Editor's Note: Part two of Jim Acosta’s series on the militia movement had Tuesday’s American Morning audience evenly split on such groups’ legitimacy and relevance. Those for allowing such organizations viewed them as “misunderstood” because they provided needed assistance in emergencies. Those opposed termed militias as “dangerous whackos.”
- Linda: On the Militia, many states have their own militia. They pick up the ball in an emergency, when or if, the national guard is elsewhere. There is a big difference between being part of a militia, and being an unbalanced person with murder in his (or her) heart. Don't start demonizing the good guys.
- Todd: Patriots or extremists: militias are misunderstood, because there are also constitutional rights to form militias. The National Guard is considered a militia, most importantly there are State Defense Forces in most states, which are directed by their state Governors. I think if more was said about the State Defense Forces people would be more understanding about the concept of militias.
- Orville: Concerning the feature on militias. I don't belong to one, however, I have a license to carry a concealed handgun(one of over 60,000 in the state of Arkansas alone). I don't even go out to the curb to get my mail without carrying a semi-automatic handgun. And at home, I have an even bigger handgun for home security. When the news reports children getting beaten to death or a 15 year old girl being raped for over 2 hours with multiple onlookers doing nothing, I wish that I had been there. Things would have been different. Am I a gun "nut"? No, I'm a realist.
- Dan: Why in the world would you go out of your way to soften the image of the militia movement? How hard did you have to search to find a "reasonable" militia member? This is a dangerous movement made up of delusional people who think the government is out to take away their rights. For every "reasonable" member, there are probably a hundred skinheads, Aryan supremacists, and other assorted whackos. It is irresponsible to pander to these people.
- Joe: The American militias that we have been seeing and hearing about on CNN are militant extremists. They say they think Obama my be dangerous. What the hell did they think about Bush and Cheney, the two most dangerous persons to walk the face of this planet since Adolph?
- Joel: Why in the world are you featuring 100% certified paranoiacs like the Miracles? 22 guns and 8 kids?? Insanity and paranoia. Full camo and shooting trips with a 6 year old? You are aiding and abetting the right wing crazies and crypto nazis. Why not a full hour on the Aryan brotherhood or whats left of the kKan; sometimes I wonder about you people […].
What do you think of the militia movement? Continue the conversation below.