American Militia Movements

Source: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-08-03/youtubes-new-adl-thought-police-punish-conservatives-while-giving-far-left-extremist

Introduction:

The United States has a history of militia movements dating back to its founding. There have long been everyday citizens willing to take up arms against a government that they deem unfit to rule. In modern times, militia movements have ebbed and flowed in membership numbers, with right-wing militias seeing a spike in membership after the election of Barack Obama, and left-wing militias seeing a similar spike after Trump's election.

Right Wing Militias:

Right-wing militias are much more numerous than left-wing militias due largely in part due to the fact that people that lean to the right tend to be pro-gun. Traditionally, right-wing militias have been anti-government groups that align with libertarian or anarcho-capitalist ideals. This, however has changed under Trump for some odd reason. More and more, armed right-wing groups are claiming to be pro-Trump and even pro-police. This is likely due to the fact that much of the prepper movement is based around the idea of a New World Order or some sort of global socialist government taking over. Because Trump is very avidly anti-globalist, some militia groups see him and his administration as an ally.

Source: https://priceonomics.com/a-conversation-with-the-michigan-militia/

Two of the most popular militias in the United States are the Michigan Militia, and the Three Percenters. The Michigan Militia at one time saw membership in the thousands, but it has since dropped off. Incidents such as the Oklahoma City bombing dampened the fervor for joining militia movements.

Not surprisingly, many US, right-wing militias are largely comprised of military rejects mixed in with former military members. This brings into question their overall effectiveness as a fighting force should they be involved in a conflict against the government.

Left Wing Militias:

There are overall fewer left-wing armed groups operating in the US. Given the current political stances of the left, it is interesting to see left-leaning groups taking up arms. This essentially means that only the most radical of left-wing people join militias, whereas right-wing militias are comparatively much more common. 

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-08-03/youtubes-new-adl-thought-police-punish-conservatives-while-giving-far-left-extremist

Two prominent left-wing armed groups are Redneck Revolt and the Socialist Rifle Association. Redneck revolt brands itself as a group of anti-fascist, anti-racist community defenders with a focus of class liberation. Although they claim to be from a broad political background, the focus on terms such as "class liberation" and "pro-worker" suggest a Marxist or socialist ideology.

The Socialist Rifle Association (SRA) is a more overtly left-wing group who's mission is "to uphold the right of the working class to keep and bear arms and maintain the skills necessary for self and community defense." Funny enough, their media design has a very clear Soviet-esque aesthetic to it, incorporating plenty of red, starts, and block lettering. You can see for yourself here.

The Gear:

What an interesting group. Source: https://carolinareviewonline.org/2018/02/25/dwayne-dixon/

In many photos of left-wing militias, members appear to be going for the Soviet revolutionary look, electing to use AK-type rifles. For the more Americanized revolutionary, AR variants are much more common. Interestingly, the person second from the left in the picture above appears to have an HK33 type rifle. It is uncommon enough to see G3-type rifles being used, and a 5.56 variant is even more rare.

Unlike left-wing groups, right-wing groups tend to have much more gear and show some effort toward standardization. Members typically have an AR variant chambered in 5.56, and some sort of plate carrier.

Pictured above, the man on the right is seen with a Smith & Wesson M&P with an EO Tech holographic sight on it. Interestingly, the man on the left appears to be pro-police, sporting a thin-blue-line American flag on his plate carrier.

Conclusion:

Militias in the United States exemplify the division that we see in the country. Should political power be effectively leveraged, militias could become the armed wing of political parties, similar to political conflicts in regions such as the middle east. The 2nd amendment is a key component of what allows militia's to thrive. The relatively easy access to firearms allows any everyday citizen to arm themselves in self defense. Get enough of these self defense minded people together, and a milita is born. It will be interesting to see, as US politics become more divisive, if we will see flare ups in the form of left vs. right armed violence.