Where is the PA militia?

[Big77]

An army of one is nothing more than a pain in the ass. Sure, you can be trained on your own. But one trained man against several trained men who trained and worked together, is toast.

Setting up fields of fire. Learning to set up crossfires. How to clear a building as a team. Learning how to lay down cover fire effectively for a buddy. How to build and establish a stronghold or a simple roadblock. One man can't do this.

These are the kinds of things that I would like to work with fellow member on. I was a Jarhead in the Corps. I've played the games. But, can I count on you to know what I am going to do. Can I count on you to know what you need to do to help me out if I need it.

That is what Militia Training is all about. Even Swat trains and works together, as does the local football team. Don't work together.... And both of them get their butts handed to them.

This seems like such a simple thought, it makes me wonder what people are thinking process wise, when they answer - you are the militia - I mean great - but we would not be defending against a bunch of people that just decided they are gonna attack us - they train as groups - if we don't, we have no chance.

The law says, training to break laws as a group or some crap - well I have to know - is it illegal to train to protect yourself from your government?

[Carnes]

The law says, training to break laws as a group or some crap - well I have to know - is it illegal to train to protect yourself from your government?

That depends on how you define protecting yourself from the government. If you feel that the way to protect yourself from the government is through a violent overthrow including offensive military type maneuvers and precision strikes against government targets, then yes, training for that is illegal in PA, and could arguably be considered treason or some such thing at the federal level.

If instead of the offensive approach, you focus on defensive techniques, I think you can make a much better case for legally participating in paramilitary training. I have been kicking around ideas for doing just that, and if the organization starts to show signs of potential life, I will be speaking with an attorney to ensure that I am making the organization as effective as possible while staying well within the law; and I think that will be a task that can be accomplished with a high degree of success.

[Mtbkski]

That depends on how you define protecting yourself from the government. If you feel that the way to protect yourself from the government is through a violent overthrow including offensive military type maneuvers and precision strikes against government targets, then yes, training for that is illegal in PA, and could arguably be considered treason or some such thing at the federal level.

If instead of the offensive approach, you focus on defensive techniques, I think you can make a much better case for legally participating in paramilitary training. I have been kicking around ideas for doing just that, and if the organization starts to show signs of potential life, I will be speaking with an attorney to ensure that I am making the organization as effective as possible while staying well within the law; and I think that will be a task that can be accomplished with a high degree of success.

meet you at the bridge.....

[Big77]

That depends on how you define protecting yourself from the government. If you feel that the way to protect yourself from the government is through a violent overthrow including offensive military type maneuvers and precision strikes against government targets, then yes, training for that is illegal in PA, and could arguably be considered treason or some such thing at the federal level.

If instead of the offensive approach, you focus on defensive techniques, I think you can make a much better case for legally participating in paramilitary training. I have been kicking around ideas for doing just that, and if the organization starts to show signs of potential life, I will be speaking with an attorney to ensure that I am making the organization as effective as possible while staying well within the law; and I think that will be a task that can be accomplished with a high degree of success.

You have my contact - and chester county

[mooney]

Just spreading a few more "Appleseeds" for future generations to enjoy.

Not a miliitia, but citizens getting together and learning to shoot a rifle like our forefathers did to set this country free, with a good sprinkling of histroy thrown in:

www.appleseedinfo.org

PA Event:
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=4037.0

No need to be an obvious militia, but nothing wrong with understanding how to use a rifle and then being ready to standup and fight for what our founding fathers stood for.

Hope to see some of you in Allemans, PA

Mooney
PA State Coordinator
Revolutionary War Verterans Association
pa@appleseedinfo.org

[ChamberedRound]

Democracy is the reason we are where we are. We were founded as a republic. Freedom will not be restored until the republic is.

Well said sir, well said. Democracy is EXACTLY why we're in the pickle we're in today.

To answer the OP's question: from the government's perspective, the state militias became the "organized" militia, ie the National Guard, in the early 20th century. Everyone else was the "unorganized" militia. See here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militia_Act_of_1903

In addition, see here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militia#United_States

I've added a portion of text below as well, because it describes how the idea and definition of the militia has again formally broadened in light of the SCotUS DC v Heller decision:

The Militia Act of 1903 divided what had been the militia into what it termed the "organized" militia, created from portions of the former state guards to become state National Guard units, and the "unorganized" militia consisting of all males from ages 17 to 45, with the exception of certain officials and others, which is codified in 10 U.S.C. § 311. Some states, such as Texas and California, created separate State Defense Forces for assistance in local emergencies. Congress later established [43] a system of "dual enlistment" for the National Guard, so that anyone who enlisted in the National Guard also enlisted in the U.S. Army. [44]

Privately organized citizen militia-related groups blossomed in the mid 1990s, which collectively became known as the constitutional militia movement. The supporters have not been affiliated with any government organization, although most of them have been military and law enforcement veterans.[Need quotation on talk to verify]

In its original sense, militia meant "the state, quality, condition, or activity of being a fighter or warrior." It can be thought of as "combatant activity", "the fighter frame of mind", "the militant mode", "the soldierly status", or "the warrior way".[45]

In this latter usage, a militia is a body of private persons who respond to an emergency threat to public safety, usually one that requires an armed response, but which can also include ordinary law enforcement or disaster responses. The act of bringing to bear arms contextually changes the status of the person, from peaceful citizen, to warrior citizen. The militia is the sum total of persons undergoing this change of state.[46]

Persons have been said to engage in militia in response to a "call up" by any person aware of the threat requiring the response, and thence to be in "called up" status until the emergency is past.[47] There is no minimum size to militia, and a solitary act of defense, including self-defense, can be thought of as one person calling up himself to defend the community, represented by himself or others, and to enforce the law.[Need quotation on talk to verify][48] See citizen's arrest and hue and cry.

21st Century: Federally-organized or Not

Following the 2008 decision of the Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller, the de jure definition of "militia" as used in United States jurisprudence broadened once again. The court's opinion made explicit, in its obiter dicta, that the term "militia", as used in colonial times, and still today in this originalist decision, included both the federally-organized militia and the citizen-organized militias of the several States: "... the 'militia' in colonial America consisted of a subset of 'the people'—those who were male, able-bodied, and within a certain age range" (7) ... Although the militia consists of all able-bodied men, the federally organized militia may consist of a subset of them"(23). [49]

[Swarner793]

The most recent edition of the NRA publication America's 1st Freedom had an article asking "Is the Militia Obsolete?". Good article. I can not find it in electronic format to post it.

ChamberedRound's post is just as informative. Thanks for the post!

Be safe (and unorganized, but well regulated (meaning practiced)).

Scott

[wolfpackpatriot]

We are very much here! www.machsa.org come out and train with us, we do a two day FTX the third weekend of every month. We have a very decent group of people, training is top of the line! We are having a meet and greet and get together this Saturday. Please email us for more information!

[clarion44]

We are very much here! www.machsa.org come out and train with us, we do a two day FTX the third weekend of every month. We have a very decent group of people, training is top of the line! We are having a meet and greet and get together this Saturday. Please email us for more information!

Interesting...

[wolfpackpatriot]

interesting?