Arkansas Town Plans to Begin Martial Law

Godfather Politics ^ | December 20, 2012 | Tad Cronn

[2ndDivisionVet]

City officials in Paragould, Arkansas, a town of 26,000, are recommending a plan that would enact martial law beginning in 2013.

The plan, purportedly a response to recent property and violent crimes, would send police into the streets with AR-15 rifles and authorize them to stop anyone in the street and demand to know what they are doing.

Mayor Mike Gaskill and Police Chief Todd Stovall announced in a town hall meeting last week that the program would begin in the new year:

“[Police are] going to be in SWAT gear and have AR-15s around their neck,” Stovall said. “If you’re out walking, we’re going to stop you, ask why you’re out walking, check for your ID.”

… “We’re going to do it to everybody. … They may not be doing anything but walking their dog but they’re going to have to prove it.”

The mayor told local reporters that the city’s crime statistics were high eno9ugh to justify the plan, which was cooked up without consulting the city’s attorney...

[2ndDivisionVet]

Since when can a town declare martial law?

[woweeitsme]

Coming soon to a town near you!

[MeganC]

“[Police are] going to be in SWAT gear and have AR-15s around their neck,”

Now if I proposed wrapping an AR-15 around a cop’s neck someone would get mad at me.

[Zhang Fei]

A 98% white municipality with martial law? This guy is off his rocker.

[ScottinVA]

“If you’re out walking, we’re going to stop you, ask why you’re out walking, check for your ID.” … “We’re going to do it to everybody. … They may not be doing anything but walking their dog but they’re going to have to prove it.”

Unless, of course, you appear to be of Hispanic extraction. Wouldn't want to harm the feelings of the "undocumented" community now, would we?

[ScottinVA]

And, so if you don’t happen to be carrying ID, such as while jogging, you’re in violation of this new order?

Wow... sounds like quite a place to live. Hope the residents enjoy their new “security.”

[cableguymn]

that’ll do wonders to property values..

hope Mr Mayor has a side gig, he’s gonna need it. If he pulls it off he likely won’t make it in office to the next election.

BTW I heard the code to get the cops to back off is “Alha Akbar” “hail hitler” or “hail Obama” is also acceptable.

[EEGator]

“If you’re out walking, we’re going to stop you, ask why you’re out walking, check for your ID.” Your papers...

[Dead Corpse]

Yeah... No.

Folks around here would probably do something “unfriendly” if the Powers that Be tried something so stupid as this.

[mo]

He hasn’t yet quite got around to the part where the TSA/HomeLand Security crowd will be administering the program..../s

See..if they can get away with it out here in Arkansas...they can get away with it anywhere...

[cableguymn]

wait!! can we do this once every 2 years on the first Tuesday in November? Just set up check points at oh say... polling places?

No ID? Off to jail you go until tomorrow while we check out who you are!

[DakotaGator]

This isn’t martial law. This is a police state.

Huge difference between the two.

[AnAmericanAbroad]

Yeah............a little overreaction, that’s for sure.

For a second, I thought I’d accidently surfed over to “The Onion”.

Personally, I really hate it when I can longer tell the difference between satirical news and real news.

I think martial law is a bit.....much.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

The local TEA Party needs to meet and agree to defund the town. Cut off the money to these nazis.

[Buckeye McFrog]

uhhh....when that guy walking his dog gets done suing him he’s gonna wish he had consulted that City Attorney.

[driftdiver]

I predict the city will have severe financial issues from all the lawsuits by the end of 2013.

[VOR78]

The east side of town is a slum and getting worse. Huge drug problem and starting to have problems with violent crime. I’ve lived there, still work there and I actually agree with it. This town is going to have a big problem soon if they don’t get out in front of it.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Why no specifics? What crimes and who are the criminals?

[KeyLargo]

"The east side of town is a slum and getting worse"

[yarddog]

One of my earliest memories was when I was around 4 years old and I was looking at a Panama City Newspaper. I couldn’t read but saw a picture of soldiers in the street burning a pile of tables etc.

I asked my Mother what it was and she said it was martial law in Phenix City, Alabama. The governor had declared martial law after the citizens got fed up with organized crime running the city. It took the assassination of the Alabama attorney general elect to get things going.