Posted on 04/20/2009 4:21:25 AM PDT by marktwain
I've always disliked the term "Homeland Security," from the very first time I heard George Bush utter it in a national address. There's just something Motherland/Fatherland creepy about it, and the recent DHS reports on "rightwing extremism" and "southbound weapons smuggling" confirm the fascist touch that seems to accompany everything the federal government oversees.
I remember being bugged when we as citizens were basically told that going about our business was the best contribution we could make to what should be civil defense. Well we've gone about our business. The government has gone about theirs. And we're a much less free society as a result.
The Framers of the Constitution had an idea borne from experience:
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Nothing less than the security of a free state...
But then we run into that "well regulated" part, something citizen disarmament zealots latch on to as an excuse to deceive, as if that means the federal government banning this or prohibiting that is benign regulation, as opposed to proscribed infringement.
Alexander Hamilton explained it differently:
The project of disciplining all the militia of the United States is as futile as it would be injurious. A tolerable expertness in military movements is a business that requires time and practice ... to acquire the degree of perfection which would entitle them to the character of a well-regulated militia, would be a real grievance to the people...
As observed in my Guns Magazine "Rights Watch" column:
So not everyone in the militia would be "well regulated"? Did that mean some citizens were therefore ineligible to keep and bear arms?
Not at all--this was simply an acknowledgment that people had trades to ply, farms to tend, shops to keep.
"Little more can reasonably be aimed at, with respect to the people at large," Hamilton recommended, "than to have them properly armed and equipped."
And not "well regulated" as a precondition.
But back to Homeland Sec...uh...civil defense. What's clear is, a society of self-governing sovereign citizens simply cannot sit back, depend on hirelings and reap a Liberty-promoting outcome. Our involvement must be more than pretending everything is normal and trusting government to take care of us.
Am I suggesting we all take up armed neighborhood patrols?
I am suggesting coordinating disaster preparedness planning with We the People. This could include volunteers to help run things in the background to support professional first responders. People to help with logistics, communications, supplies, and yes, certainly, common defense...Why would it be wrong for the local sheriff to establish training to facilitate this, as well as a system to provide for organized muster should a time of need arise? And it's a two-way street. I know some private citizens they and we would all do well to learn from.
Besides, on what historical basis can we declare our society invulnerable from disasters that will require us to come together, bringing with us our particular talents, skills, experiences and inclinations?
Every month I tell readers on WarOnGuns, and now here at Examiner, about a unique and special feature on the Guns Magazine website--they post on their website the complete issue from 50 years ago. These things are great--you not only get to see the attitudes and technology of the time, but also the ads are always real eye-openers, especially the prices (albeit the dollar was sure worth a lot more--that alone ought to tell us much).
The April 1959 issue of Guns Magazine is now online, and I call your special attention to the article starting on page 38, "The American Rifleman in Civil Defense" by William B. Edwards and David Soule.
Go. Read.
Yeah, I cringe at the term. Remember the miniseries "Amerika"? Homeland, Heartland...I see no difference.
That's just exactly how I felt when I first heard the term used :-(
It's almost as creepy as the term "New world order"
Very good article and look-back of 50 years ago in entire magazine...
http://gunsmagazine.com/1959/G0459.pdf
Thanks for posting.
“There’s just something Motherland/Fatherland creepy about it”
Glad I’m not alone on this.
If sheriff is an elected position or a political appointment, occupied by a RAT rather than a hire-the-best-qualified job in a may-issue state, it will assure that no registered Republican or known conservative gets licensed to carry. < /run on sentence >
One thing, the article claims that the Communist Chinese were busy arming and organizing militia units. I find this hard to believe since they have severe gun control restrictions and have no desire to see an armed and trained populace.
I love the advertisements, especially the $20-50 machine guns. Yes, you could buy mail order machine guns back then. Even minors.
Note that you can access earlier issues by changing the numbers in the URL, including the year folder.
Yeah, since it was 50 years ago it may have been a bit of hyperbole on the author’s part. Not much since then seems to indicate that was happening 50 years ago.
Thanks for the change heading info. Yeah, it was quite the magazine to look at those prices. I quickly glanced (earlier this a.m.) also at the article on the guy shooting at Camp Perry. An instructor I had wanted me to go to Camp Perry with him a couple of years ago. It never materialized.
That was my immediate reaction as well.
It’s too bad I was born in the 80’s, in that I never got to know what it was like to experience liberty.
Good post. Marking for later.
You are experiencing it every day but it is definitely under assault from foreign and domestic enemies. You know who they are from being a FReeper. Be prepared, but also enjoy every moment that you can, especially with like-minded family and friends. Thanks very much for being here, youngster.
Not so much every day, I live in NYC. As with federal politicians, NY politicians believe in taxing people to successfully raise revenue.
Condolences...but try living in Michigan. My automotive part supplier job/company went bankrupt a couple of years ago...kaput. Michigan socialists/rinos are finding ways (every day it seems) to raise fees / taxes on everything. The socialist/parasites/incompetent managers have destroyed the auto industry. Many I know have scaled back production, quit producing or moved. This state is on the brink of a depression quite unlike anything I have ever seen. We are not even close to the bottom.
Despite all the gloom around...me and my family have found ways to survive and prosper despite temporary setbacks. (It’s actually not that hard as an individual to out-think the socialists.) I actually enjoy the atmosphere now because the progressives/liberals/socialists/idiots have their man (Barack) and their woman (Jenny Grantheft - Michigan governor) in place now. I tell them my life has never been better...mainly because I don’t have to listen to people like them complaining any more. I really do enjoy messin’ with them.
Holy crap, they’re advertising a Broom handle Mauser for $50.00!
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