Shoemaker arrested

C

ctdonath

New member
Word is coming down that Shoemaker has been arrested at the middle school where he works, and they found three firearms in his car on school grounds.

From FreeRepublic.com:

Just heard on WGIL radio, Galesburg, Illinois that Dan Shoemaker was arrested outside the Abingdon Middle School, Abingdon, IL, at 6:00am. Shoemaker was charged with Agravated Intimidation and Threatening a Public Official. Dan is the head of the Western Illinois Militia. On Saturday, June 17, Dan was to walk fully armed around the Public Safety Building in Galesburg testing his rights under the 2nd Ammendment. According to the news report, Dan threatened to shoot it out with Public Authorities if he was denied his rights. Dan was arrested at the Middle School, his place of work. (I assume when he pulled in for work. He has worked there for close to 20 years.)
 
Sounds like a 4th amendment violation. First amendment speech is not against the law.

If the feds get involved this will be another test of the GunFreeSchoolZone a la U.S. v Lopez (1995).

Rick
 
Shoemaker is in a terrifically BAD position to challenge his arrest; He did in fact threaten to use lethal force to prevent his being arrested when he exercised his Second amendment rights. While there are circumstances under which you can legally threaten and even use lethal force against law enforcement officers, a potentially peaceful arrest, even on wrongful grounds, is not among them.

On the other hand, if they charge him under the re-enacted defenseless victim school zone law, I think he'd be in a great position to challenge THAT; Basically, all he'd have to argue is that, whatever it's merits or lack thereof, that law had ALREADY been struck down once as unconstitutional.

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Sic semper tyrannis!
 
RAE, I think that you do the rkba movement a diservice calling this a farce. I would just bet if you got really really mad at the government for infringing on our second ammendment rights, you would post a new topic
in anger!
 
Not any chance that the government planted those rifles, now is there? Not OUR government. They would NEVER plant or conceal evidence, now would they?

Pre-emptive strike on their part, because he knew this guy was going to get away with what he planned on Saturday. I wonder if any of his militia amigos will pick up the ball and run with it in protest over this.

RAE,

You sound like one of the folks who would have been in the "undecided" camp during the Revolutionary War. Here's a guy who was willing to stand up to the government, and you take weak pot shots at him and those of us who were backing him as best we could. I guess the folks at Lexington and Concord would rate as loons in your book, too.
 
I know I will not be liked for this.. But this guy was dangerous. He was TRYING to start trouble. Lets face it. anyone who would try to start somethning like he was planning is not only bad for the gun owner image but he is dangerous to us and everyone else. Now I would bet that those weapons were not planted. THey were probably his. But I would not be suprised if they suddenly have some illegal modifications that were not there yesterday.
 
I'm close to Kevin on this one. The guy came across as a hothead- not good for the RKBA. He threatened to kill people- not good for the RKBA. He had weapons in his car on school grounds(I don't doubt it for a moment, comsidering his vocal disdain for laws regarding firearms)- not good for the RKBA.

If his well publicized threat to kill LEOs fits the letter and spirit of the law, then his arrest, and the subsequent discovery of the weapons in his car, will be upheld. All in all, the guy, while well intentioned, has made the job of RKBA supporters harder.

[This message has been edited by Erik (edited June 16, 2000).]
 
When I read the posts by Kevinw & Erik
Names like Patrick Henry, Nathan Hale etc. come to mind.
Wonder why that is. ;)


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"Lead, follow or get the HELL out of the way."
 
Kev, I disagree. Shoemaker was responding to trouble that the thugs started themselves.

I say again, people: playing nice and being inoffensive has gotten us into the unacceptable situation we have now.
 
Kevin and Erik,

So, are we supposed to "play nice"?

These "laws" that Shoemaker has "violated" are contrary to the Constitution. There is no moral imperative to obey such laws when there is no violation of the rights of others.

Such as: carrying a weapon in a public place, keeping a weapon in a vehicle on school grounds, etc.

As for "hurting our cause"? Get real. "Our cause" has ALWAYS been defensive! It's time to offend some people in a very clear and unmistakable way!

As Coinneach said, all playing nice has gotten us is a higher teperature in the pot.

------------------
John/az
"When freedom is at stake, your silence is not golden, it's yellow..." RKBA!
www.cphv.com
 
Folks, the Feds didn't have to plant any evidence. They've been on him for atleast 2 weeks and they KNEW he would be in possession. They just had to pick the best time and place to de-fuse him.
No way were they going to let him get as far as the municipal buildings on Sat. Did anybody think they wouldn't have him before then?
Incidently, I met Dan and his boy out hunting a couple years ago. Seemed like I nice regular guy, but I understand he has been unraveling a bit lately.
I hope it turns out alright for him and his family.
 
Sounds to me like he got exactly what he wanted: ie., he's been arrested on weapons charges.

Now he can defend his Second Amendment stance in court. Which is, if I remember correctly, what this whole thing was originally over.

One would wish that a Second Amendment case could have been started by the arrest of a little old lady, a pregnant pediatrician or a Catholic Bishop.

No, we get to see the Second Amendment "defended" by a man whose method of "defending" my Right to Keep and Bear Arms by threatening to kill police. :confused:

Oh, yeah. There's a case guaranteed to further the cause of the Second Amendment. Anyone want to take bets on how bad we take it in the neck this time?

LawDog

[This message has been edited by LawDog (edited June 16, 2000).]
 
Yes - it is time to get offensive. I went to the MMM in DC and on the metro ride out we were crammed in with a bunch of Moron Moms. THey saw my sign - "Come and Get Em!"

Here was the exchange:

Moron Mom: So what does your sign mean?

Me: It means just what it says.

Moron Mom: So you would give up your guns?

Me: (incredulous look) No, of course not!

Moron Mom : (sudden dawning of realization) You mean you would shoot some body if they tried to take your gun?!?!

Me: Absolutely!

Moron Mom: (backing away from me with look of fear in her eyes)

I am sorry - but it is time these folks realized that passing a bunch of unconstitutional laws is not going to solve any problems. It will eventually lead to Civil War and MUCH death. Maybe the moms will realize that they may have bitten off a bit more than they can chew. That mom certainly did!

Live Free or Die!!

------------------
Thane (NRA GOA JPFO SAF CAN)
MD C.A.N.OP
tbellomo@home.com
http://homes.acmecity.com/thematrix/digital/237/cansite/can.html
www.members.home.net/tbellomo/tbellomo/index.htm
"As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression.
In both instances there is a twilight when everything remains
seemingly unchanged. And it is in such twilight that we all
must be most aware of change in the air - however slight -
lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness."
--Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas

[This message has been edited by CassidyGT (edited June 16, 2000).]
 
Cassidy,

You should have said the sign was an alert to any criminals out there that there were a bunch of unarmed women who dont believe in self defense ready for the taking. As for the case at hand. Probably not the best way to have our voice heard, but then has being nice given us the chance to speak and be heard??? I am a frim believer in being nice till the time to not be nice comes. We all have a different definition of that time. Mr. Shoemaker has reached his version of the time to not play nice-nice. I hope everything turns out the best for him and his family and that he does not mysteriously commit suicide.

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"Liberty is never unalienable; it must be redeemed regularly with the blood of patriots or it always vanishes."
-R.A. Heinlein
 
"Educating" people often furthers causes.

The same can be said of "protesting," in that it "hightens awareness." Something that furthers causes.

---------
"Offending" people never furthered anyone's cause.

"Threatening" people always gets a negative response.

"Scaring" people always gets a negative response.

Living up to negative stereotypes never helped anyone's cause, either.
 
Put this in your pipe and smoke it...

We have a "subject" (Dan Shoemaker) who belongs to an organized militia. The militia has been the target of our ongoing federal surveillance, with the help of at least one of our well placed "insiders". The subject, shows all the tell-tale signs of a "loose cannon" and a perfect candidate for a little "push".

On Tuesday night 3 weeks ago, Dan and one of his "trusted" militia friends were sipping a couple of cold brews down at McLeary's Pub. Dan steps away to relieve himself, while our undercover agent wipes a clear solution inside the rim of the glass, as if he were picking a gnat off the suds. Dan returns to his conversation and finishes his beer. Dan needed a ride that night, so he climbs into his "militia buddy's" van. Then, about a mile out of town Dan began to nod off, and then was fast asleep.

Our agent drives a couple more miles and exits the highway, making several turns and then pulls into a long dark drive, which takes them to a farm house with some light coming through the basement windows. As the van pulls to a stop near the back door, two figures in black clothes come out to help lift Dan into the house. Dan is carried downstairs into the basement where he is laid down and further drugged.

Dan wakes up the next morning in his own bed, feeling a little groggy, maybe from one too many beers. He goes about his day as normal. Three days later, Dan received a telephone call at exactly 9:25pm. The caller said two words and then hung up. Pissed and confused, Dan went on to bed.

The next morning at exactly 6:00am, Dan sprang from bed. His alarm was set to go off at 7:15am as normal. Dan threw on some jeans and a shirt and headed for the gun safe. He chose two or three of his favorite assualt rifles and two handguns. He proceded to load a number of magazines, and methodically placed them into a gym bag. At exactly 6:50am the telephone rang once and stopped, then rang again at exactly 6:55am. Dan picked it up to hear a high pitched squeeling noise and then silence. He craddled the phone.

A cellular telephone rang to life in the pocket of Agent Mitchell. The voice on the other end said, "Press our friend, he is now ready for Phase Alpha." and then a dial tone. At 7:30am Agent Mitchell pushed the digits for Dan Shoemaker's home telephone and let the phone ring once and then pressed END.
 
No need for conspiracies. There's a lot of people who want to do what Shoemaker planned, just to make the point to the government and press the issue that the RKBA is real. Only reason others haven't is that the consequences are potentially very very high. It took a borderline fanatic/loon with nothing to lose to finally plan to make the step.

I expect others will fill in for him on Saturday.
 
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