Apparently there is a paramilitary for hire in the US.
Here’s a fascinating little story. There’s been a battle royale up in Wisconsin over an effort to establish a big iron mining operation near Lake Superior, to be owned and operated by a company called Gogebic Taconite. The Republican legislature approved the mine in March over environmentalists’ objections. Some protests have been staged since the operation got started. But people started to get freaked out over the weekend when the company brought in what the Wisconsin State Journal calls “masked security guards who are toting semi-automatic rifles and wearing camouflaged uniforms.”
Now two state legislators are asking the company to withdraw the guards/paramilitaries. One of them, Bob Jauch, “said he was especially concerned that the guards are carrying high-powered rifles more appropriate for fighting wars than for guarding construction equipment in a scenic forest that draws scores of hikers and vacationers in addition to mine protesters.”
Here’s the website of said paramilitary for hire.
~Wald
I don’t ever understand why people think companies don’t take protests seriously. Money and profits are far more serious to them than the cute little protest is to protesters’ “Ideals”.
If you aren’t willing to bleed for something, you likely shouldn’t be doing an open protest. Or take great, GREAT pains to make it clear you are both respectful and non-violent, to avoid this kind of escalation. Otherwise, find other ways to make your opinion known.
The think “the man” no longer exists after the “victories” won from the civil rights movement of the 60s and the hippy movement shortly after (or alternatively, that the emperor has no clothes).
None of the parents of these protesters bothered to educate them on some of the harsh realities of life.
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Aside from that, what is interesting to me, is how companies take it upon themselves to hire their own paramilitaries for defense instead of relying on the police and the state. I have no doubt that the paramilitary service is not cheap and the companies would not pay for their services if it was worth the cost.
If you’ve ever played Metal Gear Solid games or perhaps know of any of the history of Russia after the fall of communism – you may see a pattern about to develop. Namely – there will be more and more companies to provide services such as Bulletproof Securities as more people realize the profitability of the work. As their services turn cheaper as more firms enter the market, their pricing may enter the price range of certain communities and enclaves, in lieu of relying on the police this company.
The only question is how far will this pattern go? Will neighborhoods use companies such as these to protect themselves from criminals in the government too?
I’m away from my computer to find the article but there are many companies doing that, neighborhood watches getting more armed, and some non-profits that are oriented around helping lower middle class get fire arms, trained, and concealed carries to defend their families from the lower class
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