As Larken Rose has postulated:

You are in Russia in the 1930s. The police knock on your door in the middle of the night, and you, expecting a fair trial, and knowing that you have done nothing wrong go with the police quietly. (Going so far as to even removing your boots so that you do not wake people up clompling down the stairs)

Now, we all know from hindsight that very few of these people got a real trial, and people were sentenced for all kinds of petty things to...

The Gulags.

And, although most people survived, a lot died, and all suffered from malnutrition.

So, knowing what you know now, what would you do when the politsiya showed up at your door?

Now lets say that you are a freedom fighter (also known as a terrorist by the other side) and you will be placed in prison for having grown some plants (or whatever the crime de jour) for a decade or more.

Of course, the death rates are a little higher than the gulags, but you won't be starving and freezing.

What do you do when the police knock on your door?

Now, lets say that people are being rounded up and placed in FEMA camps. (known)
And many people seem to be disappearing. (unconfirmed)

You will probably be "imprisoned" without a trial, for who knows how long. And you will be forced to labor, making gear and equipment for soldiers.

What do you do when the NSA (National Socialist Association) shows up at your door?

The problem with each of these scenarios is that, even if death was almost guaranteed, your life is basically over if you resist. Whether you die or not, you just aren't simply going to go to work Monday morning.

Yes, you might be beaten on sight, but if you resist, even as little as knocking one the uniformed person down, then your life will be hell. And if you kill one of them to get away, then you are public enemy number one. If past events are any indicator, they will spare no expense to finding you. (calling in the entire state's police force, closing down an entire city as they go door to door, declaring martial law...)

So, even if you are going to be beaten and robbed of part of your life, is that better than being robbed of your living? Being an outcast from society?

Where is the line?

Now, lets say you are a Jew in Nazi Germany.
And the Gestapo come knocking on your door.

If you know that you are going to a death camp, and that you are already an outcast from society, then your choice is pretty much already made. Death, or die.

At what point do you fight?

And, the answer may be never.
Because the real fight is for the hearts and minds of the people.

You win when the people consider you a freedom fighter.
You lose when the people consider you a terrorist.

And you may be considered a terrorist only because you inconvenience "the people" while trying to preserve your life.

All images in this post are my own original creations.
Meme image from Larken Rose: https://steemit.com/@larkenrose