When Arizona Governor Jan Brewer poked President Obama in the chest on the runway in Phoenix, it was clear that the working relationship between the the Copper State and Uncle Sam was about as fruitful as Marlin’s hook-up with The Freedom Group. Uncle Sam is ending the “surge” of National Guard troops from border patrol duty, with no end in sight to illegal immigration and drug thuggery. Amidst fears that the feds want to enforce unconstitutional gun laws on Arizonans, Governor Brewer has signed SB1495, a bill establishing an Arizona militia. Aside from drug mules and human traffickers, the new Arizona state militia has scared a few folks . . .

This is dangerous…..and are we taxpayers going to be footing the bill? Membership to exclude anyone but white supremacists? And how is this going to create jobs, maintain laws and how do we stop a bunch of zealots running rampant?

Good questions all, from a commentator underneath the post at arizonacapitoltimes.com. Still, same as it ever was. As the not entirely pro-federal government militia man at arizonastateguard.com points out . . .

Under Title 32 of the USC, those State Defense Forces, or “SDFs”, *cannot* be forced into federal service. Unlike the National Guard forces, SDFs are intended to remain within the boundaries of their own state, and to remain under the exclusive command and control of each state’s Governor. Title 32 State Defense Forces already exist in 23 states (plus the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico). Those states that have activated their State Defense Forces include California, New Mexico, and Texas. The fact is, Arizona is the only southern border state that does *not* have an active State Defense Force.

Only now it does. Which adds to the law enforcement bunfight on the border; a farrago of law enforcement agencies that includes the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (And Really Big Fires); Tribal and State police; local Sheriffs, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Central Intelligence Agency, the U.S Army, the National Guard and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (for investigating the ATF when a cartel member murders a CPB agent with one of the guns the ATF helped smuggle into Mexico.)

Anyway, the Arizona State Defense Force is a game changer on many levels. Watch this space, as your humble reporter will join them for some training in the fall.