NationStates

Washington Resistance Army wrote:

Duhon wrote:
Then they're in luck, for some cartel members were former soldiers as well, before discovering they can sate their greed and sadism by joining the cartels, if not forming one.

Basically it'll be a battle of fucking scumbags, only with different stripes.

Imagine thinking a literal cartel is on par with people who want stronger border security and are trying to do it themselves, Jesus fucking Christ lol.

I -- as a rule and as a Pinoy seething at Islamist groups and politicians' private armies alike -- have no trust of militia types. Their convictions may cause a diplomatic spat; their convictions might leave scores dead; or their convictions might become cover for cartel activity, as I've said above. All in all, these guys are trouble, and while they're not as bad as the cartels, they can easily justify a lot of fucked-up shit. A lot of fucked-up shit.

Page wrote:

Washington Resistance Army wrote:
Yes, literally everyone who has ever left the military did it under those exact circumstances.

The ones who go on tours of duty and retire with their pension after many years of service typically have better things to do with their lives.

Yeah, like train citizen militias.

Washington Resistance Army wrote:

Internationalist Bastard wrote:Here’s the thing though
The Drug War is deadly
Like really deadly
If you’re an enforcer in a cartel you’ve probably seen more combat than most US veterans post Vietnam, plus their gonna be armed better than a legal US militia

It's deadly sure but lets not mistake that for the cartels being some amazing fighting force. Some 7-8000 Americans die per year to gang violence but that sure as shit doesn't mean the Vice Lords are capable of oofing people in real combat situations.

Apart from the early days of the Zetas when they went full spec ops on some peeps the cartels have engaged in much the same sort of violence as our criminals do, just on a larger scale.

Oh I’m sure there’s a number of bad fighters in their ranks
I just say from experience that years of fighting a war a certain way in a certain area can give a big advantage over some soldiers
And that’s assuming everyone in group is ex military and kept it up, which it ain’t

Internationalist Bastard wrote:

Washington Resistance Army wrote:
It's deadly sure but lets not mistake that for the cartels being some amazing fighting force. Some 7-8000 Americans die per year to gang violence but that sure as shit doesn't mean the Vice Lords are capable of oofing people in real combat situations.

Apart from the early days of the Zetas when they went full spec ops on some peeps the cartels have engaged in much the same sort of violence as our criminals do, just on a larger scale.

Oh I’m sure there’s a number of bad fighters in their ranks
I just say from experience that years of fighting a war a certain way in a certain area can give a big advantage over some soldiers
And that’s assuming everyone in group is ex military and kept it up, which it ain’t

I mean, my experience may not be typical, but about half of our membership are ex military, like maybe 1/10 are current guard. And we all undergo pretty regimented training. The guy in charge of our training is a retired Army DI.

I mean, are we regular army in a high state of readiness, of course not, but neither are we a bunch of idiots half drunkenly mag dumping at trees with fried chicken grease down the front of our shirts.

Medwind wrote:Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has attacked them, saying there will be an investigation, and that regular citizens don't have the power to arrest anyone. However, unless I'm mistaken, this is untrue, due to the presence of citizens arrest laws. Illegal immigrant = criminal, however I don't know if citizen arrest laws apply to them, however, it should imo.

My apologies if others have already pointed this out, but citizens' arrest laws generally only apply to cases involving the commission of a felony, and crossing the border unlawfully is currently only a misdemeanor.

And how is this not the job of the U.S. border agencies? Let them do their job, and do it properly.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48000774

US authorities have arrested an alleged member of a militia that has been stopping migrants trying to cross the US-Mexico border.

Larry Mitchell Hopkins, 69, was detained in New Mexico as a felon in possession of a weapon.

It comes just days after a video emerged of militia members detaining dozens of migrants in the desert.

The group, United Constitutional Patriots, has been condemned by civil rights groups and local officials.

United Constitutional Patriots, a small volunteer group, argues it is helping US Border Patrol to deal with a surge in migrants crossing America's southern border. It is one of several militias operating in the region.

As details of this week's latest video emerged, New Mexico governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said on Twitter that "menacing or threatening migrant families and asylum seekers is absolutely unacceptable and must cease".

US Customs and Border Protection have previously said they are opposed to civilians patrolling the border in search of illegal crossers.

So, it appears that there are militias working on the US border, kidnapping people who crossed the border and detaining them until actual law enforcement can arrive.

This is of course a flagrant example of vigilante justice. These people do not have the legal authority to detain people. They lack any kind of oversight, cannot be held accountable via elections or by elected officials, and basically gain their authority just by buying guns. It's a clear violation of US law. Even if you agree that they are doing it for a good cause, which is highly debatable, you cannot claim that what they are doing is right.

In my opinion, the US should crack down hard on these militias, whenever they so flagrantly violate the law. Having armed gangs imposing their own will on people in your country is the sign of a war-torn developing country, not something you'd want to find in one of the most developed countries on earth.

So, what is your opinion, NSG? Are these batmen and women justified in what they do?

We've heard, though not that the bossman was arrested. Sounds like good news, a dangerous criminal off the streets.

'Felon in possession of a weapon?' What a disgusting law, constitution applies to everybody, folks.

Greater vakolicci haven wrote:'Felon in possession of a weapon?' What a disgusting law, constitution applies to everybody, folks.

Why shouldn't this go in the thread that already exists about the border militia? I don't think an arrest for (illegal?) possession of a weapon is worthy enough for its own thread.

Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States wrote:you cannot claim that what they are doing is right.

Sure you can, just check out the other thread.

Gagium wrote:

Greater vakolicci haven wrote:'Felon in possession of a weapon?' What a disgusting law, constitution applies to everybody, folks.

Why shouldn't this go in the thread that already exists about the border militia? I don't think an arrest for (illegal?) possession of a weapon is worthy enough for its own thread.

Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States wrote:you cannot claim that what they are doing is right.

Sure you can, just check out the other thread.

Yeah this should probably be merged, tbf.

My bad, I missed the existence of the other thread. This should indeed be merged or deleted, seeing as no additional contribution has been made.

Is he the one who was picked up for impersonating a federal agent?

Greater vakolicci haven wrote:'Felon in possession of a weapon?' What a disgusting law, constitution applies to everybody, folks.

So you agree that currently incarcerated prisoners should be allowed to vote?

Vassenor wrote:

Greater vakolicci haven wrote:'Felon in possession of a weapon?' What a disgusting law, constitution applies to everybody, folks.

So you agree that currently incarcerated prisoners should be allowed to vote?

Yes, that was easy.

Greater vakolicci haven wrote:

Vassenor wrote:
So you agree that currently incarcerated prisoners should be allowed to vote?

Yes, that was easy.

Just checking.

Washington Resistance Army wrote:

Duhon wrote:
Then they're in luck, for some cartel members were former soldiers as well, before discovering they can sate their greed and sadism by joining the cartels, if not forming one.

Basically it'll be a battle of fucking scumbags, only with different stripes.

Imagine thinking a literal cartel is on par with people who want stronger border security and are trying to do it themselves, Jesus fucking Christ lol.

I'm not sure I can loose enough processing power to be able to logically come to that conclusion on my own WRA.

Svasat wrote:And how is this not the job of the U.S. border agencies? Let them do their job, and do it properly.

It is. However, they are failing miserably at it because both hands are tied behind their backs due to #politics.

As I've said. If you're just asking migrants to stay, and calling border patrol, fine. But if you are forcibly holding them, that is kidnapping.

So, how is this news worthy again?

Paddy O Fernature wrote:So, how is this news worthy again?

Someone who was part of the militia was arrested.

The South Falls wrote:

Paddy O Fernature wrote:So, how is this news worthy again?

Someone who was part of the militia was arrested.

Okay, and....?

I guess news outlets are really scraping the bottom of the barrel for stories now that the Mueller Report is over with.

Are they even detaining people?

The South Falls wrote:

Paddy O Fernature wrote:So, how is this news worthy again?

Someone who was part of the militia was arrested.

So? They weren't arrested due to their activities in the militia, they were arrested due to their felony status.

Also didn't we already have a thread about this?

I oppose this arrest and I think I'm heavily in favor of what this militia group is doing. The border patrol doesn't do a good job, because if they did- few to no people would be able to get across. What I'd aspire the US to have, is something akin to Soviet border guards. Actual militarization of the frontier.

Paddy O Fernature wrote:

The South Falls wrote:Someone who was part of the militia was arrested.

Okay, and....?

I guess news outlets are really scraping the bottom of the barrel for stories now that the Mueller Report is over with.

Haven't you been listening to the President? There's a crisis at the border, apparently. Huge crisis, worst ever.

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Saiwania wrote:I oppose this arrest and I think I'm heavily in favor of what this militia group is doing. The border patrol doesn't do a good job, because if they did- few to no people would be able to get across. What I'd aspire the US to have, is something akin to Soviet border guards. Actual militarization of the frontier.

You want a nearly 70 year old felon protecting America?

Saiwania wrote:I oppose this arrest and I think I'm heavily in favor of what this militia group is doing. The border patrol doesn't do a good job, because if they did- few to no people would be able to get across. What I'd aspire the US to have, is something akin to Soviet border guards. Actual militarization of the frontier.

You think people should be allowed to falsely claim to be government agents?

Also who is going to pay for all that?