Jack-Booted is a comparison to the Gestapo or Nazi Secret Police. It has also been used in reference to Nazi Storm Troopers. I think when rhetoric of this nature is used it may distract people from the, possibly, very reasonable point you might be trying to make.
People do need to be prepared and involved, and I think your pointing this out is a very reasonable thing to do.
Besides taking responsibility for themselves, they also need to be responsibile for their society as a whole. Otherwise the negative elements that are a joke one day may be in power the next. You had a valid point. Your adjective just distracted from it.

Turk