Mr. McMillan,
You state we must stay within the framework of the law. That's well and good, but the quotes below range over a period of 195yrs, all have the same theme. The first written roughly 212 years ago, the last less than 17 years ago. When in the Last 17yrs did we outlaw one of the founding principles of this country? That particular point was misleading, like we can't legally protect our freedoms through the use of guns.
"What the Subcommittee on the Constitution uncovered was clear--and long-lost--proof that the second amendment to our Constitution was intended as an individual right of the American citizen to keep and carry arms in a peaceful manner, for protection of himself, his family, and his freedoms." Senator Orrin Hatch, Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on the Constitution, 97th Cong., 2d Sess., The Right to Keep and Bear Arms, Committee Print I-IX, 1-23 (1982
"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing Government, they can exercise their 'constitutional' right of amending it or their 'revolutionary' right to dismember or overthrow it." Abraham Lincoln, First inaugural address, March 4, 1861. (sometimes incorrectly cited as an April 4th speech)
"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, & as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical." Thomas Jefferson, letter to James Madison, January 30, 1787.
I've explained to you why I disagree with your use of Waco as an example, if you wish to use Saddam Hussein as an example of the might of the US go ahead, but the fact remains, if Koresh and his followers had not allowed ATF to withdrawl, they could have changed the outlook of that stand-off. The biggest point made to me by that incident, was the US Government does not tolerate being embarrased. They where whipped and instead of conceding the point and backing away, the burned the place down. It goes to show that a little goodwill like allowing the agents to retreat, doesn't garner a man many points with the Federal Government. Yes it's true if 10,000 had been there and stayed they would have been wiped out. But what if a 1,000 had been there, whipped ATF and simply vanished into the great expanse of America? We all seem to ignore the fact that the Davidians tried for firing on Agents where aquitted, seems that here in my State if an arrest starts out as excessive force, you have the option of resisting that arrest.
Our Founding Father set the constitution up in such a way that we would not have a standing Army. Maybe so incidents like Delta at Waco wouldn't happen. Want proof, it's been under the noise of every soul to ever read the constitution. In Bold the line I use to defend this stance.
Article I
Section. 8.
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;--And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
More fuel for the arguement:
"…but if circumstances should at any time oblige the government to form an army of any magnitude that army can never be formidable to the liberties of the people while there is a large body of citizens... who stand ready to defend their own rights and those of their fellow-citizens. This appears to me the only substitute that can be devised for a standing army, and the best possible security against it, if it should exist.'' Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist Papers # 29.
I realize many of you served this country with honor and dignity, upheld the constitution, kept it free for people like me to pose arguements like this very one. But perhaps the time has come for the people to take back the duty of defense. Waco is only one example, along the border a young man was gunned down by marines, It has begun to unfold as our founders envisioned it. Perhaps it's time we re-examine how troops are deployed and who controls those troops.
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Live Free or Die Trying,
Steve Moody
Just once wouldn't it be nice to hear a politician say,"I don't believe this way, but the people do."