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19th Street drowning is Tybee Islands 5th this year, officials say – WSAV-TV

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Danzig

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WSAV) A man drowned on Tybee Island Sunday near 19th Street, and officials say its the fifth drowning this year.

According to the city, lifeguards were dispatched to the area at 3:26 p.m. to search for a swimmer in distress. They recovered the swimmers body at 4:41 p.m. about 100 yards offshore.

Just last month another drowning happened. This one was further down the beach. Police say a man jumped off the pier then got caught in a riptide.

The most recent drowning victim was a male in his late 30s. Authorities are waiting to notify next of kin before releasing his identity.

Terrell Peterson lives on Tybee Island. As a surfer, hes familiar with the water and says things can go from bad the worse in a matter of seconds.

The tide pulls between and low and high tide are very deceiving so they can pull you much stronger than what you think, said Peterson.

Tybee Island Mayor Shirley Sessions says a red flag warning was in place all day on Sunday because high winds were making the water rough.

The mayor tells WSAV that she and city council members are discussing ways to help make the beach safer during red flag days.

She says theyre discussing putting up signage showing the sandbar at low and high tide. Tybee City Manager Shawn Gillen added that theyre also considering closing the area to swimmers when waters get too rough.

Its something our fire department really takes to heart, Gillen said. Its challenging for them because they have to deal with it face to face, and the rip currents are very dangerous.

He continued: When that wind starts blowing and the wave action gets pretty rough, people can get in trouble real fast and they might not realize it.

Gillen says lifeguards will remain on patrol through the fall. While a red flag warning was in place during the most recent drowning, he says they want to put warnings up sooner.

Closing it off entirely to swimmers in certain areas is challenging of course because its such a big beach, said Gillen.

Gillen says they couldnt make that move without a city council vote.

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19th Street drowning is Tybee Islands 5th this year, officials say - WSAV-TV

Love Island’s Curtis Pritchard and Amy Hart reunite during recording of his new podcast – Digital Spy

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Danzig

Love Island 2019 star Curtis Pritchard got the "full-on surprise" of his life recently when his one-time partner Amy Hart made an unexpected appearance on his and brother AJ's podcast.

The dancer-turned-reality star was recording the first episode of the siblings' new series when former air hostess Amy, whom he was romantically linked to during his time in the villa, was brought in as a guest during the recording of new podcast series AJ vs Curtis.

"It was a full-on surprise," he said on Lorraine this morning (October 19).

@curtispritchard12Instagram

Related: Love Island's Olivia Attwood reveals which co-stars will be invited to her wedding to fianc Bradley Dack

"We were recording the second episode and AJ was trying to set the cameras up in a certain way and I was like, 'No, we need to do it this way' and he was like, 'No, we've got to do it this way', so I was like, 'Alright fine, we'll have it your way,'" he continued.

"Then we started recording and I didn't expect Amy to come on. She popped on and my heart skipped a beat, I didn't know what to say. But it was great, it was a good episode."

His trepidation is understandable given how the pair split publicly during last year's Love Island.

After spending a few weeks joint at the hip and becoming half-boyfriend and half-girlfriend on the show, Curtis realised that he wasn't quite feeling the relationship as much as she was while staying at Casa Amor.

Upon his return, he broke things off with Amy, before later developing feelings for fellow Islander Maura Higgins something that prompted Amy to leave the competition for good.

But this isn't the first time the pair have crossed paths since the end of Love Island, with Curtis recently admitting that they've "always" been friends after he was asked about running into Amy on a night out last month.

"Amy's lovely, we spoke after the show and stuff," Curtis said. "We've been in contact and were always friends and never were like, 'I'm never talking to you again'. We've been friends so it was just nice to see her and good to catch up."

Love Island airs on ITV2 and is available via catch up on ITV Hub. AJ vs Curtis is available on Apple Podcasts.

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Love Island's Curtis Pritchard and Amy Hart reunite during recording of his new podcast - Digital Spy

Staten Island Home of the Week: Castle-like estate, overlooking the entire island, $5.5M – SILive.com

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Danzig

This six-bedrooms, eight-bathroom, stone castle-like estate sits high and private, overlooking the entire island, as listed on SILive.com.

SIBOR

It is located at 14 Peter Court, Dongan Hills and is priced at $5,500,000.

SIBOR

Flooded with natural light, the family room resembles a French chateau with a private balcony and wall of windows, according to the listing on Staten Island Multiple Listing Service at SIBOR.com.

SIBOR

The home features marble floors which have radiant heat throughout the entire home, as listed.

SIBOR

There are an additional 4 bedrooms with private baths as well.

SIBOR

The Lower level hosts a spa and The Grand Ball Room complete with a chefs kitchen and has a ''wall of glass'' that opens to the yard. The pool & pool house overlook the ocean for total privacy.

SIBOR

Andrew Porazzo/Connie Profaci Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

SIBOR

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Staten Island Home of the Week: Castle-like estate, overlooking the entire island, $5.5M - SILive.com

‘Love Island’ Winners Justine and Caleb Reunite and Theyre Just The Cutest – Essence

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Danzig

We always have time for a Black love joy break here at ESSENCE, so get ready to feel the love this morning.

Over the weekend, newly crowned Love Island season 2 winners Justine Ndiba and Caleb Corprew reunited for a feel-good fall date in New Jersey.

Youll recall, the adorable young couple took home the win (and the check) just a few weeks ago. Now, Ndiba, 27, and Corprew, 24, got together again for the first time since filming the show to enjoy a fun-filled day of pumpkin-picking in New Jersey, Ndibas home state.

The adorable duo still live in separate cities so they made sure to make the most of their sweet time together and document the day on Instagram with matching fall themed photo opps and sweet captions too.

Picked the cutest pumpkin in the patch, Corprew, whos from Oklahoma, wrote about his ladylove.

The couple admitted they absolutely couldnt wait to see each other again after wrapping the hit reality dating show.

When we actually thought we would be able to make it three weeks before seeing each other again we thought, wrote Ndiba.

The couple became the fan favorite while they were hunkered down at the Cromwell hotel in Las Vegas during filming after the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Enjoy the moment, you two!

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'Love Island' Winners Justine and Caleb Reunite and Theyre Just The Cutest - Essence

Bucket brigade: Lack of water hampers response as Bondis Island Agawam landfill fire smolders for 3rd day – MassLive.com

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Danzig

AGAWAM A lack of usable water is presenting difficulties for firefighters battling flames hidden in massive piles of compost at the Bondis Island landfill.

In its third day Saturday, the fire response involved 71 firefighters from various Western Massachusetts departments, along with as many as 20 pieces of heavy equipment and firefighting apparatus.

There is just one fire hydrant at the base of Bondis Island nearly 3,000 feet from the fires and it is attached to a smaller water main, Agawam Fire Chief Alan Sirois said Saturday afternoon.

To get more water, he said, tanker trucks are running a bucket brigade from a large main hydrant on Memorial Avenue in West Springfield to portable water catchments, or artificial ponds, near the entrance to Bondis Island. The water is then pumped 3,000 feet to the fire site.

Sirois said tens of thousands of cubic yards of composted material stored in long piles 20 feet wide, 25 to 30 feet high and between 100 and 200 feet long continues to burn.

A "bucket brigade" of tanker trucks shuttled water from a West Springfield hydrant to portable tanks some 3,000 feet from the fire scene at Bondi's Island on Saturday. Here a tanker truck from Monson unloads 3,500 gallons of water into a catchment. (Dave Canton / The Republican)

The fire started Thursday afternoon. Plumes of heavy smoke blanketed much of the area between Agawam, West Springfield and Springfield, prompting officials to call for residents to close off their homes.

Heavy rain Friday helped to dissipate the smoke and knock the exposed flames down, but fire continues to smolder deep in the piles, Sirois said.

There is a lot of compromised material that needs to be turned over, moved, wet down, then piled again, he said. A lot burned on Day One when high winds just swept the top and carried the fire across all the material piles.

We were very thankful to have the rain to cool down the operation and the burning and smoldering. But it did make work difficult for the crews because of the cold, wet environment and a lot of mud.

As evening approached Saturday, the operation changed to fire suppression to make sure the fire does not flare up overnight. Crews will resume digging up the compost piles in the morning.

There are a number of hand crews working with heavy equipment such as excavators, loaders, backhoes and dump trucks, as well as specialized firefighting equipment, Sirois said. This is very labor-intensive work and it is very dangerous work. It is simply too dangerous to work with heavy equipment at night.

Sirois said he is pleased with the progress made Saturday and hopeful fire operations can cease within the next few days.

We made fantastic progress today, Sirois said. It is my anticipation that within the next couple of days we will be winding down operations.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by Agawam firefighters and the state fire marshals office, Sirois said. Agawam Mayor William Sapelli said Friday that investigators are looking into the possibility of spontaneous combustion within the compost piles. The fire is not considered suspicious.

I cant say enough about the people who are working here and working very hard. This is difficult, dirty work under difficult conditions and everyone is doing a great job.

Love Island USA winners reunite for relationship update – Digital Spy

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Danzig

Love Island USA crowned the winners of its second season right at the very start of this month, making history for the show in the progress.

But now they've been thrown out into the world where the public and the media are involved, and seeing each other is likely made a lot more difficult thanks to the pandemic, how is their relationship holding up outside of the villa?

Justine Ndiba and Caleb Corprew went down to a field in New Jersey, where the former lives, to pick pumpkins for Halloween, each uploading a cute photo to their respective Instagrams.

Related: Love Island US star speaks out after being dropped

Revealing that the pair have been physically apart from each other since the show ended, Justine wrote: "When we actually thought we would be able to make it three weeks before seeing each other again... we thought."

Meanwhile, Caleb simply captioned his photo: "Picked the cutest pumpkin in the patch."

When the pair won the show, Caleb spoke about the positive impact he hoped seeing a Black couple win a season of Love Island would have on people.

"I can't speak from a dark-skinned complexion perspective," he stated, "but I can speak from a man of color perspective and being a Black man.

"It's really awesome to see that not only were we able to display healthy love for the viewers at home [but]... to hear that our relationship is impacting people on more than just a 'weeknight, gotta get their fix away from reality [level].'"

This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Related: Love Island announces new series in Spain and Nigeria

At the time, Justine added that she hoped the couple's victory would help other Black women to feel confident.

"I feel like a lot of those insecurities are because a lot of the Black girls haven't had a lot of success on this kind of platform," she said.

"To have those doubts be brought out early on, it was definitely hard but it turned out alright."

Love Island is available via catch up on ITV Hub.

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Touchless bathrooms, UV lights, HEPA filters: Rogers Coney Island unveils safety-influenced renovations – Fall River Herald News

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Danzig

FALL RIVER Breakfast, lunch or dinner, Rogers Coney Island is geared up to welcome customers back to the newly updated restaurant.

The wall separating the front and back dining areas is gone and a door on the south side of the building near where the wall was located has been eliminated, making for one long spacious dining area. There are entirely new finishes on the walls and floors and in one area, booths were eliminated in favor of tables that can be spaced further apart. The counter seating is gone, at least for now as part of an effort to keep staff and diners safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The mural on the back wall thats been a favorite sight for diners over the years is still in place, but it got a nice framing in the update. The mural depicts Rita and John Champagne, who were the second owners of the restaurant that has been a part of the community for decades.

Theres something new just about everywhere one looks in the longtime city favorite hot dog spot and diner. And the updates arent just cosmetic. There are also entirely new measures in place to keep its customers safe from the spread of COVID-19 including a new HEPA air filtration system. When the air circulates back into the system it moves through a series of UV lights to clean it before it comes back into the restaurant. Additionally theres a new hand-washing station for servers with hand sanitizer to use after cleaning their hands. The bathroom is now touch-free and the blower to dry hands also has a UV light to kill germs.

In addition to a brass handle on the bathroom door, brass bands have been added to the sides of tables because brass contains copper, which reportedly has anti-bacterial properties. After servers wipe down the tables they will also pass a UV wand over the table and at night after the restaurant closes, an electrostatic fogging machine comes on to kill bacteria.

Employees temperatures will also be tested twice a day and they also plan to take phone numbers for contact tracing for larger parties.

Owner Ashley Cabral, who started working at the restaurant as a server while she was in high school in 2006, said shes looking forward to seeing customers return to the newly refurbished restaurant. The updates, she said, are intended to assure their customers that theyre doing everything they can to keep them safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Open from 4:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and Sundays 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.,

Cabral said the most popular items are hot dogs and hamburgers, specifically The Works hot dog with mustard, Coney Island sauce and onions and the Pub Burger. For dinner, the options include diner favorites such as shepherds pie, meatloaf and chicken pot pie. Specials that are customer-favorites include stuffed peppers and buffalo mac and cheese, she said.

Their breakfast all day is a big hit with customers, as well, she added.

Open from 4:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and Sundays 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., she said she also serves dinner items at 5 a.m. to third shift workers from area plants such as Blount and Amazon. They want chicken tenders, burgers, she added. We have a lot of construction guys heading out to Boston who stop in for muffins and coffee.

Rogers Coney Island is located at 1518 N. Main St., Fall River.

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Touchless bathrooms, UV lights, HEPA filters: Rogers Coney Island unveils safety-influenced renovations - Fall River Herald News

Providencia: An island with a ‘sea of seven colours’ – BBC News

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Danzig

A tiny, emerald-green island slowly materialised out of the Caribbean Sea. Extinct volcanic peaks rose along its spine with dense forests on their flanks and golden sand at the edges. My 26-seat turboprop plane descended rapidly, passing so close to a weather-boarded church it felt as if I could reach out and touch the spire. I braced for landing, but at the last moment the pilot pulled up sharply to a chorus of anguished gasps. The intercom crackled as he apologised for the abrupt change of course: There are stray dogs on the runaway, so Ill have to circle round and try again.

As my heart slid back into my chest, I gazed down at the sea of seven colours, a vivid blue-green patchwork produced by the third-longest barrier reef system on Earth, and quickly lost count of the shades.

The least Colombian part of Colombia

Remote, unspoilt and little-visited, Providencia is the least Colombian part of Colombia. Spanning just 17sq km, the island has a tumultuous history and a distinct cultural identity. Located within the vast, Unesco-protected Seaflower Biosphere Reserve, Providencia lies almost 800km north-west of mainland Colombia and even further from the consciousness of most other Colombians. (Nicaragua, which has tried to claim sovereignty, is closer, but still lies more than 230km to the west.)

Getting to Providencia involves a convoluted and relatively expensive journey via its larger, more touristy sister island San Andrs, 50km south. As a result, visitor numbers were low often fewer than 100 at a time even before the Covid-19 crisis.

Providencias 5,000 residents have a mix of African-Caribbean, British, Miskito (an indigenous group from Central America), Spanish and French heritage. They speak an English-based Creole and are typically Baptists or Rastafarians, unlike mainland Colombians who are predominantly Catholic. The islands singular character soon became apparent after my plane landed on the second attempt. Outside an airport the size of a village hall, my taxi driver, named Cordel, emphasised that locals saw themselves as islanders first, Colombians second.

Providence is very safe, very peaceful, he said on the drive to the west coast village of Freshwater Bay. People fish, work in tourism, work their gardens. You can grow anything here sweet potato, plantain, breadfruit, cassava, watermelon.

The best way to get a feel for Providencia known locally as Providence or Old Providence is from the water, so after checking into my guesthouse, I took a boat trip with guide Nazario Williams. As we sailed past tranquil coves and near-empty beaches peppered with palm trees and the occasional rum shack, he told me about the islands history. Initially a base for Dutch pirates, Williams explained, Providencia became one of Englands first colonies, when a group of Puritan settlers arrived on the Seaflower ship in 1631.

On the surface, this isolated speck of an island looks like an unlikely choice for a settlement. Yet to the wealthy Puritans who backed the project, Providencias fertile soils appeared far better suited to growing valuable crops such as cotton than Plymouth, Massachusetts, where another group of Puritan settlers travelling on the Mayflower, a sister ship (a vessel of the same class) of the Seaflower, had landed 11 years earlier and whose famous voyage is celebrating its 400th anniversary this year.

The islands strategic position in the Caribbean between Central and South America ideal for conducting privateering raids against the ships of the Spanish Empire, which was both Catholic and a bitter rival of England at the time also made it an alluring prize. If England was to build a mighty empire, the defenders of the true religion would first have to cut off the flow of [Latin] American gold to the King of Spains coffers. Robbery and righteousness, greed and godliness, were bound together in the imperial venture, writes Tom Feiling in The Island that Disappeared.

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But the colony struggled with droughts, lacklustre harvests and labour shortages, as well as Spanish attacks. Over time, the settlers turned from indentured servants from Britain to slavery, with hundreds of enslaved people from Africa brought to the island. According to historian Carrie Gibson, author of Empires Crossroads, Providencia was later the site of the first rebellion by enslaved people in a British colony. Eventually, in 1641, another Spanish raid finished the colony off for good. Spanish rule, however, was similarly short-lived. They were attacked by English, Dutch and French pirates. The most famous was Captain Henry Morgan, said Williams.

A sea of seven colours

We sailed past hamlets of pastel-shaded houses with hammock-strung verandas and luxuriant gardens, often set around a simple church. Rugged green hills rose behind them, their slopes thick with orange, mango, guava, soursop and cotton trees. Beyond the site of New Westminster, founded in 1631 and now called Old Town, was Santa Isabel, the largest of the islands seven villages and home to a handful of municipal buildings, shops, cafes and churches.

Later we called in at Crab Cay, a rocky islet in the heart of the Old Providence McBean Lagoon National Natural Park, which protects an area of tropical dry forests, mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds on the north-east coast. A short, steep trail through a thicket of palm trees led me to a naturally formed cairn of boulders. As frigate birds one of 150 avian species found in the park flew overhead, I looked across at the Old Providence Barrier Reef, which Id spotted earlier that morning from the plane. Spanning 255 sq km and pulsing with marine life, the reef system varies widely in depth, which turns the water multiple hues of blue and green. These navy slashes, turquoise swirls and azure puddles to name just a few of the shades have given rise to the sea of seven colours nickname.

The diving and snorkelling off Crab Cay are predictably excellent, though at around 25C the water is warm enough to lull you into stupor. Within moments of submerging, turtles, octopuses and shoals of minute blue and yellow fish appeared, as well as forests of anemones, constellations of starfish and clusters of brain-like coral. In the late afternoon, Williams dropped me off at Southwest Bay, Providencias prettiest beach and site of a raucous weekly horserace. I settled down at an open-side restaurant on the sand for a plate of rondn, a coconut-scented stew of conch, pig tails, fish fillets, yam, breadfruit and cassava so hearty that afterwards attempting to get up let alone walk felt a Herculean task.

In search of Captain Morgan

The next morning, I caught a lift on the back of a scooter the islands main form of transport to Santa Isabel to explore Providencias piratical history. Mentioned in Robert Louis Stevensons Treasure Island, Providencias most famous pirate link is with Captain Morgan, whose band of buccaneers attacked the islands Spanish rulers in the 1660s. In 1670, they established a base on Providencia and used it to launch a daring raid on Panama.

According to legend, the Welsh pirate who later in life became a slave owner, was knighted and was appointed lieutenant governor of Jamaica stashed some treasure on the small isle of Santa Catalina, known locally as Ketlina and now linked to Santa Isabel by a rickety pontoon bridge. I followed a path along Santa Catalinas south-west coast, which is fringed with tangled mangroves rustling with unseen creatures. Midway along, a chunky iguana crashed across a bungalows corrugated-iron roof pursued by the broom-wielding homeowner. After 10 minutes, I reached a rusty old cannon that looked as if it had been dredged from the bottom of the sea. Known as Morgans Cannon, it marks the spot that Spanish soldiers once executed pirates and Puritans.

They were attacked by English, Dutch and French pirates. The most famous was Captain Henry Morgan

At the southern end of Santa Catalina, beyond a Me Ketlina sign, the Big Mama Sweet Taste snack shop, and an empty rum bar pumping out Damian Marley, a flight of steps led to a vantage spot overlooking the harbour. There I found the remains of Fort Warwick, built by the Puritans on the site of a former Dutch pirate base, and later captured by the Spanish. Only the formidable walls of volcanic rock have survived, but it remains an evocative spot. Below, on Fort Beach, is the semi-submerged entrance to Morgans Cave. According to legend, this was where the legendary pirate hid his loot though the presence of a sign pointing out the caves location suggested the treasure, had it ever been present, was now long gone.

At the far end of the cove, a dirt track wound up into a forest. Clambering over fallen trees, scattering lime-green lizards in the process, I followed the trail until I reached a clearing where a bulbous chunk of rock was perched precariously on a cliff edge. The landmark is known as Morgans Head because of its supposed resemblance to the pirate; the patchy tufts of greenery on its top reminded me more of a balding punk. Further on was a ruined villa rumoured to have been owned by one of Morgans latter-day counterparts, Pablo Escobar.

Beyond Puritans and pirates

Providencia was eventually abandoned by pirates in the 1680s and is thought to have remained unoccupied for more than 100 years. It was only reoccupied in 1789, when a white Jamaican plantation owner arrived with a small group of enslaved people from Africa (slavery was officially abolished in 1851). Other European and Caribbean settlers followed, along with Anglo-Miskito people from the Central American coast.

Nicaragua attempted to lay claim to Providencia but eventually recognised Colombias sovereignty over the island in a 1928 treaty (though the dispute continues to flare up from time to time). Since then, Providencia has remained on the fringes of national life in Colombia, largely ignored by the government in Bogot.

Today, although it looks idyllic, the island faces challenges. Health and education services are limited, many young people have left to study or work elsewhere, and the climate crisis is fuelling coastal erosion. But there are also reasons to be optimistic. Awareness of Providencias distinct culture is growing, thanks to the 2017 release of two films set on the island: Bad Lucky Goat, the first to be shot in the local Creole language, and Keyla, whose cast is made up almost entirely of Providencia residents. A project to restore damaged sections of the San Andrs-Providencia reef system is also underway; and though visitor numbers were slowly increasing before the Covid-19 pandemic, the islands remoteness should help it escape the overtourism that blights much of the Caribbean.

The Puritans and pirates may have departed, but Providencia remains, as it ever was, an island of promise.

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Providencia: An island with a 'sea of seven colours' - BBC News

Inter-island travel to return for Kauai, Honolulu, Maui, while Hawaii County opts-out – KHON2

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Danzig

HONOLULU (KHON2) The Counties of Maui and Kauai will accept travelers who get negative results of an accepted COVID-19 test 72-hours prior to inter-island travel, Hawaii Governor David Ige announced today.

[Hawaiis Breaking NewsDownload the FREE KHON2 app for iOS or Android]

Honolulu County requires no test or quarantine for inter-island travel, while Hawaii County will not accept the pre-travel tests.

Ige also announced Tuesday that the Big Island has filled 88% of the intensive care unit beds in the county.

The fact is this poses a threat to the residents, and I need to make a policy that best mitigates that problem as best as we can, Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim said.

Mayor Kim adds that the other deterrants he has for accepting the pre-travel inter-island testing are:

Do people who travel for work every week have to take a test?

Are there still exemptions?

Mayor Kim says he hopes to get those answered so he can submit a request by the end of October.

Until then, Big Island families will have to remain patient to see loved ones on other islands.

We miss a lot, Big Island resident Chad Okinaka said. Because for my in-laws my two girls are their only grand children. Theyre older and my in-laws are not necessarily as long. so its not like they have all the time in the world.

For now, Mayor Kim says hes sorry.

Boy I tell you what else do you say other than Im sorry we had to do this, but its for the safety of self, family, and community, said Kim.

For some Big Island residents like Okinaka, tough decisions are understood.

In this time there are no right answers, Okinaka said. Im sure if he, if he knew someone who had the right answers he would have probably consulted with them, and follow. but since theres no right answers. He has to do what he feels is the correct move is his right answer.

Pre-travel testing rules are akin to the trans-pacific travel rules that can be found at https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel/

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Inter-island travel to return for Kauai, Honolulu, Maui, while Hawaii County opts-out - KHON2

FAA cuts the red tape for commercial rocket launches (and landings, too) – Space.com

Posted on October 17, 2020 by Danzig

Commercial space is about to become more accessible than ever before.

Today (Oct. 15), the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) announced that it has published a new launch and re-entry rule known as the Streamlined Launch and Re-entry Licensing Regulation-2 (SLR2). The new rule aims to increase launch and reentry access for commercial space companies while maintaining safety.

"We've seen the first launch of American astronauts into orbit aboard an American-built rocket since the end of the space shuttle program ... to the International Space Station," United States Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, said in a news conference today, referring to SpaceX's two-month Demo-2 mission, which lifted off on May 30.

"Our country is headed towards a record year in commercial space, and our goal in finalizing this new regulation is to keep it that way," Chao said.

"We're cutting the red tape that has held this industry to the launch pad for far too long," FAA assistant administrator for communications Brianna Manzelli said at the news conference.

Related: Trump's Space Policy Directive 2 could make life easier for SpaceX & others

This new rule is rolled out under the President's Space Policy Directive-2 (SPD-2), which was enacted in 2018. SPD-2 guides the Secretary of Transportation to create a new regulatory structure for launch and re-entry activities. The directive also advises the Secretary to consider allowing commercial operations to launch and re-enter Earth's atmosphere with just a single license (as opposed to having to get a new license for individual activities).

And with SLR2, the FAA has done just that. Now, only a single license is required "for all types of commercial space flight launch and re-entry operations," according to SLR2, which "increases flexibility for launch and re-entry vehicle operations."

With SLR2, the FAA aims to streamline launch and re-entry procedures, so, "while it is laser-focused on public safety, it only regulates to the extent necessary," Wayne Monteith, the FAA's associate administrator for commercial space transportation, said during the news conference today. "The goal is to simplify the licensing process and a lot of novel operations, reduce costs and positioning both the industry and the FAA for the rapid increase in the number of launches that are coming, all without compromising safety."

One interesting component of this new regulation sort of gets rid of the old rules that stated that the license for a launch would "begin" or take effect upon arrival at the launch site for example, the gate at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Instead, now, "an individual company can, in essence, negotiate with us when they want the license to begin," Monteith said. "It reduces [the] burden on the individual stakeholder. And it certainly reduces [the] burden on government to monitor operations that have little to no impact on public safety."

Email Chelsea Gohd at cgohd@space.com or follow her on Twitter @chelsea_gohd. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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FAA cuts the red tape for commercial rocket launches (and landings, too) - Space.com

The future of the U.S. Coast Guard is in outer space – Brookings Institution

Posted on October 17, 2020 by Danzig

In December 2018, the U.S. Coast Guard joined the space faring community. It teamed up with the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Division and SpaceX to execute the launch of two small cube satellites (cubesats) Yukon and Kodiak as part of the Polar Scout program.

These two cubesats were intended to serve as the vanguard of enhanced telecommunications coverage in the Arctic, a domain that has always been important but is of increasing strategic significance today because it is at the intersection of great power competition and global climate change. In short, a warmer climate results in greater access; greater access results in greater maritime traffic, including by Russia and China. The Chinese, in particular, are constantly pressing to exploit resources the world over, be it living marine or hydrocarbon-based. Likewise, greater traffic means more need for increased governance presence to ensure safe, rules-based operations within the Arctic.

The Coast Guard is statutorily charged with serving as the United States Arctic governance presence. This means the Coast Guard increasingly requires the ability to communicate over-the-horizon thus, Polar Scout. And while the Coast Guard lost linkage to Yukon and Kodiak shortly after launch, the mere fact that the service had the vision to go boldly to the heavens to meet that need should be a forerunner of things to come.

Space issues are a hot topic in 2020. Indeed, we are at the start of a second great space age, one that is shaping up to be turbo-charged by the commercial market and the seemingly never-ending, exponentially increasing power of computer processing. The United States is pursuing the Artemis Accords, the Space Force is getting off the ground, NASA is looking towards Mars (but first to the moon! To stay!), and commercial space pursuits are booming. The Coast Guard has already gotten in the game, but it must continue to seriously consider space as it develops budgets and strategies for the future.

To succeed as an information-age military service and total-domain governance agency in the 21st century, the Coast Guard should view space through three lenses. First, how can the service best capitalize on cheap, ready access to space to facilitate its missions, as it had already started to do so with the Polar Scout launches? Second, how do commercial space efforts interact with the maritime industry and maritime domain; and to what extent, if any, does the Coast Guard need to adjust or modify its extensive suite of operating authorities and regulations to ensure that any risk to the safety and security of the maritime is adequately addressed? And third, how can the Coast Guard, as part of the joint force, assist the Space Force in executing the latters own responsibilities?

The Coast Guard should lean hard into the increased, affordable access to space that commercial space opportunities provide. This will require both a focused staffing and budget commitment, but every established position established and every spent dollar will pay dividends in terms of enhanced mission effectiveness and efficiency savings. Nearly every one of the Coast Guards 11 statutory missions can be better facilitated by improved access to space-based capabilities, whether theyre organic Coast Guard capabilities or capabilities provided by a partner department or agency. For example, various types of space-based surveillance can assist with many Coast Guard missions. These missions include maritime law enforcement (specifically drug interdiction), intelligence, buoy tending, vessel traffic management, and icebreaking.

Thus, the Coast Guard should develop a space-focused program office to integrate space considerations throughout its extensive mission set. As a start, this office should ensure that Coast Guard assets still in development specifically the Polar Security Cutter (PSC), any follow-on icebreakers, and the Offshore Patrol Cutter account for the space, weight, and power requirements to ensure access to secure satellite uplink/downlink data. This is especially important with respect to the PSC and any additional icebreakers, considering where they are intended to operate. Focusing here could allow these vessels to serve as information-age ocean station sentinels in a manner quite similar to that legacy Coast Guard mission, but updated with a modern twist to account for the value of orbital real estate at the poles.

Finally, while the Coast Guard Academy should absolutely be commended for its effort and initiative in helping to facilitate space operations for the Coast Guard, the Coast Guard should review and assess whether it is best served by having its sole continental U.S. terrestrial satellite link in New London, Connecticut, staffed primarily by cadets. It may be better served by adding additional stations, partnering with its sister-services, or fully committing to the concept, with an appropriately funded and dedicated support staff that would ideally report to the Coast Guards new space program office described above.

Next, the Coast Guard should immediately undertake a cross-program, deep review of how commercial space interacts with the maritime industry and within the maritime environment. It should develop a Space Operations Strategic Outlook, akin to its recent product with respect to the Maritime Transportation System, Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing, and specifically its forward leaning Cyber Strategy. While the Coast Guard has long supported safe and secure space operations where those operations intersect with the maritime domain (and there are certainly pockets of excellence, like Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville), as commercial space proliferates, there is a more acute need to establish space competencies across the entire Coast Guard.

For example, at least one commercial space company is actively refining its ability to recover its reusable rockets and pieces thereof at sea. This same companys main test facility also happens to be close to a major commercial ship channel and the intracoastal waterway. This leads to questions as to whether the Coast Guard has sufficient authority, regulatory tools, capacity, and capability to best identify and manage any risk to maritime operations or the marine environment posed by the companys test operations. Further, NASAs most recent human space flight mission used commercial space and was recovered at sea with a bit of drama, because spectator vessels were operating too close to the recovery zone. Here, as a helpful start, the current version of the 2019 Coast Guard Authorization Act, H.R. 3409 which the House of Representatives has passed includes some statutory language (Section 311) that would extend Coast Guard Captain of the Port Authority out past its default 12 nautical-mile range to facilitate safe and secure space operations at sea. Extending this authority is just one piece of the puzzle. Doing the assessment and developing a space-focused strategic outlook would help bring these issues into focus and clarify how the Coast Guard intends to address them. It will also inform and educate the public and the commercial space community of the challenges and opportunities that exist at the intersection of the space and maritime domains.

Finally, the Coast Guard should partner with the newly formed Space Force, to provide competencies that may be useful to the Space Force in the space domain. For example, space search and rescue comes to mind. Despite the ongoing debate over the nature of the Space Force and when/if it will be stationing its members in space, it is clear that commercial space entities fully intend a rapid increase in human space flight. It seems reasonable to believe that if the Space Force were to establish a full-time human presence in orbit, it should have the capability to render assistance to distressed space farers if needed. This is, of course, also consistent with the Outer Space Treaty and the Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, both of which the United States is party to. But currently, there is no specific domestic authorizing statute that would allow for a U.S. government agency to actually conduct such operations. The Coast Guards broad search and rescue authority (14 U.S.C. 521) and the affirmative legal duty of mariners to render assistance to each other when in distress codified in U.S. law (46 U.S.C. 2304) both would provide excellent models for developing a domestic law foundation for space-based search and rescue operations. It would benefit the Space Force to have the Coast Guard assist with this and similar analysis and, if necessary, legislative drafting assistance across the entire space governance realm. Additionally, the Coast Guard should consider what personnel support it can provide to U.S. Space Command on detail, so that Space Command becomes more familiar with Coast Guard space equities and so the Coast Guard can begin to build its own space competence.

It is fair to say that outer space and the Coast Guard are two terms that on their face, do not seem to have much in common. Indeed, many people are shocked when they learn about the Coast Guards broad responsibilities here on Earth. But, in the new space age of the 21st century, comparatively cheap, ready access to space is a once-in-a-civilization game changer. We are at the start of it right now, so now is the time for the Coast Guard and really any government agency with an operational mission set to seriously consider how space changes their game. Fully accounting for where the Coast Guard can factor space into its future planning is necessary to ensure that the service remains Semper Paratus to meet the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities space provides.

The views expressed are the authors alone and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Coast Guard, U.S. Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

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The future of the U.S. Coast Guard is in outer space - Brookings Institution

Space Propulsion Market by Type, System Component, Platform, Orbit, End-user, Orbit, Support Service, and Region – Global Forecast to 2025 -…

Posted on October 17, 2020 by Danzig

Dublin, Oct. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Space Propulsion Market by Type (Chemical Propulsion, Non-chemical Propulsion), System Component (Thrusters, Propellant Feed System, Nozzle), Platform (Satellite, Launch Vehicle), Orbit, End User, Orbit, Support Service, and Region - Forecast to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global space propulsion market is projected to grow from USD 6.7 billion in 2020 to USD 14.2 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 16.2% from 2020 to 2025.

The market is driven by various factors, such as an increase in the number of space exploration missions, demand for LEO-based services, and increasing demand for advanced electric propulsion systems.

Some of the key players in the space propulsion market include Safran S.A. (France), Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. (US), SpaceX (US), IHI Corporation (Japan), and Northrop Grumman Corporation (US). These players have their presence across various countries in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East & Africa, and South America.

COVID-19's Impact on the Space Industry

Launches: Many launch service providers are focused on upcoming launches that were delayed by some time. Rocket Lab (US) has suspended launches for the time being. Guiana Space Center, a French and European spaceport, has suspended flights. Arianespace (France) still launches from Baikonur, Russia. Soyuz MS-16 was launched in April 2020 with a new crew for the International Space Station (ISS), and in August 18, 2020, SpaceX launched its eleventh Starlink mission, which included 58 Starlink satellites and three of Planet's SkySats.

The space propulsion market faced a slight decline from 2018 to 2019 due to a decrease in the number of space launches. COVID-19 has also affected the import and export trading activities in the space industry. However, the expected rise in space launches from 2021 and beyond will drive the space propulsion market.

Satellites: The fastest-growing segment of the space propulsion market, by platform

By platform, the satellite segment is estimated to be the largest and fastest-growing segment in the space propulsion market. The growth of this segment can be attributed to rising small satellite launches for commercial and government applications. Large satellites, medium satellites, CubeSats, and small satellites, including nanosatellites, microsatellites, and minisatellites, play an important role in Earth observation, communication, and meteorology applications. These satellites are capable of monitoring cyclones, storms, El Nino, floods, fires, volcanic activities, earthquakes, landslides, oil slicks, environmental pollution, and industrial and power plant disasters

Government & defense segment is estimated to account for the largest market share in the year 2020

The government & defense segment is estimated to have the largest revenue market share in 2020. The growth of this segment can be attributed to increasing space exploration missions and rising space budgets. Defense organizations support the use of various types of satellites, such as remote sensing satellites, communication satellites, and surveillance satellites, for military operations and cyber operations. Support operations usually involve the launch of satellites with high-value payloads in space through Expendable Launch Vehicles (ELVs). They also ensure monitoring by facilitating the friendly use of space for various operations, such as surveillance, protection, and space intelligence analysis. For instance, the US Air Force regularly launches GPS and missile-defense tracking satellites and operates two classified X-37B robotic space planes.

Design, engineering, & operation: The fastest-growing segment of the space propulsion market, by support service

By support service, the design, engineering, & operation segment is estimated to be the fastest-growing segment of the space propulsion market. The growth of this segment can be attributed to the need for advanced design and engineering to reduce the costs and complexities of propulsion systems. The service team responds directly to customers requiring system-level technology and concept evaluation, analysis, and maturation; detailed system development and propulsion component integration; and test verification planning, evaluation, and certification. The design, engineering, & operation service also provides operational support for space transportation propulsion systems. The service provided ranges from small thrusters to large rocket engines, covering both earth storable and cryogenic propellants.

North America: The fastest-growing region in the space propulsion market

Based on the region, the space propulsion market in North America is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growing demand for commercial communication and imaging satellites, increasing deployment of small satellites, rising space exploration missions for interplanetary observations, and demand for resupply missions for International Space Station (ISS) are key factors expected to drive the market in North America. Globally, technological breakthroughs and resourceful insights obtained from past space missions have inspired new players to invest in this niche market.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights

5 Market Overview5.1 Introduction5.2 Market Dynamics5.2.1 Drivers5.2.2 Restraints5.2.3 Opportunities5.2.4 Challenges5.3 Average Selling Price Trend5.4 Value Chain Analysis5.5 Ecosystem/Market Map5.6 COVID19 Impact: Ranges and Scenarios

6 Industry Trends6.1 Introduction6.2 Technology Analysis6.3 Key Market for Export/Import6.4 Patent Analysis6.5 Case Study Analysis

7 Space Propulsion Market, by Propulsion Type7.1 Introduction7.2 Chemical Propulsion7.2.1 Solid7.2.2 Liquid7.2.3 Hybrid7.2.4 Green7.3 Non-Chemical Propulsion7.3.1 Electric Propulsion7.3.1.1 Xenon7.3.1.2 Argon7.3.1.3 Krypton7.3.1.4 Hydrogen7.3.1.5 Others7.3.2 Solar Propulsion7.3.2.1 Solar Sail Propulsion7.3.2.2 Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP)7.3.2.3 Solar Thermal Propulsion7.3.3 Tether Propulsion7.3.4 Nuclear Propulsion7.3.5 Laser Propulsion

8 Space Propulsion Market, by System Component8.1 Introduction8.2 Thrusters8.2.1 Chemical Propulsionthruster8.2.1.1 Cold and Warm Gas Thrusters8.2.1.2 Monopropellant Thrusters8.2.1.3 Bipropellant Thrusters8.2.2 Electric Propulsion Thruster8.2.2.1 Gridded Ion Engine (GIE) or Ion Thruster8.2.2.2 Hall Effect Thruster (HET)8.2.2.3 High Efficiency Multi Stage Plasma Thrusters (HEMP-TS)8.2.2.4 Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT)8.2.2.5 Quad Confinement Thruster (QCT)8.2.2.6 Magneto Plasma Dynamic (MPD) Thruster8.2.2.7 Others8.3 Propellant Feed System8.3.1 Propellant Tanks8.3.1.1 Monopropellant Tanks8.3.1.2 Bipropellant Tanks8.3.2 Regulators8.3.1.1 High Pressure Regulator8.3.1.2 Low Pressure Regulator8.3.3 Valves8.3.4 Turbo Pump8.3.5 Combustion Chamber8.4 Rocket Motors8.5 Nozzle8.6 Thermal Control System8.7 Power Processing Unit (PPU)8.8 Others

9 Space Propulsion Market, by Platform9.1 Introduction9.2 Satellite9.2.1 Cubesat9.2.2 Smallsatellite (1-500Kg)9.2.2.1 Nanosatellite9.2.2.2 Microsatellite9.2.2.3 Minisatellite9.2.3 Medium Satellite (501-2500Kg)9.2.4 Large Satellite (>2500Kg)9.3 Capsule/Cargo9.3.1. Crewed Spacecraft or Human Space Flight9.3.2 Uncrewed or Unmanned Spacecraft9.4 Interplanetary Spacecraft and Probes9.5 Rovers/Spacecraft Landers9.6 Launch Vehicles9.6.1 Small Lift Launch Vehicles (<350,000 Kg)9.6.2 Medium to Heavy Vehicles (>350,000 Kg)9.6.3 Reusable Launch Vehicle

10 Space Propulsion Market, by Orbit10.1 Introduction10.2 Low Earth Orbit (LEO)10.3 Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)10.4 Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO)10.5 Beyond Geosynchronous Orbit

11 Space Propulsion Market, by End-user11.1 Introduction11.2 Government & Military11.2.1 National Space Agency11.2.2 Department of Defense (DOD)11.2.3 Others11.3 Commercial11.3.1 Space Launch Service Providers11.3.2 Satellite Operators and Owners

12 Space Propulsion Market, by Support Services12.1 Introduction12.2 Design, Engineering and Operation12.3 Hot Firing and Environmental Test Execution12.4 Fueling and Launch Support

13 Space Propulsion Market, Regional Analysis13.1 Introduction13.2 North America13.2.1 North America: COVID-19 Impact13.2.2 Tariff and Regulatory Landscape13.2.3 US13.2.4 Canada13.3 Europe13.3.1 Europe: COVID-19 Impact13.3.2 Tariff and Regulatory Landscape13.3.3 UK13.3.4 Russia13.3.5 Germany13.3.6 France13.3.7 Italy13.4 Asia-Pacific13.4.1 Asia-Pacific: COVID-19 Impact13.4.2 Tariff and Regulatory Landscape13.4.3 China13.4.4 Japan13.4.5 India13.4.6 South Korea13.4.7 Australia13.5 Middle East & Africa13.5.1 Middle East & Africa: COVID-19 Impact13.5.2 Tariff and Regulatory Landscape13.5.3 Saudi Arabia13.5.4 Israel13.5.5 Turkey13.5.6 South Africa13.6 South America13.6.1 Brazil13.6.2 Mexico

14 Competitive Landscape14.1 Introduction14.2 Market Evaluation Framework14.3 Market Ranking14.4 Market Share14.4.1 By Propellant Feed System14.4.2 By Electric Propulsion Thruster14.4.3 By Propulsion System14.5 Revenue Analysis of Top Five Market Player14.6 Key Market Developments14.6.1 Contracts14.6.2 New Product Launches14.6.3 Agreements, Partnerships, and Joint Ventures

15 Company Evaluation Matrix and Company Profiles15.1 Overveiw15.2 Company Evaluation Matrix Definitions and Methodology15.2.1 Star15.2.2 Emerging Leaders15.2.3 Pervasive15.2.4 Emerging Companies15.3 Company Evaluation Matrix, 201915.3.1 Strength of Product Portfolio15.3.2 Business Strategy Excellence15.4 Start-Up Matrix, 201915.5 Company Profile15.5.1 OHB SE15.5.2 Accion System15.5.3 Boeing15.5.4 Northrop Grumman Corporation15.5.5 Maxar Technologies15.5.6 Thales Alenia Space15.5.7 Airbus Defense and Space15.5.8 Vacco Industries15.5.9 Moog Inc.15.5.10 Cobham Mission Systems Wimborne Limited15.5.11 Ariane Group GmbH15.5.12 AST Advanced Space Technologies GmbH15.5.13 Stanford MU Corporation15.5.14 Bradford Space15.5.15 RAM Company15.5.16 Blue Origin15.5.17 SpaceX15.5.18 Sierra Nevada Corporation15.5.19 IHI Corporation15.5.20 Safran15.5.21 Rocket Labs15.5.22 Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc.15.5.23 Yuzhnoye SDO15.5.24 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.15.5.25 Virgin Galatic15.5.26 L3Harris Technologies15.5.27 Fakel15.5.28 Enpulsion GmbH15.5.29 Busek Co. Inc.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/mid9c2

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Space Propulsion Market by Type, System Component, Platform, Orbit, End-user, Orbit, Support Service, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025 -...

Kleos Space launch team arrive in India for final preparations before the imminent launch of mission satellites – sUAS News

Posted on October 17, 2020 by Danzig

Kleos Space S.A. (ASX: KSS, Frankfurt: KS1,) (KleosorCompany), a space-powered Radio Frequency Reconnaissance data-as-a-service (DaaS) companyconfirms that the team mission experts have arrived in Chennai, India in preparation for the launch of Kleos four Scouting Mission nanosatellites aboard PSLV C49 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

The launch is due in early November 2020.

Kleos Spaces Gavin Bowyer supported by Ed Stevens from In-Space Missions and Marcy M. Rugland from Spaceflight arrived in Chennai on the 15thOctober 2020..

Gavin Bowyeris the MAIT (Manufacturing, Assembly, Integration and Test) Manager at Kleos Space having joined the Company at its formation from UK Space Company Magna Parva where he has overseen and built equipment for Mars and Mercury exploration missions over a 10 year Space career.

Ed Stevensis the Director of Space Systems at In-Space Missions, a Space as a Managed Service company, where he leads the design, build and operation of the companys satellites.Ed brings his 20+ years of space experience in design, build and launch to bear in providing support to Kleos in delivery of the Scouting Mission nanosatellites.

Spaceflight Mission ManagerMarcy M. Ruglandis an experienced engineering leader with a passion for commercial space and aerospace. As a Mission Director, she has overall technical and schedule responsibility for the KSM, meaning from the mission assignment to post-launch, including onsite launch campaign team leadership. Marcy also volunteers as a member of the steering committee of Ladies who launch.

The team will undergo a system checkout and mechanical inspection prior to battery charging, and fuelling. The satellites will be armed for flight, inserted into their dispensers and finally integrated onto the PSLV launch vehicle.

Andy Bowyer, CEO of Kleos Space added We are immensely proud of the entire team, launching satellites is always a huge challenge and the COVID-19 pandemic has made logistics and travel even more difficult, their dedication to getting our Scouting Mission satellites into orbit and to collecting data in order to deliver enhanced situational awareness for our customers has been remarkable.

About Kleos Space S.A.

Kleos Space S.A. (ASX: KSS) is a space enabled, activity-based intelligence, data as a service company based in Luxembourg. Kleos Space aims to guard borders, protect assets and save lives by delivering global activity-based intelligence and geolocation as a service. The first Kleos Space satellite system, known as Kleos Scouting Mission (KSM), will deliver commercially available data and perform as a technology demonstration. KSM will be the keystone for a later global high capacity constellation. The Scouting Mission will deliver targeted daily services with the full constellation delivering near-real-time global observation.

For more information please visit:www.kleos.space

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Kleos Space launch team arrive in India for final preparations before the imminent launch of mission satellites - sUAS News

Another View: What a Justice Barrett might mean for the Second Amendment – Press Herald

Posted on October 17, 2020 by Danzig

As the Senate Judiciary Committee began hearings Monday on the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, much of the attention focused on whether the committee should even be considering her at this late date, with so many Americans already casting ballots in elections that could shift control of the White House and Congress. There was widespread interest, too, in how Barrett would handle issues already before the court or potentially soon to be there, including challenges to the Affordable Care Act and the results of the November elections.

One issue flying under the radar is gun control. Its been more than a decade since the Supreme Court has taken up a significant Second Amendment case largely, court observers agree, because the four conservative associate justices worried that they wouldnt be able to persuade Chief Justice John Roberts to vote with them to expand the rights of gun ownership.

If Barrett wins Senate approval to replace the late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the conservatives might just gain that fifth vote. And that could be exceedingly dangerous for a country already awash in guns, potentially undermining efforts of California, New York and other states to overlay some measure of sanity on access to and use of firearms.

The Supreme Court previously embraced the notion that the Second Amendment referred to the rights of states to maintain militias, which consisted of individuals who brought their guns with them in the event the state called the militia into service. That changed with the 2008 District of Columbia v. Heller decision, written by a conservative icon, Justice Antonin Scalia (invoking a misreading of the historical role of militias). In that case, the court held for the first time that the Second Amendment conferred a constitutional right to keep a firearm in the home for purposes of self-defense.

But it wasnt an absolute right, the court held. Government has a compelling interest in regulating who has access to firearms, Scalia wrote, pointedly adding that nothing in our opinion should be taken to cast doubt on long-standing prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms.

A couple of years later, the court ruled in McDonald v. Chicago that the Heller decision applied to state laws as well as federal, but since then it has declined to accept cases that might clarify other issues, such as whether the court believes the right to have a firearm exists outside the home. (It took one case last year, then abandoned it as moot after the New York law at issue was changed.)

The Heller decision was wrongly decided, in our view, but the likelihood that this court will undo it is astronomically small. More likely, with Barrett aboard, is that the court will change the way it assesses gun regulations, opening the door for more successful challenges by gun rights advocates, many of whom take a hard-line approach that the Second Amendment guarantees just about anyone in the country the right to own and carry a gun any time they want.

Barrett didnt mention the Second Amendment in her opening statement Monday before the Judiciary Committee. And while sitting on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, Barrett considered only one Second Amendment case, writing an arcane but important dissent in Kanter v. Barr, a 2-1 case last year.

Since the Heller decision, lower federal courts have measured the constitutionality of gun restrictions by looking at whether the restriction in dispute achieved an important government objective. If the evidence showed that it did, the courts have held, restrictions were lawful even if they impinged on someones ability to buy or carry a weapon.

Barretts dissent embraces a broader view of Second Amendment rights that suggests she subscribes to the text, history and tradition test to determine whether there is a historical precedent for a challenged gun law. If theres no precedent, then the restriction is unconstitutional a theory that could imperil such modern gun controls as mandatory background checks, permits to carry a firearm in public and bans on large-capacity magazines.

But when do history and tradition start? Gun laws have always been part of American jurisprudence. So while Barretts ascension to the court will likely shift the balance toward loosening gun restrictions, its unclear how far she and the court might go.

Ultimately, though, loosening restrictions or barring innovative new controls on access to firearms would move the country in the wrong direction. We know that the presence of firearms in the home increases the likelihood they will be used against someone in the household. We have seen the incendiary effect they have when protesters arrive at demonstrations with military-style rifles slung over their shoulders. Accidental deaths and suicides run higher in jurisdictions with the fewest restrictions on gun ownership. Thats all part of the history we would hope even a conservative court would contemplate as it holds the fate of so many people in its hands.

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Another View: What a Justice Barrett might mean for the Second Amendment - Press Herald

Mark Kelly says he supports the Second Amendment. But actions speak louder than words – The Arizona Republic

Posted on October 17, 2020 by Danzig

Jon Gabriel, opinion contributor Published 7:00 a.m. MT Oct. 17, 2020

Opinion: Democratic Senate candidate Mark Kelly founded a center that gave Arizona gun laws an F and endorsed candidates that few gun supporters would back.

Democratic challenger Mark Kelly prepares to debate Republican Sen. Martha McSally at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University on Oct. 6, 2020.(Photo: Rob Schumacher/The Republic)

Sure, Mark Kelly loves the Second Amendment. Just ask him.

"I am a supporter of the Second Amendment, I am a gun owner, the Democrat said at last weeks U.S. Senate campaign debate. Our rights and traditions are so important.

I probably own more firearms than your average Arizonan," he told another interviewer.

But Kellys actions show disdain for gun rights. The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which Kelly co-founded,endorsed California as the best model for gun laws while giving Arizona an F.

Californians fleeing their state might vote for the same failed policies in their new home of Arizona. If so, Mark Kelly is their guy. Arizonans who view the basket case to our West as a cautionary tale need to think twice.

Politicians love making promises almost as much as they love breaking them once they arrive in D.C. Its voters duty to trust but verify these oaths, although the trust part is optional.

The record clearly shows that Kelly has spent years pushing gun control legislation and promoting the Second Amendments worst enemies.

For Kelly, the issue of gun control is personal. His wife, Rep. Gabby Giffords, was shot by a mentally ill man in 2011, leaving her with a traumatic brain injury. The gunman killed six others, all with a weapon he legally bought following a background check.

His activism is understandable, but he should be honest about it. Kelly is free to push all the gun control measures he wants; Arizona voters are free to disagree.

Following the Tucson shooting, Kelly and Giffords founded a gun control group called Americans for Responsible Solutions. In 2017, they renamed it Giffords, including a legal arm and political action committee.

The groups mission is fighting to end the gun lobbys stranglehold on our political system. Their long list of political endorsements includes some of the most passionate opponents of our Second Amendment rights.

The Giffords group endorsed Gov. Gavin Newsomin 2018, celebrating California for having the strictest anti-gun laws in the nation.

Im so honored to receive the support of Gabby and Mark two incredible advocates and selfless public servants, Newsom said. I have long admired their work across the country fighting to end gun violence, and Ive been proud to partner with them to strengthen our gun safety laws here in California.

Newsom is eager to push his gun safety laws on Arizona with another ally in the U.S. Senate.

Kelly and Giffords also endorsed Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzkerthat yearfor his attacks on the Second Amendment. Needless to say, Arizona has plenty of former Land of Lincoln residents as well. They fled for a reason.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) earned the coveted Giffords endorsement this year. While Mark Kelly might not mention the words Democrat or progressive in his ads, his organizationsure likes far-left candidates.

Thegroupeven endorsed Rep. Pramila Jayapal (DWash.), who praised protesters inSeattles violent CHAZ as planting the seeds of justice.The next day she called for decriminalizing homelessness and to re-imagine and rebuild law enforcement across the country in order to finally put an end to police brutality, militarization, and anti-Blackness.

Most Arizonans dont want autonomous zones planting the seeds of justice in Phoenix, Tucsonor Flagstaff, but perhaps Kelly disagrees. His groupsendorsement says otherwise.

Just like Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, Mark Kelly fills his ads with waving flags, pickup trucks, and paeans to tradition and the Constitution. But if the past is prelude, a Senator Kelly will push Sacramento and Seattle laws on the freedom-loving voters of Arizona.

I suspect Arizonans dont want to see their state turned into California. Mark Kelly hopes they do.

Jon Gabriel, a Mesaresident, is editor-in-chief of Ricochet.com and a contributor to The Republic and azcentral.com.Follow him on Twitter at@exjon.

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Mark Kelly says he supports the Second Amendment. But actions speak louder than words - The Arizona Republic

Plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor grew from the militia movement’s toxic mix of constitutional falsehoods and half-truths – ncpolicywatch.com

Posted on October 17, 2020 by Danzig

Image: Adobe Stock

The U.S. militia movement has long been steeped in a peculiar and unquestionably mistaken interpretation of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and civil liberties.

This is true of an armed militia group that calls itself the Wolverine Watchmen, who were involved in the recently revealed plot to overthrow Michigans government and kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

As I wrote in Fracturing the Founding: How the Alt-Right Corrupts the Constitution, published in 2019, the crux of the militia movements devotion to what I have called the alt-right constitution is a toxic mix of constitutional falsehoods and half-truths.

Private militias

The term militia has many meanings.

The Constitution addresses militias in Article 1, authorizing Congress to provide for organizing, arming and disciplining, the Militia.

But the Constitution makes no provision for private militias, like the far-right Wolverine Watchmen, Proud Boys, Michigan Militia and the Oath Keepers, to name just a few.

Private militias are simply groups of like-minded men members are almost always white males who subscribe to a sometimes confusing set of beliefs about an avaricious federal government that is hostile to white men and white heritage, and the sanctity of the right to bear arms and private property. They believe that government is under the control of Jews, the United Nations, international banking interests, Leftists, Antifa, Black Lives Matter and so on. There is no evidence of this.

On Oct. 8, the FBI arrested six men, five of them from Michigan, and charged them with conspiring to kidnap Whitmer. Shortly thereafter, state authorities charged an additional seven men with, according to the Associated Press, allegedly seeking to storm the Michigan Capitol and seek a civil war. Included were the founders and several members of the Wolverine Watchmen.

As revealed in the FBI affidavit accompanying the federal charges, the six men charged claimed to be defenders of the Bill of Rights. Indeed, some of the men in April had participated in rallies in Lansing, the state capital, where armed citizens tried to force their way onto the floor of the State House to protest Governor Whitmers pandemic shut-down orders as a violation of the Constitution by a tyrannical government intent upon sacrificing civil liberties in the name of the COVID-19 fight.

According to the FBIs affidavit, the conspirators wanted to create a society that followed the U.S. Bill of Rights and where they could be self-sufficient.

Militia members imagine themselves to be the last true American patriots, the modern defenders of the United States Constitution in general and the Second Amendment in particular.

Hence, the Bill of Rights and especially the Second Amendment, which establishes the right to bear arms figure prominently in the alt-constitution. It is no accident that the initial discussions about overthrowing Michigans so-called tyrannical governor started at a Second Amendment rally in June.

According to most militias, the Second Amendment authorizes their activity and likewise makes them free of legal regulation by the state. In truth, the Second Amendment does nothing to authorize private armed militias. Private armed militias are explicitly illegal in every state.

No restrictions on rights

Additional foundational principles of militia constitutionalism include absolutism. Absolutism, in the militia world, is the idea that fundamental constitutional rights like freedom of speech, the right to bear arms and the right to own property cannot be restricted or regulated by the state without a citizens consent.

The far rights reading of the First and Second Amendments which govern free speech and the right to bear arms, respectively starts from a simple premise: Both amendments are literal and absolute. They believe that the First Amendment allows them to say anything, anytime, anywhere, to anyone, without consequence or reproach by government or even by other citizens who disagree or take offense at their speech.

Similarly, the alt-right gun advocates hold that the Second Amendment protects their God-given right to own a weapon any weapon and that governmental efforts to deny, restrict or even to register their weapons must be unconstitutional. They think the Second Amendment trumps every other provision in the Constitution.

Another key belief among militia members is the principle of constitutional self-help. Thats the belief that citizens, acting on their inherent authority as sovereign free men, are ultimately and finally responsible for enforcing the Constitution as they understand it.

Demonstrating this way of thinking, the men arrested in Michigan discussed taking Gov. Whitmer to a secure location in Wisconsin to stand trial for treason prior to the Nov. 3 election. According to Barry County, Michigan Sheriff Dar Leaf a member of the militia-friendly Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officer Association the men arrested in Michigan were perhaps not trying to kidnap the governor but were instead simply making a citizens arrest.

Leaf, who appeared at a Grand Rapids protest in May of Gov. Whitmers stay-at-home order along with two of the alleged kidnappers, mistakenly believes that local sheriffs are the highest constitutional authority in the United States, invested with the right to determine which laws support and which laws violate the Constitution. The events in Michigan show how dangerous these mistaken understandings of the Constitution can be.

There will be more

The Wolverine Watchmen are not a Second Amendment militia or constitutional patriots in any sense of the word. If they are guilty of the charges brought against them, then they are terrorists.

The FBI and Michigan law enforcement shut down the Watchmen before an egregious crime and a terrible human tragedy unfolded. But as I concluded just last year in my book, there is little reason to think the militia movement will subside soon.

Unfortunately, I did not account for the possibility that President Trump would encourage militias to stand back and stand by, which seems likely to encourage and embolden groups that already clearly represent a threat. Expect more Michigans.

This story incorporates material from a story published on April 15, 2019 in The Conversation.

John E. Finn is a Professor Emeritus of Government at Wesleyan University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Plot to kidnap Michigan's governor grew from the militia movement's toxic mix of constitutional falsehoods and half-truths - ncpolicywatch.com

On the Second Amendment and Hunting – National Review

Posted on October 17, 2020 by Danzig

Salesman Ryan Martinez holds a handgun at the Ready Gunner gun store In Provo, Utah, June 21, 2016.(George Frey/Reuters)

In my post arguing that the Founders wanted you to own AR-15, I contend that there was no mention of hunting during drafting debates over the Bill of Rights.

Professor Joseph Olson reminds me that the debates over ratification of the Bill of Rights in Pennsylvania did indeed mention hunting. (I write about this in detail in my cultural history of the gun.)

Here was the excellent suggestion offered by the Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention on the topic of arms:

That the people have a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and their own state, or the United States, or for the purpose of killing game; and no law shall be passed for disarming the people or any of them, unless for crimes committed, or real danger of public injury from individuals; and as standing armies in the time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; and that the military shall be kept under strict subordination to and be governed by the civil powers.

James Madison ended up simplifying and distilling many suggestions, throwing in a comma that would be seized upon many years later. But the debate on ratification was over militias and standing armies, never over individual ownership of guns.

Hunting was likely only mentioned in the Pennsylvania convention as a precaution against English-style restrictions on ownership. The most famous example, the Game Act of 1671, made possession of a firearm by anyone unqualified to hunt (read, common men) illegal and provided a pretext for the Crown to confiscate weapons.

Many saw all of this as superfluous. Some argue that fear of the national government was overblown because there were so many guns in private hands it was unimaginable any tyrannical army could ever be more powerful than the general public. Noah Webster, writing as A Citizen of America, reasoned that the supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States.

Not one person in the provisional government or at the Second Continental Congress or any delegate at the Constitutional Convention at any state ratifying convention is on the record arguing against the idea of individual firearm ownership. There is, however, a multitude of examples of leaders championing the importance of that right.

Eight of the 13 original states enshrined the right to gun ownership in their constitutions most with language more straightforward than that found in the Bill of Rights. The best was probably New Hampshires compact sentence: Congress shall never disarm any Citizen unless such as are or have been in Actual Rebellion.

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On the Second Amendment and Hunting - National Review

When Armed Vigilantes Are Summoned With a Few Keystrokes – The New York Times

Posted on October 17, 2020 by Danzig

Tapping on his cellphone with a sense of purpose, Kevin Mathewson, a former wedding photographer and onetime city alderman in Kenosha, Wis., did not slow down to fix his typos as he dashed off an online appeal to his neighbors. It was time, he wrote on Facebook in late August, to take up arms to defend out City tonight from the evil thugs.

One day earlier, hundreds of residents had poured onto the streets of Kenosha to protest the police shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake. Disturbed by the sight of buildings in flames when he drove downtown, Mr. Mathewson decided it was time for people to arm themselves to protect their houses and businesses.

To his surprise, some 4,000 people responded on Facebook. Within minutes, the Kenosha Guard had sprung to life.

His call to arms along with similar calls from others inside and outside the state propelled civilians bearing military-style rifles onto the streets, where late that night a gunman scuffling with protesters shot three of them, two fatally. The Kenosha Guard then evaporated just as quickly as it arose.

Long a divisive figure in Kenosha, Mr. Mathewson, 36, who sprinkles his sentences with Jeez! and describes himself as chunky, does not fit the typical profile of a rifle-toting watchdog, although he said he supported President Trump on Second Amendment grounds. The rise and fall of his Kenosha Guard reflects the current spirit of vigilantism surfacing across the country.

Organizations that openly display weapons have existed for decades, with certain hot-button issues like immigration or Second Amendment rights inspiring people who think the Constitution is under threat. Ever since the 2017 white nationalist march in Charlottesville, Va., armed groups have become fixtures at demonstrations around the country, although membership numbers remain opaque.

With the approaching election ratcheting up tensions in recent months, armed groups that assembled via a few clicks on the keyboard have become both more visible and more widespread. Some especially violent groups were rooted in longstanding anti-government extremism, like the 14 men charged with various crimes in Michigan this month.

Starting in April, demonstrations against coronavirus lockdowns prompted makeshift vigilante groups to move offline and into the real world. This became more pronounced amid the nationwide protests after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis with some armed groups claiming to protect the protesters while others sought to check them.

When President Trump was asked at last months presidential debate about activity by right-wing extremists, including the violence in Kenosha, he declined to outright condemn such groups, and told one far-right group to stand back and stand by.

Experts who study violent groups say that many are unstructured and do not undertake basic steps like training together. They are usually just a fraternity with a shared goal, like the groups in Oregon that patrolled back roads amid wildfires, hunting mostly imagined looters or arsonists.

In Kenosha, police officers were caught on video expressing appreciation to the gunmen and handing them bottles of water, prompting criticism that law enforcement officers encouraged the armed groups.

But soon after, the sheriff tried to distance his department. Part of the problem with this group is they create confrontation, David Beth, the Kenosha County sheriff, told reporters at a news conference. Asked later about any investigation, the Sheriffs Department said it had not referred any cases linked to the Kenosha Guard for prosecution, and the Police Department did not respond.

Mr. Mathewson first tried to muster the Kenosha Guard in June after the city had small protests because of Mr. Floyds death in Minnesota. A little more than 60 people responded.

Then, on Aug. 23, video emerged that showed a Kenosha police officer firing seven times toward Mr. Blakes back.

When protests disintegrated into property destruction, Mr. Mathewson said, he thought law enforcement was overwhelmed.

After two nights of demonstrations, he posted an event on Facebook called Armed Civilians to Protect our Lives and Property. He named himself commander of the Kenosha Guard and added an open letter to the police telling them not to interfere.

Several hundred people volunteered to participate and around 4,000 expressed approval. His call to arms spread to other platforms, like Reddit. Infowars, the website that traffics in conspiracy theories, amplified it, as did local right-wing radio stations.

You cannot rely on the government or the police to protect you, Mr. Mathewson said.

Before forming the Kenosha Guard, he had seen reports focused on armed groups deploying in Minneapolis and Portland, Ore. It was so far from me that it did not seem real, he said. When it happens in your own backyard, your own city, it is like, Jeez, what can I do?

I am pro-Second Amendment, but I am not a right-wing nut job, he added.

Posts on Facebook amplified the sense of siege in Kenosha by spreading false rumors that murderous gangs from Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Chicago were coming to ransack the city of 100,000 people.

Jennifer Rusch, 47, a hair stylist, clicked on Mr. Mathewsons webpage to find armed men to protect her business. Facebook had a lot to do with making everybody hysterical, she said. Now we know 99 percent of it was lies.

People messaged Mr. Mathewson from around Wisconsin and other states, asking where to deploy. He could not handle the avalanche of responses flooding his cellphone, he said.

People thought we had some kind of command staff or a structure but it was really just a general call to arms meant mostly for his neighbors, Mr. Mathewson said.

Jerry Grimson, 56, a former campaign manager for Mr. Mathewson during his run for alderman, responded by organizing his own neighbors to come out. There was no way we were going to let people burn down our homes, he said.

That night, Mr. Mathewson stuck to the entrance of his subdivision, WhiteCaps, at least seven miles from the city center. Pictures show him wearing a baggy red Chuck Norris T-shirt and knee-length camouflage shorts, with a rifle slung over his chest. He passed the early evening sitting outside on a lawn chair with some armed neighbors, then went to bed early. I kind of felt a little bad that I got this in motion but then I was home by 9, he said.

While he slept, downtown Kenosha boiled over.

Witnesses blamed the violent disarray partly on the fact that many gunmen downtown were strangers to one another, with some on rooftops acting as spotters to call in reinforcements and no one in command.

To Raymond K. Roberts, a real estate investor and six-year Army veteran who monitored the vigilantes, the parade of jacked-up pickup trucks filled with armed men resembled Afghanistan.

Mr. Roberts noticed that law enforcement officers largely ignored the men.

The gunmen never seemed to realize that all the combat weaponry made Black residents like himself particularly uneasy, Mr. Roberts said, and that the community would have preferred to protect itself. They just had this assumption that we dont exist, he said.

As tensions surged with protesters and armed enforcers tussling, authorities say that Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old from nearby Illinois, opened fire with a military-style semiautomatic rifle, killing two protesters and seriously wounding a third. He faces homicide charges and has become a poster boy for the far right.

Mr. Mathewson remains unsure which armed men downtown responded to his call and he denied having any contact with Mr. Rittenhouse.

Longtime Kenosha residents said they were conflicted over Mr. Mathewson, with his behavior angering some and others praising his many years as an independent watchdog.

Fans noted that he had chased down surveillance videos that exposed bad police behavior and, before leaving his alderman post in 2017, pushed for police body cameras that have still not been bought. But critics said he had turned himself into a nuisance by transforming political differences into personal vendettas.

Angie Aker, a community activist, initiated a criminal complaint against him as an accessory to the protest deaths. I think he invited people in who were looking for a reason to shoot, she said. There is also a federal lawsuit that names Mr. Mathewson, along with Mr. Rittenhouse and Facebook, among others, for depriving the four plaintiffs of their civil rights; one is the partner of a victim and the three others allege that armed men assaulted them.

Mr. Mathewson said what he did was covered by free speech.

After the shootings, Facebook banned Mr. Mathewson for life, removing his personal and professional pages. He said he lost 13 years of photo archives, including videos of his daughter and son taking their first steps and a memorial page for his mother.

Mr. Mathewson said that for now he had no plans to revive the Kenosha Guard. His wife has had enough of the spotlight, he said, with his phone ringing constantly.

I am getting love and hate from all over the country, he said.

Mark Guarino contributed reporting.

Attendees say President Trump’s MAGA rally in Macon solidified their votes – 13WMAZ.com

Posted on October 17, 2020 by Danzig

People said they left feeling even more confident in their decision as they head to the polls for the next few weeks.

MACON, Ga. Just 18 days from Election Day, people who attended President Donald Trump's rally on Friday said he solidified their votes.

"I'm not a Republican, I'm not a Democrat, I'm just an American and I've never really been into politics, but a couple days ago, it was my 18th birthday so President Trump will be the first person I vote for. I just had to come over here and say that," says Kinsley Ann Hadaway, from Alabama

"I think that a lot more people showed up than what they thought. I think the parking was really difficult, but other than that, it was a really good turnout and there's a lot of support for Donald Trump," said Tanner Bone of Warner Robins.

When we asked his favorite part of the rally, Bone adds, "Probably his Second Amendment, when he was speaking about how the Second Amendment is at risk right now, I like that he supports that."

Cameron Bligen from Peachtree City said, "Tonight's rally has been great. I think that people need to see that this country is united and not as divided as the fake news wants you to see."

Shawn Evanuk from Centerville said, "Second Amendment rights, the fact that he's all for what America stands for, that's basically it in a nutshell."

13-year-old Daniel McElheney from Jones County said although he can't vote, "He's my favorite president and he's done so much for America and I think he's great."

There was a long wait time for buses to get back to the parking lots after the rally, and some people chose to walk the 1.25 miles to their cars instead.

Attendees say President Trump's MAGA rally in Macon solidified their votes - 13WMAZ.com

The Patriot Movement: The History and State of American Militia – SOFREP

Posted on October 17, 2020 by Danzig

American History

The concept of a militia is no stranger to the American canon. Traces of civilian-military forces go back as far as the 1600s during the Colonial Period, over a century before the 13 colonies declared independence from British rule on the 4th of July 1776. The Declaration of Independence was a pivotal act in the historical drama known as the American Revolution. With the infancy of a new nation came the drafting of a document that has stood the test of time the Constitution of the United States.

The U.S. was far from the first country in history to establish and apply a constitution as the basis for its political system. A constitution at its core is a set of agreed-upon tenets, to provide a governmental skeletal frame on which some sort of society or organization is constructed. Nonetheless, there is an element of the U.S. Constitution that stands out among the rest a single concept that upholds its structural integrity.

For the uninitiated, the United States can be considered more of an experiment than a country. The experiment, also known as the Great American Experiment, is one of individual freedom. The Founding Fathers, most of whom were of some sort of theistic/deistic inclination, determined that the rights and liberties of humankind were granted not by man but by a creator. Such an idea cements those rights as natural and transcendent above the edicts and statutes of man (in this case, the tyranny of the British Empire). Those rights could not be infringed. This is why the constitution is held in such high regard with the patriotic demographic of the U.S. public sphere.

The Founding Fathers designed the federal government to function as a limited entity in service to the people. The Constitution itself is what the entire executive, judicial, and legislative branches are held accountable to. If that document is upheld, there could never be a monarch or king that abused their power, and the government would always be under a checks and balances system that preserves the natural law of the constitution. This is noted in the section titled The Preamble to The Bill of Rights.

The Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.

On the 15th of December 1791, Congress amended the U.S. Constitution to include the Bill of Rights a series of amendments that established clarity on the limitations of governmental power and the natural rights owed to citizens. One of those amendments, the Second, is famously known as the right to bear arms. It reads:

Read Next: The second American revolution: What our constitution says about today's America

A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

This amendment is arguably one of the most controversial and contested components of the U.S. Constitution. In its very essence, the Second Amendment gives citizens the ability to form militias in the semblance of the local volunteer forces who fought the British in the American Revolution. It also grants the people the right to keep and bear arms, meaning they can lawfully possess firearms to use for self-defense and the defense of the country. This idea draws on the inalienable rights clause and promotes the sanctity of human life.

Going back to the forming of militias part, the Second Amendments functions keep the government in check in the case that it becomes tyrannical or oppressive. States having their own militias and citizens armed to the teeth were imagined to be a natural balance against the republics armed forces. In the forefathers eyes, the nations military is only meant to defend against foreign enemies, and the local militias were for domestic matters.

The current legal interpretation of the Second Amendment has been the subject of much controversy and argument both in the judicial system and the American public. The majority of conflict is over the right to bear arms clause, with a strict divide between the pro-gun and pro-gun control camps. But while personal gun ownership has been a common staple throughout the history of the nation, the concept of a militia is an area of legal contest.

The governments answer to a well-regulated militia is the United States National Guard, a volunteer reserve force that was activated countrywide in 1903. The National Guard falls under both the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force. It receives adequate government support as part of the annual national defense budget. In times of domestic hardship, the National Guard can be activated by the state governors or the president.

This has happened throughout the nations history. The Guard was most recently called to act as a protective force in cities affected by intense rioting during the ongoing social unrest that is driven by racial relations. The same social unrest that has led to the National Guards activation has created less conventional militia movements throughout the U.S. These controversial groups have their own mission and are subject to questioning in terms of legitimacy and legality. Nevertheless, two of them, the American Militia and Patriot Movements, are currently growing in strength and numbers.

The modern militia movements are still rather young compared to their ancestral counterparts. The motivation behind their creation was two domestic events that resulted in a governmental intervention.

The first of those two events was Ruby Ridge, an 11-day standoff that took place in Idaho from the 21st to the 31st of August 1992. Ex-Green Beret Randy Weaver was a man who subscribed to a doomsday-esque conspiracy theory derived from fundamentalist religious practices he and his family followed. His belief on impending doom led Weaver and his family to move off the grid onto a remote property in Idaho.

Weaver was the eventual subject of a federal investigation after being reported for reciting threatening rhetoric towards President Reagan and other government employees. This investigation led to the eventual arrest and indictment of Weaver for the manufacturing and possession of illegal weapons. Weaver had been amassing a personal arsenal in allegiance to his conspiratorial beliefs. This got the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) and the FBI involved.

Read Next: Op-Ed: The Founding Fathers wouldn't like either side of the gun control debate

A trial date was set for February of 1991, but Weaver never showed up. This led to a warrant being carried out for his arrest. The known intelligence about his compound, arsenal, and views on the government was factored in the sensitive operation to detain him. The U.S. Marshals utilized undercover officers to try and infiltrate his property and make the arrest.

On the first day of the siege, U.S. Marshals mistakenly alarmed Weaver while conducting reconnaissance. A firefight broke out resulting in the deaths of one U.S Marshal, Weavers 14-year-old son Sammy, and one of his family dogs. Weaver barricaded his family in the cabin while hundreds of law enforcement officers from multiple agencies swarmed the property. A few days later, an FBI sniper shot and killed Weavers wife Vicki while simultaneously injuring him and his friend Kevin Harris.

On the 31st of August, the stand-off ended with Weaver surrendering after being persuaded by a Green Beret named Bo Gritz. He had been brought in by law enforcement in an attempt to connect the two men over a shared experience. The siege resulted in protests and demonstrations in opposition to the governments actions that led to the killing of Vicki and Sammy Weaver.

In 1993, the year after Ruby Ridge, federal law enforcement became once again engaged in a stand-off plotline. In the city of Waco, Texas, a man named David Koresh was the spiritual leader of an offshoot sect of Christianity called the Branch Davidians. This sect held extreme and literalist views of Christian scripture and viewed Koresh as a Messianic figure who was leading them through the fulfillment of a claimed biblical prophecy. Koresh and his people resided at the Mount Carmel Center, a compound on the outskirts of Waco.

Koresh was importing and storing large quantities of illegal firearms and ammunition within the walls of Mount Carmel. That was eventually brought to the attention of the ATF through a local tip. The ATF conducted a raid on the compound on the 28th of February 1993. It resulted in multiple deaths on both sides.

In a similar fashion to Ruby Ridge, hundreds of federal law enforcement agents surrounded the compound and began attempts to negotiate with Koresh. The FBI Hostage Rescue and negotiation teams were unsuccessful at de-escalating the stand-off. This failure was later met with great public scrutiny.

The siege ended on April 19, 1993, after the FBI utilized tanks to penetrate the compound followed by canisters of tear gas. After finally breaking through, federal officers were able to enter Mount Carmel and investigate. Seventy-six bodies were discovered; the cause of death was either suicide or murder-suicide. Koresh was among those, as were 25 children.

Ruby Ridge and the Waco Siege represent a gross violation of government overstep in the eyes of some factions within the far-right side of the political spectrum. Starting around 1993, informal militia groups began organizing across the U.S. These groups were formed under the powers granted by the Second Amendment and through disdain for the state of the U.S. governments size and strength. Although each militia group is different, there are common values and ideas that bond them together:

To recap, the U.S. constitution has a unique clause that is commonly interpreted to allow for the formation and activation of local militia groups. These groups have a primary duty of upholding the constitution and preventing the rise and take-over of the country by a tyrannical government that would operate outside of the checks and balances system. The contemporary militia movement has been growing since the early 1990s and has had surges in activity and enlistment during the recent periods of political instability and civil unrest in the U.S.

The first rise in the modern militia movement was during the Obama Administration (2008 2016). The progressive politics and policies of President Obama were viewed as an existential threat to the Second Amendment and the social fabric of the nation. Out of the myriad of small militia groups and similar organizations, there are two that were formed during that period and that are the largest in the nation.

The Oath Keepers are a national organization formed in 2008 by Army veteran and Yale graduate Stewart Rhodes. The organization itself does not identify as a militia in the traditional sense, but it is a large benefactor within that community and shares the same views and values. As referenced on their homepage: Oath Keepers is a non-partisan association of current and formerly serving military, police, and first responders, who pledge to fulfill the oath all military and police take to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.'

That oath, mandated by Article VI of the Constitution itself, is to the Constitution, not to the politicians. As such, Oath Keepers declare that they will not obey unconstitutional orders, such as orders to disarm the American people, to conduct warrantless searches, or to detain Americans as enemy combatants in violation of the ancient right to a jury trial.

While the exact number of members is not public knowledge, they claim that they are around 30,000-strong. That number is up for dispute by some researchers of the group. There is heavy marketing towards military personnel, veterans, and law enforcement, but being one is not a requirement to join.

The Three Percenters were formed in 2008 by Oath Keepers member Michael Mike Brian Vanderboegh. The two groups are loosely yet not officially connected. According to their official website: The Three Percenters Original is a national organization made up of patriotic citizens who love their country, their freedoms, and their liberty. We are committed to standing against and exposing corruption and injustice.

When it comes to values and ideology, the Three Percenters have similarities to the Oath Keepers: the defense of the Second Amendment, an anti-government sentiment, and the promotion of an armed and politically informed public. They do not claim to be a militia. They have chapters spanning across the country. The term 3 Percenter has its roots in the groups claim that only 3 percent of the population fought against the British in the Revolutionary War.

These two organizations are part of a national community that involves smaller militias. Most of them are active in the Midwest and South. Collectively, these groups are currently a part of the national conversation in the U.S., primarily considering recent actions during the ongoing social unrest.

It is not much of a secret, but America is having some issues right now. Ever since the controversial 2016 election of President Donald J. Trump, there has been an ever-growing divide between political ideologies and social justice views. Tribalism and deeply rooted beliefs have manifested themselves in demonstrations and protests against the Trump Administration, as well as in counter-protests in support.

The current social unrest stems from protests against law enforcement, primarily local and state police. A string of incidents involving black citizens being killed at the hands of local police ignited the tensions already in place from the pandemic and political tribalism. These killings resulted in malevolent groups going to major urban centers with the intent of causing riots and anarchy under the guise of protest.

There is a distinct difference between the peaceful and social-oriented demonstrations and the violent and destructive ones, but either way, both have produced a furthering of the political divide. Cities like Portland, Seattle, Louisville, and Minneapolis have been the subject of property destruction, violence, and brutal clashes between protestors, counter-protestors, and law enforcement.

Armed militia groups have started to show up in cities rife with rioting, looting, and destruction of property. This was done in defiance of local law enforcement and as a practical demonstration of the ideologies these groups subscribe to. Militia members from the Oath Keepers, Three Percenters, and affiliate groups have been seen at protests. They have been heavily armed (firearms and tactical kit) and in a defensive posture. While the militiamen have remained generally peaceful, a recent incidentadded to the social chaos.

A police shooting of a black man on the 23rd of August 2020 in Kenosha, WI led to civil unrest and rioting. On the 25th of August 2020, a teenager named Kyle Rittenhouse, who self-identified with the militia movement, shot and killed two protestors while injuring a third. The act was claimed to be in self-defense, as the rioters were in pursuit of Rittenhouse. Nonetheless, his actions brought up the question of the legality and purpose of vigilantism and of militia groups taking law into their own hands.

In the coming months leading up to the November 2020 presidential election, there will highly likely continue to be an increase in self-identifying militiamen and organizations. No matter what the outcome of the election, civil unrest is likely going to continue amid the aforementioned tensions that have been building up for years.

In the case that riots continue, and politics divide the nation more, it is likely that militia groups will view that as a threat to the nations security. In the case that the presidency is won by Democratic candidate Joe Biden, right-wing groups will perceive a larger threat to the constitution due to the Democrats increasingly progressive nature and open talk of swiftly legislating long-desired gun control measures.

One can only hope that something can re-unify the United States. The unfortunate reality is that some feel it is already too late

This article was written by Michael Ellmer and originally published on Grey Dynamics.

See the article here:

The Patriot Movement: The History and State of American Militia - SOFREP

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