Men With Rifles
BY Herschel Smith
4 years, 6 months ago
Robert Whitmon of the American Patriots of New Mexico, one such group, says they’ve been working with police for years. Regardless of their claims of support for protesters, demonstrators say they raise tension and anxiety, and they’re already concerned about state-sanctioned violence and the possibility of retribution for speaking out.
We hear from Andres Valdez, Selinda Guererro and Amelia Brown. They are among the protesters and organizers of last week’s demonstrations who shared their impressions of the men carrying rifles that showed up to watch protests.
Bryce Provance, a chaplain formerly associated with the New Mexico Civil Guard, spoke to KUNM’s Hannah Colton in an interview after the group’s patrolling of a June 1 demonstration startled protesters. He said the militia does not have a racial bias. He resigned his position with the group within an hour after the interview was conducted. [Here is Colton’s original story.]
Arthur Bell, an Albuquerque Black Lives Matter organizer, tells us about the New Mexico Civil Guard’s attendance at demonstrations over the last couple weeks.
Gilbert Gallegos, spokesperson for the Albuquerque Police Department, says APD doesn’t condone officers working with the militia groups at protests.
Melanie Yazzie from The Red Nation talks about harassment from the New Mexico Civil Guard.
Of course the local PD doesn’t “work with” the local militia, because they don’t understand the purpose of the second amendment and if they did they wouldn’t believe in it.
Contrast that with the ugly goings-on in Seattle.
They’re opposed to YOUR firearms
— Bill (@AngryRetailDale) June 9, 2020
You see, the local authorities are just fine with people conducting self defense and defense of others, as long as the ones being protected and doing the protection are intent on tearing down the cultural history of America.
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On June 11, 2020 at 10:50 pm, George 1 said:
The police in any society work for the interests of the establishment elites. The elites in this country, as a whole, are in favor of tearing down all remnants of traditional America.
The police work for the elite interests and not ours. We are not part of the critical fabric of society from the point of view of the elites. We are the radicals now. It is critical to understand this. The cops are not on our side because their true employers are not on our side.
On June 12, 2020 at 7:52 am, Mark Matis said:
“Law Enforcement” exist to:
1. Protect their Masters
2. Protect their bruthas and sistas in Blue
3. Generate revenue
Anything else they might do is totally coincidental to their employment.
And most “Law Enforcement” are Republicans. That would be Rove Republicans, with all character traits of same:
1. No morals
2. No principles
3. No scruples
4. No honor.
On June 12, 2020 at 8:06 am, Lori G said:
Yesterday I was remonstrating with a friend in South Africa about the fact that police are not defending the populace and may be abolished….to my surprise it didn’t phase her a bit! She said that had already happened in her country, and that she didn’t worry because the number of private security companies that now defended their homes and persons outnumbered the corrupt police. It made me wonder if the same thing will end up happening here.
On June 12, 2020 at 9:39 am, 41mag said:
No one else is saying this:
Police/Fire/EMT all have lucrative pension plans, and don’t want to lose them by “not following orders.” Sheriff’s have the election results to contend with that give the citizenry a small balance on the scale of response & further actions regarding civil liberties and Constitutionally protected rights.
Actors/ useful idiots who’ve made loads of money from Hollywood or other businesses have their assets and potential future earnings at risk if they do not toe the popular line of thoughts & feelings.
Greed……greed never changes.
On June 12, 2020 at 9:41 am, 41mag said:
I’ll also add, once these people are no longer in a position, and locked into their financial sailboat and can sail away from the madness, we see a different creature in some cases, with different opinions and feelings.
True?
On June 12, 2020 at 11:49 am, William said:
@Mark Matis
4. Get home safely.
5. Protect personal income stream and pension.