Perspectives: What is the militia?
Snippit:
Few words in the English language evoke a stronger reaction than the word “militia.” In our day, it’s a word that conjures up images of antisocial radicals dressed in camouflage and running around in the woods.
More often than not, these perceptions are based on social conditioning rather than actual instances of wrongdoing. For instance, when the Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City was blown up 19 years ago, blame for the bombing was placed at the feet of the entire political right — but especially the militia movement.
Politicians and pundits lumped all critics of federal government excesses into one ball of wax and accused them of wanting to overthrow the federal government. The very word “militia” became an epithet.
The problem with this narrative is that the men who were eventually tried and convicted of the Oklahoma City bombing were not militia members, but former members of the United States Armed Forces. Oops.
The militia movement had been gaining momentum in response to federal efforts to impose stronger gun control measures through a ban on certain semi-automatic firearms passed in 1994. Following on the heels of the deadly Ruby Ridge and Waco debacles, many Americans were concerned about maintaining essential liberties in the face of an aggressive central government.
The concept of the citizen militia is one that is rooted in history and human nature. Machiavelli, in his writings, described the Swiss as “the most free and most armed people” of Europe. This makes sense since armed citizens can actively defend their freedom where unarmed ones cannot.
Following the passage of the Militia Acts of 1792, the president was given authority to call the various state militias into the service of the United States to repel invasions or put down insurrections. In 1903, the Dick Act further clarified the president’s use of the state militias by making the distinction between the “organized” and “unorganized” militias.
The organized militia referred to what we now call the National Guard. State National Guard units are considered part of the regular U.S. Armed Forces and can be sent into action abroad just like their full-time counterparts.
The unorganized, or general, militia consists of able-bodied males, most often between 17 and 54 years of age, who are capable of volunteering for the defense of their communities, states, or nation.
Continued: Perspectives: What is the militia? | St George News
Black Blade: A good read and explains the real "Militia Movement" that is often misrepresented, misunderstood and maligned by the Marxist leftwing media and Communist enterprises such as the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). .
Snippit:
Few words in the English language evoke a stronger reaction than the word “militia.” In our day, it’s a word that conjures up images of antisocial radicals dressed in camouflage and running around in the woods.
More often than not, these perceptions are based on social conditioning rather than actual instances of wrongdoing. For instance, when the Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City was blown up 19 years ago, blame for the bombing was placed at the feet of the entire political right — but especially the militia movement.
Politicians and pundits lumped all critics of federal government excesses into one ball of wax and accused them of wanting to overthrow the federal government. The very word “militia” became an epithet.
The problem with this narrative is that the men who were eventually tried and convicted of the Oklahoma City bombing were not militia members, but former members of the United States Armed Forces. Oops.
The militia movement had been gaining momentum in response to federal efforts to impose stronger gun control measures through a ban on certain semi-automatic firearms passed in 1994. Following on the heels of the deadly Ruby Ridge and Waco debacles, many Americans were concerned about maintaining essential liberties in the face of an aggressive central government.
The concept of the citizen militia is one that is rooted in history and human nature. Machiavelli, in his writings, described the Swiss as “the most free and most armed people” of Europe. This makes sense since armed citizens can actively defend their freedom where unarmed ones cannot.
Following the passage of the Militia Acts of 1792, the president was given authority to call the various state militias into the service of the United States to repel invasions or put down insurrections. In 1903, the Dick Act further clarified the president’s use of the state militias by making the distinction between the “organized” and “unorganized” militias.
The organized militia referred to what we now call the National Guard. State National Guard units are considered part of the regular U.S. Armed Forces and can be sent into action abroad just like their full-time counterparts.
The unorganized, or general, militia consists of able-bodied males, most often between 17 and 54 years of age, who are capable of volunteering for the defense of their communities, states, or nation.
Continued: Perspectives: What is the militia? | St George News
Black Blade: A good read and explains the real "Militia Movement" that is often misrepresented, misunderstood and maligned by the Marxist leftwing media and Communist enterprises such as the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). .