Given the terrorist activity would you support a citizen militia?

Terrorist activities, the threats from outside America as well as what can, and eventually, will happen internally begs the question: Given the terrorist activity would you support a citizen militia?

 

I support a citizen militia period.

 

I don't see terrorist attacks in America that militias would be likely to thwart, but some folks just enjoy the idea of militias, I guess.

 

A citizen militia does not have my support.

 

i support the US Army and National Guard

 

We already have them. It's called the citizenry.

 

Even the powerful federal government cannot thwart attacks, but a well armed citizenry is the last line of defense in a free nation. The militia is a self regulated entity and when the chips are down, those will be the guys that show up to help you when nobody else is available.

 

Yes, that's the standard, old boilerplate rhetoric.

The reality is that terrorist attacks are preempted by sophisticated intelligence networks.

........vs........​

What terrorist attacks, specifically, has the US sustained that a "well-regulated militia" mincing around with their shooties would have thwarted?

 

In the United States such a thing is not needed, nor would it be effective. We all have guns, are freakin' paranoid, think everyone is a damn terrorist already, and have the right to blow away people who shoot stuff up.

We ARE militia.

 

The forms of terrorist attacks, I am seeing, would not be significantly impacted by what ever that militia wants to do. We need good human intelligence, sophisticated and targeted infiltration and tactical support and consistent cooperation between the various law enforcement and agencies and private parties and citizens, but I just don't know what that militia is going to in the face of a suicidal terrorist determined to kill a lot of people before going out.

 

I would support it if there was structure, chain of command, training, oversight, and accountability. Otherwise, it's not a unit or even a militia, it's just an armed mob.

 

Of course, I am a member of the militia, even if it's just me.

Uhm an attack just like what happened in Paris yesterday. Do you really think 3 men with AKs could kill 100 Americans in any place that isn't a liberal death trap?

Damn right

 

Oh hell no. Rednecks with some degree of authority would be worse than the Taliban. Ain't no terrorism in my area, but a hell of a lot of rednecks and Christian zealots.

 

Depends on what you define as terrorist attacks, militia, and thwarted?

Best of my knowledge they haven't tried this style of attack here on a large scale yet. That they haven't has many in LE baffled, they've been expecting it. I suspect one reason they haven't is that they know many Americans are armed and will fight. Does that count as thwarted when they don't even try?

 

Absolutely, I'd be all for going back to something along the lines of what the Militia Acts set up. That is after all the founders intention.

I think you misunderstand what militia is. Are you a US citizen with a gun and a cell phone? If yes then you are a member of the unorganized militia. What you describe above is organized militia.

We are ALL expected to come to the defense of our nation and fellow citizens, period.

 

Your ideological bravado aside, US intelligence services have successfully prevented any major attacks here since 9/11/01.

 

We already have a citizen militia, except it's the unorganized militia.

 

So, you cannot cite a single instance of a self-proclaimed militia thwarting any terrorist attacks.

I am also unaware of any.

 

May explain why there's no terrorism around your area.

I would sleep better at night if there were more rednecks living in my area.

I've noticed there's very little gang banging in redneck neighborhoods.

 

They've done well, I wouldn't go that far though and I'm sure some in Boston would disagree.

That doesn't mean that armed citizens haven't also been a significant factor.

 

A reserve deputy stopped the Moore, OK attack.

Naser Adbo was stopped by a gun store clerk.

Richard Reid and the flight 253 bomber were stopped by passengers.

Street venders stopped the Times Square bomb.

But no, on the whole we've been quite fortunate and LE has done here in the US. Again this isn't a reason to let our guard down or be anti militia just because we've done well so far. Look at all the attacks in Israel, the Paris attacks, or the mall in Kenya, there's no reason those things couldn't happen here.

 

Korben brings out something that I have always believed, and I must have gotten it from "somewhere"
It is my belief that every U.S. Citizen is not only obligated, but duty bound to defend the U.S. Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic.
It's too easy for Joe Average to take for granted the blessings we enjoy under the Constitution. Spend some time in the third world. Our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness looks like an old cliche', until you spend some time in places where the people neither have, nor expect those rights. To them, that's just the way it is.
The Citizen Militia consists of we who know that our way is the best that human kind has ever enjoyed. We know how it came to be. If the tree of Liberty is watered in blood, we are sworn to keep it living.

 

While I'm at it if you open up the definition of terrorist to include our own government then you get many more examples.

Two prime ones being the Bundy ranch and the battle of Athens.

Today I don't think we'd stand for another Ruby Ridge or Waco.

 

No group fancying itself as a "militia" has thwarted a single terrorist attack, nor would I expect such a group to be sufficiently capable of developing the intelligence necessary to prepare for specific attacks.

Even if "militias" happened to be on junkets where there were events such as just occurred in Paris, I would have no reason to expect that such packs of amateurs could dispatch suicidal fanatics efficiently and effectively. More bullets would be flying, and the consequences could be worse. It's as realistic to envision confusion, panic, and chaos as it is to imagine surgical marksmanship, even if they just happened to be present, armed to the teeth and at the ready, a highly unlikely prospect, of course.

Militias are ill-suited for frustrating terrorists assaults.

 

We have a definition of an unorganized militia, but there is more to it than that:

"A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined..." - George Washington, First Annual Address, to both House of Congress, January 8, 1790

"The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed."
- Thomas Jefferson, letter to to John Cartwright, 5 June 1824

The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the best and most natural defense of a free country."
- James Madison, I Annals of Congress 434, June 8, 1789

The people have a Right, a Duty and an Obligation to meet, network, and hone their skills on occasion. For the most part they do not do this.