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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsReport of Armed Men Patrolling In NC
This was from a friend in Black Mountain, NC. Names have been removed.
Angry and concerned today.
Yesterday there were two armed fake police officers controlling entry to my neighborhood.
They were wearing shirts that identified them as members of Men in Black, Disaster Relief.
The one who stopped me and asked me where I was going gave me a gaslight answer when I asked him what authority he had; had they been brought in by our Sheriff, by FEMA, by?
He babbled about coming in through Jacksonville, blah blah blah, then said they were police officers from Arkansas.
Last night, after dark, there were two of them walking on my street, wearing vests, trying to look official. They were wearing handguns and carrying long rifles of the AR variety.
My husband was on the porch putting up a clothes line, using a bright light so he could see. They stopped and from the street demanded to know if we had power.
I had to drive to a place with phone service to place a call to the Sheriffs Department non-emergency number. I reported the earlier contact and the two armed men walking in my neighborhood. A deputy was supposed to come to the house to talk with me and my husband.
A deputy did try to call 3 times after I got home but we have no phone service at the house.
They never showed up in response to a call about armed individuals.
This morning my husband talked to the Homeland Security officer at Grovemont Park who told him that the MIB are not supposed to be here and they have no authority whatsoever over anyone or anything.
TBH, the entire situation reeks.
Yes, we had looters. Yes, there are reports of break-ins happening. Yes, we were happy when we had our own Sheriffs deputies stationed at the end of the street.
But this
this is not acceptable.
If you encounter any of these Men in Black, please report them to the Sheriffs Department or Homeland Security. Also please tell them to piss off and go home. They are violating peoples 4th Amendment rights!!
Think. Again.
(18,929 posts)That doesn't bode well for the election chaos they've been working on.
Coexist
(26,202 posts)at the gun store that was broken into about 1/2 mile from my home. You'd have thought there was a hostage situation. Very interesting.
(I'm in Asheville)
yardwork
(64,686 posts)Paseo Mundial
(23 posts)Do you have an HOA? If so, bylaws likely prohibit those men from loitering. This is deeply disturbing on many levels. and I suspect that are attempting to spread goodwill to legitimize their common law militia. Total BS. Do we need to send No trespassing signs to distribute in WNC? My husband is heading there next weekend, and I will send!
Deep State Witch
(11,338 posts)I posted a friend's FB post.
I suggested that she and her husband film them.
malaise
(278,668 posts)K & R
Prairie Gates
(3,536 posts)Patter-rollers out and about, same as it ever was.
littlemissmartypants
(25,839 posts)Still finding out about deaths, recovering bodies.
Some people may be permanently lost, buried in mud and rock flows in the rivers, lakes and on the mountains.
Imagine never hearing from a loved one again.
yardwork
(64,686 posts)These are outsiders causing trouble.
Hekate
(95,203 posts)This crap is not acceptable.
soandso
(1,631 posts)And only found this:
Men In Black Disaster Response Solutions was started by Troy Burleson of Arkansas; they recently helped in the midst of Hurricane Ida.
Glen Redding of Men In Black Disaster Response Solutions appeared on KHOZs Around The Table on Thursday to talk about the organization. He discussed some previous happenings when helping in the midst of disaster. They provide food, security and anything else needed during disaster. The organization also aids people on dialysis by making sure they have access to what they need in times of disaster. Everyone on the team is either current, retired or reserve police officers. Were on a mission to make peoples lives better, Redding said.
The full interview with Redding is on Around The Tables Facebook Page.
https://www.branson4u.com/news/local-news/men-in-black-disaster-solutions-still-on-mission/
Looked up Troy Burleson and found this:
I am a certified law-enforcement officer, Chief of Police with the City of Omaha and with Boone County sheriffs office in Boone county Arkansas.
More: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-burleson-3baa7a25
And a FB page with nothing on it:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Men%20In%20Black%20Disaster%20Response%20Solutions/172649286831571/
If they ASKED the residents if they can help them in any way, that would be okay, but they have no jurisdiction to be doing this, otherwise. My guess is they want to get in the security and disaster relief contracting business (big money) so are cosplaying.
TommyT139
(748 posts)https://www.bahardtarget.net/our-instructors
There should be a way to find out if taxpayer dollars were used to pay or supply these jerkwads.
Some militia groups are taking advantage of disasters to "volunteer," burnish their reputations, and make connections with legitimate law enforcement.
A very Kyle Rittenhouse line of thinking - "protecting" where not invited.
soandso
(1,631 posts)if this is how some contractors get their start. Financial motivation/ambition + wanna be whatever (though are out of state LE, I guess).
TommyT139
(748 posts)My guess is there are more of these groups than anyone knows.
soandso
(1,631 posts)If they're helpful and wanted, that's fine, but parading around and harassing people then fuck no.
Moosepoop
(2,006 posts)They're random randos claiming to be with the MIB outfit as cover when challenged. Not a good situation either way.
Martin68
(24,701 posts)minorities to shoot, with the excuse that they were suspected of looting.
yardwork
(64,686 posts)You're either a sworn officer or you're not. Sounds like these are people who used to be cops but aren't anymore, or want to be cops and aren't.
Not good that they're wandering around a disaster zone. That just makes the search and rescue and relief efforts harder.
Deep State Witch
(11,338 posts)I will pass this along to my friend. She has limited connectivity right now.
SunSeeker
(54,007 posts)Botany
(72,641 posts)... County D.A. and Law Enforcement including
the State Police and the State A.G.'s office. A retired cop from Arkansas has zero authority in
N. Carolina to do what you say they're doing.
Their response to a camera held by a resident should tell a lot.
And if a resident is nervous about taking a pic? Then they're effectively terrorists.
Botany
(72,641 posts)or a hard rake and start working to open
up the roads and clean up somebody's
home and or properties. If they have law
enforcement backgrounds they MIGHT be
of help in getting traffic going.
Deuxcents
(20,058 posts)Botany
(72,641 posts)
a front door, if people are still living in a structure support beams will be needed, and
a fire pit with a grill to make food and coffee. If these shits want to protect people and
properties and there has been problems then they can plant their asses on a front porch.
Btw I have done a clean up after a tornado in north central KY. After that I told myself never
complain about anything again. The things that make us Americans are much stronger than
the manufactured that has been pushed to keep us apart.
Btw. J.D. Guy-Liner would not last an hour if given the job of clearing the log jams under
a bridge over a creek that most of the time is 6 inches deep and Donny would be gone after
one half load of crushed stone in a wheel barrel.
Cheezoholic
(2,642 posts)The roofers!! I mean every 2 bit roofer from 20 states showed up. Not "roofing contractors". These guys were the kind of roofers who had a rusty old smoke spewing pickup truck with 6 guys in the back with hammers and coolers full of beer. Not lying. By the thousands.
That was 1989. Now your friends down there are dealing with maybe those same guys or their kids but the same type only they aren't coming with hammers and beer, they're coming with weapons and beer (trust me, wherever they are staging from there's a cooler full of beer)!!
I'd approach them and throw a freakin' hammer in their hand and tell them to quit playing army and help.
markodochartaigh
(2,221 posts)insurance companies leaving Florida. It was the roofing scams. Apparently around 70% of the home insurance fraud in the US was in Florida.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/roofing-scams-florida-property-insurance-hurricane-rcna29649
soandso
(1,631 posts)And when they leave, good luck having any recourse if they did a shitty job.
azureblue
(2,321 posts)It's kind of wild west in some areas there. No way for the cops to respond quick enough to stop looters, so locals are organizing their own defense teams.. People forget the area is mountains, and houses can be spread far apart and roads impassable. With no phones, much less electricity, it's every man for himself.
littlemissmartypants
(25,839 posts)Cheezoholic
(2,642 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(51,200 posts)Elessar Zappa
(16,068 posts)And we dont do vigilante justice in this country.
yardwork
(64,686 posts)What I've heard from people who are actually living in affected areas is that people are helping one another out.
Nobody needs wandering groups of vigilantes.
Warpy
(113,131 posts)as long as "helping" involves using their big, scary looking GUNS.
These knuckleheads will just never realize they're the problem, not the solution.
Jack Valentino
(1,497 posts)LisaM
(28,735 posts)I have to say that I am a bit suspicious of this story.
And yet the narrator named an obscure group from outside the state that does exist and which claims to have done this work before, so....
LisaM
(28,735 posts)Too often people take a story from one event and piggyback it onto another. I know that I am probably overly suspicious but I don't always believe second-hand anonymous accounts. Things are bad enough in those areas. You can't even walk around in Black Mountain at night.
I was just using a little exegetical skill that would seem to tip things towards the story being true.
Deep State Witch
(11,338 posts)But if you want, I can PM you with her name.
LisaM
(28,735 posts)The park they mentioned is in Swannanoa, not Black Mountain. Swannanoa was hit really hard.
Deep State Witch
(11,338 posts)I thought that she lived in Black Mountain.
AmBlue
(3,444 posts)...looking for an excuse to *play* with their pew-pews. Be careful. I'd call the sheriff again in the morning!!
orthoclad
(4,728 posts)Jack Valentino
(1,497 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(51,200 posts)peppertree
(22,850 posts)Sounds like the GOPee is trying to get the public in swing states accustomed to seeing them on Election Day.
And if (God forbid) Cheeto takes office, you'll likely see them in many other places nationwide.
COL Mustard
(6,963 posts)I already voted and there was no line, and certainly no armed thugs.
peppertree
(22,850 posts)Though, again, I suspect that if Needy Amin takes office - they'll become a recurring sight across the country.
hadEnuf
(2,777 posts)Self-appointed Gruppenfuhrers for your neighborhood. As long as they are MAGATs it will be okay with law enforcement, as they will have.already been purged and empowered by Trump.
peppertree
(22,850 posts)The other 1/3, meanwhile, are very much looking forward to the prospect.
COL Mustard
(6,963 posts)Their 2nd Amendment rights trump anyone else's 4th Amendment rights.
(I hope you see what I did there.)
Response to Deep State Witch (Original post)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
misanthrope
(8,292 posts)Then ask if you can have a photo "to show the world what real men look like." They'll likely let you snap away.
Response to Deep State Witch (Original post)
Island Blue This message was self-deleted by its author.
BWdem4life
(2,493 posts)Report to the sheriff that they are Black. That oughtta get a response.
Initech
(102,467 posts)None and zero. And Sean Hannity isn't authority, neither is Alex Jones. Neither is pretend authority. GTFO and stay out.
Wounded Bear
(60,806 posts)dlk
(12,466 posts)This isnt surprising.
.
Martin68
(24,701 posts)Sooner or later they are going to kill someone and their actions need to be documented. Take photos and video of them if you dare. Or do it secretly.
4lbs
(7,395 posts)I guess their Call of Duty game was canceled due to weather, so they had to do something with their cosplay outfits.
oasis
(51,765 posts)Response to Deep State Witch (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
Vinca
(51,204 posts)pfitz59
(10,975 posts)unavoidable. Keep letting the authorities know All will eventually be sorted out.
brakester
(150 posts)I googled "are there armed men patrolling in Black Mountain, NC. OCT 4, 2024?" and didn't get anything.
I live in an area in western North Carolina near this.
Bayard
(24,145 posts)Do they think aliens control the weather? Must be talking to MTG.
Iris
(16,131 posts)Deep State Witch
(11,338 posts)Local law enforcement finally told them to GTFO and they did.