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View Full Version : Monroe WA - Local gun range, Appleseed sponsor, called militia training center




Anti Federalist
06-12-2009, 09:45 PM
FBI investigating alleged militia training camp (http://www.komonews.com/news/47264017.html)

Story Updated: Jun 9, 2009 at 12:14 PM PDT
By Casey Norton

MONROE, Wash. -- Special federal agents are investigating a local gun range suspected of serving as a militia training camp, according to court documents.

Owner Jim Faire says he can't afford to run a background check on every visitor because his outdoor gun range is a nonprofit business. As a result, he said, county officials and the FBI have begun cracking down on the range after a convicted felon was caught with guns and drugs there.

With thousands of shells littered across the ground, the gun range is now closed. Neighbors are glad to have the quiet, but they never suspected anything criminal was going on.

"There is no threat. And I am not worried about terrorism or any type of radical thing," said neighbor Arne Viklund.

Faire said the county shut down the gun range, citing violation of commercial zoning laws. But he believes the county clamped down because of one man -- Andrew Gray, a convicted felon who faces federal weapons and drug charges.

According to court documents, agents say Gray has a history with anti-government groups. An undercover informant told the FBI Gray had been firing rifles at the gun range, prompting agents to search his storage unit.

Inside they found 21 pistols and rifles, including a military-style machine gun. Also in the unit were two bulletproof vests and unregistered silencers. A search of Gray's house turned up more than 300 marijuana plants growing in the detached garage.

Gray's attorney refused to comment on the case.

Faire would not say just how long he's known Gray, but now he knows the FBI is watching him, too.

Court documents said anti-terrorism agents keep an eye on the gun range because the informant says it's known as a militia training center.

But Faire claims the word "militia" is just a part of an inside joke. He says his group is a local chapter of Project Appleseed, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching marksmanship and preserving gun rights.

And neighbors who've known Faire for more than 40 years say that sounds about right. They don't believe he's involved in any radical or anti-government movements.

Gray's attorney says her client stopped meeting with anti-government groups a few months ago. Gray has been freed on bail. He is due in court on Thursday.

Sean
06-12-2009, 10:19 PM
Is it illegal to create a militia?

cheapseats
06-13-2009, 12:45 PM
CNorton@komotv.com

There is sloppy journalism. Sloppy journalism is bad. And then there is being a mouthpiece, casually relaying whatever version of reality is issued by Officialdom. Being a mouthpiece is really bad.

Anyone with half a brain and a fraction of a heart can see and FEEL that capricious heavy-handedness by strong-arm government agencies is disturbingly on the rise. Police brutality is FRIGHTENINGLY on the rise. We suddenly live in a country where the mysterious man who was swept into power on the promise of Change has introduced "preventative detention" into the American lexicon. CZARS are proliferating like . . . well, like Politicians and Enforcers.

Thousands of casings on the ground?! At a GUN RANGE?! Say it ain't so!!

I don't know about you but I have never had a run-in with militia. I have never had a run-in with terrorists. If you will play the 9-11 card, I will play the Hitler card -- that's how THAT works.

But Big Corrupted Government? I run into Big Corrupted Government at every turn. At every other turn, I run into American citizens who complain of the same. We are taxed and fined and penalized and threatened and herded and coerced by a clumsy, mercenary, mean-spiritied giant that does not hesitate to run roughshod over People in the name of protecting the Public. Lip service, with a bully component.

A well regulated militia is not only protected by the Constitution, it is COMMANDED by the Constitution. Where ya been? "Alleging" a militia training ground is like alleging Voluntary Assembly, or alleging Free Press. A free and independent press is also protected by the Constitution. Shall the FBI swagger into YOUR place of business, alleging that YOU are practicing YOUR rights? I will argue that a Well Regulated Militia and a Free Press BOTH need more training, not less.

You might cut your investigative teeth on what strikes me, two states away, as a peculiarly high rate of deputy-involved shootings in your neck of the woods. You might focus on a pair of deputies that has been involved in more than one ongoing-investigation-caliber killing. Candidly, that conjures the creepy prospect of an Official hit squad. Up in your neck of the woods, small town journalists seem exceedingly amenable to contrived causes of death so long as they have an Official stamp and 'Paid Administrative Leave' seems as much like a style of life as a review of procedure.

SMART, my left foot. The Snohomish County Multi-Agency Response Team, a special group of homicide detectives trained to investigate killings by police, is NOT smart. It has NEVER been smart for people to investigate themselves. That is why investigative journalism is so very important. It would be a service to the Public if you would engage in it.

Sandman33
06-13-2009, 12:51 PM
"nieghbors are glad for the peace and quiet"

More bullshit propaganda smear to make the man running a LEGAL gun range look like public enemy.

Who's to say the ex con wasnt working for the feds? Just a plant to give a reason for the feds to run in there, shut the place down, and point the finger at innocent citizens?

cheapseats
06-13-2009, 12:54 PM
l

BOWLING ALLEYS INFILTRATED IN UNDERCOVER STING OPERATION
FEDS ALLEGE ARSENALS OF PIN-LIKE CLUBS AND CANON-LIKE BALLS
l

Dr.3D
06-13-2009, 12:57 PM
It's one thing to be anti-government and another to be anti-United States.

The country of the United States is the people, not the government.
The government is supposed to be for the people and by the people.
When the government stops being for the people and by the people, then it ceases to be anything but an entity against the people and thus against the United States.

cheapseats
06-13-2009, 01:11 PM
Nowhere but in government and its agencies have I seen more evidence of insecure people standing-up-for-looking-the-other-way-for-covering-up-for icky people.

If there will be toxic loyalty among the Aggressors, SURELY there is loyalty among the Aggrieved? I should think that other Appleseed sponsors would speak up on Mr. Faire's behalf. Unless "bear arms" shall be reduced to "own arms," there is no point in continuing to throw money toward blocking gun regulation if there is no intent to stand, literally, the ground upon which firearms training and safety is conducted.

Dieseler
06-13-2009, 01:22 PM
"nieghbors are glad for the peace and quiet"

More bullshit propaganda smear to make the man running a LEGAL gun range look like public enemy.

Who's to say the ex con wasnt working for the feds? Just a plant to give a reason for the feds to run in there, shut the place down, and point the finger at innocent citizens?

Badabing!
That's what I'm thinking and it won't be the first time.
The poor guy is lucky they didn't burn him out and haul him away.
If I remember right it was a Fed who just about had to twist Randy Weaver's arm to saw the barrel of a shotgun just a little too short wasn't it?
Weaver lost his Wife, Son and a good deal of his life over that mistake.
Be smart out there guys.

Danke
06-13-2009, 01:23 PM
"Andrew Gray, a convicted felon" What was the original felony for?

Seems they can turn just about anyone into a felon these days (drugs, IRS issue, etc) and then they can't vote or own guns.

And why can they shut down any range or business because of what a patron brings onto the property? The Feds could easily just bribe a convicted felon to do such a thing and shut down the ranges.

Dieseler
06-13-2009, 01:26 PM
"Andrew Gray, a convicted felon" What was the original felony for?

Seems they can turn just about anyone into a felon these days (drugs, IRS issue, etc) and then they can't vote or own guns.

And why can they shut down any range or business because of what a patron brings onto the property? The Feds could easily just bribe a convicted felon to do such a thing and shut down the ranges.

Double Badabing!
Just that easy it is.

cheapseats
06-13-2009, 09:35 PM
Nowhere but in government and its agencies have I seen more evidence of insecure people standing-up-for-looking-the-other-way-for-covering-up-for icky people.

If there will be toxic loyalty among the Aggressors, SURELY there is loyalty among the Aggrieved? I should think that other Appleseed sponsors would speak up on Mr. Faire's behalf. Unless "bear arms" shall be reduced to "own arms," there is no point in continuing to throw money toward blocking gun regulation if there is no intent to stand, literally, the ground upon which firearms training and safety is conducted.


Look only to the counterproductive rift between the NRA and the GOA to know the importance of solidarity between the Appleseed Project and our Well Regulated Militia -- y'know, the one called for by our Constitution, in case a government should get outta hand.

This being distinctly pertinent to Bearing Arms and Bearing Arms having a distinctive readership, I respectfully request that this thread be moved to the Bearing Arms forum.

Carson
06-13-2009, 10:06 PM
l

BOWLING ALLEYS INFILTRATED IN UNDERCOVER STING OPERATION
FEDS ALLEGE ARSENALS OF PIN-LIKE CLUBS AND CANON-LIKE BALLS
l

Somewhere on YouTube is a bowling ball cannon.

Apparently there is a bunch of them. I sure can't see the balls in the air though.

YouTube - Bowling Ball Cannon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO9eMgFWXTk)

Anti Federalist
06-13-2009, 10:22 PM
The pumpkin cannon.

YouTube - Pumpkin Canon vs Van (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=didpjwBgFqY&feature=related)

silverhawks
06-13-2009, 10:53 PM
Let's face it, that "informant" could have been:

a) anyone with a grudge against the gun range owner

b) a local bleeding heart liberal that has fallen for the "right wing extremist" and anti-militia hype

c) entirely fictional and used to push this case into the media, to get more of b)

Over the last couple of months I've seen so-called liberals (read: "fascists in conversion") talking about informing on anyone they suspect of being "associated with the Patriot movement", or a "violent militia, like that domestic terrorist McVey".

I suspect that if there was a revolution or a civil war tomorrow, these people would sign up to be a Civil Protection Squad in a heartbeat, because it would be "serving the Greater Good for All Americans".

Carson
06-13-2009, 10:57 PM
The pumpkin cannon.



Now I could see that one. It looked like it took out both doors. ? With compressed air?

ChaosControl
06-14-2009, 08:43 AM
What the bloody hell is wrong with a militia even if it was serving as one?
We SHOULD have thousands of militias throughout the country.

Crap like this just gives even more reason to why we need them.

fedup100
06-14-2009, 09:03 AM
"Andrew Gray, a convicted felon" What was the original felony for?

Seems they can turn just about anyone into a felon these days (drugs, IRS issue, etc) and then they can't vote or own guns.

And why can they shut down any range or business because of what a patron brings onto the property? The Feds could easily just bribe a convicted felon to do such a thing and shut down the ranges.

The answer is glaring us in the face but no one wants to realize or accept it. We my friends are watcing the new amerikan civil war being fought right now before our very eye's. The feds are still the bullies in black and blue and the Johnny Reb unfortunately is the quivering and terrified enemy always falling back in defeat. So far the battle count is Feds. 12 trillion, Johnny Reb: 0.