New Hampshire Minuteman Militia anyone?

[Frisco06]

I get it, Braddogg is a pacifist.

I think higheye and RattyDog have the right idea: start a broad-based community service organization that, among other things, is prepared to help keep civil order in the event of a Katrina-like natural disaster.

Search-and-rescue operations and wilderness safety education would be natural matches for such a group, too.

[Braddogg]

Yeah, I guess I am.  I'm not a suicidal pacifist -- self-defense is an option.  It's an option I generally don't use, though (I submit to taxation every day I go in to work or go to a restaurant).

"keep civil order" -- through force?  Have the New Hampshire Civilian Militia patrolling the waterlogged streets of Manchester?  Really think that's going to work?  I mean, it might.  There are stories from New Orleans of people defending their neighborhoods through forming these sorts of militias -- until the National Guard took their weapons, of course.  I believe in self-defense as a moral option, it's just not always a pragmatic option, if you know what I mean.

I like RattyDog's idea about saving the elderly in case of flood; sign me up for that I just won't show up for military drills on the town common.

[jaqeboy]

There is this:
N.H. Citizen's Homeland Security Association

I think that they were going to have a meeting in July... I can't find a webpage.
There were flyers at Porcfest.... I can't seem to find mine.

If you really really want to know you could email Rich G from pfest... he could get you Walter's email and then you would know.

The Meetup group: http://bordc.meetup.com/56/

[higheye]

another 2 cents...

I think a good idea would to not be "scarily" armed...keep it modest as well as a professional looking approachable common image...really get out and do the classes (CPR, first aid, emergency preparedness, survival etc) also set up some fund raising activities for local charities and such...

as far as medical ability i have sufficient training however no pieces of paper that say i can train and i have a good amount tactical/weapons sense to assist lawful (NH constituion) personal defense

still wicked busy tho

[EJinCT]

Great thread with lots of good ideas, but....

It seems to me that many posters have a different idea of what a militia is and what it entails; so perhaps different terminology should be used. IMO, A emergency response team is very different than a militia, though they may share some similarities.

Is this "organization" envisioned as an alternate Red Cross, a paramilitary group or something of a hybrid of the two?

IMO, most importantly would be to develop a mission statement. Once this is done, we will have a better understanding of what this group is designed for; and details such as developing a chain of command, scenario-specific protocols, standardized training program; etc... will be much easier.

[d_goddard]

I attended Dr. Edwin Vierra's lecture on Constitutional Militias at the NH Center for Constitutional Studies. I learned a lot -- I hope they make the video of his lecture available.

In a nutshell, there are major differences between a Constitutional Militia, versus an informal group of people who happen to be armed, run around in the woods, and call themselves a "militia".

As the US Constitution's 2nd Amendment puts it, "a well regulated Militia" is "necessary to the security of a free State"

[JDouglasFisher]

Just an idea,

Here in NJ, (Close to me actually) they have the "Morris Minutemen" which interestingly enough, is a First Aid Squad, all volunteer, based around the Morristown, NJ area. (Governor Morris' Home, and HQ for George Washington at one time..)

Why not call yourselves the New Hampshire Minutemen. What would the NH Minutemen entail? Well, besides the common right to form up bearing arms (as per the NH Constitution) you could offer many other services.

1.) First off, Amateur Radio licenses are so easy to attain nowadays, it would be easy to set up an emergency communications division, Ideal for those times when disaster strikes and conventional communications goes down or are severely overstrained. Believe it or not, worked very well in New Jersey during the last flooding season... To get an idea, look up ARES / RACES

2.) I am not familiar with the Red Cross in your area, but I can tell you that unless its some sort of disaster which displaces many families in NJ, they are a no show... 2 Families losing a home to fire isn't enough to warrant their getting out of bed usually. Something which you guys may want to ponder.

3.) While on the topic of disasters, Logistics and Support of Material coming into a disaster area. Barry, a friend of mine, told me some of the horror stories about his time down in LA working for FEMA (Hurricane Katrina) and the mismanagement of Logistics. Supplies weren't evenly distributed, and often time while some areas were not getting any supplies, or very little, others were getting way too much, so much so to the point you couldn't give it away... It dosen't take much intelligence to figure out a Logistics Plan and adhere to it.

4.) If you don't have them up your way, Volunteer Ambulance Corps (which cost the patient nothing) Very effective in New Jersey, though some towns allow the abuse of it by not adhering to their own laws. Part of serving the state is the saving of lives, no?

I am sure you guys will figure it out... My take from the thread so far was that the New Hampshire Homeland Security wasn't exactly what everyone was looking for. Maybe I mis-read?

Just some ideas,

Fisher 

[KBCraig]

Good ideas, Fisher. Lots of ideas along those lines have been discussed, but nothing concrete yet.

You forgot to suggest free (or low cost) towing service for DWI/DWLS/unregistered/etc., not to the impound lot, but to the nearest parking lot so a designated driver can pick up the car (with tow dolly, if needed). 

[JDouglasFisher]

HAHAHAHA,

Your just not going to let up on me with the Impound Lot and towing bit...

I laugh because I know your busting my horns.

Am I allowed to charge storage fees for wrecks?

Fisher...

[KBCraig]

LOL, yeah, I'm bustin' on you just a little bit. 

But seriously: when a car couldn't be left where it was for safety reasons, wouldn't you be willing to tow it to the nearest open parking space, so that a designated person could pick it up and drive/tow it to a place of the driver's choosing?

You are absolutely entitled to be paid for the tow. It's your time, equipment, and labor, and you deserve to be compensated. I just don't think that towing should automatically segue to massive impound fees that accumulate every day that the driver is in jail. (And if such bills accrue, the police who seize the car should pay the bill.)

The driver should always have the option of declaring where the car should be towed. The only time I've been forced to tow a car (after an accident), Arkansas state law required that the car be towed to the operator's impound lot. They had to pass by my ex-wife's apartment complex, where I had permission to drop the car. I had to pay for that tow, plus 1 day's impound, then pay them to tow it back to the parking lot they'd passed by. After the car was declared a total loss, I had to pay to have the car towed to a salvage yard, where I got a big whopping $100 salvage value. (Knowing how salvage works, I know they made at least a cool grand on the deal.)

I'm all for you making money with your towing service. It's a needed service, one many people gladly pay for. My only objection is using a police monopoly, and using the laws to impound cars, when they could just as easily be towed elsewhere without incurring impound fees.

I don't think you're a bad guy, Fisher. I just think you're a bit too accustomed to how things are done in the Police State of New Jersey. I believe you'll adjust your way of thinking when you spend a bit more time here, and especially when you make the move.

Just by the bye, I have an ex-sister-in-law in Ocean City (formerly of Cherry Hill). When she comes home to Arkansas, she has to drive in circles to find a full service station, because she doesn't know how to pump her own gas. 

[JDouglasFisher]

Craig,

I did answer to your post in another new thread in the general forum, but in terms of this thread, and sticking with the minuteman idea, yes, in the time of disaster, I would be more than glad to work in the effort to clean up the aftermath. I've already done mass evacuation of flooded vehicles off streets once the waters have receded. (this usually requires a team effort with utility companies, and the town/county road department, clearing trees, debris, powerlines, cars, etc.. from the roadways) This would sort of be organized under the Logistics end of the spectrum, and I would assume that some large scale parking lot somewhere (or a baseball field) would be used for the purpose of cataloging all the vehicles.

This would of course involve Year, Make, Model, Color, Vehicle Condition, Approx Location it was picked up from, and then it would be parked. Parking would be organized in simple "row and column" style, and that location in the lot would be attached to the card that the rest of the information was on...

This is not as easy as it looks, and it requires someone manning the lot 24 hours a day to prevent thefts and the sort, but it is achievable.

But there is much more to the militia then what I outlined, and I am sure other people have some really cool ideas...

Joe.

[PowerPenguin]

Just by the bye, I have an ex-sister-in-law in Ocean City (formerly of Cherry Hill). When she comes home to Arkansas, she has to drive in circles to find a full service station, because she doesn't know how to pump her own gas. 

Where is she from? I thought OR was the only state w/ the gas-boy corporate welfare still... BTW I hate getting gas from those places. I don't want anyone touching my car w/out a contract if I don't know them, know what I mean?

[JDouglasFisher]

NJ and OR are the only two states that require someone to pump your gas...

And actually, bringing it back into fashion as a "full service" station would make alot of money in NH..

I wouldn't suggest that the state make it so, but when I go to do it, I plan on hiring people to do it. For those who are more comfortable pumping their own gas, great, but for those who really want to get the most from customer service, they will have a choice.

Joe.