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Why the Law Turns a Blind Eye to Militias -- Four Years Old But Still Relevant
From The Rolling Stone:Nationwide, 41 states have laws that place restrictions on private paramilitary activity. The laws fall into two categories:
those that limit or regulate private military groups and
those that limit or regulate private military training.
The penalties vary. In Idaho, training people in ways to maim or kill with the intent to further “civil disorder” is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or up to a $50,000 fine. In Pennsylvania, training people to use guns or bombs with intent to further civil disorder is a first-degree misdemeanor. Arizona law forbids anyone besides the government from maintaining “troops under arms”; doing so is a class 5 felony—a minor crime comparable to improperly storing used tires...
... Even as militia members talk of the day when they might put their training to the test to resist the government, the decision not to scrutinize militia activity more closely may be a strategic one: Prosecutors and law enforcement agencies don’t want to risk angering militia supporters and generating more support for the militia movement. “For the most part,” says Pitcavage, “if these militias are just running around the woods with guns, most states don’t really care.
those that limit or regulate private military groups and
those that limit or regulate private military training.
The penalties vary. In Idaho, training people in ways to maim or kill with the intent to further “civil disorder” is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or up to a $50,000 fine. In Pennsylvania, training people to use guns or bombs with intent to further civil disorder is a first-degree misdemeanor. Arizona law forbids anyone besides the government from maintaining “troops under arms”; doing so is a class 5 felony—a minor crime comparable to improperly storing used tires...
... Even as militia members talk of the day when they might put their training to the test to resist the government, the decision not to scrutinize militia activity more closely may be a strategic one: Prosecutors and law enforcement agencies don’t want to risk angering militia supporters and generating more support for the militia movement. “For the most part,” says Pitcavage, “if these militias are just running around the woods with guns, most states don’t really care.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/paramilitary-militia-laws-training/
