Citizens support arming National Guardsmen (7/25/2015, 732 citizens, 1343 responses)

(Before It's News)

By Jacquelyn Benson

A July 2016 shooting at a military recruitment center in Chattanooga, Tennessee raised the question of whether service members working at such facilities should be able to carry weapons. In the wake of the controversy, the Live Free or Die Alliance (LFDA) put the question to Facebook members, asking “Should NH authorize National Guardsmen to carry weapons while serving at recruitment centers?”

In an exceptionally focused discussion, a total of 93% of respondents answered the question directly or with a concurrence, and of these a 96% majority supported allowing National Guardsmen to carry arms while on duty at recruitment centers, with only 4% against. Of the remaining respondents, only 6% opted to discuss the subject in broader terms while 1% commented on unrelated issues. In sum, 732 citizens participated in the discussion with a total of 1343 responses.

Supporters saw allowing guardsmen to carry arms as common sense. “Our service members are trained to defend our country yet they can't defend themselves at home?” one commenter wrote. “It is a disgrace that our troops are such a soft target and cannot protect themselves,” a respondent argued. “Side arms should be part of every service member’s uniform,” another said.

Opponents countered that it was not appropriate for guardsmen to carry arms in recruitment situations. “Nothing good can come from soldiers being armed here at home,” a former guardsman posted. “That’s what military police are for,” one commenter argued. “It is not justified,” another wrote.

Those opting not to give a yes or no response to the question instead discussed broader issues. “Why would civilians think they know better than the military?” one commenter asked. “Though I can appreciate the whys of civilians standing guard, letting the martial professionals handle their own security is always preferable,” another noted.

The nonprofit, nonpartisan LFDA takes no position on this or any issue, as this report is presented as a summary of citizen testimony. As New Hampshire’s Virtual Town Hall, the LFDA community, numbering more than 77,000, provides objective information on state issues, promotes the civil exchange of opinions, and communicates views to elected officials. To learn more about this issue or the LFDA, visit www.lfda.org.

Jacquelyn Benson is an editor with the Live Free or Die Alliance.

Live Free or Die Alliance
www.livefreeordiealliance.org

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