This week, the Southern New England chapter of the Socialist Rifle Association (SRA) officially named their proposed training facility in New Hampshire. The Community Range & Defense Education (COMRADE) Center will be based in New Hampshire “to best accommodate space and the ease of legal requirements in the operation of firearms.” Most of the chapter’s members are based in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts — states with more restrictive firearms regulations.
The group also revealed a new website and logo for the COMRADE Center. Primarily through online crowdsourcing, project leaders have raised $40,610 so far — roughly 43% of their $93,500 goal. Project leaders paused crowdsourcing efforts four months ago to explore “the possibilities and implications of larger donations from organizations.” This effort, however, has apparently failed due to a lack of ideologically-aligned organizations large enough to provide substantial financial assistance. Fundraising efforts have once again returned to crowdsourcing and will be supplemented with merchandise sales through the new website. Project leaders also announced that the facility will be open to “various Leftist organizations” as an organizing and training space to broaden project support beyond the SRA. If established, a private facility would allow armed Leftist groups to enhance their recruitment, training, and organizing efforts.
So far, most armed Leftist groups have had to operate relatively quietly and in limited numbers in public as most firearms retailers and training facilities are operated mainly by conservatives. SRA members have repeatedly reported being ejected and banned from ranges due to expressing their political ideology. This facility will likely present significant security concerns to the SRA, among other Far Left groups. A fixed location with concentrations of armed Leftists will likely attract the attention of law enforcement as well as conservative watchdogs. Since its founding, the SRA has focused heavily on maintaining a softer appearance than some other armed Leftist groups as an alternative to traditionally conservative firearms organizations such as the National Rifle Association. The organization explicitly forbids members to protest while armed under their banner. They could attempt to craft softer rhetoric and marketing for the facility initially to avoid drawing too much unwanted attention.
The group also revealed a new website and logo for the COMRADE Center. Primarily through online crowdsourcing, project leaders have raised $40,610 so far — roughly 43% of their $93,500 goal. Project leaders paused crowdsourcing efforts four months ago to explore “the possibilities and implications of larger donations from organizations.” This effort, however, has apparently failed due to a lack of ideologically-aligned organizations large enough to provide substantial financial assistance. Fundraising efforts have once again returned to crowdsourcing and will be supplemented with merchandise sales through the new website. Project leaders also announced that the facility will be open to “various Leftist organizations” as an organizing and training space to broaden project support beyond the SRA. If established, a private facility would allow armed Leftist groups to enhance their recruitment, training, and organizing efforts.
So far, most armed Leftist groups have had to operate relatively quietly and in limited numbers in public as most firearms retailers and training facilities are operated mainly by conservatives. SRA members have repeatedly reported being ejected and banned from ranges due to expressing their political ideology. This facility will likely present significant security concerns to the SRA, among other Far Left groups. A fixed location with concentrations of armed Leftists will likely attract the attention of law enforcement as well as conservative watchdogs. Since its founding, the SRA has focused heavily on maintaining a softer appearance than some other armed Leftist groups as an alternative to traditionally conservative firearms organizations such as the National Rifle Association. The organization explicitly forbids members to protest while armed under their banner. They could attempt to craft softer rhetoric and marketing for the facility initially to avoid drawing too much unwanted attention.