4 ms·

What is the difference between militia/gangs/armed thugs/military? As far as I know, militias tend to be ex-military/military-affiliated people acting outside o

by diggan 2y ago

What is the difference between militia/gangs/armed thugs/military? As far as I know, militias tend to be ex-military/military-affiliated people acting outside of the official arms of the government or even the law, gangs are just organized armed thugs, and the military is the armed thugs that are officially designated as being the armed thugs protecting the country. Who cares what they're called? Feels much more important to focus on their actions and motivations, which seems to be against helping their own people.

ryandrake 2y ago
Well, the difference between the actual military and all these other groups is that the military is organized under the Constitution (specifically Article I, Section 8), whereas the other groups are not. There really doesn't seem to be any meaningful difference between a militia and a gang. They're exactly the same: organized for some (usually unlawful) purpose, armed, dangerous, some form of leadership, pursuing their goals through violence or threats of violence. Very little difference between the Oath Keepers and the Crips.
- josefritzishere 2y ago
  I dont think this samantic argument is adding anything to the convo.
unsnap_biceps 2y ago
> which seems to be against helping their own people. The twist is they honestly believe they are helping their own people. They are convinced FEMA is a private police force working for Biden and FEMA's aid is rounding up republicans to put into camps and by signing up for FEMA aid, you are signing over your house and personal property. And with social media fanning the flames, it's a very tense environment and can get bloody quite fast if two wrong groups run into each other at the worst possible time :(
krapp 2y ago
Militias are legal and existentially necessary for a free state per the Second Amendment, whereas gangs and armed thugs are not. Semantics? In terms of the way these groups are seen by the public, covered by the media and treated by the government, yes. If they're white and Republican, they're probably a militia. Otherwise they're terrorists, thugs and gangsters. If they're black, toss in "Marxists" as well.

by diggan 2y ago

ryandrake 2y ago

Well, the difference between the actual military and all these other groups is that the military is organized under the Constitution (specifically Article I, Section 8), whereas the other groups are not. There really doesn't seem to be any meaningful difference between a militia and a gang. They're exactly the same: organized for some (usually unlawful) purpose, armed, dangerous, some form of leadership, pursuing their goals through violence or threats of violence. Very little difference between the Oath Keepers and the Crips.

josefritzishere 2y ago
I dont think this samantic argument is adding anything to the convo.

unsnap_biceps 2y ago

> which seems to be against helping their own people. The twist is they honestly believe they are helping their own people. They are convinced FEMA is a private police force working for Biden and FEMA's aid is rounding up republicans to put into camps and by signing up for FEMA aid, you are signing over your house and personal property. And with social media fanning the flames, it's a very tense environment and can get bloody quite fast if two wrong groups run into each other at the worst possible time :(

krapp 2y ago

Militias are legal and existentially necessary for a free state per the Second Amendment, whereas gangs and armed thugs are not. Semantics? In terms of the way these groups are seen by the public, covered by the media and treated by the government, yes. If they're white and Republican, they're probably a militia. Otherwise they're terrorists, thugs and gangsters. If they're black, toss in "Marxists" as well.