Citizen militias don't deserve glorification
Bryan Jackson
Issue date: 11/20/09 Section: Opinion
A group of camouflaged men skulk through rural Michigan woodlands sporting assault rifles and practicing military tactics. They call themselves a militia and claim to be preparing in case the government ever turns on the people. They're patriots, right? Patriots exercising their Second Amendment right to bear arms.
But what if these men were black? What if they were Hispanic? What if they were Muslim? Would they still be patriots? Or would they be extremists?
The United States of Contradictions has a long history of double standards. Everyone is created equal, but some people are more equal than others. In the case of the rising number of militias, this statement holds eerily true.
Militias have increased exponentially since President Barack Obama's election, according to a Southern Poverty Law Center report. (Why these groups have popped up at increased levels since Obama took office is a whole different topic unto itself.) But the real issue isn't the increase in militias, because what the groups are doing is protected by the Constitution. The real question is, what is the difference between a militia and an extremist group?
There is no problem with a group of U.S. citizens forming a militia. Part of our collective American political ideology hinges on the ability to protect against an unjust government. Like Thomas Jefferson said, "A little rebellion now and then is a good thing …" But I have a hard time believing a black or Muslim militia would be received the same way a white one would.
Sometimes it seems our culture cuts these "patriots" an undeserved break. Conservative groups in particular have dismissed the rise in militias, according to an article on foxnews.com. The facts are not debatable. Militias are on the rise, and it is time to treat them equally.
Why were the Black Panthers an extremist group, but the aforementioned militia in Michigan are patriots? It's time to stop implementing a double standard. These new militias aren't more moral than the Black Panthers. They're extremists too. Don't glorify them. They're not patriots. Our troops are patriots.
So go ahead and continue to form militias. It's well within your rights as an American citizen. But when an opposition group forms a militia, don't call them extremists while referring to your own group as patriots. And for the record, Obama isn't going to take your guns away, so rest easy if that's your reason for forming a militia.
But what if these men were black? What if they were Hispanic? What if they were Muslim? Would they still be patriots? Or would they be extremists?
The United States of Contradictions has a long history of double standards. Everyone is created equal, but some people are more equal than others. In the case of the rising number of militias, this statement holds eerily true.
Militias have increased exponentially since President Barack Obama's election, according to a Southern Poverty Law Center report. (Why these groups have popped up at increased levels since Obama took office is a whole different topic unto itself.) But the real issue isn't the increase in militias, because what the groups are doing is protected by the Constitution. The real question is, what is the difference between a militia and an extremist group?
There is no problem with a group of U.S. citizens forming a militia. Part of our collective American political ideology hinges on the ability to protect against an unjust government. Like Thomas Jefferson said, "A little rebellion now and then is a good thing …" But I have a hard time believing a black or Muslim militia would be received the same way a white one would.
Sometimes it seems our culture cuts these "patriots" an undeserved break. Conservative groups in particular have dismissed the rise in militias, according to an article on foxnews.com. The facts are not debatable. Militias are on the rise, and it is time to treat them equally.
Why were the Black Panthers an extremist group, but the aforementioned militia in Michigan are patriots? It's time to stop implementing a double standard. These new militias aren't more moral than the Black Panthers. They're extremists too. Don't glorify them. They're not patriots. Our troops are patriots.
So go ahead and continue to form militias. It's well within your rights as an American citizen. But when an opposition group forms a militia, don't call them extremists while referring to your own group as patriots. And for the record, Obama isn't going to take your guns away, so rest easy if that's your reason for forming a militia.
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