Joe Doakes from Como Park emails:
The case for mandating gun ownership. Why serving in the militia should be compulsory.
As a general rule, I react negatively to the suggestion that I should be required to do anything for the federal government. But the point about civic virtue is important. In a world where people think bacon comes from a store and cops shouldn’t be so mean when they arrest murderers, a little time spent patrolling the streets of your own town might open some eyes.
Joe Doakes
Until 1972, the Swiss directly tied serving in the militia to the right to vote. There are times the idea resonates…
Technically, all are in the unorganized militia.
Looking at the first article, I hope the instructor tells that kid to take his finger off the *(&)&)( trigger until he’s ready to fire and destroy something in the bullet’s path. I’m all for militia service–natch, I’m older than 46, would they let me volunteer?–and I think it would be great if every town had a range and training in tactics. For that matter, betcha a nickel it would put the kibosh on a lot of no-knock raids if the SWAT teams all knew that the people were likely to be able to defend themselves well. But let’s do it right so we don’t get idiots walking around with their finger on the trigger all the time.