How Our Militia Can Promote Freedom

In the previous article, I tried to make the point that seeing is believing. If you want to voters to believe that freedom works, you have to show them. If we want to “take our government back,” we must be prepared to take up increased social responsibilities. I stressed that social responsibility is sustainable only if there’s a strategic fit between the needs and goals of the giver and the needs and goals of the receiver. I believe that the militia has an important place in this scheme.

In the minds of many people, the word militia evokes thoughts of middle-aged men whose machismo is as large as their beer bellies, probably from geographical areas known for genetic inbreeding of crisis proportions, angry losers looking for a reason to feel important. Well, maybe some are, but it would take a broad brush to paint all of them with the same brush.
I see the militia (defined as “the whole of the people”) and militia training as said in the Constitution, “necessary to the survival of a free state.” I also believe that there's more that militia groups can do to fulfill their goals.
You see, military preparedness is more than just preparing oneself to hurt people and break things. In a military conflict, the other side is trying to hurt people who are important to you and to break things that you want to use. Being prepared to handle those matters is also a part of military preparedness.
Get a sheet of lined paper, or imagine one. Draw a vertical line down the center of the sheet. The space on one side is for military needs and goals in the event of a military conflict in which the other side is hurting people and breaking things you need to use. The space on the other side is for social needs and goals in the event of a major accident or natural disaster.
The first thing you should notice about both lists is that people are harmed and need remedies, and that things they need are damaged and need some kind of restoration.
In fact, everything that occurs in a major accident or natural disaster parallels similar events that occur in military conflicts. The militaries of many countries take the approach that major accidents and natural disasters are the best preparation for military conflicts.
In both events, needs have to be met, often under highly inconvenient circumstances such as a typhoon or enemy shelling. Injured people must be treated and taken to hospitals. Makeshift bridges may have to be built before advance or evacuation can take place. Fires may have to be extinguished, or gas mains may have to be closed.
The military and the militia groups can simulate how military strategy may play out on the battlefield. They can't, however, simulate the difficulties or confusion caused by an enemy that is hurting people and damaging things. Only major accidents and natural disasters can provide that kind of experience.
If that were part of militia training and activities, just think of what it would do in the areas of military preparation, public relations, and public needs. When you hear the words, “I'm from the government, and I'm here to help,” you know how cynical it makes you feel. Sharing is caring, and caring is sharing.
It's one thing to tell people what the militia will do for them if FEMA comes to take them away. It's quite another for people to actually see the militia doing things for them that dovetail with everyone's clear needs and goals.
When they see the militia caring and sharing, they'll be more interested in listening to what militia group members have to say.