South Carolina Republican wants to draft all males over 17 in large militia

I was browsing the news on Alternet when I stumbled upon this news. Sorry if this has been posted before on the forums. I couldn't find anything relating to it on ATS.

A South Carolina legislator wants the state to have a large militia--so large, in fact, that every person over 17-years-old who can legally buy a gun would become a member if the bill passes. The Courthouse News Service notes that State Senator Tom Corbin, a Republican, introduced a bill this year that would create an “unorganized militia” for everyone over 17, as long as they are not part of the National Guard. South Carolina already has a law that created an "unorganized militia," but this bill would define who would become a member. The legislation has already passed a Senate panel.

Source

As I read this article I felt this wasn't the best way for people to use guns. That's how I read this article. I feel people should be taught how to use guns and other weapons in a more responsible way; as well have an organized force of people who would have laws and customs where they couldn't make any bad mistakes. A milita would be too difficult to control if the members could easily become corrupted and allow the power they receive to go to their own heads.

why not it works in Switzerland.
Gun politics in Switzerland

Gun politics in Switzerland are unique in Europe. Switzerland does not have a standing army, instead opting for a people's militia for its national defense. The vast majority of men between the ages of 20 and 30 are conscripted into the militia and undergo military training, including weapons training. The personal weapons of the militia are kept at home as part of the military obligations; Switzerland thus has one of the highest militia gun ownership rates in the world.[1] In recent times a minority of political opposition has expressed a desire for tighter gun regulations.[2] A referendum in February 2011 rejected stricter gun control.[3]

so why do you think it couldn't work here.

reply to post by hounddoghowlie


Thanks for the link. I would like to see all the pros and cons. To better weigh how this could work. Thanks agian for the link.

Tyrannical nonsense...

I thought republicans were "small government"....

awesome, 2 great reads one after another!, think im gonna be moving to swtizerland lol

I am actually quite a fan of militia/national service as I believe it can do young people a great deal of good and teach them important lessons about themselves and life generally.

Values such as pride in appearance, teamwork, loyalty can be instilled through the group experiences to be had in such circumstances. Increased self confidence, and reliance are positive qualities but it can only happen if it is handled responsibly by people who are accountable to the rule of law and common decency.

reply to post by Phoenix267


no problem,
i have no problem with states having a militia, that the Governors commands and that the state arms.
i would even go as far as to let the states have air force and navy that is militias. that are as well funded as the feds.
that way they wouldn't be beholden to the fed to let them call out the national guard.

I think a system like the Swiss or Israel has might go a long way to easing US foreign policy.

How likely would the politicians wage war if their sons and daughters had to go fight it, how much , more reluctant would they be to go to war if they themselves had served and knew what it really meant to make that choice.

reply to post by Phoenix267


Great idea.
Draft everyone.
Give them training in how to use military weapons.
Send them home with a rifle and enough ammo in case they need to be called to duty.

This is how Switzerland does it. Great system that works well.

Thanks for replies. Again as I mentioned I would like to see the pros and cons to subject. However, I would love to see a lot of success for future Americans and I feel different politics and economics successes can work in the United States. Just my two cents.

reply to post by Phoenix267


Sounds logical to me but... I've always been a fan of state militias anyway.

Such would provide basic training for our youth where respect for firearms as well as personal responsibility is instilled during a course of basic training. Secondly, it gives the state and the nation a ready and pretrained body of citizens to answer the call if needed.

Something like a minimum service of 18 months for males and 12 months for females should more than suffice, keeping the active corps limited in size as well as making the expense less than painful. .

I don't know a lot of people who agree with my view on this subject but... it is just an opinion.

The Rebublicans are afraid of this...

townhall.com...

Venezuela Bans Private Gun Ownership, China Condemns Gun Rights
Helen Whalen Cohen | Jun 03, 2012
Helen Whalen Cohen

On Friday, the Venezuelan government banned all private gun ownership. Gun shops will no longer be allowed to sell firearms or ammunition to private citizens. Police and members of the military will be exempted from the ban. Officials told the Associated Press that the measure is meant to stem violent crime:

Seeing the writing on the wall, that the international trend is moving towards banning private gun ownership. And anticipating that the US is moving rapidly in that same direction. The Republicans are trying to preempt the socialistic Obama agenda to restrict gun ownership, by making every resident of the state a member of a "militia" and required to carry a gun.

Those with "second sight" have looked into the crystal ball, and they know what's coming down the pike.

reply to post by Phoenix267


As per Title 10 USC 311. Militia composition and classes.


All able-bodied americans from 17 to 45 years of age are members of the Militia. American women who are members of the national guard are members of the Militia. Former members of the U.S.Army, navy, air force and Marine corps are members of the Militia until 64 years of age. (described in 32-313). The national guard and naval militia are called the organized Militia. The unorganized militia is everyone in the militia who is not in the national guard or the naval militia.

No need for a draft. We are all in it.

reply to post by hounddoghowlie

When their period of service has ended, militiamen have the choice of keeping their personal weapon and other selected items of their equipment.[citation needed] Keeping the weapon after end of service requires a license.

To purchase a firearm in a commercial shop, one needs to have a Waffenerwerbsschein (weapon acquisition permit). A permit allows the purchase of three firearms. Everyone over the age of 18 who is not psychiatrically disqualified (such as having had a history of endangering his own life or the lives of others) or identified as posing security problems, and who has a clean criminal record (requires a Criminal Records Bureau check) can request such a permit.[9][better source needed]

Basically, the sale of automatic firearms, selective fire weapons and certain accessories such as sound suppressors ("silencers") is forbidden (as is the sale of certain disabled automatic firearms which have been identified as easily restored to fully automatic capability). The purchase of such items is however legal with a special permit issued by cantonal police. The issuance of such a permit requires additional requirements to be met, e.g. the possession of a specific gun locker.[citation needed]

Prior to 2007 members of the Swiss Militia were supplied with 50 rounds of ammunition for their military weapon in a sealed ammo box that was regularly audited by the government. This was so that, in the case of an emergency, the militia could respond quickly. However, since 2007 this practice has been discontinued. Only 2,000 specialist militia members (who protect airports and other sites of particular sensitivity) are permitted to keep their military-issued ammunition at home. The rest of the militia get their ammunition from their military armory in the event of an emergency.[11]

If the military law was passed, like in Switzerland, other requirements should also be taken into account... You left lots of it out.

I like the sealed ammo requirement.

Although, Switzerland has the highest gun death rate in EU just before Finland. These two countries have the highest guns per capita also...
[edit]

reply to post by WaterBottle

Tyrannical nonsense...

Ummm….a militia is an anti-tyranny organization.

I thought republicans were "small government"....

We are….we’re for a small FEDERAL government.

reply to post by Cabin

Although, Switzerland has the highest gun death rate in EU just before Finland. These two countries have the highest guns per capita also... [edit]

Where did you get that information, from everything I have read youre wrong......they have one of the lowest gun crime rates in the world

Please provide facts and links

reply to post by ManBehindTheMask


en.wikipedia.org...

It is Wiki, but still statistics are true, at least for countries I know for 100%. Also there are probably hundreds of similar statistics out there.

Most are suicides though there, Finland has lower murder rates than most EU countries (more killing sprees though than on average in EU, more murders where over one person is killed), Switzerland is among the highest in intentional murder.

The swiss have a lot of gold to protect. And a lot of impassable mountain passes, pierced by a few tunnels that are always mined, in case of invasion. Trying to take Switzerland is a lesson in futility. Even Hitler didn't try. He bypassed it. Mostly because the Swiss Banks were willing to hide all the stolen Nazi Gold. The swiss banks have this unspoken understanding with anyone with money.

This militia thing is interesting. Lets see, Doesn't every state already have one? Its called the National Guard. So they redefined it long ago. We lost sight of the constitutional intent of the word Militia. And civilians used to be armed with a rifle provided by the government and every town square had a cannon, powder and balls.

Cannon in the town square
Most of the time, they were pointed right down at the end of main street where the militia would expect the Government to come a marching to disarm its citizens.

Now the cannons are all but a memory. Or are plugged and cemented to the ground so they will never fire again. The militia (the national guard) is now just another army to oppress the people. And the free rifle program is a NRA sponsored buy it and wait for some old piece of crap sham.

Rant off. Sounds to me (more like) they just want to know who all the able bodied willing to fight 17 year olds are.

US army recruiter will be there too.

Sign right here boy, have we got a job for you.

Originally posted by WaterBottle
Tyrannical nonsense...

I thought republicans were "small government"....

Federal Government.....small Federal Government! I don't see how this increases the size of government anyway. Also, the libertarian/constitution party is the only one for small government. Republicans rely on big government the same as the dems.

Originally posted by Phoenix267
members could easily become corrupted and allow the power they receive to go to their own heads.

hasn't that already happened in our own government??