Go, Wolverines!!
I agree that the author was not kind to this militia. An acquaintance once asked me, "Who needs an AR15 anyway?" I didn't bother to answer the question because the answer would be lost in her muddled mind. These are the same people who would ask, "Who needs a militia, anyway?" These are the same people who think that the police is sitting right around the corner and just waiting to come to their rescue. These are the same people that could not think of some entity coming to their door to drag them kicking and screaming to their death.
You see, militias are now considered "enemies of the state" and the most visible of these militias is "Oath Keepers." The SPLC has included this organization in its list of "Hate and Extremist Groups." I find that fascinating since one of the "friends" of OK is the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA). It would seem, then, that anyone (or any organization) associated with upholding the Constitution is considered as detrimental to government operations.
Why do we need militias? Thomas Jefferson once said, "Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny." That is why we need militias.
Well, I wasn't aware that Oath Keepers are considered a "militia". So then, I retract my statement that I'll NEVER join a "militia"...since I DID join Oath Keepers earlier this year by sending in dues and hanging my membership certificate on the wall, next to my plaque displaying The Ranger Creed.
No, I do NOT dress up in tactical garb and patrol the woods. I got plenty of that in the real army 44+ years ago.
Now, I vehemently assert that I do NOT consider Oath Keepers to be a "militia", at least not in the sense we are talking about in this thread. SPLC can call anyone they wish to be a "hate group" or a "militia"...shucks, the Mickey Mouse Club may fall into their definitions for all I know...and for all I care.
Long ago, I was walking through an office in Sacramento, CA and while passing one of the cubicles I saw a poster on the far wall. The poster was a photo of several Hippos standing in a river, and they all had their mouths WIDE open. The caption beneath them read, "When all is said and done, there's a lot more said than done."
That quotation pretty much sums up what I feel about the SPLC, and "The View", and any and all who are so vocal about identifying and categorizing this or that in effort to somehow feel better about themselves.
Another way to say it is, "Talk is cheap"...and "put your money where your mouth is".
Actions speak louder than words. Show me some actions and I'll pay much more attention than to anyone's mere words.
These buffoons traipsing around in the woods, acting like "soldiers" are probably not ever going to be a practical and formidable fighting force. "Probably" is the key word here.
It's possible that IF the SHTF, and these pseudo-soldiers are organized, prepared, and mustered enough when it happens (if it happens), they MIGHT cause enough of a delay in the progression of the hostile forces to allow some of the civilian victims of the "take-over" more time to escape, or organize some kind of more permanent resistance.
Beyond that, all I see is a psychological factor that the hostile government entities who will be perpetrating the "take-over" will have to deal with somehow.
Having said that, I'll also say that anyone familiar with "Psy-Ops" in history will also know that psychological factors DO matter, and ARE effective to some degree.
These active "militias" make the degree of difficulty palpably higher for the hostile government forces who will be engaging us civilians when the time comes. Hopefully, the hostile G forces will do a "cost to benefit" analysis and decide it to be too "costly" for them. Hopefully.
Right now, I'll be thankful for even a delay in the EOTWAWKT, as I'm very fond of my Flexsteel rocker/recliner these days...and food prepared on the kitchen stove...and shooting at targets that don't shoot back.
Ok...I've stood on this soapbox long enough today! Cheers!