A recent misunderstanding demonstrates to me how wars can get started if the parties involved are not as calm and deliberate as people with "power" should be. I had found some mention of myself on a webpage where the comments seemed to be ridiculing me for the way I dress. I thought that they really didn't like me. I posted a comment simply pointing out that I had seen the posts. The person who had first mentioned me thought I was angry about the comments. After a few messages back and forth, we both cleared up the misunderstanding and I have great respect for that person as a result.
Why can't our "leaders" do the same? Why do we allow our country to be used as a weapon of retaliation by the government? I am a firm believer in true militias. Every person is a member of their local militia whether they accept the responsibility or not. The founders of America did not trust armies under the control of government. They had just endured a war with the most powerful government army on Earth, and did not wish to see that happen again. Army under government control is subject to be used for evil purposes which have nothing to do with defense. Personal vendettas become excuses for traveling to distant lands which were no threat to us, and killing innocents. In the process creating a new generation of people who hate the invaders and who will find ways to strike back. No one in the world "hates us for our freedom". They hate our government and mistake it for America. They hate it for meddling; for killing their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and neighbors. For telling them how they must live.
Militias do not travel to foreign lands. Militias simply defend their homes and neighborhoods. Militias are not under the control of a megalomaniac. Or if one arises, he gets ditched and a sane leader is chosen. Militias can come to the local defense against governments gone bad as well. This is why governments try to distort the image of the militia. Make them out to be terrorists. Government needs to look in the mirror, but like Dracula, it has no reflection. Terrorists strike civilian targets to cause fear. Strikes against government drones and facilities are not terrorist acts. When government uses human shields to protect against strikes, it becomes the terrorist. I do not condone killing except in self defense, but we need to be clear on what terrorism is and what it isn't. In its current course of action, the US federal government has become the world's largest and most dangerous terrorist group, at home and abroad. Period.