A Well Regulated Militia

[ICantSpellDawg]

I was thinking about starting a Militia with a few of my friends and realized that there are laws in the State of New York that seem to forbid such a thing. We would simply be friends who individually posses lawful firearms and have no ideological bend aside from collectively protecting ourselves and one another within the confines of State and Federal Law.

Does anyone have any tips for how we should start this group? Could we instead be called a Hunting Club or Scouts instead of Militia or Paramilitary Group? Should we practice with paintball guns collectively and firearms when we are separated?

What is the legal way to enjoy the obvious right to form a well regulated Militia in the State of New York or other States that have bizarre laws against Militias?

Some of my friends are police officers and I wouldn't want them to get in trouble with the State.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

The Congress shall have power . . .

To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

[Geoffrey S]

Showing that you're well regulated would be a start. Though, any government cause trouble when it comes to who would do the regulating.

[Reverend Joe]

Call yourselves the "Scruff McGruff National Liberation Army" and buy an assload of fully automatic AK-47s, some Panzerfausts, and body armor for everyone and build a bunker.

That should do the trick.

Seriously... keeping in touch with a government official (preferably a sheriff; they would probably be more lax than your average police officer) would be the best idea to make sure you don't seem threatening or step on any toes. Scouts is a better name than "militia" as well.

And yeah, practice with paintball.

[drone]

Be careful how far you go in getting government approval, if you get too official you may find yourself called up on a trip to a hot and sandy locale.

[ICantSpellDawg]

Hahaha. I think the paintball idea with arms training on the side will be the best way to do it.

I don't even need to call it a militia - more like a defense pact.

[Marshal Murat]

more like a defense pact.

It's like Gangs of New York..but I don't know if your Liam Niesson, Daniel-Day Lewis, or Leonardo DeCaprio?

[Don Corleone]

It's not illegal to form yourself into a paramilitary group. It's illegal to form yourself into a paramilitary group that has the stated aim the overthrow of the Constitutional government. What do you think settlers on the Frontier did in the 1800's?

All that being said, what exactly is the purpose of your group? If it's simply to train yourselves in small group tactics for your own mutual self defense, you shouldn't face any problems. If you want add to that a political component whereby you seek to work within the system to change it to be more in line with what you'd like to see, well, then you'd be the NRA.

[Lemur]

Is it just me, or does the whole militia movement strike anybody else as a 1980s flashback? Am I just showing my age?

Does anybody remember the Michigan Militia?

-edit-

P.S.: TuffStuffMcGruff, to the best of my knowledge, most people consider the National Guard to be the cognate of a "well regulated militia."

[ICantSpellDawg]

Is it just me, or does the whole militia movement strike anybody else as a 1980s flashback? Am I just showing my age?

Does anybody remember the Michigan Militia?

-edit-

P.S.: TuffStuffMcGruff, to the best of my knowledge, most people consider the National Guard to be the cognate of a "well regulated militia."

I understand, but if I can own a gun, my friend paul can own a gun, my friend Shawn can own a gun, etc - why can't we all get together and decide on common defense plans for our families and go to the shooting range together? New York has specific laws against this.

[ICantSpellDawg]

Nevermind - I'ts going to be like a hunting, paintball, shooting range club of about 15 people. That shouldn't be a problem in NY

[HoreTore]

I understand, but if I can own a gun, my friend paul can own a gun, my friend Shawn can own a gun, etc - why can't we all get together and decide on common defense plans for our families and go to the shooting range together? New York has specific laws against this.

Because having a thousand different paramilitary groups running around the country without reporting to anyone but themselves isn't seen as a very good idea...

It's a democracy thingy, you want armed force to be under democratic control, to avoid coups. It's what the nazi's were doing in the 30's, remember.

[Don Corleone]

Because having a thousand different paramilitary groups running around the country without reporting to anyone but themselves isn't seen as a very good idea...

It's a democracy thingy, you want armed force to be under democratic control, to avoid coups. It's what the nazi's were doing in the 30's, remember.

And those other paramilitary Nazis, The Sons of Liberty..

[CrossLOPER]

What are you defending against? Last time I checked, bandits were not in the area, Sire.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Because having a thousand different paramilitary groups running around the country without reporting to anyone but themselves isn't seen as a very good idea...

It's a democracy thingy, you want armed force to be under democratic control, to avoid coups. It's what the nazi's were doing in the 30's, remember.

Giving power to the people is the very meaning of democracy.

Tuff, I don't see any problem with a bunch of friends who enjoy firearms getting together and playing paintball, and planning how to react in the case of a natural disaster. Simple common sense preparation.

CR

[Don Corleone]

Then again, you could always do what the Bolsheveks and the IRA and Hamas do.

Form a political wing and a military wing. It's okay if you're all in both groups, just don't mention politics with a gun in your hands and you're golden.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

It's a democracy thingy, you want armed force to be under democratic control, to avoid coups. It's what the nazi's were doing in the 30's, remember.

The Nazis did come into power in a technically legal manner, however unsavoury they were.

[ICantSpellDawg]

I think we'll call ourselves the Man Scouts

[Meneldil]

Poor choice IMO. If I were to create a paramilitary group, I'd give it a stupidly-epic name.

[HoreTore]

The Nazis did come into power in a technically legal manner, however unsavoury they were.

Yes, but their brownshirts is the reason for a lot of laws against forming militias.

Anyway, the nazi's is one example, there are plenty of examples of militias gone bad.

Giving power to the people is the very meaning of democracy.

The formation of groups like Hamas, IRA or SA is "the very meaning of democracy"?

[Adrian II]

Anyway, the nazi's is one example, there are plenty of examples of militias gone bad.

Oh get off itt. There are plenty of examples of militias gone good. Heck there are Communist militias, that should appeal to you.

Besides he's gonna call his hunting group the 'Man Scouts". How lame can you get?

[HoreTore]

Oh get off itt. There are plenty of examples of militias gone good. Heck there are Communist militias, that should appeal to you.

Nah, I count those among "militias gone bad"....

[Adrian II]

Nah, I count those among "militias gone bad"....

'Communists gone bad' is a tautology.

[rory_20_uk]

Talk about a storm in a teacup! Do what you want as a group. I don't imagine that the State has time to worry about some paintballers with all the shootings that go on.

[CrossLOPER]

NSF.

[English assassin]

I think we'll call ourselves the Man Scouts

Will you be recruiting in Greenwich Village?

[Crazed Rabbit]

The formation of groups like Hamas, IRA or SA is "the very meaning of democracy"?

Did I say that?

No. So let's cut the strawmen, shall we?

I meant that the people, all of them, should have power and force to overthrow a government that becomes tyrannical.

CR

[ICantSpellDawg]

Will you be recruiting in Greenwich Village?

Is it that we are scouting for men, or that we are men who are scouts? I don't know.

It's no worse than "Boy Scouts"

[Adrian II]

It's no worse than "Boy Scouts"

Yes it is. The whole thing sounds terribly gay already, don't make it worse for yourself.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Is it that we are scouting for men, or that we are men who are scouts? I don't know.

It's no worse than "Boy Scouts"

Why not just call yourselves scouts? Boy scouts are called boy scouts, because, I think, normal 'scouts' would not be boys but men.

Or the "[Location] Scouts"?

CR