The Michigan Militia can tries to put perfume on a pig

You can put perfume on a pig, but it’s still a pig. The Michigan Militia can wrap themselves in the Constitution and claim a civil defense role, but they are still a fringe, anti-government hate group.

The Livingston County Press & Argus is running a promo for a militia event on Saturday when it “hosts its Open Carry Family Picnic & Tea Party at Island Lake Recreation Area in Green Oak Township.” The paper is reporting “the slogan for this year's annual Michigan Militia meeting is "Show, shoot, shout, and then sip some tea with us."

Their spokesman said "This event primarily tries to take the stigma out of the word 'militia,' and provide information on what we are and who we are.” Nice try, but a zebra can’t change its stripes. After a raid on a militia group called Hutaree in a rural township outside of Adrian in Lenawee County last month, the militia is high gear trying to distance themselves from their brothers in arms. But make no mistake, their basic philosophy is the same.

These anti-government groups seem to pop out of the woodwork when a Democrat is in the White House, and the fake Astroturf “tea parties” has brought out the white supremacists, militia groups and secessionist groups. It has been the worst I have ever seen, and like when the militia went underground after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, it will take another loss of life to send them scurrying back into their rat holes.

The paper is also reporting “the picnic and tea party will also stress preparedness for disasters and Michigan's uncertain future.” “Uncertain future?” What the hell does that mean? Not only do we have the Homeland Security Department, and the real militia - the Michigan National Guard - here in Livingston County we also have the Emergency Management Department, and there are also legitimate groups that can be called on in a disaster, like the Civil Air Patrol or the Red Cross.

But the most laughable part of their mission is to push the so-called “open carry” where you can strap a six gun to your side like the days of the lawless, Wild West instead of having a concealed weapons (CCW) permit.

I have no idea why they are pushing this. It can only be to intimidate people, so it makes me wonder what they are compensating for. Most gun owners never use a handgun for self defense. But more than 30,000 people are killed in this country every year, and 70,000 more people are shot and injured by guns.

According to a study called “Comparing the Incidence of Self-Defense Gun Use and Criminal Gun Use" by the Harvard Injury Control Research Center, 2009,”
“The opportunity for a law-abiding gun owner to use a gun in a socially desirable manner--against a criminal during the commission of a crime--will occur, for the average gun owner, perhaps once or never in a lifetime. It is a rare event.

I never thought I would agree with Livingston County Undersheriff and chair of the Livingston County Republican Party Mike Murphy, who does not support the open carrying of handguns, but I do.

"I don't understand some of the logic,” Murphy told the paper. “If you want to carry a weapon, why not just get a concealed pistol license and be protected?"

Good question.