The Militia Groups--A Major Concern

THE MILITIA GROUPS—HOW THEY DISTORT AMENDMENTS TO JUSTIFY WHAT THEY DO

74th in a Series

Jackalyn Rainosek, PHD

Kidnapping plot

Thirteen people were charged in an alleged domestic terrorism plot to overthrow several state governments and kidnap state officials, including Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The militia group called the “Wolverine Watchmen” were allegedly gathering intel to attack the Michigan capitol building. Whitmer has thanked the FBI agents that foiled the plot and called out President Trump for “giving comfort to those who spread fear and hatred and division” (CNN-5 things-Friday, 10.09.20). Trump and his supporters have been well-known for criticizing Whitmer for her strict approach to coronavirus restrictions. Other comments made were that there has been a national increase in vigilante and militia activity in the widespread protests and general political uncertainty. There is also concern that the call up by Trump for the Militia groups “to stand back and stand by” is encouraging these groups that already clearly represent a threat. I want to provide the distortions that the Militia groups use to justify their actions and to show the confusion and lack of clarity by Trump and the Militia to understand the Constitution of the United States.

Private Militias addressed in the Constitution

The term militia has many meanings. It originally meant a military force, and later “it was any army composed of citizens rather than professional soldiers, called out in time of emergency” (New World Dictionary, David B. Guralnik, Editor in Chief, World Publishing Co., Inc., page 901). The U.S. Constitution addresses militias in Article 1, which authorizes Congress not the President of the US to “provide for organizing and disciplining, the Militia. The Constitution makes no provisions for private militia like the far-right Wolverine Watchmen, Proud Boys, Michigan Militia and the Oath Keepers, to name just a few.” (The Conversations, October 12, 2020 2:17 pm EDT). Private Militia are almost always white males, who have similar beliefs about the federal government, who they see as “hostile to white men and white heritage and the right to bear arms and private property. They believe that government is under the control of Jews, the United Nations, international banking interests, Leftists, Antifa, Black Lives Matter and so on. There is no evidence of this.” 

On October 8th, when the FBI arrested six men, five of them from Michigan, and were charged with conspiring to kidnap Whitmer. There were seven additional men charged. Associated Press said, “allegedly seeking to storm the Michigan Capitol and seek a ‘civil war.’ Included were the founders and several members of the Wolverine Watchmen.”

Their claims included the following which are a summary or direct quotes from The Conversations: 1. They were defenders of the Bill of Rights—some had protested Governor Whitmer’s “pandemic shut-down orders as a violation of the Constitution by ‘tyrannical’ government intent upon sacrificing civil liberties in the name of the COVID-19 fight…They followed the U.S. Bill of Rights where they could be self-sufficient;” 2. The militia members view themselves as the last true American patriots. They believe they are defenders of the United States Constitution in general and the Second Amendment; 3. They are firm in their commitment to the Bill of Rights and especially the Second Amendment, which establishes the right to bear arms—this is true of the al-constitution members. In this case in Michigan, it is no accident that these actions started at a Second Amendment rally in June that called out the so-called tyrannical governor; 4. They believe the Second Amendment authorizes their activities and makes them free from legal regulation by the state. “In truth, the Second Amendment does nothing to authorize private armed militias. Private armed militias are explicitly illegal in every state;” 5. They take the First and Second Amendment literally and absolutely. “They believe the First Amendment allows them to say anything, anytime, anywhere, to anyone, without consequences or reproach by government or even by other citizens who disagree or take offense at their speech.” If you wish to go into more of their thoughts, you will find lots of articles to provide information to you. 

Methods of Distorting U.S. Documents

What we see with all these comments is these are the methods I talked about in article 73 to distort and create lies about history or events: 1. Dumbing Down—a refusal to look at the Constitution in its entirety and taking out facts and repackaging them to fit the Militias agenda; 2. Ultra-nationalism—they do not agree with the national interpretation of the Constitution or the Bill of Rights and therefore they are going to save the nation from the citizens of the United States that do not hold their same views; 3. Semantic Manipulation—distorting words in the Bill of Rights, First Amendment and the Second Amendment; 4. I could build a case for Denialism and some of the other methods of distortion that create lies that justify their actions.

I think one of the disturbing things is there is a group of militia-friendly Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers, who wanted to minimize the actions of these men. Sadly, the militia believes that “local sheriffs are the highest constitutional authority in the United States, invested with the right to determine which laws support and which laws violate the Constitution. The events in Michigan show how dangerous these mistaken understandings of the Constitution can be. According to Barry County, Michigan Sheriff Dar Leaf is a member of the militia-friendly group and was at a protest with two of the alleged kidnappers. I have already stated that as a country we will pay for Trump connection to White Supremacists, and there are more and more stories coming out about police and sheriff personnel that have strong connections with these groups.

“On October 6th, two days before the news of the Whitmer plot, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued its first-ever ‘Homeland Threat Assessment’ that said far-right extremists pose the largest threat to the U.S. homeland, other than adversarial nation-states.” The 26 page-document had severe warnings about the impact these groups could have on the 2020 Presidential campaigns, the election, election results, or post-election period, since they could mobilize quickly to engage in violence. In article 72, I provide information about Trumps minimization of the summer militia activity that have been a part of the armed pro-Trump “patriot groups”.

Where do we go from here? I am going to know more about the various Militia Groups, and I know the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has maps and detailed booklets that describe these groups. I think this election is one of the most important in our history. When a President of the United States does not represent the People of the United States and has no respect for the Constitution, Laws, three branches of government and many other things that help us live in a Democratic Society then it is time to vote for the politicians that are capable of understanding, respecting and living by all these documents that support our Democracy.

DTP-Leadership Group has a Tuesday night twice a month group that discusses all these issues and are committed to researching and understanding the documents that allow the United States of America to be democratic and a government for all the people of America. If you wish to sign up, go to new website: www.dtp-leadership.com. If you wish to speak with me then email at [email protected].

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