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| A Telling Picture (Please clique to enlarge) This is essentially a battalion of common citizens, self-formed into a militia of common citizens; Minutemen, if you will. There are about 2,000 in this picture somewhat better armed than when they began the defence of their idyllic homeland against the cockroaches known as the "Caballeros Templarios" or Knights Templar. The "Vigilantes" have made up for the soul-less ruthlessness of their enemy by being resolved, disciplined, and having the numbers and better knowledge of the terrain and population. In two days from this inscription 20,000 Vigilantes will stand down and deliver their military-grade weapons to the Mexican Army. Those who wish will be inducted into a formal Rural Defence Force, the first in over 70 years in Mexico, and will work in direct co-ordination with the Army. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
The Caballeros Templarios (Knights Templar) established themselves especially in western Michoacán State of Mexico, about six years ago. They arose from the disorders caused by the assaults from the Mexican military and the degradation of existing cartel groups. The successes of the military were true, but withdrawal was thought by some to be a little early. Before long, left-over thugs re-established the cartel concept under the ridiculous name cited above. The same things began to happen. Shakedowns of avocado, citrus, and mango haciendas and small private plots began....green and gold are terms for money, avocados and mangos are money. Protection rackets and direct extortion, temporary kidnapping of very young girls for carnal abuse, kidnapping for ransom extortion, trafficking of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, example killings, turf combat, and so forth became the rule in the very rural and beautiful tropical mountains of western Michoacán. Enter a group of young men....and yes, backed up by their sweethearts, wives, sisters, aunts, mothers, and the female race of fundamentalist Catholics who still carry the good of Mexico in their souls. With ridiculous firearms and accoutrements....old binoculars...rusty pistols....double-barrelled shotguns from the late 1890s....single-shot .22 calibre bolt action rifles...need I say more. They moved upon the evil-doers. They intercepted them at the intersections of the small towns' downtown areas, and at bars on the edges of bigger cities. The tracked the "Knights Templar" down in their lairs situated in caves in the mountains and in gaudy, expensively built homes in small cities. Bit by bit the gained weapons like the cuerno de chiva (goat's horn) AK47 and the "solamente un 22" (just a .22) AR16 .223 American combat issue rifle, "expropriated" from captured and killed Knights of the Knights Templar. The Vigilantes kept records, and they reported to the Army and made, finally, a contract and agreement with the Army as El Gringo Viejo reported some months back. The Army offered technical and military assistance and training. The Army "swore the Vigilantes in". The results have been stunning to the extreme. In two days the Vigilantes turn in their military-style weapons. However they will keep all other weapons and pertinent ammunition. The Vigilantes will be elevated to a Constitutionally recognised "Rural Defence Force" and assigned to a role somewhere between National Guard and Special Partisan Rangers. Some 20,000 will be taken through the rigorous Basic Combat Training (7 weeks), and a more enhanced military protocol and formalities training session (3 weeks). They will be given arms training and identification. Why all this? Because during their 9 or 10 months of wallowing around in muddy caves, and lying in wait on dark roads and paths for Knights Templar in the cold, even snowy higher mountains, and all their urban work...there has not been one complaint by the civilian population of any abuse of the civilian sensibility or human rights. They have been gentlemen, they have been brave against all odds, and they have been the true knights of chivalry and honour. So, Mayor Bloomberg et al, an armed citizenry can become a militia. An armed citizenry that becomes a militia, when that militia has members who have at least a basic moral catechism, becomes an irresistible force. A force that wins against evil. Yes, Virginia there is a Zorro, he was last seen with the Vigilantes in the mountains of western Michoacán State in Mexico.
Thanks for the existence of an armed and brave citizenry.
El Gringo Viejo
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