Trained, armed citizens as part of Homeland Security?

[GuyBMeredith]

Rather than being on the defense, maybe a call to action for our congresscritters et al should be mapped out.

Given that victims are the first First Responders (intentional emphasis on the sequence of response) maybe we should push for a Department of Homeland Security sponsored move to enable training and arming citizens to provide quick response.

I'm thinking of those people trapped up close and personal with the killer in classrooms and the restrooms of the Orlando night club. If just a couple of those 30 people trapped in the restrooms were prepared to strike back when there was no way out...

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[Koda]

yeah, its called the Second Amendment and already in place.

except its been vilified, twisted, chewed up and spit out and infringed upon to the point where it virtually doesn't exist.

Anyways, there is no reason why such a program wouldn't work. This is the kind of idea the Second Amendment was included for. Kind of like the US Marshal Service, the Govt could fund a program to deputize and approve an armed citizenry first responder group trained to take action in support of the late arriving police responders. This group could be exempt from all GFZ laws, including airports, and go about their business like normal, kind of a sleeper cell diaspora. It would have to be a citizen group since citizens are what mass shooters and terrorist target, people going about their daily lives, with enough membership it would be a huge counter force against these events.

 

[GuyBMeredith]

Yes the thought that this is the purpose of the 2nd Amendment is what set me to thinking about this. Defense against a government (terrorist organization) usurpation of personal freedoms.

I would not propose deputizing as I am thinking individuals acting as individuals (not militia) in situations of 'opportunity'. The point is to use the DHS as a tool to move in that direction as policy and have a resource for training less affluent folk. Firearms and training are expensive.

 

[rick benjamin]

Fund, deputize, approve, train, arm, organize, manage, control...
Why not arm and expand TSA?

 

[Koda]

You would have to deputize them to give them clearance thru airports and all GFZ's as well as to assure their training is in support of arriving law enforcement. This would have to be a much higher level of training that a Defensive Handgun class.

 

[Camelfilter]

Fund, deputize, approve, train, arm, organize, manage, control...
Why not arm and expand TSA?

Ooh that's a scary thought IMO...having flown quite a bit, the folks hired by TSA seem, well not to be disparaging, well suited for what they do...

I'd figure a slim percentage would qualify for what you propose.

What really should be done is profiling. Yup profiling. Focus more resources on what may actually be risks.

 

[GuyBMeredith]

The idea is to use the Federal heavyweights as an argument killer and support individual participation as individuals.

 

[Shcallywag]

Look into your local state-sponsored Militia. They exist and are conveniently mentioned in the 2nd Amendment.

 

[Doc In UPlace]

The security clearance form for DHS was about 30 pages if I recall correctly. It was incredible.

 

[PaulB47]

we should push for a Department of Homeland Security sponsored move to enable training and arming citizens to provide quick response.... The point is to use the DHS as a tool

This is what Harry Browne used to call the "If I Were King" argument.

You are not a king, but a peon just like the rest of us. Gigantic DC bureaucracies do not respond to your whims, sorry. They have their own agendas.

Here is his book, entirely online. It's well worth the effort to read it.

http://www.jrbooksonline.com/PDF_Books/why_govt_doesnt_work.pdf

 

[GuyBMeredith]

Yeesh. Amazing how people really have tunnel vision and insist on perception and interpretation through the same old eyes. Paradigm shifts are rough I guess.

I see this also in reactions to "smart guns". There is the tunnel vision that if it is electronic it needs to be hacked to defeat it. The idea that the electronics are pretty much irrelevant is apparently hard to grasp as, you know it is electronic and must be hacked.

 

[PaulB47]

You assume those in power have the same incentives as the rest of us. Who's got the tunnel vision?

 

[GuyBMeredith]

I know they don't. They need a shake up.

 

[eldbillbo]

You would have to deputize them to give them clearance thru airports and all GFZ's as well as to assure their training is in support of arriving law enforcement. This would have to be a much higher level of training that a Defensive Handgun class.

No what they need to do is get rid of the GFZ's as the majority of these type of crimes are happening in places where there is no one able to shoot back.

 

[OutlawHoss]

Seriously think this through: you want a state-sanctioned organization? Why on earth would someone seek any validation from the very institution that is part of the threat towards the Bill of Rights, including the 2A which already says the people have the right to organize 'defensive' units, (aka the militia)?

I think the very opposite is called for: to maintain the integrity and autonomy of any such organization it must primarily be not affiliated with the state.
Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!

 

[Joe13]

Train the lazy little sh!t's in high school. Their parents aren't doing a very good job at it.

Make handgun and rifle training a mandatory 4 year program.

The military would have proficient new recruits and the civilians would all at least have the knowledge to protect themselves.

If they choose not to carry or have a gun for home defense then that would be on them.

 

[OutlawHoss]

Train the lazy little sh!t's in high school. Their parents aren't doing a very good job at it.

Make handgun and rifle training a mandatory 4 year program.

The military would have proficient new recruits and the civilians would all at least have the knowledge to protect themselves.

If they choose not to carry or have a gun for home defense then that would be on them.

To me, this sounds like the 'Swiss Model' of service and training. I agree with it personally, but I don't think a mandatory service would pass constitutional muster. But like any other service, I think it should be a readily available viable option made available to every citizen. One could argue that that's the 2ndA, but has become interpreted pretty distantly from that now.

 

[Diamondback]

Well, at least make Basic Weapon Safety like the Four Rules part of Health class.

 

[GuyBMeredith]

Seriously think this through: you want a state-sanctioned organization? Why on earth would someone seek any validation from the very institution that is part of the threat towards the Bill of Rights, including the 2A which already says the people have the right to organize 'defensive' units, (aka the militia)?

I think the very opposite is called for: to maintain the integrity and autonomy of any such organization it must primarily be not affiliated with the state.
Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!

No organization, no badges. Just recognition that armed citizens are part of the solution, not the problem and support for armed citizens.

In Oregon the only places firearms cannot be carried are Federal properties / secured areas and courts. Obvious this works here so why not duplicate elsewhere?

 

[erudne]

You do realize that this is a classic example of Statist infiltration/Create a Problem and then define the "Solution"; the Final Solution?