Q&A: Boogaloo movement about children's future

The Hawaiian shirt O'Rion Petty wears as a member of the New Mexico Civil Guard is not a coincidence.

He supports the "boogaloo," an anti-government movement that Fox News and others have described as "on the verge of a second civil war."

Petty, 32, of Clovis, is captain of the NM Civil Guard's Curry County company, which has made its presence known this week at rallies protesting police treatment of blacks across the country.

The NMCG's mission, according to Petty, is to defend citizens and their private property if violence breaks out during the events.

He said his allegiance to the boogaloo movement - whose supporters often sport Hawaiian shirts to identify themselves - is personal, and not necessarily shared by other member of the NMCG.

He answered questions via Facebook Messenger on Thursday.

Question: You do share beliefs of the boogaloo movement?

Petty: Yes sir, again only speaking for myself on that.

Q: You would like to see a civil war or you just think there's one on the horizon?

Petty: None of us WANT a civil war. We just know that if it's coming it's better in our time than in our children's times. And a civil war isn't really the thought, it's more of a revolution, a hard reset of the government, an end of the authoritarianism of red and blue in the two-party system.

Q: I assume you support neither Democrats nor Republicans? Looking for much smaller government?

Petty: MUCH smaller.

Q: And this is achieved how?

Petty: I guess that's the dilemma. Right and Left both continuously call for more, so getting people to understand that the two-party system is the reason we are where we are today is a good start ... but not an easy one.

Q: The Anti-Defamation League seems to think the boogaloos are willing to overthrow the existing government with violence. You OK with that, if there's no peaceful solution?

Petty: Last resort, and I wouldn't say I'm OK with it, but if it comes down to it and it needs to happen for my children to not have to fight to be free.

Q: Last question: What about those who say boogaloo is a code for race war? Do you feel whites are superior to minority races? The term is not exactly neutral.

Petty: Those folks are shunned by the real boogaloo community. It never has been and never will be about race, it's about freedom for all regardless of color, sexual orientation, religion, or any other societal label. It's Americans wanting to be left alone to live their lives as they see fit not how they are told to."

- Compiled by David Stevens/Staff