In answer to Gary Edwards’ letter “Militia Bad idea for Idaho.”

In the summer of 2020, bands of ANTIFA/BLM activists were terrorizing cities across the nation smashing cars, store windows, looting and people were being hurt — often while police did nothing.

But in Coeur d’Alene, folks said, “No! not in our city!”

Around 4:30 in the afternoon of June 4, my wife Lois and I drove to WINCO and neighboring Cracker Barrel, where in the parking lots, about 300, including some armed local militia members, were watching as a band of college-age political agitators making noise and waving “Black Lives Matter” signs.

One of the agitators was a Boise State student named Mike who told us that he and about 400 other students were hired at BSU by BLM for two days at $125 per day and flown to Spokane where Mercedes mini-vans were waiting to take them to Coeur d’Alene. “We were told to hold the signs up and stay in small groups,” Mike said.

After dark, carloads of ANTIFA people began arriving from Portland and Seattle.

By 6:30, the crowd had grown to more than 600. One demonstrator gave me a copy of the ANTIFA Manual, with instructions on the cover saying, “Do not distribute to any white males, non-PoC, non-LGBTQ peoples, a.k.a. ‘fascists.’”

The demonstrations then expanded into downtown Coeur d’Alene.

Again, local militia were there first — just in case.

When two pallets of bricks were dropped off on First Street, the militia sat on them and denied access to the demonstrators.

Throughout the demonstration, the armed locals remained calm and simply smiled at the outside agitators.

The demonstrations ended the next day with no violence, no damage and no one hurt.

The agitators left town — their mission a total failure.

Our well-trained and disciplined armed locals (militia) helped save the day.

Our Founding Fathers knew what they were doing.

KENNY MOORE

Lt. Col. (ret.) USMC

Hayden