The Botkinettes have surfaced and they're giving relationship advice again!

[hoipolloi]

At the bottom of this page on the T.REX ARMS website, there's a PO box in Centerville, TN listed.

Heh. Looks like some Redditors call bullshit when they see it:

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I'm glad the maker actually "uses" the gear they make, but as a customer I think it leaves a bad taste in one's mouth to see lead times of up to 7 weeks and all I see on their social media is them fucking around on the range in a bunch of overpriced "operator" clothing.

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While I agree, what bugs me is the fact that they pride themselves on being small, but they have all of this lavish and tricked out shit. Maybe spend some of that money on the business instead of looking like a version of Travis Haley who doesn't lift.

 

[AnnaSofia]

Yep, while most of the reviews of the actual product seem pretty favorable, there are quite a few negative comments about the company (in other words, the Botkins) on various firearms boards.

(hyperlinks removed)

paragonpride.com/forum/threads/trex-arms-kydex.6957/

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Trex in general is ran by a bunch of douchebags who think their sole purpose in life is posting lack luster range videos on insta gram.

The company owner basically said GF to me over the lead times and he in general reminds me of a guy who hasn't yet been punched in the face.

 

 

And I suspect this person may read FJ:

calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1344353

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Real talk, **** that guy. He (falsely) claims he trains military and swat, then turns face and calls them lazy, gets called out on instagram, backtracks, and then gives some asshat lazy insincere apology where he fluffs his own ego further and misses the entire point of the internets outrage. Of course, people forget once the next controversy happens (see: patmac).

Furthermore, his entire business was bankrolled by his pops. Who actually makes these holsters? Certainly not lucas botkin, hes too busy displaying poor use of cover and concealment by running around a perfectly level and groomed range with gamed drills. Speaking of which, hes a Botkin. Theres a legitimate syndrome named after his family (google: Botkin Syndrome). His family is one giant cult where theres implied incest, as well as female family members coming forth regarding abuse and being treated as lower beings. They cant work or anything without permission from the dad, even though they are adults in America.

Screw him and screw his family.

 

^The only part of that one I potentially disagree with is "bankrolled by his pops", because:

- I have no idea how Geoff could have bankrolled anything.

- T-Rex seems to be supporting the entire extended family, rather than the other way 'round.

Even oldest son Isaac is a "designer" at T-Rex now: instagram.com/isaactrexarms/ Wasn't he a "filmmaker" not so long ago?

 

It's funny, back in the Botkin glory days they set themselves up as the intelligentsia of the fundie set, with AS & E's books, virtuoso musician Ben, video series complete with Isaac's smug face gracing the cover, and of course the general ridiculousness of the "Western Conservatory of the Arts and Sciences".

Now, Geoff has "Beyond Off Grid", and the whole family are suddenly firearms experts. Whatever keeps the 200 year plan rollin' along, I guess.

[nickelodeon]

15 minutes ago, AnnaSofia said:

- I have no idea how Geoff could have bankrolled anything.

As a Duck Biologist, he has some wealthy connections:

[NextDoor]

So, On my quest to find out more, I find free jinger. 
Yes.  
Trying to expand their new business, their attempt to get land rezoned from residential to commercial got swiped off the agenda, lost a sponsor in the zoning meeting when talk and questions came up about the shooting range.
Heard they were there answering questions to the community and now participate in local community FB site. Ppl found D approachable. Don't have high hopes that if they expand  they will hire outside of their and the Vernier and Courtier families. They seem to run religious services on their land on Sundays, these backroads are a danger.

[Marian the Librarian]

11 hours ago, NextDoor said:

So, On my quest to find out more, I find free jinger. 
Yes.  
Trying to expand their new business, their attempt to get land rezoned from residential to commercial got swiped off the agenda, lost a sponsor in the zoning meeting when talk and questions came up about the shooting range.
Heard they were there answering questions to the community and now participate in local community FB site. Ppl found D approachable. Don't have high hopes that if they expand  they will hire outside of their and the Vernier and Courtier families. They seem to run religious services on their land on Sundays, these backroads are a danger.

Welcome, @NextDoor, and thanks for the clues.

Minutes of the Hickman County, TN Commissioners meeting, January 22 2018: 

https://secure.tncountyclerk.com/minutesSearch/viewpdf.php?id=HmrLAEEhZCQJMV4q3DKL6KNlkxyNZ%2FbRQ90deTb58b0%3D&county=hickman

And, Concerned Citizens of Hickman County Facebook group page (scroll to January 22)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/534904056579877/

 

 

[Jellybean]

From that document (thanks @Marian the Librarian) it looks as though their rezoning request was approved almost unanimously on 4th January, so a portion of the address will become general commercial (from Agricultural-Forestry District) for business expansion of Dominion Holdings LLP. The reason given was that they’re outgrowing their existing site and want to relocate/expand. David Botkin was present at that meeting to answer questions (along with unnamed family members).

[NextDoor]

From where they are now, to where they want to relocate is not far, and I do believe the other land is less acreage, but more secluded, not as many 'neighbors'.  The land they are at now was auctioned off, it use to be a residential camp for troubled youth.
The new land is already fenced, signed and gated off, they are working on their ranges.
The excuse of neighbors stunting their growth is doubt, we should be able to hear some of the caliber weapons he is shooting from the way the land, hills are funneled, I do not think L is shooting as much on this land.   
Neighbors are not livestock producing or keeping, so that argument doesn't go. Actually, the land he is moving to is right next to a family with big cattle groups rotation grazing. 
As far as contacting neighbors about purchasing, we (as well as neighbors all down this road and few roads over) did receive a letter from someone, wanting to buy residential land for her son to move, nothing about looking for land for commercial development, it is very likely they bought their new tract of land this way.  

[Howl]

On the facebook page referenced above, the discussion starts here:

Jerrie Wayne Barber II: January 22 at 8:23pm · Centerville, TN

Just keep scrolling dooooooooown until you get to it. 

[Petronella]

11 hours ago, Howl said:

On the facebook page referenced above, the discussion starts here:

Jerrie Wayne Barber II: January 22 at 8:23pm · Centerville, TN

Just keep scrolling dooooooooown until you get to it. 

On which post, though?

[Marian the Librarian]

8 hours ago, Petronella said:

On which post, though?

Image of original post is below, there is a lengthy discussion that follows, with many links to see more comments. You have to scroll waaaayyy down on the page - posts aren't appearing in perfect chronological order. One of the many mysteries of FB!

[Howl]

You have to click on "Discussion" on the left side of the FB page Concerned Citizens of Hickman County.  Then enter "Jerrie Wayne Barber" in the Search This Group search box on the left side of the page.  It should bring up his post, with all of the responses.  Apparently the entire request to rezone a property  as business was derailed by the (perfectly legal) shooting range they have on another (?) property, which is unrelated to their request rezone a property to add a small commercial building. 

 

 

[NextDoor]

they own 2 tracts of land on 1 road (home, making DinoParts, churching) .
Interesting note is another tract on the same road, with a similar last name as one of the wives. I don't recognize the first names listed though. 


the (third) tract they bought, and are trying to get rezoned, is on a different (dirt) road, about 2 miles over.  
They want to build a bigger warehouse type structure from what I understood. They have 8 'employees' now, but one of their selling point was "jobs"  ! 

*snickers* 
 

 

 

[Howl]

Thanks for the clarification, @NextDoor.   This entire thing is interesting.  I have relatives who "live in the country" on a ranch in Texas.  They are not particularly nosy or gossipy, but they know a lot more about their neighbors in the country and what those neighbors are up to (including, but certainly not limited to their cows, bulls, horses, dogs, kids, parents, grandparents, hay field, deer lease, oil & gas lease, fence conditions, etc.) than I know about my neighbors whose houses are literally less than 15 ft away on either side here in the city. 

[hoipolloi]

Can't say I'd want an outdoor shooting range anywhere near a place I lived or worked or had other living creatures, like a farm. The concerns about groundwater contamination are valid, as far as they go. Have worked on environmental projects that involved remediation of former skeet & firing ranges where the lead content in the soils was unacceptably high, so it can happen.

Nevertheless, the range was not the subject of the zoning appeal or even related to it in any way. It's surprising that it doesn't seem to have come up before now, even in rural TN.

 

[NextDoor]

We live rural, get flooded in often, get tornado's, dirt and back gravel roads; not high priority of county if road needs fixing due to storms.  We help each other out with equipment, moving bridges, swapping a tire, offer shelter or house sitting when needed. It is a close knit community. Indeed, it is not like we all sit around our glass of Sweet Tea every Monday morning and gossip about each other; we wave, we stop to say hello; see if people need help; bring food if we know someone is sick, but we also keep to our self and value privacy and property. 
I do not have any particular issue with their business, all the power to you if you can make it out there.  It is the ideology behind their religious beliefs that makes me shudder.

And we all shoot, so the outdoor range does not bother anybody. We all have over 10-15 acres of wooded, hilly land and everybody hunts and shoots. Most of the land surrounded them is actually 100+ acre tracts, leased to Nashville hunting clubs, so only in use 8-12 weeks out of the year, not even recreational. 

As to why the issue the county is bringing up is the possibility that they will have to commercialize it and beating the county (or someone in one of commissioners pockets) to it. We do not have any range close by, people are asking for it... I know several influential local business folks and the county are looking into the possibility; it would make a killing.

(As said, the high caliber weapons we see L shooting on youtube we do not hear or see much; he might do this more on their new property as they have started moving dirt around and building ranges.)

[Marian the Librarian]

3 hours ago, NextDoor said:

It is the ideology behind their religious beliefs that makes me shudder.

Thank you again for your insights and perspective, @NextDoor. I've long wondered how the Botkin clan fits into their community (or doesn't), and how they're perceived by their neighbors. Surely, not every family in Centerville is operating according to a patriarchal 200- year plan!

[NextDoor]

Was warned by a neighbor years back that they were some kind of weird religious clan when they moved here and they tried to buy his land. The description on the website about their location is pretty accurate, cliffs of insanity   They keep to themselves, they do not communicate much outside their group, and are not really friendly or welcoming.
I just smile and wave and keep asking the sheriff to post around here on Sunday to get them on their vehicle speeds. 
 

[Columbia]

19 hours ago, NextDoor said:

They keep to themselves, they do not communicate much outside their group, and are not really friendly or welcoming.

They never struck me as a particularly cuddly bunch, so this is nice confirmation. It’s got to be hard for them to be “dominion-takers” and “cultural leaders” if they don’t want to associate with the people around them, and their neighbors return the sentiment. 

What about the daughters-in-law? Do you get the same vibe from them? I can’t imagine how hard it would be to marry into that family. I feel like it would suck the life right out of you, even if you were already used to the weird theology and family submission dynamics. 

[ophelia]

Marrying into the Botkin family must be just a strange as marrying into MaxHell.

BTW: Geoff Botkin and Steve Maxwell in a room.. this is a fundie livestream I'd love to see.

[NextDoor]

I do not see the DIL around (or the kids).  Did see mama the other day, not sure who her chauffeur was, didn't get a good look; no wave back from the queen I am afraid  . With all the video's L is posting and training and speeches they are giving and the tons of holster, stuff (their curriculum is a big one with the fundie families) they sell, someone needs to stay in and make the actual products and ship them out, I assume the ladies play a part in this.  They live further back in the woods,  it is easy not to be seen here. 

[Marian the Librarian]

"No wave back from the queen." I love it. 

Not surprised that Geoff keeps his SAHD daughters well hidden in the trees. He's got them right where he wants them - a life of servitude. 

[LimeKitty]

4 hours ago, NextDoor said:

 They live further back in the woods,  it is easy not to be seen here. 

This revelation makes me even more suspicious that something ain't right at the Botkin compound. Add to the fact that the daughters, DILs and kids are rarely seen. There is something about Geoff that freaks me out, but I cannot put my finger on it.

[Columbia]

12 hours ago, ophelia said:

Marrying into the Botkin family must be just a strange as marrying into MaxHell.

Oh dear heavens. Which would make you want to die more: having to marry into the Botkins, or having to marry into the Maxwells?

[NextDoor]

Hickman County Times Jan 29. 

[Marian the Librarian]

I'm betting that Botkin Pere et Fils are less than thrilled over the misspellings of their names ("Jeffrey" and "Bodkin") in their home town newspaper. 

Doesn't bode well for menfolk who self-identify as towering intellects, internationally-known political advisors, and generals leading their army's charge into the culture wars, now does it?