"Musing: a year ago, a discussion like this would only have taken place on the seriously radical anarchist forums. Is our mindset changing? Have we become resigned to the possibility/probability of a... dare I say it?... rebellion by the government against the people?"
The lie (of gun control) is being spouted again & again. "If you tell the lie often enough, the people will come to believe."
Even the Repubs are going for controls that they wouldn't have touched just a coupla years ago. They seem to want to do it to us faster than the Dems so they can say they're, what? tough on crime? More & more are calling for registration (as if the 4473 isn't de facto as it is) & that can only lead to confiscation - as it has in too many cases already.
When a government ceases to uphold its own laws/refuses to hold its elected officials to those same laws (even though that's party all of our fault) & bleeds its people dry (tax rates are ~50%+) & the Constitution is as dead as yesterday's fish, I think that any pensive person would at least consider the scenario.
& you said it right, Coin, when a gov't rebels against its people. Except we are not its people, it is (supposed to be) our servant. But, even mentioning that these days can get you some pretty strange looks from the sheep.