Back in April, I wrote about the rather startling resemblance between what the Department of Homeland Security characterizes as potential "homegrown terrorists," and a group whose raison d'etre is about as far removed from violent attacks on America as is possible. I refer to the Oath Keepers, and this is how they describe themselves:
Oath Keepers is a non-partisan association of currently serving military, reserves, National Guard, veterans, Peace Officers, and Fire Fighters who will fulfill the Oath we swore, with the support of like minded citizens who take an Oath to stand with us, to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, so help us God. Our Oath is to the Constitution
Joining the Oath Keepers involves taking an oath to refuse any unlawful (i.e., unconstitutional) order. So if, for example, an Oath Keeper in the police or National Guard were to receive orders to disarm law-abiding American citizens (as happened in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina), he or she would be honor-bound to refuse that unlawful order, which would violate citizens' Constitutionally guaranteed, fundamental human right of the individual to keep and bear arms (in truth, of course, all police and military members would be honor-bound to do so, but the Oath Keepers are leaving no room for doubt about their commitment to that sacred duty).
Recently, the Oath Keepers have attracted considerable media attention (my National Gun Rights Examiner colleague, David Codrea, published two must-read articles about that--see the first two links beneath the photo)--much of it heavily slanted against the movement. An article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, for example, is titled "Ready to Revolt," and notes that the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has discussed the Oath Keepers on their "Hatewatch" blog. In the article pointed to by the second link below the photo, David Codrea lists several other recent or upcoming news stories about the Oath Keepers, including the fact that Oath Keeper founder Stewart Rhodes will be on MSNBC's "Hardball" tonight, perhaps debating SPLC spokesman Mark Potok.
My biggest question to the people who are alarmed by the Oath Keepers is this: if our men and women in uniform reaffirming their oath to refuse unconstitutional orders so bothers you, what unconstitutional orders do you expect them to receive, and want them to obey? Yesterday, I discussed the "cold, dead hands" promise--could the alarm about the Oath Keepers be linked to fear that there will not be enough troops and police officers to render those hands cold and dead?
Update: here is the "Hardball" segment. Chris Matthews came across as just the kind of guy who would get "a furrow up [his] leg" at an Obama speech. Also see David Codrea's in-depth analysis of the segment.
Comments
There's certainly no surprise in the idea that Leviathan is uninterested in restraining itself--which is what Oath Keepers promises to do, ultimately. From the point of view of the state, which after all seeks only to grow and nurture itself, OK is like an emergent cancer.
Grow, baby, grow.
I fail to see why this group is under fire, all they have done is join a group that believes in the oaths that they have taken. If anything they should be praised by civil liberties groups, they believe in the Constitution, they publicly announce that any illegal orders will not be followed and shouldn’t be tolerated. If groups like this are under assault, who’s next? The Boy Scouts? The Girl Scouts?
"If groups like this are under assault, who’s next? The Boy Scouts? The Girl Scouts?"
Too late. Just look at Kurt's recent article, "'Zero tolerance' and the wussification of America's youth". The control freaks have been trying to defang that snake for a good while now.
The Oath Keepers are (and will) be attacked in the media because they stand in opposition to the left's "just shut up and follow orders" mindset.
The statists need to believe that the military (and the police) will do what they tell, when they tell them. The Oath Keepers take seriously their alligiance to the Constitution. Not to the "government".
Stand tall guys. We proud of you out here.
The Oath Keepers are only a threat to those who's desire is to circumvent and violate the Constitution of the U.S. and our individual liberties! Period.
Matthews is such a dumb ass without a clue of the historical record of unconstitutional orders given to military and law enforcement personnel. During hurricane Katrina they rounded up guns from citizens. Every time I hear Matthews I want to punch something.
Matthews is the psycho. He was attacking and belittling this guy.
All the Oath Keepers founder is doing is taking an oath to honor the constitution. I wish everyone had his viewpoint. People with the apathetic view of Matthews are what have gotten us to this point now.
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