The American Militia

Out Of The Closet

Think about this for a minute, you have probably come across this situation in the not to distant past. You are talking to some friends about the state of affairs, perhaps about some new law, some regulation, the politicians behind it, voting or some other civil right. Perhaps you are talking about firearms and gun-rights. The topic turns to supporting the candidates, working for them, going to hearings and supporting gun rights. Someone mentions a window decal or a bumper sticker and offers to hand some to the group. Then it happens.

Out of the closet jumps one person and says how hazardous it its to display your support for such thoughts in public. How the display of decals, pins, bumper stickers and the like might attract the attention of; Bad guys, nosey guys, law officers, neighbors, spouses, etc. He would rather hide in the closet and not be seen. He would rather talk about rights but not work to keep them. He may not subscribe to any pro-gun magazines, saying that to do so will put him on some list. He may not even vote saying, “What’s the use” or even that to do so will put him on a jury list. Believe me, YOU WANT TO BE ON JURIES. But that, as they say, is another story.

One thing is for sure, he will DEFINITELY bitch about all these things he is not willing to fight for. Remember this guy and what he is saying, he is one to be avoided. Let him pull the closet door silently closed behind him.

He will not support freedom when the fight is easy at the soap box or at the ballot box. He definitely will not join the fight when it gets hard at the Jury box or the bullet box. We will NOT be one to depend on to watch your back in any fight. Listen for the sound of closing closet doors. He will not be a member of the American Militia, but fortunately there are few of him. There are many who MIGHT join the fights for freedom, it is up to us to draw them out of the masses and get them enlisted.

You already know one good way to do that, they respond well to the flags you wave every day. You know, from that previous essay on Flag Waving. The flags are pins and signs and “Gun Owner” stamps and firearm group decals on your car. Come to think of it, most everything that scares that guy in the closet is our flag.

I am not saying to abandon your poor friend in the closet, but he will be a tough case to recruit. He is in a hole so deep, so negative in his mind set, it will take time and effort just to “get him up to zero” as an engineer friend used to say. Even when you think he is on board, he is still a new recruit, acting only on what you have taught him, not what he has discovered by himself. His conviction will be shallow and therefore in doubt. Do not leave him as a solitary guard, make sure there is backup to catch him if he turns back toward the closet.

Take the flag and your message into the broad public and watch for a few interested responses. The lady who in making change comments on the “Gun Owner” stamp and can carry on an intelligent conversation is a potential recruit, give her a flyer for your gun club or a Women on Target event to take her friends to. The kid at the movie theater who expresses an interest should be encouraged. All of these have some fundamental interest and may actually have some knowledge and experience.

Get them more interested and let them learn about the American Militia. They do not even need to know they are being recruited. When they learn enough, when they learn firearm competency, when they establish an equipment inventory and have skills in maintaining it, they are part way there. They will learn the need to be prepared for self defense or the defense of the community and then they will want to take steps to meet that need. More education and training and conditioning will follow. You can help a little or a lot as you see fit, just give them a boost and some encouragement. Very soon they will discover all by themselves, when studying or discussing the Militia concept, that they too are part of the American Militia. They did not sign on or enroll in any formal organization, they just know they have the equipment, the skill and the commitment to stand up in conflict and could join or even lead a local company in defense if needed.

How would they react in time of need? It depends on the need of course but supposing the following were to happen. A blizzard or hurricane or tornado or any of a dozen other disasters strike your community and others are in need for days on end. The hospital is cut off and needs transportation, but you (or your company of friends) have a large all wheel drive vehicle. Your local community is without power and those on wells are without water, but you have a generator. Civil unrest starts and grows and heads your way and all calls to 911 go unanswered, but you have the ability to establish a neighborhood watch with teeth.

Clearly the examples can be simpler or far more serious, you can imagine them all by yourself. Being a Citizen, not a civilian, you study and know our national founding documents. You remember paragraph two from the Declaration of Independence that says;

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security”

So there you have it. Do not worry about that man in the closet, he is afraid to think such thoughts. He will be happy and live in the appearance of safety in his own world. He may eventually find interest in your doings and seek to join you. Remember, however, his background and his seeming quick interest and that it may dissipate as quickly. As others have said, about those in the closet;

"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains set lightly upon you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." -- Samuel Adams --

The American Militia is not a closet club. We definitely walk among you.