In a California town, a militia is welcomed by some, cautioned by others

[Nevilledog]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-town-militias-help-welcomed-cautioned-others-rcna40218


The parking lot of H&L Lumber in Mariposa, California, was host to a flurry of activity Sunday as members of a local militia sporting military-style fatigues handed out pancakes and steak sandwiches to evacuees of the Oak Fire raging nearby. Along with breakfast, they doled out business cards with QR codes and directions to join their militia.

Some say the members of the Echo Company militia served as a de facto checkpoint or an advertisement for the group during the crisis, according to witnesses who spoke to NBC News on condition of anonymity because they did not want to be identified.

“They had their whole setup with military-style trucks, and they were in their fatigues and whatnot,” said Rain Winchester, a manager at Mariposa’s nearby Monarch Inn. “I’m fine with them helping out with relief efforts as long as they don’t start to set up roadblocks or do any security work. I don’t want them doing the work of the sheriff’s office.”

The militia is becoming a consistent presence in rural Mariposa County southeast of Sacramento with a population of 17,131 scattered across 14 towns, according to the 2010 U.S. census.

Providing immediate assistance in military-style garb during an emergency is a recruiting tactic used by militias nationwide, and not confined to Mariposa County. As climate change creates more wildfires and adverse weather events, further straining local law enforcement and fire services, militias around the nation have seized on the disasters as opportunities to entangle themselves into the politics and emergency services of small communities.

*snip*

[gratuitous]

1. "I don't want them doing the work of the sheriff's office"

Then you best start now to get them out of your area, because that's what's coming. Like any parasite, they'll burrow their way in when and where you're most vulnerable.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

6. Gangs with BIG GUNS ready to extort local towns and communities.

All under the 2nd Amendment mind you.

[mopinko]

2. if these militias had to officially organize and be recognized and under control of the gov,

they can have all the guns and ammo they care to buy, cuz that's what the 2a means.

[peppertree]

3. With all the drug-running in Mariposa, you'd think they'd have better things to worry about

But (of course), no.

[Initech]

4. You know, militias, there's an actual military you can go volunteer for...

[duckworth969]

5. immediate pushback

or you will have serious, even dangerous events later.

They can’t be seen to be legit.

It’s recruitment plain and simple.

[SWBTATTReg]

7. I don't even want them around, period. How do we know how well they have been vested, that

some of them could be supremacists looking for a home (or worse) when they should never be near a weapon.

I live in the STLMO area, and we had our Fergurson and elsewhere in the STLMO area demonstrations. One of the issues we had was that we had nefarious persons coming in, from out of town, damaging property and attempting to blame the demonstrators ... some of these thugs were caught, and sentenced to jail time.

These people hid themselves by dressing up in their uniforms, wearing face paint/scarves to hide their being ID'ed later. What some of these agitators didn't realize was that some in the crowd noticed their activities (it was very suspect) so they filmed them, followed them as they tried to leave the area. Some of them got caught. Not all of them, but I like to think that one day, justice will come for you. We do have an 'arms wide open, welcome to St. Louis MO' policy, but not for these thugs who were here only to entice more violence and make the far more peaceful demonstrators look bad.

[usonian]

8. I don't know but I've been told ...

There have been some major drug raids in town. And then nothing.