they’ve spent years dismantling. The difference is that conservatives never forgot them.