Beckins Log 4: Threat

## Threat

### Description

In her fourth log, Lieutenant Anna Beckins explains the reasons she distrusts the civilian militia.

### Speaker(s)

Lieutenant Anna Beckins

**Beckins:** People say I'm crazy for saying the civilian militias are a threat. But I say the only people who are crazy are not seeing the threat that is literally right outside the gates.

**Beckins:** Honestly, think about it. A group of trained civilians with military weapons, loyal not to this country, but to their own settlements. Putting aside the point that Campus and Theater are technically secessionists, but whatever, that's not a big threat apparently.

**Beckins:** I know there's a Second Amendment, but we're not talking about pump action shotguns, hunting rifles and sidearms here. The militias have scoped sniper rifles, machine guns, fucking frag grenades. Sure, there are bigger threats out there for the time being, but we need to look past that. We shouldn't be only focused on the threats in front of us, but consider what comes down the line.

**Beckins:** The JTF have a chain of command, rules of engagement, orders. Accountability, responsibility, law and order. These militias have none of that. And now heavily armed, untrained civilians, control some of this city's most strategic locations.

**Beckins:** Here's some food for thought. What happens when this is over? When this crisis is over and some semblance of normalcy is restored? Do you really think the militias will lay down their arms? Some of them might, hell, most of them might. But it only takes one group, one squad, to pose a terrorism threat.

**Beckins:** We need only look to history to see how this ends. No revolution, no rebellion, ever ends in anything but bloodshed. Innocents get caught in the crossfire. And at the end, only ruins and ash remain. It would only take one crazy antigovernmental zealot, or one leader who decides they don't want to go back to how things used to be, to lead to a full blown rebellion. Right here in the capital. And even if that isn't the case, if you think some of those guns won't end up in the hands of gangs or terrorist groups, you're a fool who needs to open a history book. Military grade weapons in the wild never ends well. Especially with what kind of firepower is out there now. Look at Afghanistan. Look at Africa. Look at Central America.

**Beckins:** Am I really crazy? Am I really a tyrant? Or am I just cautious? I see where this going, because it's happening right now with the True Sons. Someone, somebody, needs to consider the threats these militias pose in the long run. I'm not saying to gun them down, but the JTF are much better trained to handle their role. But we all turn a blind eye to it.

**Beckins:** Not me. I've seen enough innocent people get hurt. The last thing we need after Dollar Flu is for yet another shooting war in the streets. Because mark my words, if that happens, good, ordinary people will die. And I refuse to have anymore blood on my hands than I need to, especially when it comes to civilians.

**Beckins:** And if the Division and Manny are blind to it...then I need to take drastic measures. It's the only way to ensure our future. It's the only way to keep people safe.