There’s a lot of anti-militia sentiment flowing through the media these days. Whether or not armed citizens who stand opposed to rioters are a formal militia or not is a topic for debate, but we all know where the media is going to come down on the matter. These are people with guns, and thus inherently evil.

At least in their mind.

However, something interesting is happening in Halifax County, Virginia. A locally-based militia there is seeking to be formally recognized by the county government.

An unofficial organization in Halifax County — the Halifax Militia — is seeking official recognition.

The Halifax County Board of Supervisors discussed adopting a resolution formally recognizing the militia at its Sept. 8 meeting. The vote on the resolution was tabled.

Mitzi Thompson, commander of the Halifax County Militia, told The Gazette in a follow-up interview that she would like for the militia to have official recognition from the county government.

“That way, they could notify us if they need our help, because we are a voluntary organization,” Thompson said. “We want to be able to bring something to the table that’s beneficial to our community.”

The proposed resolution under consideration by the county’s board of supervisors supports opportunities for citizens to “assemble for recreational and civic purposes to train to arms to include, but not limited to, firearms safety training, marksmanship, first aid training and other training and activities that enhance the individual’s ability to defend himself, his family, his community; and the Militia’s ability to respond effectively to a crisis.”

Thompson also answered questions about the Halifax County Militia’s role in the community in the follow-up interview. She explained the militia is designed to “supplement,” not take the place or do the job of, local law enforcement agencies, and respond to emergencies in the community such as natural disasters.

“We’re not trying to be law enforcement officers. What we’re trying to do is create that supplement. We’re an extra pair of eyes. We’re extra bodies,” Thompson explained. “If something in the future did happen and the law enforcement were overwhelmed in some kind of way, we do have the training to come out and assist them.”

Honestly, it’s not an awful idea.

A militia that’s formally organized and trained has a lot of useful skills that a local government can call upon in time of need. If nothing else, the communications capability of a well-funding militia can be useful while trying to find a missing child, for example.

However, there’s another aspect to this that makes me giggle a little bit.

See, some don’t believe that the Second Amendment protects and individual right to keep and bear arms, but a collective right. In other words, it empowers governments, not individuals. If the Halifax Militia becomes formally recognized, do they become exempt from gun control laws so far as those folks go?

Of course, they’ll try and wiggle around to it doesn’t apply, but it’s still amusing.

While many are bashing militias, I’d actually love to see every county in the nation recognize a local militia that can be called upon at a local level to help with civic disruptions up to and including violence. Imagine how some of these riots would have gone if a locally-recognized militia had rolled up when things started getting sporty.

I somehow suspect that Antifa would have found somewhere else to be quick, fast, and in a hurry.

That says nothing about what happens if a government–either federal or state–goes full-on jackboot and tries to get rowdy in a county with a formally-recognized militia.

Let’s hope Halifax County jumps on this and other counties throughout the nation follow suit.