Should the US allow militias?

[Big Jim P]

No, not in any further capacity at least. Because who do you think is likely to form or join a militia? The middle-class man in suburbia or the political/religious extremists who feel that everyone should do what they say. I don't think giving them a legal vector to form armed groups is a good idea.

Too bad, they already have that vector.

[Lunatic Goofballs]

In the United States, we already ARE the militia. If you're an able-bodied man(person) between 17 and 45, boom. You are part of the militia.

Have a great day.

[Big Jim P]

In the United States, we already ARE the militia. If you're an able-bodied man(person) between 17 and 45, boom. You are part of the militia.

Have a great day.

Damn, I am too old for that too.

[Lunatic Goofballs]

All able bodied males between 17 and 45? Of course, although in the modern era we should change that to all able-bodied adults.

Ninjad!

[Big Jim P]

All able bodied males between 17 and 45? Of course, although in the modern era we should change that to all able-bodied adults.

Ninjad!

But not to old for this.

[Lunatic Goofballs]

In the United States, we already ARE the militia. If you're an able-bodied man(person) between 17 and 45, boom. You are part of the militia.

Have a great day.

Damn, I am too old for that too.

Well people live longer. Maybe it's time to up that age limit.

[Big Jim P]

Damn, I am too old for that too.

Well people live longer. Maybe it's time to up that age limit.

Eliminate it altogether. Change the definition to all able bodied adults.

[Lunatic Goofballs]

Well people live longer. Maybe it's time to up that age limit.

Eliminate it altogether. Change the definition to all able bodied adults.

Oh, I suppose. Jack Lalane probably would have been able-bodied right up until the day of his death.

[Uelvan]

Yeah, so long as they abide by the law and regulations.

[Southern Israel]

Meh.
Depends.
Most of these militias would probably be filled with 'crackpots' who have nothing else to do.
Although I have to ask, why do we need militia's right now? There isn't any kind of government coup de tat or enormous political strife in the US right now. Maybe a militia in gang ridden neighborhoods. Then again, these would be just another example of a gang.
Yes, I support the right to form militias, although only on a county level and approval from the Mayor and City Council.

The feds are already telling us what guns we can own, when we can talk about religion, and what our kids can read!

I'm sorry but that is more Bullshit lies

[Empire of Narnia]

They don't need militia nowadays. The military, FBI and police will do a better job than any civilian militia. Really, civilian militia is just one step away from a Taliban-like force.

[Infected Mushroom]

I was doing some reading recently and found that the U.S government made it so that they are the only ones that can make and control a militia. That seems wrong in my opinion seeing that a militia is supposed to be for the people to protect their liberties. If the government is the only one that can control them then how are we, the people, supposed to protect our freedoms. It also violates the second amendment.

armed bands of citizens are a threat to the stability of the nation, so no.

[Infected Mushroom]

They don't need militia nowadays. The military, FBI and police will do a better job than any civilian militia. Really, civilian militia is just one step away from a Taliban-like force.

i agree

[North Yakistan]

While the 2nd amendment both protects weapons rights and requires the establishment of militia (today consolidated effectively under federal control as the National Guard) it does not restrict the formation of other groups. Currently nearly half the states have a paramilitary force (some armed some not) under direct state control outside the military command structure.

In addition, the first amendment ensures the right to free assembly, meaning that any citizen may form a paramilitary militia organization and conduct any operations they please so long as they do not break local, state, or federal laws that are in accordance with the constitution.

That's what the documents say.

As an anarchist, I say not only are they acceptable, they are necessary and I applaud them.

[Libraria and Ausitoria]

For as long as most people in the US hang on to this dangerous notion that individuals are the only defence against tyranny they will never get the government they deserve. I'd agree individualism is a defence against tyranny, but good government is a better bet.

(Or in other words, it's cheapest and fairest for governments to have a monopoly on law and order).

[Wolfmanne]

I was doing some reading recently and found that the U.S government made it so that they are the only ones that can make and control a militia. That seems wrong in my opinion seeing that a militia is supposed to be for the people to protect their liberties. If the government is the only one that can control them then how are we, the people, supposed to protect our freedoms. It also violates the second amendment.

What? The government your country votes in is evil?

I also propose that each of these militias are required to have lawyers who can give legal advice about 'protecting liberties'.

[New Grestin]

I suppose that, in a perfect world, militias would exist to secure and maintain the rights of the people against a tyrannical government. But let's face facts here, most militias are just a bunch of crackpots with guns that are more of a danger to themselves than anything. However, that being said, they are allowed the right to free assembly, and while I don't personally agree with it, they're guaranteed the right to do it. It's the same reason we let Nazis or racists express their opinions, we may not like them, but we'd be just as bad if we didn't allow them to say what they wanted in the first place.

And should the government be trusted with law and order? Good lord no. Police are little more than poorly trained thugs who routinely break procedure, abuse power, and wantonly shoot people's dogs and children. The government can't be trusted with law and order, nor can the people. You let militias take over, and they'll act in personal interests just as much, if not more. It's a rather dark paradox when you think about it.

Frankly, there needs to be a consistent balance between power of the people and power of the government. Give the government too much power, and they become tyrants. Give the people too much power, and you end up with anarchy. Something in the middle would be more preferable, obviously.

[Southern Israel]

They don't need militia nowadays. The military, FBI and police will do a better job than any civilian militia. Really, civilian militia is just one step away from a Taliban-like force.

i agree

What the 2nd Amendment says and what my opinion is are two separate things.

Observing Militias around the world I've only noticed they are a threat to national security and only serve their own interest and not the interest of the people.

most are only armed lynch mobs that are trigger happy morons with tons of crack pots and those who are mentally unstable.

[North Yakistan]

I was doing some reading recently and found that the U.S government made it so that they are the only ones that can make and control a militia. That seems wrong in my opinion seeing that a militia is supposed to be for the people to protect their liberties. If the government is the only one that can control them then how are we, the people, supposed to protect our freedoms. It also violates the second amendment.

What? The government your country votes in is evil?

I also propose that each of these militias are required to have lawyers who can give legal advice about 'protecting liberties'.

Considering it is elected via a nationwide popularity contest in which hundreds of millions of dollars in special intrest money are spent and those who are elected have a serious track record of broken promises, coupled with the fact they oversee and consent to a vast bureaucratic machine that currently has armed men stationed in the vast majority of nations around the globe, engages in military actions without permission in forgien nations which routinely kill innocent civilians, spies on the private information of its citizens without warrants in direct violation of its central document, has the largest encarcerated population in history (20% of the worlds prisoners) and routinely collects protection fees under threat of violence. Yes, it is.

The aproval of the masses does not make something good.

[Southern Israel]

I was doing some reading recently and found that the U.S government made it so that they are the only ones that can make and control a militia. That seems wrong in my opinion seeing that a militia is supposed to be for the people to protect their liberties. If the government is the only one that can control them then how are we, the people, supposed to protect our freedoms. It also violates the second amendment.

What? The government your country votes in is evil?

I also propose that each of these militias are required to have lawyers who can give legal advice about 'protecting liberties'.

I purpose these minutemen need more accountable amongst each other and should take psychiatric exams or something like that to make sure you are having people who are mentally stable

[North Yakistan]

What? The government your country votes in is evil?

I also propose that each of these militias are required to have lawyers who can give legal advice about 'protecting liberties'.

I purpose these minutemen need more accountable amongst each other and should take psychiatric exams or something like that to make sure you are having people who are mentally stable

So I need a psych exam to get together with my friends and wear camo while playing "Manhunt"? Cause that's about what a militia is these days.

[New Grestin]

What? The government your country votes in is evil?

I also propose that each of these militias are required to have lawyers who can give legal advice about 'protecting liberties'.

I purpose these minutemen need more accountable amongst each other and should take psychiatric exams or something like that to make sure you are having people who are mentally stable

On one hand, yeah. Totally.

But on the other, isn't that kind of going against the point of a civilian militia? To protect the rights of citizens when the government won't?

If you established a proper procedure for these kinds of things, it completely nullifies the point. Why even have a militia of citizens, working to protect their rights, if they have to report to the government which may or may not be actively trying to quash said rights?

[North Yakistan]

I purpose these minutemen need more accountable amongst each other and should take psychiatric exams or something like that to make sure you are having people who are mentally stable

On one hand, yeah. Totally.

But on the other, isn't that kind of going against the point of a civilian militia? To protect the rights of citizens when the government won't?

If you established a proper procedure for these kinds of things, it completely nullifies the point. Why even have a militia of citizens, working to protect their rights, if they have to report to the government which may or may not be actively trying to quash said rights?

Totaly agree.

To place such restriction on it would be to quash individual rights to freely assemble. One day it a psych exam to join the militia the next it's a psych exam to vote. After all, voting for the commander in chief of the most powerful military in history isn't the kind of power you want to give to an unstable person right?

[Southern Israel]

Knowing how America deals with the lack of mental healthcare, yes.

I wouldn't let the fucker touch a gun.

[Occupied Deutschland]

They don't need militia nowadays. The military, FBI and police will do a better job than any civilian militia. Really, civilian militia is just one step away from a Taliban-like force.

Right. They will probably do a better job.
When they actually get there. IF they get there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQjrB5RT6K4

And civilian militia is quite far removed from Taliban-like fighters, it would take more than one step to make them so (including said civilian militia instituting a government and becoming a sanctioned armed force of that government).

So not only do you demonstrate ignorance of militia, but ignorance of the Taliban. I am impressed, son.