Opinion
I was interviewed for an article that appeared in last week’s Herald concerning the formation of a militia unit in Boundary County. We have received a great deal of positive support so far.
I would first like to thank Gwen Albers for being very unbiased and truly wanting to provide her readers with facts and not just parrot the “party line” used by most news media when covering anything to do with the Patriot/Constitutionalist movement. Those of you who followed the coverage of the Tea Parties on April 15th can attest to the institutional bias in the “major” media.
When I first had the thought to organize the local militia, it was not to start my own private army; it was not to make myself a “General” and lead a revolt against the federal government. I decided to do this because I saw a need.
We need to prepare for whatever might befall our communities, whether it be the Kootenai River flooding and volunteers are needed to fill sandbags and stack them against the rising waters, or during a winter storm when trees are downed all over the county and citizens need to step forward with chain saws and winches to clear roads and streets so that ambulances and emergency vehicles can pass, or if a child is lost or taken, God forbid, a search party must be quickly organized, or if the economy collapses and the ensuing chaos is more than the local police departments can handle, would you rather have your friends and neighbors protecting your businesses and neighborhoods… or would you feel more comfortable with the National Guard or the regular Army on every street corner.
I saw the video footage of how things were “handled” in New Orleans after Katrina. I would trust my property and family in the hands of my fellow Idahoans first.
Most of us are already in the militia. By federal and Idaho state law, all males between the ages of 17 and 45 are members of the “unorganized militia.” They may be called into service by the governor or the county sheriff in a state of emergency.
I only stepped forward to organize the local militia because, well, nobody else did. I do not do this for myself or for any private gain.
Rest assured, the sooner more step forward to stand with us, the sooner I can step down into the ranks and allow people much better qualified than I to lead “our” militia.
Thanks and God bless.
Lt. Jeffrey Stankiewicz, XO
N. Idaho 21st Battalion of Light Foot