This was inspired by a loose dialog involving myself, Hermit and the man formerly known as Kaiservontexan. I think there are some words it is just better to avoid. Maybe I am not standing up for my rights (a well regulated militia...) or anything like that but looking at it pragmatically life is too short for such drama.
I suggest that the word militia should be mothballed. You do not want to get anywhere near a militia. Short of swigging on a fifth of whiskey while driving back and forth in front of the police station I can't see a quicker way to complicate your life. At least the DUI and assorted other tickets are a pretty easy albeit expensive fix. As Hermit said "there's an old joke that when a militia meets, of the ten people in the room, three are undercover FBI, two are undercover BATF, three more are paid informants,one is the organizer and one is some guy who wandered in looking for directions".
Let me choose my words very carefully. I can think of at least one person in particular who would probably be living peacefully in a cabin on a mountain if he had shown some good sense and stayed away from these sorts of organizations. They will bring you nothing but trouble. Also conspiracy is a pretty open ended word which I seek to stay far away from. I am not sure exactly where the line between a hypothetical conversation between "friends" over beer #7 stops and conspiracy starts but I don't want to find out.
Don't join, form, or discuss a militia. Maybe you have some shooting friends or whatever and that is great. Maybe you all have the mutual interests of firearms, tactical training and libertarianism but just leave it at that. If you and a few close friends think it might be a good idea to get together in a time of crisis that is wonderful but leave it at that.
The other word is compound. I think if you have a compound the ATF immediately starts a siege. You don't need a compound (though a rural home with a walled inner courtyard might be nice) and you really don't need to talk about a compound with anyone, especially people from that militia I told you not to hang around.
Maybe it is stupid that some words and associations will complicate your life when they shouldn't. I try not to look at how (pretty much all) things should be but instead at how they are. If calling an orange an orange gets you punched in the face but calling it an apple means you get to walk home and eat the orange just laugh it off as one of the worlds little eccentricities.
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I think there's a lot of common sense in this. I'm guilty of using the word "compound" to describe my place, because that word is the more apt. I have multiple buildings, surrounded by a fairly functional security system. I know the government latches on to that word like a dog on a bone, so maybe I should quit using it. Although, to be honest, I'm probably about ten years too late for it to help.
Militia would probably be a good word to avoid, but I think the idea of a group of people working together for mutual support and protection is a good one. I think you have to be very, very careful what you say in the group though because even if the government doesn't have a plant there, they can turn anybody if they want to. If nothing else, they'll grab your kid and say they found dealer quantity dope on him and he's going to jail for six years and "you know what will happen to him there." So I wouldn't give them a reason to come after me if I could help it. It's that kind of country these days.
Hermit, You are right. I would try to stop using that word at least in public venues. At this point maybe whatever damage can be done might already be.
I definitely think Militia is the word to avoid. There are all sorts of horrible scenarios that can stem from such poor choices. Seems like a simple enough hassle to avoid.
Huh.
I always thought that the word *militia* was the term that the grubmint used to describe a bunch of guys that were shooting bottles in the woods,after the got their asses shot off.
And *compound* was a word that the grubmint used to describe a church after they burned it to the ground along with all the people in it.
Thanks for setting me straight.
UGH! We are doomed.
How about "Group Of Veterans, Survivalists,United Conservatives Keeping Secure.
GOVSUCKS
instead of militia?
I like it.
reminds me of the Dept of Homeland Security's document that came up recently describing "right wing extremists" as the greatest threat to america.
Initially I was incredulous. But I've been doing that lately to a lot of government actions.
EXCEPT - you are allowing others (and by others, I mean people who are idiots, left, sheeple, socialist...you get the drift) to control the discussion.
When someone controls the words, they control the discussion and the argument.
Why is Compound bad when I use it, but great when the Kennedys use it?
Why is it bad when I use the word militia, but its fine when we read and/or quote Thomas Jefferson?
I understand the connotations given certain words, but if we keep up this santized, PC speak we will eventually find outselves outside the dialogue.
Dont know whats right and wrong and totally know using the wrong words can get someone in loads of trouble, but....
Excellent topic - Pearls
Adam, Would that make Islamic Fundamentalism the 800 pound Gorilla in the room?
Pearls, I talked about a similar thing as you are speaking of now in a post awhile back. Guess the difference is that I am not so much looking to stand up for our theoretical rights in a public venue as I am trying to be left alone. We are currently speaking towards fundamentally opposite goals.
If you read the Second amendment carefully, you can see that the "well regulated militia" refers to the Federally raised army, and that the right to bear arms is the right to defend AGAINST such an army used internally.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GNu7ldL1LM
Men much smarter than I break it down.
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