Posted on 11/16/2007 10:31:50 AM PST by pabianice
On 2 August 1946, some Americans, brutalized by their county government, used armed force to overturn it. These Americans wanted honest, open elections. For years they had asked for state or Federal election monitors to prevent vote fraud -- forged ballots, secret ballot counts, and intimidation by armed sheriff's deputies -- by the local political boss. They got no help.
These Americans' absolute refusal to knuckle-under had been hardened by service in World War II. Having fought to free other countries from murderous regimes, they rejected vicious abuse by their county government. These Americans had a choice. Their state's Constitution - Article 1, Section 26 - recorded their right to keep and bear arms for the common defense. Few "gun control" laws had been enacted.
(Excerpt) Read more at constitution.org ...
Only if we learn from it...
I am proud to live in this fine town!
Yes. And even more interesting that I've never heard of this from our "Big Media" types.
I wonder why?
I never heard of it and I am a lifelong Tennessean!
I think I heard the story about 20-25 years ago, in some kind of gun magazine. 1987 according to the article.
Blame J. Edgar Hoover for the Battle of Athens, as much as the local crooks. A few agents there making some arrests could have prevented the whole thing.
When corruption gets that entrenched (in Athens, or as in the case of Phenix City, Alabama; or Durham, North Carolina; or perhaps the whole state of Louisiana),
it is the duty of the federal government (FBI) to intervene.
It is first the duty of the State to intervene. Only when the State refuses or is incapable to intervene should the federal government intervene.
In this case the State should have. Phoenix City was cleared up by the State, not the Fed.
Louisiana took an Act Of God.
... "The Battle of Athens clearly shows:
- how Americans can and should lawfully use armed force;
- why the Rule of Law requires unrestricted access to firearms;
- how civilians with military-type firearms can beat the forces of "law and order".
Dictators believe that public order is more important than the Rule of Law. However, Americans reject this idea. Criminals can exploit for selfish ends, the use armed force to restore the Rule of Law. But brutal political repression - as practiced by Cantrell and Mansfield - is lethal to many. An individual criminal can harm a handful of people. Governments alone can brutalize thousands, or millions.
Since 1915, officials of seven governments "gone bad" have committed genocide, murdering at least 56 million persons, including millions of children. "Gun control" clears the way for genocide by giving governments "gone bad" far greater freedom to commit mass murder.
Law-abiding McMinn Countians won the Battle of Athens because they were not hamstrung by "gun control". McMinn Countians showed us when citizens can and should use armed force to support the Rule of Law. We are all in their debt..."
There is infinitely more to fear from an armed government than from an armed citizenry.
There is infinitely more to fear from an armed government than from an armed citizenry.
Oh, cr@p, I posted it twice ... then compounded the sin with this post.
Exactly what I was referring to in post #2.
There is a great independant movie to be made from this story. If it’s told truthfully there won’t be any oscors in it and it won’t be played in the theaters but it would sell like crazy on DVD.
You’re right. I’d buy it.
Ah, But my point is that this event wasn't immortalized by those who favor more "politically correct" civil rights.
We've heard all about the Japanese/American interment camps, murdered civil rights leaders in the south, Rosa Parks, etc, etc. - And rightly so.
But where are the bestseller books on this? Have you ever seen a Hollywood movie about this tale of good triumphing over evil? No? Why?
Hint: Because it would portray the armed citizen in a favorable light, not the hayseed hick, beer belching, racist, redneck that popular culture demands.
Great story! I’ve never seen this before.
re-ping
I know more than a few Illinois voters who have this view
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