Random Thoughts, Part Three; Militia Rising (or not)
So, late one night when the demented guy next door was hollering, I ended up watching an episode of Militia Rising, which claims to showcase "America’s Top Militia Forces Prepped For Society’s Worst-Case-Scenarios."
Not really. The best groups never, ever go around television cameras. So I suppose Discovery settled for what they could get. There were three units of the "Watchmen" in this episode, one in Arizona, one in Indiana and one in Florida.
Without knowing anything else but what was shown, these are my reactions:
The Florida bunch impressed me the most, although why, oh, why, do most militia trainers believe that they have to do a poor, but louder, imitation of R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket?
The Hoosier bunch should have hid their commander under the rubric of a staff officer or something and found another trainer. Here he is, showing skin, not an attractive thing for a training officer:
Worse for the Hoosiers was the part about shelter construction. Rather than have an instructional unit that taught what to do and how to do it with everyone pitching in and the Training NCO assisting and supervising as needed (which would have finished the job much faster -- and believe me there is nothing more in short supply on a training weekend than time), they sort of threw the newbies into the water and ridiculed them when they drowned. THEN they wasted more time correcting the shelter. Poor, very poor. Also, Alabama, like Indiana, has plenty of trees which they of course utilized, but what if you guys have to erect a shelter with running a rope from tree to tree? They should know how to do that.
The worst group was the Arizona mob, since property and Border Patrol issues were not addressed and they just looked slap dangerous and cowboy. I've done the Minuteman thing and appreciate its limitations but these guys scare the shit outta me. There's a lot of ways to patrol those areas that interdicts the smuggling without involving getting your men killed to no purpose.
You still haven't seen "America’s Top Militia Forces" on television, although I will say that those Florida guys show promise.
7 comments:
The Maryland Militia wouldn't go around cameras either, but that's just because we don't seem to have one :-(
accernj 57This was more ANT-Patriot propaganda, Like storys done on the rural south , they found the fattest dumbest assholes they could. then the TV crew worked overtime to mak 'em look as stupid as they could. Not to say they didn't start with real dumb ass peckerwoods. God help those boobs if a real firefight starts. It'ud be like sootin' moby dick.
Also, re: the trainer picture...
The person searching the EPW NEVER NEVER NEVER has a weapon on him.
The person covering the EPW should be in a position to protect the searcher while not shooting in his direction.
The "trainer" here has his weapon in his one hand, free for the taking, and what I assume is his backup (in the foreground) is oriented/placed in a bad, bad way. Yes, he has a sling, but that just means his body can be controlled with the weapon, if grabbed. Bad all around.
But what do I know?
And yes.
Cameras bad.
AP
Many in America are interested Patriot movement, Militia, and prepping. It's pretty obvious that Discovery Channel is looking to capitalize on that interest. 2 of the 3 commenter’s here said they wouldn't be on camera. Dutchman6 even concedes (in his opinion / experience)"The best groups never, ever go around television cameras."
Do you think possibly this group was chosen because (among other things) they said "Yes"? That's hardly a reason to trash them, when the consensus here is "You wouldn't see me on camera!"
Do you think statements like; "America’s Top Militia Forces Prepped For Society’s Worst-Case-Scenarios!" might be for advertizing purposes, and not the opinion of the guys being filmed?
In my opinion the Indiana group did the worst, but there was still some valuable information gained. I had no idea that there was a man portable water filtration system which was capable of filtering 5000 gallons of water. The Indiana guys could have done a better job training to set up camp, but what they did was self train. Isn't that better than wait until a disaster to find out what is going to work and what is not? I'd even bet that if there is something they needed to procure to make setting up shelter go better next time; they have already got it. Isn't that better than finding out on the day of the disaster? Does anyone think Indiana might have learned anything from their paintball exercise? I would say, probably.
Concerning the Arizona group:
How much of the dramatics that took place were due to Discovery producers wanting more action? Let's face it; it’s pretty boring TV to watch some guys ride around in the Arizona desert calling the Border Patrol every time they see something suspicious. Do you really think they scream, disarm, and put bags over prospective members heads? Or do you think they do a standard background check, and make sure prospective members are who they say they are, and are not felons or linked to the cartels? Which is more exciting TV? Watching a guy get disarmed and bagged, or watching a guy do a background check using a phone and a computer?
Do you really think they hump all of that gear around the desert when their vehicles are not more than 200 yards away, or do you think the TV people suggested it would make for a more dramatic show?
Florida and firearms training:
Which makes for exciting TV; a senior member going "Gunny" on a trainee, or patiently reminding the trainee to keep his rifle pointed down range after a misfire, correcting him after his magazine falls out, and when he doesn't exercise trigger control?
Like these guys or not; they had guts enough to go on TV where everyone in the country, from keyboard commandos to Ex-SF operators, could arm chair quarterback them for months on end. If gun sales are an indication; America is highly interested in this sort of thing, and here are some people who were willing to risk embarrassment in front t of millions of people, and say “yes” when asked if they would let “Mom and Pop America” watch them do some training.
There is a choice at hand for all of us, do we want to sit here behind the safety of our computer screens and rip these people a new one, or is there something we can do to help them represent us Patriots?
Anon 12:58-
You make some good points.
One important aspect of what is going on here is psyops, both on the militia's part, and on the media's.
Militias are eager to show that they're not all Tim McVeighs, and the establishment media is eager to promote viewership through sensationalism.
That is dangerous, and it is at one's peril that this reality is ignored.
Other media outlets have political agendas to forward, and a specific picture to paint of militias.
That is very dangerous, too, in a way. Consider MadCow's love affair with Mike for a while some time back.
(OTOH, giving one's enemies exposure is a good way to, well, give them exposure. How many people did the MadCow drive to SSI that are still around? Many, I'd wager...)
So, it's a balancing act between letting average Joe and Susie know the real deal, and the fact that any efforts towards that end will be filtered and approved through establishment lenses.
They are to be admired for being on camera and unashamed.
I personally would not put my people and my tribe in that sort of slanted spotlight, but that would be my personal choice.
AP
The only thing missing from the Militia Rising show was Benny Hill music being played in the background. Really I have to ask what these bozos would really do if they had to operate. Get in shape. Jeeze guys.
I will not critique their "training operations" because there is nothing to critique. What these guys are doing is worse than doing nothing. I do admire their courage for embarrassing themselves and making the Militia movement look imcompenent.
I can't begin to tell you how much trouble those Indiana Watchmen have been for the real patriots who have been below radar. The Indiana Militia Corps, down to the last man, understands INFOSEC and leaves the press relations to the handful of top leaders, who always say no to cameras. We must control the message and the distribution, so the lamestream media can't make a cluster@$#% out of it.
I think it's hilarious that these are the guys who say the IMC doesn't know squat; it's the blind leading the lame and they all take a crap on the ones with their heads screwed on straight.
I am glad that there are two kinds of militia, if only because these guys are gonna get themselves whacked so early into the $#!t hitting the fan, that they're not gonna be a threat to anyone else.
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