FEMA recently said that it had to relocate workers in the Hurricane Helene disaster zone due to threats from an “armed militia.” But was FEMA referring to the military veterans and civilian groups who are on the ground rescuing people and providing relief? Glenn speaks to the Vice President of one of those groups, the United Cajun Navy, to get the truth. Brian Trascher tells Glenn, “it turns out it was the WORST militia ever because it was just one guy.” So, why would government officials use this language, which caused leftists and the media to accuse Trump supporters of violence? “There’s been so much misinformation,” Brian says, “not just on the internet, but from the feds also.”
Transcript
Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors
GLENN: Brian Trascher, he's the United Cajun Navy vice president. He's on the program to you. Brian, how are you, sir?
BRIAN: Oh, I'm just living the dream, GB. Living the dream.
(laughter)
GLENN: Are you still in North Carolina?
BRIAN: I tell you what, since we've last spoke, I've been back to Louisiana, to Florida. Back to Louisiana. And about to go to North Carolina again. And, you know, people see us online in different places. But I just want everyone to know that we still have teams, both in North Carolina and in Florida.
Just because I'm not there -- well, they're not getting baby-sat if I'm not there. But it doesn't mean we don't have people there.
GLENN: Yeah. I was going to say, they're pretty capable.
I've seen members much your team.
They're pretty darn capable. So tell me about this militia. That FEMA is taking about.
BRIAN: Turns out, it was the worst militia ever, because it was one guy who went -- and
I believe this is the correct story. He went on TikTok and was showing videos of federal employees and federal vehicles.
Going around, I guess near his property. Or near where he lives. And he was showing videos of some of them that were armed. Which, you know, it's not that big of a deal. Some of these federal officials are armed. It's like, cops are -- and North Carolina is an open carry state anyway.
GLENN: Everyone was armed when I was down there.
BRIAN: Yeah. No kidding. So he made a comment. I believe he made a comment that was construed as like, you know, he was not happy about it. Maybe he was going to do something about it. Somehow, that turned into, there's an armed militia. Fortunately the North Carolina National Guard came out fairly quickly and said, hey, look. We talked to our troops. They haven't seen anything like that.
Now, you know, the feds -- like they have caution. In case this rumor is true --
GLENN: Wait. You're breaking up badly. Brian, are you there?
BRIAN: Yeah. I'm here. Can you hear me?
GLENN: Yeah. Go ahead.
BRIAN: I'm sorry. Yeah, so I understand the feds in an abundance of caution for their employee safety, pausing things.
But my understanding, is that it was a brief pause. And they're back at it. But, again, there's been so much misinformation, not just on the internet.
But from the feds also. Glenn, we both know that the federal government will tell you, don't believe your lying eyes. And then their allies in the media, unfortunately, will stand in front of the burning Hindenburg.
And tell everybody that it was just a mostly peaceful flint landing.
GLENN: Right. Right.
BRIAN: So nobody is helping. You know what I mean?
Just help. If people see something and they actually get it on video, then, you know -- just don't tell them, it's not true. Tell them they're investigating.
At least, try to tell the truth.
GLENN: That's difficult for a lot of people to do.
Especially, at the higher levels of government.
I feel bad for the FEMA government. A lot of these people are volunteers, or very low level.
That are just going out, trying to help.
You know, some of them are part of the red tape.
And I'm going to leave out the ones at the very tippy top, that I have a little bit of contempt for.
BRIAN: Right.
GLENN: But nobody should. Nobody should ever threaten any of them.
I mean, I don't think it's a problem, to say, you know what, thank you. But, no, thank you.
We as a community, have decided, you can turn your trucks around and go home.
We have this.
There's no problem with that. But there should never be any threats made.
BRIAN: Correct.
At the very top. There are political appointees confirmed by the Senate. Like you said. You're talking about employees, and sometimes in their 20s and 30s, and they are out there.
And not all of them with FEMA. They have people from the forestry service. Different federal departments that are out there, trying to just beef up the staff that they have and the presence that they have.
We've heard reports that people are turning down help. From, you know, federal agencies. And saying, you know, no. We want the Cajun Navy.
I mean, as heartwarming as this is, they have to understand, we're just a tiny non-profit. We can't get to everybody. So we wouldn't suggest turning down any help. To your point. Any communities have the right to, you know, self-reliance and doing things on their own.
GLENN: Yeah. And I mean, I understand -- I mean, this used to be something that Americans were proud of.
That we're going to take care of it ourselves.
And no, thank you. We believe the government is the problem.
We should be skeptical of our government.
We shouldn't be violent against our government.
Or threaten violence.
But we should be skeptical of them.
And especially when they deserve that side eye. You know, when they have not been there for seven to ten days. And then they show up because the pressure is, you know, on them.
I think it's reasonable to have the community, come to their own conclusion, that I don't know that they really care about us.
So I'm not going to be a photo op.
But, you know, how --
BRIAN: Right. Well, a reporter asked me, you know, what the genesis. My opinion of the genesis of this distrust in government.
I said, well, I think it goes back to how this nation was founded. They were distrusting of a crazy king.
And despite having a 13-colony lead, the British still got their asses thrown off this continent, right? So it goes back a long way. And then of course, a lot of stuff that went on during COVID didn't help. So, you know, it's healthy.
You know, always, always question your leaders. It's your duty as a citizen to question your elected leaders and their policies.
And, you know, make your voices heard at the ballot box, is the best advice I can give.
GLENN: I mean, George Washington said, treat government as you treat fire.
If you're in control of it, it's fine.
If it's -- if you're not in control of it, it's deadly.
You know, don't -- don't trust the government. It was in -- you know, one of my favorite stories from history on -- on, you know, federal -- federal help is, the -- the hurricane that came in, I think in the 1920s. In Texas.
And the citizens met them -- met the government. Hoover sent a bunch of people down. With a bunch of relief. And they met them at the state line. And said, turn your trucks around. They don't need your help.
And he went back and said, hey, Texans need the money. Let's raise the money, and pass this law, so we can give them money.
Congress turned it down. And said, no.
We're not in that business.
That's not our deal.
And Texas raised more money than what the government was thinking about. Doing.
And they did it on their own. That's the way it should work.
BRIAN: Yeah. And, look, I'll point you to a situation closer to home here. 1815, a fleet of British man-o-war showed up in Lake Borgne, just north of New Orleans. Louisiana wasn't a state yet.
Most of the people living in New Orleans, didn't even know they were American citizens yet. Yet, they asked them to come down and defend the city.
And they had to enlist a band of pirates because they were the only ones who had gunfire and rifles. And they, again, they were able to thwart a force of 3500 British soldiers. Who had put -- put on ground in Louisiana.
So, you know, it's always up to the citizens to act first and take care of themselves. And if the cavalry shows up, great. But if it never does, you have to always assume that it won't.
GLENN: So what are the lessons that we should be pulling out of this whole situation, Brian?
BRIAN: Well, first of all, always -- you know, I listened to your -- I hear your ad all the time about My Patriot Supply. We might have to get linked up to those guys. But it's not a bad idea to have at least a few weeks. Or a month of food that will stay good.
Just store it somewhere.
You never know when something like this will happen to you.
Make sure that you have a plan.
If you know a disaster is coming. Make sure you can execute it.
And again, just collaborate with your community.
I mean, like, there has to be some sort of local response plan, that goes beyond what the government is doing.
Because I think -- especially local governments have the best intentions on how to respond to these things.
But when you're -- when your police and your fire and your EMS employees. Who are usually out there doing a great job every day.
I'm not saying they don't ever do a great job. But, I mean, when they get hit too.
When their house floods and their roof rips off, they have other problems besides their job. You know what I mean?
GLENN: Right.
BRIAN: So, you know, just make sure, you can be as self-reliant as you can. Because the cavalry is always going to come. You just don't know when. That's why we talked about it last time. FEMA is a second responder.
That's why we're the first responders or we try to be.
GLENN: You know, Brian, are you former military?
BRIAN: I'm not. I come from a long line. And veterans make the best volunteers for us, because you can't freak them out.
GLENN: Right. And, you know, what I learned from this, on the ground, a lot of vets are like, what was all of that for? If we just gave it back to them?
What was all of that for.
I'll tell you, that I really think that it will be former military that saves us.
If there are natural disasters everywhere. If there's real distrust, and unrest in the country.
You guys are just so good at organizing.
And just saying, no, no.
Relax. Relax.
You over there, you just do this. You go find this.
And you do that.
I mean, it was so well-organized. Really, by you guys.
And military vets. That were just in the area.
KAMALA: Yeah. And I love the saying. The most powerful thing a man can carry into combat is a purpose.
And you can't just be aimlessly going out and shooting at things.
We had this morning. There's an area in Florida. Some FEMA representatives called and asked if we could -- they knew we had some supplies delivered in the area.
They asked if we could come down.
I said, sure. They don't have -- FEMA doesn't have to confiscate nothing from us. We'll give it to them. You know, it's all donated to us. It's not ours. We're supposed to give it to people that need it.
So we work with them when we can.
And then, you know, obviously, sometimes, it -- they're slow. Or they're this or that.
People can criticize the job they're doing.
But they are doing a job. And we just say, let them do it. Be kind to their workers. And let's get through this recovery.
Because it will be a marathon, not a sprint.
GLENN: Yeah. Brian, thank you so much.
God bless you. And God bless the Cajun Navy. God bless you.
BRIAN: We love you.
GLENN: Yeah. Love you too.
It's a remarkable and really, really good thing that we're seeing from volunteers. Unless he said, maybe we should get together with the My Patriot Supply people.
We're already -- we're already on that.
Mercury One is putting together a disaster team, unlike anything I think anybody has.
I mean, it's remarkable.
The team that we're going to have for the next disaster.
Because we've been slowly finding them, and -- and we're -- and we just work together, so well.
You know, we don't get into their business. They don't get into our business. And if they are clean and efficient, we help them.
And so we thank you for everything you've done for Mercury One.
At MercuryOne.org.
