Note:
The Patriot Sheepdog is a proud Christian, member of Freedom Force International, an Oath Keeper, 10ther, III%er, and a Sheepdog. An in-depth exploration of these viewpoints (below) will explain Who and What is a Patriot Sheepdog.
Like many Americans, I am admitting my disease, and accepting life's challenges as a
Recovering Apathoholic.
("The Patriot Sheepdog" is the name of this site, and is sometimes a reference to this author. However, this goes beyond a screen name, designation, or title of a website or a single person. It is an mindset/outlook, a commitment, and a choice that must be made by each individual. For more about this site's philosophy, click here.)
The Patriot Sheepdog is a proud Christian, member of Freedom Force International, an Oath Keeper, 10ther, III%er, and a Sheepdog. An in-depth exploration of these viewpoints (below) will explain Who and What is a Patriot Sheepdog.
Recovering Apathoholic.
a·path·o·hol·ic
[a-pehth-o-haw-lik]
–noun
A person addicted to their own life of apathy, and usually engages in the consequences of such after it is too late.
—synonyms
1. See sheep, sheeple, or ostrich
2. See absent-minded or oblivious
In spite of the recent recovery efforts of many Apathoholics, triggered by recent realization of prominent and extreme government corruption and bloated growth over the years, there are still many who suffer from this disease. The bad thing, is they won't even realize it until its too late. After all, who cares about apathy?!
As a proud American Christian, who believes this country was founded under God and the principles of the Bible, I believe that the success of the
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States when men were free.”
- Ronald Reagan
"It is not unfrequent to hear men declaim loudly upon liberty, who, if we may judge by the whole tenor of their actions, mean nothing else by it but their own liberty, — to oppress without control or the restraint of laws all who are poorer or weaker than themselves."
- Samuel Adams
"It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds."
- Samuel Adams
"A Patriot is one who stands for his country always, and for his government when it is deserved."
- Mark Twain
- Samuel Adams
"It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds."
- Samuel Adams
"A Patriot is one who stands for his country always, and for his government when it is deserved."
- Mark Twain
"The Truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is."
- Winston Churchill
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil,
is for good men to do nothing."
- Edmund Burke
is for good men to do nothing."
- Edmund Burke
"The price of Liberty
- Thomas Jefferson
- Thomas Jefferson
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Patriot Sheepdog is a Christian
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Patriot Sheepdog is a member of Freedom Force International
Freedom Force International is a network of men and women from all parts of the world who are concerned over loss of personal liberty and expansion of government power. They are not mere complainers. They have a plan to do something about it. They also share a common belief in The Creed of Freedom, which is a statement of principles that guide them in their mission to build a better world.
Totalitarianism is on the rise everywhere because advocates of big government have taken leadership control of the power centers within every society. Power centers are organizations and social groupings – such as political parties, labor unions, church groups, media centers, and professional societies – that hold political power based on their claim to represent their members and on their ability to lead public opinion. It has taken many years for them to achieve this dominance over society, but they have succeeded. It does no good to complain or to theorize about what should be done. As long as advocates of big government hold the power, nothing will change.
WE MUST NOT BE LIKE CATS
One of the most profound differences between dogs and cats is that cats focus on effects while dogs focus on causes. If you toss a pebble at a cat, it will look at the pebble. If you toss it at a dog, it will look at you. In this respect, too many people are like cats. They are preoccupied with the details of their loss of security, freedom, and privacy, and they flutter like wing-clipped pigeons, complaining about this and that without knowing why these things are happening. By contrast, members of Freedom Force focus on the cause and work to eliminate it. The degeneration of civilization is not the result of blind forces of history operating beyond comprehension or control. It is planned and caused by a small but well defined group of people who believe this decline is necessary for what they fondly call The New World Order but which we recognize as high-tech feudalism in which mankind will be condemned to live in perpetual subservience to elitist rulers. The identities of these elitists are known. They have names. They belong to organizations. They meet together to create strategies and they work jointly to implement them. They dominate the power centers of society. We will not escape their plans by looking only at what they are doing. We must focus on them and remove them from their present positions of power. Any other plan of action is doomed to failure.
That, however, is not enough. If we focus solely on the identities and personalities of those who are promoting the decline of liberty, we will be stumped by the fact that, even if we should succeed in removing them from their positions of influence, there are many more just like them waiting to step into their places. In the final analysis, it’s not the names and identities or political party affiliations of these individuals that matters as much as what they believe, what ideology they hold. Their ideology has a name. It’s called collectivism, a concept that government is master and people must obey. It’s to no avail to remove one collectivist from power only to replace him with another one – which has been the pattern for all too many years. It is time to stop acting like cats, stop being forever fascinated by the personalities anddeeds of our leaders. We must be more like dogs and focus on theideology of our leaders, because that is the cause of their deeds.
The solution is simple. It is to take back control of the power centers of society, one-by-one, just the way they were captured in the first place. Replace the collectivists with people who have no personal agendas except to defend freedom. This will unleash the vast human potential for prosperity and happiness that can be realized only in the absence of government oppression. However, to reach that goal, it will be necessary for those who cherish freedom to do more than complain and far more than just casting a vote every few years. They must reach for power. That is the reason for the motto of Freedom Force:Impotentes defendere libertatem non possunt, which is Latin for “Those without power cannot defend freedom.”
The mission of members of Freedom Force is to shape public policy within their respective countries in favor of personal and global freedom. The method is threefold: (1) dissemination of ideological and issue-related information, (2) instruction in how to become influential within community and national organizations, and (3) instruction in how to lawfully and constitutionally convert that influence into public policy. Members seek to become change agents so they truly can make a difference in the world.
Freedom Force is a global brotherhood of the most enlightened and dedicated people in the world. We are building an international network of leaders who, in spite of differences in nationality and culture, are in solidarity with the principles expressed in The Creed of Freedom. We now have members in sixty countries, and the number continues to grow. (See flags below.) Nothing like this has happened before in history. It is a powerful force that cannot be stopped. Welcome to the Brotherhood of Freedom.
THE CREED OF FREEDOM
INTRINSIC NATURE OF RIGHTS
I believe that only individuals have rights, not the collective group; that these rights are intrinsic to each individual, not granted by the state; for if the state has the power to grant them, it also has the power to deny them, and that is incompatible with personal liberty. I believe that a just state derives its power solely from its citizens. Therefore, the state must never presume to do anything beyond what individual citizens also have the right to do. Otherwise, the state is a power unto itself and becomes the master instead of the servant of society.
SUPREMACY OF THE INDIVIDUAL
I believe that one of the greatest threats to freedom is to allow any group, no matter its numeric superiority, to deny the rights of the minority; and that one of the primary functions of a just state is to protect each individual from the greed and passion of the majority.
FREEDOM OF CHOICE
I believe that desirable social and economic objectives are better achieved by voluntary action than by coercion of law. I believe that social tranquility and brotherhood are better achieved by tolerance, persuasion, and the power of good example than by coercion of law. I believe that those in need are better served by charity, which is the giving of one's own money, than by welfare, which is the giving of other people's money through coercion of law.
EQUALITY UNDER LAW
I believe that all citizens should be equal under law, regardless of their national origin, race, religion, gender, education, economic status, life style, or political opinion. Likewise, no class should be given preferential treatment, regardless of the merit or popularity of its cause. To favor one class over another is not equality under law.
PROPER ROLE OF THE STATE
I believe that the proper role of the state is negative, not positive; defensive, not aggressive. It is to protect, not to provide; for if the state is granted the power to provide for some, it must also be able to take from others, and that always leads to legalized plunder and loss of freedom. If the state is powerful enough to give us everything we want, it also will be powerful enough to take from us everything we have. Therefore, the proper function of the state is to protect the lives, liberty, and property of its citizens, nothing more. That state is best which governs least.
THE THREE COMMANDMENTS OF FREEDOM
The Creed of Freedom is based on five principles. However, in day-to-day application, they can be reduced to just three codes of conduct. These are The Three Commandments of Freedom:
INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS
Only individuals have rights, not groups. Therefore, do not sacrifice the rights of any individual or minority for the alleged rights of groups.
EQUALITY UNDER LAW
To favor one class of citizens over others is not equality under law. Therefore, do not endorse any law that does not apply to all citizens equally.
FREEDOM OF CHOICE
The proper function of the state is to protect, not to provide. Therefore, do not approve coercion for any purpose except to protect human life, liberty, or property.
Hear from the founder of Freedom Force International
For more information about Freedom Force International, click their logo below:
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Patriot Sheepdog is a Sheepdog
"Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost. In our time, that may mean social disapproval, public scorn, hardship, persecution, or as always, even death itself. The question remains: What is worth defending? What is worth dying for?
What is worth living for?"
- William J. Bennett
(In a lecture to the United States Naval Academy November 24, 1997)
Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident. This is true. Remember, the murder rate is six per 100,000 per year, and the aggravated assault rate is four per 1,000 per year. What this means is that the vast majority of Americans are not inclined to hurt one another. Some estimates say that two million Americans are victims of violent crimes every year, a tragic, staggering number, perhaps an all-time record rate of violent crime. But there are almost 300 million Americans, which means that the odds of being a victim of violent crime is considerably less than one in a hundred on any given year. Furthermore, since many violent crimes are committed by repeat offenders, the actual number of violent citizens is considerably less than two million. We may well be in the most violent times in history, but violence is still remarkably rare. This is because most citizens are kind, decent people who are not capable of hurting each other, except by accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep.
Then there are the wolves and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy. Do you believe there are wolves out there who will feed on the flock without mercy? You better believe it. There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so, you become a sheep. There is no safety in denial.
"..denial can be seductive, but it has an insidious side effect. For all the peace of mind deniers think they get by saying it isn’t so, the fall they take when faced with new violence is all the more unsettling. Denial is a save-now-pay-later scheme, a contract written entirely in small print, for in the long run, the denying person knows the truth on some level." - Gavin de Becker
Then there are sheepdogs and I’m a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf. Or, as a sign in one California law enforcement agency put it, “We intimidate those who intimidate others.”
If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen: a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath–a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? Then you are a sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero’s path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed.
We know that the sheep live in denial, that is what makes them sheep. They do not want to believe that there is evil in the world. They can accept the fact that fires can happen, which is why they want fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, fire alarms and fire exits throughout their kids’ schools. But many of them are outraged at the idea of putting an armed police officer in their kid’s school. Our children are thousands of times more likely to be killed or seriously injured by school violence than fire, but the sheep’s only response to the possibility of violence is denial. The idea of someone coming to kill or harm their child is just too hard, and so they chose the path of denial.
The sheep generally do not like the sheepdog. He looks a lot like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for violence. The difference, though, is that the sheepdog must not, cannot and will not ever harm the sheep. Any sheep dog who intentionally harms the lowliest little lamb will be punished and removed. The world cannot work any other way, at least not in a representative democracy or a republic such as ours.
Still, the sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he didn’t tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in our airports, in camouflage fatigues, holding an M-16. The sheep would much rather have the sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray paint himself white, and go, “Baa.” Until the wolf shows up. Then the entire flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely sheepdog.
The students, the victims, at Columbine High School were big, tough high school students, and under ordinary circumstances they would not have had the time of day for a police officer. They were not bad kids; they just had nothing to say to a cop. When the school was under attack, however, and SWAT teams were clearing the rooms and hallways, the officers had to physically peel those clinging, sobbing kids off of them. This is how the little lambs feel about their sheepdog when the wolf is at the door.
Look at what happened after September 11, 2001 when the wolf pounded hard on the door. Remember how America, more than ever before, felt differently about their law enforcement officers and military personnel? Remember how many times you heard the word hero?
Understand that there is nothing morally superior about being a sheepdog; it is just what you choose to be. Also understand that a sheepdog is a funny critter: He is always sniffing around out on the perimeter, checking the breeze, barking at things that go bump in the night, and yearning for a righteous battle. That is, the young sheepdogs yearn for a righteous battle. The old sheepdogs are a little older and wiser, but they move to the sound of the guns when needed, right along with the young ones.
Here is how the sheep and the sheepdog think differently. The sheep pretend the wolf will never come, but the sheepdog lives for that day. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, most of the sheep, that is, most citizens in America said, “Thank God I wasn’t on one of those planes.” The sheepdogs, the warriors, said, “Dear God, I wish I could have been on one of those planes. Maybe I could have made a difference.” When you are truly transformed into a warrior and have truly invested yourself into warriorhood, you want to be there. You want to be able to make a difference.
There is nothing morally superior about the sheepdog, the warrior, but he does have one real advantage, only one. And that is that he is able to survive and thrive in an environment that destroys 98 percent of the population.
There was research conducted a few years ago with individuals convicted of violent crimes. These cons were in prison for serious, predatory crimes of violence: assaults, murders and killing law enforcement officers. The vast majority said that they specifically targeted victims by body language: Slumped walk, passive behavior and lack of awareness. They chose their victims like big cats do in Africa, when they select one out of the herd that is least able to protect itself.
"What goes on around you... compares little with what goes on inside you."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Some people may be destined to be sheep and others might be genetically primed to be wolves or sheepdogs. But I believe that most people can choose which one they want to be, and I’m proud to say that more and more Americans are choosing to become sheepdogs.
Seven months after the attack on September 11, 2001, Todd Beamer was honored in his hometown of Cranbury, New Jersey. Todd, as you recall, was the man on Flight 93 over Pennsylvania who called on his cell phone to alert an operator from United Airlines about the hijacking. When he learned of the other three passenger planes that had been used as weapons, Todd dropped his phone and uttered the words, “Let’s roll,” which authorities believe was a signal to the other passengers to confront the terrorist hijackers. In one hour, a transformation occurred among the passengers – athletes, business people and parents. — from sheep to sheepdogs and together they fought the wolves, ultimately saving an unknown number of lives on the ground.
"There is no safety for honest men except by believing all possible evil of evil men."
– Edmund Burke
(Reflections on the Revolution in France)
Here is the point I like to emphasize, especially to the thousands of firefighters, police officers and soldiers I speak to each year. In nature the sheep, real sheep, are born as sheep. Sheepdogs are born that way, and so are wolves. They didn’t have a choice. But you are not a critter. As a human being, you can be whatever you want to be. It is a conscious, moral decision.
If you want to be a sheep, then you can be a sheep and that is okay, but you must understand the price you pay. When the wolf comes, you and your loved ones are going to die if there is not a sheepdog there to protect you. If you want to be a wolf, you can be one, but the sheepdogs are going to hunt you down and you will never have rest, safety, trust or love. But if you want to be a sheepdog and walk the warrior’s path, then you must make a conscious and moral decision every day to dedicate, equip and prepare yourself to thrive in that toxic, corrosive moment when the wolf comes knocking at the door.
And so the warrior must strive to confront denial in all aspects of his life, and prepare himself for the day when evil comes.
If you are a warrior who is legally authorized to carry a weapon and you step outside without that weapon, then you become a sheep, pretending that the bad man will not come today. No one can be “on” 24/7 for a lifetime. Everyone needs down time. But if you are authorized to carry a weapon, and you walk outside without it, just take a deep breath, and say this to yourself... “Baa.”
This business of being a sheep or a sheep dog is not a yes-no dichotomy. It is not an all-or-nothing, either-or choice. It is a matter of degrees, a continuum. On one end is an abject, head-in-the-sand-sheep and on the other end is the ultimate warrior. Few people exist completely on one end or the other. Most of us live somewhere in between.
Since 9-11 almost everyone in America took a step up that continuum, away from denial. The sheep took a few steps toward accepting and appreciating their warriors, and the warriors started taking their job more seriously. It’s okay to be a sheep, but do not kick the sheepdog. Indeed, the sheep dog may just run a little harder, strive to protect a little better and be fully prepared to pay an ultimate price in battle and spirit with the sheep moving from “baa” to “thanks.” The degree to which you move up that continuum, away from sheephood and denial, is the degree to which you and your loved ones will survive, physically and psychologically at your moment of truth.
We do not call for gifts or freedoms beyond our lot. We just need a small pat on the head, a smile and a thank you to fill the emotional tank which is drained protecting the sheep. And when our number is called by the Almighty, and day retreats into night, a small prayer before the heavens just may be in order to say thanks for letting you continue to be a sheep. And be grateful for the thousands, millions of American sheepdogs who permit you the freedom to express even bad ideas.John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
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The Patriot Sheepdog is an Oath Keeper
As a proud Military Veteran, I have taken an oath to support, protect, and defend the Constitutions of the
Below is more information about this Constitutional Patriotic group, of which I am a proud member:
Principles of Our Republic Oath Keepers Are Sworn to Defend
As defenders of the Republic and guardians of the rights of the people, we affirm the timeless, self-evident truths set forth in our Declaration of Independence, which are at the very heart of our Republic:
1. All men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights.
People are born with natural rights that come from nature and nature’s God, not from government.
People are born with natural rights that come from nature and nature’s God, not from government.
2. To secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men.
Rights come first, and then comes government, not the other way around. Government is merely the creation of the people. The only legitimate purpose of government is to protect our rights.
Rights come first, and then comes government, not the other way around. Government is merely the creation of the people. The only legitimate purpose of government is to protect our rights.
3. Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.
Governments have no inherent or intrinsic powers – only those granted by the people. When governments claim powers never granted, such government is illegitimate.
Governments have no inherent or intrinsic powers – only those granted by the people. When governments claim powers never granted, such government is illegitimate.
4. Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government.
When the government violates the people’s rights, it violates its only legitimate purpose and voids the compact by which the people created that government. The people retain the right to decide when that has happened, and retain the right to throw off such oppressive government, just as our forefathers did in the American Revolution.
When the government violates the people’s rights, it violates its only legitimate purpose and voids the compact by which the people created that government. The people retain the right to decide when that has happened, and retain the right to throw off such oppressive government, just as our forefathers did in the American Revolution.
5. Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes.
And that is why the American people have continued to try and work within the system despite a relentless, sustained assault on their rights.
And that is why the American people have continued to try and work within the system despite a relentless, sustained assault on their rights.
6. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism ….
Among the abuses and usurpations were:
[the national government] “declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever,” erecting “a multitude of New Offices,” and sending “swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance”; Denial of jury trial, with trial instead by admiralty courts (military tribunals); warrantless searches (the writs of assistance); confiscation of property; Imposition of martial law – the suspension of legislatures and the appointment of a general to rule the people, rendering “the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.” The final spark of Revolution was an attempt to disarm the people during martial law, which was an act of war against the people. The parallels to our time are obvious and ominous.
7. "… it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government."
Again, the people themselves will determine when that point has been reached. We cannot expect the national government’s own courts to approve of that decision by the people.
Every dictator throughout history, be it Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, or Pinochet, twisted and perverted the law and the courts into a weapon against the people.
In our own history, every oppressive act of Parliament and the King in the years leading up to the Revolution were upheld by the English courts. But that was not the end of the argument. The same is true today.
In our own history, every oppressive act of Parliament and the King in the years leading up to the Revolution were upheld by the English courts. But that was not the end of the argument. The same is true today.
After the Revolution, those principles were again affirmed and made part of our Constitution by the adoption of the Bill of Rights. When you read the Bill of Rights, remember that each and every one of those amendments was in response to the Founding Generation’s experience with government tyranny, and were intended to prevent such tyranny from happening again. The Bill of Rights thus tracks nearly exactly the causes of Revolution listed in the Declaration of Independence. In particular, pay close attention to the Ninth and Tenth Amendments, which affirm the the natural rights and sovereignty of the people, and which provide a guide to constitutional interpretation, as I will further explain in an upcoming post. Each of you must remind yourself of those hard learned lessons, renew your understanding of the principles of American liberty, and how those principles are reflected in the Constitution and Bill of Rights you swore an oath to defend. And then you must search your soul and arrive at your own personal line in the sand.
Declaration of Orders The Oath Keepers Will NOT Obey
Recognizing that we each swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and affirming that we are guardians of the Republic, of the principles in our Declaration of Independence, and of the rights of our people, we affirm and declare the following:
1. We will NOT obey any order to disarm the American people.
The attempt to disarm the people on April 19, 1775 was the spark of open conflict in the American Revolution. That vile attempt was an act of war, and the American people fought back in justified, righteous self-defense of their natural rights. Any such order today would also be an act of war against the American people, and thus an act of treason. We will not make war on our own people, and we will not commit treason by obeying any such treasonous order. Nor will we assist, or support any such attempt to disarm the people by other government entities, either state or federal. In addition, we affirm that the purpose of the Second Amendment is to preserve the military power of the people so that they will, in the last resort, have effective final recourse to arms and to the God of Hosts in the face of tyranny. Accordingly, we oppose any and all further infringements on the right of the people to keep and bear arms. In particular we oppose a renewal of the misnamed “assault-weapons” ban or the enactment of H.R. 45 (which would register and track gun owners like convicted pedophiles).
2. We will NOT obey any order to conduct warrantless searches of the American people, their homes, vehicles, papers, or effects - such as warrantless house-to house searches for weapons or persons.
One of the causes of the American Revolution was the use of “writs of assistance,” which were essentially warrantless searches because there was no requirement of a showing of probable cause to a judge, and the first fiery embers of American resistance were born in opposition to those infamous writs. The Founders considered all warrantless searches to be unreasonable and egregious. It was to prevent a repeat of such violations of the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects that the Fourth Amendment was written. We expect that sweeping warrantless searches of homes and vehicles, under some pretext, will be the means used to attempt to disarm the people.
3. We will NOT obey any order to detain American citizens as “unlawful enemy combatants” or to subject them to trial by military tribunal.
One of the causes of the American Revolution was the denial of the right to jury trial, the use of admiralty courts (military tribunals) instead, and the application of the laws of war to the colonists. After that experience, and being well aware of the infamous Star Chamber in English history, the Founders ensured that the international laws of war would apply only to foreign enemies, not to the American people. Thus, the Article III Treason Clause establishes the only constitutional form of trial for an American, not serving in the military, who is accused of making war on his own nation. Such a trial for treason must be before a civilian jury, not a tribunal. The international laws of war do not trump our Bill of Rights. We reject as illegitimate any such claimed power, as did the Supreme Court in Ex Parte Milligan (1865). Any attempt to apply the laws of war to American civilians, under any pretext, such as against domestic “militia” groups the government brands “domestic terrorists,” is an act of war and an act of treason.
4. We will NOT obey orders to impose martial law or a “state of emergency” on a state, or to enter with force into a state, without the express consent and invitation of that state’s legislature and governor.
One of the causes of the American Revolution was the attempt “to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power” by disbanding the Massachusetts Massachusetts
5. We will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty and declares the national government to be in violation of the compact by which that state entered the Union .
In response to the obscene growth of federal power and to the absurdly totalitarian claimed powers of the Executive, upwards of 20 states are considering, have considered, or have passed courageous resolutions affirming states rights and sovereignty. Those resolutions follow in the honored and revered footsteps of Jefferson and Madison in their Kentucky
6. We will NOT obey any order to blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps.
One of the causes of the American Revolution was the blockade of Boston Boston Nanking , turning entire cities into death camps. Any such order to disarm and confine the people of an American city will be an act of war and thus an act of treason.
7. We will NOT obey any order to force American citizens into any form of detention camps under any pretext.
Mass, forced internment into concentration camps was a hallmark of every fascist and communist dictatorship in the 20th Century. Such internment was unfortunately even used against American citizens of Japanese descent during World War II. Whenever a government interns its own people, it treats them like an occupied enemy population. Oppressive governments often use the internment of women and children to break the will of the men fighting for their liberty – as was done to the Boers, to the Jewish resisters in the Warsaw Ghetto, and to the Chechnens.
8. We will NOT obey orders to assist or support the use of any foreign troops on U.S.
We will consider such use of foreign troops against our people to be an invasion and an act of war. During the American Revolution, the British government enlisted the aid of Hessian mercenaries in an attempt to subjugate the rebellious American people. Throughout history, repressive regimes have enlisted the aid of foreign troops and mercenaries who have no bonds with the people. Accordingly, as the militia of the several states are the only military force contemplated by the Constitution, in Article I, Section 8, for domestic keeping of the peace, and as the use of even our own standing army for such purposes is without such constitutional support, the use of foreign troops and mercenaries against the people is wildly unconstitutional, egregious, and an act of war.
We will oppose such troops as enemies of the people and we will treat all who request, invite, and aid those foreign troops as the traitors they are.
9. We will NOT obey any orders to confiscate the property of the American people, including food and other essential supplies, under any emergency pretext whatsoever.
One of the causes of the American Revolution was the seizure and forfeiture of American ships, goods, and supplies, along with the seizure of American timber for the Royal Navy, all in violation of the people’s natural right to their property and to the fruits of their labor. The final spark of the Revolution was the attempt by the government to seize powder and cannon stores at Concord
10. We will NOT obey any orders which infringe on the right of the people to free speech, to peaceably assemble, and to petition their government for a redress of grievances.
“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force: Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.”
– Patrick Henry
The Oath Keeper: Villain or Valiant?
by John Watts
It has been proposed by various groups and individuals that an organization known as "Oath Keepers" is racist, seditious, hateful, and pernicious.
I'm here to tell you the real story.
I have been a member of Oath Keepers since August 2009. My member number is under 500. There are currently over 10,000 dues-paying members, and tens of thousands on their Facebook site. I have seen the inner workings since the early days as the acting Alaska State
Let's set aside the controversy for a moment and examine the term "Oath Keeper." What does it really mean?
Webster's dictionary defines an "oath" as "a solemn, usually formal calling upon God or a god to witness to the truth of what one says or to witness that one sincerely intends to do what one says." We might therefore infer that an oath "keeper" sincerely intends to keep his word from the moment of an initial oath forward.
For example, each newly elected member of Congress recites this oath:
I do solemnly swear [or affirm] that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.
One can compare this to the military oath of office.
Oath Keepers use a modified officer's oath for several reasons: because veterans, even if they were once enlisted, are no longer under any orders, because civilians are not under orders, and because officers have always sworn only to defend the Constitution. Even when it comes to enlisted military, the oath is first and foremost to defend the Constitution; they are duty-bound to disobey any order that is not lawful. Further, it allows all participants, of whatever status, to join in together and reaffirm their official oath. If an enlisted man or officer wants to state the exact official oath that he swore upon entry into service, he can.
The sincere intent of any oath is contained within the words recited, as well as within the heart of the individual making the oath. To diverge from that specified intent would naturally put the person in the category of oath "breaker" rather than "keeper."
The term "oath breaker" has been around since Old English was spoken. The term used in those times was "waerloga," which also meant "damned soul," "wicked person," and even "Satan." Suffice to say, an oath breaker was about the worst thing one could be back in the day. Punishments for oath breaking were of the spearing, hacking, or crushing variety -- decidedly unpleasant. Interestingly, the word waerloga is also the origin of the word "warlock" in use today. History had fitting names and biblical consequences for those who broke an oath to the Almighty. Such oaths have long since faded in value to mere formalities today.
When it comes to our leaders' constitutional oaths, how many of them are acting less like oath keepers, and more like those ancient, oath-breaking "warlocks"? Given the unrelenting torrent of legislative blasphemies, the answer is clear.
Another question begs asking. Who would these oath breakers and their media homunculi find offensive? The answer is likewise obvious: their polar opposites, those who are truly loyal in oath and deed to our dear Republic and its Constitution.
Enter the Tea Party in general and the Oath Keepers in particular.
I first approached Oath Keepers with some circumspection, considering the defiant tone of their mission and the media's slavering rabidity toward them. I leavened my apprehension with the knowledge that most news people were servants of progressive masters and therefore illusive. Words like "lethal and dangerous," "treasonous," and "ready to revolt" are enough to dissuade many. Let's not forget to mention the teeming hordes of racists passing themselves off as patriots. As Socrates said, "When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser." Rest assured that those wielding these falsehoods have already lost the American debate through the sheer bankruptcy of their own ideologies. Therefore, caution is in order, as Janet Napolitano's "list" grows long. The order to include "Constitutionalist" in the DHS lexicon of "extremists" is intimidating, like waking up in 1930s Berlin
Through all of the hyperbole, whom do Americans trust? A recent GfK Group study showed a stark contrast. Constituent Oath Keeper groups, mainly firefighters, military, and police, were rated at 93%, 85%, and 77%, respectively. On the other hand, Oath Keeper opponent groups -- mainly journalists, lawyers, and politicians -- held threadbare trust ratings of 42%, 35%, and 17%.
"I was only following orders" has been heard in courts across the world as justification for various crimes, in war and peace, throughout history. This defense has failed in hundreds of cases, and rightly so. It is a recurring problem at home and abroad. Most know of the National Socialists (Nazis),Japanese-American internment, My Lai, Abu Ghraib, and the officials confiscating guns during the Katrina disaster. Each person who follows an illegal order can and should be held to account for his decision to follow such an order. For example, in United States v. Keenan, the accused was found guilty, as the Court of Military Appeals held that "the justification for acts done pursuant to ordersdoes not exist if the order was of such a nature that a man of ordinary sense and understanding would know it to be illegal." Therefore, it is clearly expected that each person be aware of the legality of each order he is given, using "ordinary sense" to find that conclusion. It is not up to a judge; it is not up to some higher authority. Each person must be aware and take the appropriate action (or inaction.)
The Manual for Courts-Martial also states, "An order requiring the performance of a military duty or act may be inferred to be lawful and it is disobeyed at the peril of the subordinate. This inference does not apply to a patently illegal order, such as one that directs the commission of a crime." Depriving an otherwise law-abiding citizen of their Constitutional rights is in fact, a crime.
As one observes the chronic, institutionalized contempt for the Constitution and individual rights, it becomes understandable that these Oath Keepers have drawn their line in the sand with the "10 Orders They Will Not Obey." Simply put, they will not obey orders to commit crimes in betrayal of the American people -- strong medicine, but passive in nature.
Leaders like "Rex," the South Carolina chapter president, feel that false portrayals by the media has led some people to think Oath Keepers is something it is not -- such as thinking it is some kind of militia. However, the Oath Keepers' focus is on encouraging the currently serving to simply refuse to follow unlawful orders. Section 8 of the membership bylaws is enforced, and media-styled extremism, racism, and talk of violence are not welcome. As a retired Special Forces officer and southern gentleman, Rex also disdained the generalization that Oath Keepers south of the Mason-Dixon Line must invariably be racist.
The
A website moderator by the name of "Zeb" even had the opportunity to speak with FBI agents in his area investigating potential unlawful conduct by another local group. He shared with them the true mission of Oath Keepers: gaining a positive response and willingness to pass brochures to their supervisors.
The organization's founder, Stewart Rhodes, is himself of mixed Hispanic descent. He doesn't wear it on his sleeve, but he won't tolerate bigotry in his organization, either. The one racist found in the membership to date was promptly asked to leave. On the militia question, Stewart states, "I don't consider guys who want to start militias to be anti-constitutional. They just want to concentrate on preparing for physical battle, and that is not our focus. We are not standing on the outside of government, warning them to behave. Instead, we are on the inside of government, using the law, the oath, and a sense of honor to get the current serving to do what is right by refusing unconstitutional orders."
Despite the shrouds of evil cast upon these freedom-loving citizens, they will not shrink from the Constitution no matter how deep the shadows grow. Many have survived combat, arrested violent criminals, or voluntarily entered burning buildings, all in the defense of others. They are not intimidated by enemies of the Constitution; they will stand fast. Further, tens of thousands of fellow citizens have felt the call to join them, along with millions more in support of Tea Party constitutionalism. As much as our self-appointed rulers arcanely attempt to spin it otherwise, the righteous rejection of their anti-freedom agenda has become a mainstream trend. Banishment for oath breakers may be back in style this Fall.
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The Patriot Sheepdog is a 10ther
by Rick Montes
What does supporting the Constitution mean? Many people who call themselves “Conservative” have rebuked us for betraying conservative principles ie… Gun Rights, Drugs, and prayer in school to name a few.
If you are a federal office holder and “Conservative”, you should always defend the Second Amendment, look to overturn Roe v. Wade, vote for the Marriage Amendment and absolutely be in favor of the War on Drugs. This is what a Conservative is conserving, right?
What if I told you that the Federal government has no business what-so-ever getting involved in these issues? That the Bill of Rights is intended as a limitation on the power of the FEDERAL government ONLY, not the states, and that any federally elected person, conservative or not, that votes in favor of laws that interfere with these things is breaking their oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution.
What would you say?
The Founding Fathers debated this issue quite thoroughly. There were many in attendance who wished to have us become a consolidated, national government. James Madison repeatedly tried to grant the federal government the power to negate all state laws. He was soundly defeated each time.
In the end we were given a Federal Republic United States
Couldn’t be much clearer – if it’s not in the Constitution, it’s left for the states or the people to decide.
Yet today, so called conservatives want the federal government involved in myriads of everyday-life activities. Take the Second Amendment for example. I am an avid gun collector and shooter. You will be hard pressed to find anyone more “Pro-Gun” than me. I believe that the Federal government has no right to tell me if I can own a firearm or not. They have no right to dictate to my state or it’s citizens (unfortunately, they don’t need too) on whether or not I can own a machine gun, suppressor, high capacity magazine, bayonet or any other accessories. They have no right to tell me I can’t purchase a firearm from one state and have it shipped to mine without a federal license.
However, the Supreme Court and the Federal government also have no right to tell my state that they MUST or must not allow concealed handguns or any other weapon. You see, the federal government must stay out of things that don’t concern them. The Second Amendment remember, is part of the Bill of Rights, which in turn limits the FEDERAL government ONLY.
Just imagine if all these rules and regulations were left where they belong, in the states. Granted, you may not like your states rules and regulations, here in the Peoples Republic of New York, they are horrendous. We are one of the greatest welfare states in the union. However, I would much rather fight local politicians to have these laws overturned than have to fight against a politician from California or Massachusetts
If you allow these laws in your state and don’t fight to repeal them, shame on you. You could always move to a pro-freedom state.
The same with Marriage. If the people of your state want to allow Homosexual marriages, which I am against on moral grounds, so be it. Either fight to repeal it or move. How dare the Federal government tell me and my neighbors that I have to have Homosexual marriage or not.
Abortion? Same thing, I am against it, however, if you are not willing to effect change in your own state, how dare you tell others how to run their lives. Prayer in school? If my neighborhood school wants to say a prayer each morning to thank God, who is some atheist in New Jersey
How dare anyone expect the federal government to act like a bully and force change in your neighborhood whether you want it or not. The Supreme Court? They once decided that African Americans were property! Yeah, I’ll trust their decisions.
The lesson here is simple. The federal government was delegated certain enumerated powers from the people of the several states. Everything else is left to those states to decide for themselves. Whether they want school prayer, the death penalty, abortions, medical marijuana or machine guns.
True “conservatives” should be fighting to conserve these principles. We are all on the same side. We agree on most issues and fighting amongst ourselves only allows the Frankenstein Monster we call the federal government to run ram shod over our individual freedoms. As Benjamin Franklin was reported to have said,
“If we don’t hang together, most assuredly we will all hang separately.” - Benjamin Franklin
“The Tenth Amendment was intended to confirm the understanding of the people at the time the Constitution was adopted, that powers not granted to the United States United States v. Sprague, 282 U.S. 716, 733 (1931)
The founding fathers had good reason to pen the Tenth Amendment. The issue of power – and especially the great potential for a power struggle between the federal and the state governments – was extremely important to the
Adoption of the Constitution of 1787 was opposed by a number of well-known patriots including Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and others. They passionately argued that the Constitution would eventually lead to a strong, centralized state power which would destroy the individual liberty of the People. Many in this movement were given the poorly-named tag “Anti-Federalists.”
The Tenth Amendment was added to the Constitution of 1787 largely because of the intellectual influence and personal persistence of the Anti-Federalists and their allies.
It’s quite clear that the Tenth Amendment was written to emphasize the limited nature of the powers delegated to the federal government. In delegating just specific powers to the federal government, the states and the people, with some small exceptions, were free to continue exercising their sovereign powers.
When states and local communities take the lead on policy, the people are that much closer to the policymakers, and policymakers are that much more accountable to the people. Few Americans have spoken with their president; many have spoken with their mayor.
Adherence to the Tenth Amendment is the first step towards ensuring liberty in the United States Liberty
In many ways, today’s federal government has suspended the legislative power of state assemblies by assuming control over powers not delegated to it by the Constitution. In recent years, this country has seen small things grow great once again – the simple introduction of non-binding resolutions affirming the 10th amendment has grown into a movement…
The Tenth Amendment Center
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Patriot Sheepdog is a III%er
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During the American Revolution, the active forces in the field against the King's tyranny never amounted to more than 3% of the colonists. They were in turn actively supported by perhaps 10% of the population. In addition to these revolutionaries were perhaps another 20% who favored their cause but did little or nothing to support it. Another one-third of the population sided with the King (by the end of the war there were actually more Americans fighting FOR the King than there were in the field against him) and the final third took no side, blew with the wind and took what came.
Three Percenters today do not claim that we represent 3% of the American people, although we might. That theory has not yet been tested. We DO claim that we represent at least 3% of American gun owners, which is still a healthy number somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 million people. History, for good or ill, is made by determined minorities. We are one such minority. So too are the current enemies of the Founders' Republic. What remains, then, is the test of will and skill to determine who shall shape the future of our nation.
The Three Percent today are gun owners who will not disarm, will not compromise and will no longer back up at the passage of the next gun control act. Three Percenters say quite explicitly that we will not obey any further circumscription of our traditional liberties and will defend ourselves if attacked. We intend to maintain our God-given natural rights to liberty and property, and that means most especially the right to keep and bear arms. Thus, we are committed to the restoration of the Founders' Republic, and are willing to fight, die and, if forced by any would-be oppressor, to kill in the defense of ourselves and the Constitution that we all took an oath to uphold against enemies foreign and domestic.
Three Percenters today do not claim that we represent 3% of the American people, although we might. That theory has not yet been tested. We DO claim that we represent at least 3% of American gun owners, which is still a healthy number somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 million people. History, for good or ill, is made by determined minorities. We are one such minority. So too are the current enemies of the Founders' Republic. What remains, then, is the test of will and skill to determine who shall shape the future of our nation.
The Three Percent today are gun owners who will not disarm, will not compromise and will no longer back up at the passage of the next gun control act. Three Percenters say quite explicitly that we will not obey any further circumscription of our traditional liberties and will defend ourselves if attacked. We intend to maintain our God-given natural rights to liberty and property, and that means most especially the right to keep and bear arms. Thus, we are committed to the restoration of the Founders' Republic, and are willing to fight, die and, if forced by any would-be oppressor, to kill in the defense of ourselves and the Constitution that we all took an oath to uphold against enemies foreign and domestic.
