One of the controversies within the ranks of Tactical Civics supporters is, whether local militia should be built immediately, or whether that process should wait until some arbitrary level of public awareness, or TC Chapter planting, has been reached.

First I have to discuss the word, “immediately”. Anyone who has read my book An American Militiaman’s Handbook, who has belonged to a militia, has read about the history of militia, or has done realistic personal prepping, knows that a group worthy of the name cannot be built in a day, a week, a month . Not only does a significant number of dedicated people need to come together, but extensive training in a large number of fields needs to be under way, plans must be made for numerous contingencies and supporting processes planted, a wide and solid web of relationships must be built in all sectors of the surrounding community. Under the best of conditions, this will take time.

Here is the crucial observation. Local conditions vary widely across America. Some places are full of educated, unapologetic Constitutionalists, who are both accepted and respected by their neighbors and by local authorities. Some localities have governing bodies that are bold and committed Constitutionalists. Some places are the opposite in every respect, and most are distributed across the intervening spectrum.

In some places it is possible to get a large group together, work and train to the point of having effective militia capabilities, and secure both community trust and acceptance and good working relationships with local government and paid law-enforcement agencies, in a matter of months.

In many and perhaps most places in today’s America, that point will only be reachable after years of hard work, patient teaching and outreach, dedicated community service, and political action.

Here is the point: Politicians, like the ones on your local City Council or County Commission, even if they want to honor their oath to support the Constitution, are not generally bold leaders. They are followers, following after the vote, so that they can keep the job. They will not do a thing that is controversial, or unfamiliar, like passing Ordinances that secure We-the-People’s power to protect our own community, unless there is strong local support. They will not vote to recognize or support something they have never seen. And they will not want to be “the first” to do so.

That means that if we wait to begin to create militia, until we think we can do so in many places simultaneously, we will find that we cannot. Some will surge ahead, some will lag and some not germinate at all. Most local governing bodies, if asked on some arbitrary “Day” to pass certain ordinances, will see no local support, and will not in fact have ever seen a functioning local militia to recognize. They will also resist being manipulated by what will seem to be agitation by outsiders. Everyone will be in the position of being “The First”, which no one will want.

This is why my belief is, that everyone who believes in our plan of Constitutional Law-Enforcement, should be working, soberly and steadily, but as fast as local conditions allow, NOW, to build militia, under whatever name or form seems expedient, in their own home area.

Regardless of how quickly or slowly you progress and how far you eventually get, benefits are immediate. You will know more neighbors, and who among them you can rely on. You will become more resilient or self-sufficient, and better able to defend your family and friends. You will earn respect and probably a measure of un-official help from your local paid law-enforcement establishment.

And, if you and your group work well AND you happen to live in a place where the cultural “soil” is favorable, you MAY find that relatively soon you have the kind of organization, community support, and political landscape where you can go all the way to getting our Ordinances passed, and be the first in America to bring our power back into the daylight, from the dusty recesses of the history. YOU will then be the decisive answer to the craven arguments of the cowards and totalitarians. “It has never been done!” and “It can’t be done!” You will have cleared the path for many to follow.

In my opinion, “Later” means “never”. “NOW” is the time to begin!