Posted on 09/27/2009 7:23:36 AM PDT by Travis McGee
This is my first post. I have been lurking, reading and learning for about 2 years. I hope there are many others like me. Thank you all for the wit and wisdom you have imparted. You are a great asset to this Nation. Now onto my post...
So here's what got me thinking. I'm in State law enforcement in Ohio. I was at one of our annual 2 day training events. We were in a classroom session on Domestic terrorism. The speaker was our agencies liaison with the FBI on the Joint Terrorism Task Force that was set up after 9/11. They broke it into two categories; home grown terrorists influenced by Al Qaeda and the like; and everybody else. So in the first category was some of the post 9/11 arrestees from Ohio like Christopher Paul and Imam Fawaz Damra, and then the second group included all white supremest groups, militia groups, people with anti-government sentiment, and anyone else who was overly religious. This part was nothing new to me, they have gone over this a few years prior. Then came the trouble...The instructor started talking about indicators which could be used to warn us of these peoples presence. Most made sense, like if the guy has a swastika on his forehead. Some others covered more discreet body markings. I didn't have any problem with this, but then he shows us a slide of some bumper stickers. One says, "The UN is not our friend!" and the second says, "Exercise your rights, or you'll lose them." He goes on to say that these are good indicators that the person in this car is anti-government and probably violent.
Now, I'm not one to let this slip by unchallenged. So I raise my hand and say, " Are you saying that these are possible indicators or probable indicators. He says, "probable." I take issue with this, "I say." "First, if you know anything about the UN, they aren't our friend. They also aren't our government, so I hardly see how that would make this person anti-government. And the second statement seems fairly innocuous. I would think that both the extreme left and the extreme right would say that a right not exercised is easily lost. So I would agree with both of those statements and I hardly think that makes me a threat." He looks right at me and says half jokingly, "maybe we should add you to our list." There was a bit of an awkward silence as we stared at each other. Then he just moved on. Later he showed more stickers that said things like, "I believe in the Bible", and abortion is wrong" At one point he showed a picture of some sort of Aryan Nation marking and said to me, "do you have one of these?" I was fuming.
At a later break I consulted some of the other guys, of which there were about 50. Some said they thought the guy was way out of line and some others said they thought I should have just let it go. Everyone seemed to agree he was serious. I later made the point to him that by his measure our forefathers would be suspect. I guess at that point it struck me. This guy draws no distinction between the person who blows himself up for Allah, and the guy who doesn't like big government. Since he was trained by the Feds, I must assume they feel the same.
It seems like most of the discussion and preparation here revolves around some degree or another of SHTF. I feel like that is well covered and thought out. I don't want to debate about the likeliness of one scenario or another, instead I would relish your thoughts on the scenario that concerns me the most, and which I think is the more difficult one to prepare for. You are suddenly that domestic terrorist, not because you have committed terrorist acts, but because of what you believe. They are coming for you. Now survive.
You can imagine what's stacked against you. You have to survive long enough to turn public sentiment in your favor. Not unlike our forefathers and ultimately you must save your country.
Here is what I think you have going for you. The Feds simply don't have enough resources, but could remedy that with foreign help. They rely heavily on local law enforcement which at least in my area will give them little support. State law enforcement is about half and half IMO.
Sorry for such a meaty first post. I greatly respect your opinions.
South American three toed sloth.
Thanks. That’s quite the interesting read.
You're sister has a very distorted, and dangerous view of her role. The real question is how many of her fellow LEO think the same way. The federal gov't is not our friend. A percentage of LEO is, likewise, not our friend. The only question is what percentage.
Gonna cut and paste my reply from another thread here...
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Sorry.
I just dont see it happening.
Its not like youre talkin a couple guys in camo will be driving around in a beat up Volvo pretending their going to play paint ball somewhere.
Were talking troop carriers. Lots of them. Maybe more than has been in any single place at one time since WWII.
And whats Katie Couric gonna say about it at 6PM?
Nothin. Cause it wont even be on the air anymore. Government would have to, out of total necessity, shut down all major forms of communication. People might notice that. Even those who dont watch CBS.
And where are all the buses used for transport? You start pickin folks up, and were not talking kindergarten buses. Were talking buses with chains attached to the seats...
Even IF they were smart enough to get all these things planned out, it would take like what, about 15 minutes before anybody with half a brain in this country would realize things were way, way wrong and they were rounding folks up.
Then, its party time!
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The logistics behind it would render it impossible... but!!!!
That does not mean that they could not take over SOME (not all) urban districts and transportation corridors.
It's a tree sloth. It lives above everything else, moves very slowly, and rains death from above, like me.
Well, everything but that "raining death" part is true. Tree sloths don't actually rain death on those below them. Just urine and fecal material.
I wonder what LEO personnel think about government when some with influence in today's government were in the streets murdering cops a generation ago. To wit, Mr. and Mrs. Ayers are "guilty as hell" and arguably now represent "the Establishment." IMO.
I hope you don't mind this second reply to you, it's just that I really want the murderers of Sgt. McDonnell convicted and IMO there is absolutely no doubt who's responsible for his murder. Problem is, the Ayers have admirers and friends in high government, media, and academic places -- i.e., the Establishment.
Justice Department: 'Zip it' on Ayers probe
More recent articles..
IMHO, the Feds are straining to create a domestic terrorism problem. Oh yes...there are indeed white supremacists, Jihadis, and crazy people who simply resort to violence FIRST, and generally we AVOID these people like plague! These people ARE dangerous to EVERYBODY and federal law enforcement agencies are right in dealing with them!
Just because a significant proportion thought he should have just let it go doesn’t mean they agree with the instructor. It might mean they know he’s wrong but just didn’t feel that was the most auspicious time to sort it out.
*currently serving military, reserves, National Guard, veterans, Peace Officers, and Fire Fighters.
Is this like the "Ladies Auxiliary"? Certainly looks like the vast majority of Americans would be second class members.
The most dangerous thing on earth is a government bureaucrat. They will do what they are told and when they are told without question.
Oh well, I am on their list so when they come for me I will try to make it one less .
Hubris.
If the fed instructors think every citizen with a particular bumper sticker represents a threat, then they are not focused and they suck at threat assessment.
And frankly, if things degenerate to the point where the feds push things into an us versus them conflict, it wont be people with bumper stickers that they have to worry about.
Maybe you are the one with some lack of reading comprehension. It’s called sarcasm. Read again.
Thanks for the post and ping Trav!
The go-along-to-get-along attitude is not identical to agreement. It means just what it says. Going along with something you know is wrong, just to get along, is harmful to all of us.
You can bet the farm on it. Also that there is photo of each of them at the Secret Service and FBI headquarters.
Along with the informaation of each membe of this forum.
Don’t mind at all. Bill Ayers should have been executed for his murders years ago. Too bad he is now Obama’s best friend and author of Obama’s books.
I agree and as time passes the numbers for one side will incrase and the other side will increase.
Depends.
I’m betting the that 50% that are pro-Fed include the upper ranks. The pro-Fed portion may have more resources.
If it ever really hits the fan I expect Nation-saving action from the military with LEO at all levels earnestly joining in to save our Republic.
I recall the 1960s and the efforts to start a race war. But white, black, or no matter the color we all recognized that we were Americans.
Now a generation later there are huge numbers of people here who ain't Americans, some by personal choice, and many of them will surely be a danger to the rest of us. Thus being prepared is essential. IMO.
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