Posted on 09/17/2003 8:54:30 AM PDT by 11th Earl of Mar
Landowner, militia vow armed defense of property
Wednesday, September 17, 2003By Ted Roelofs
The Grand Rapids Press
HORTON BAY -- On the surface, Lyle Barkley hardly seems the type to provoke an armed standoff.
At 55, the silver-haired, grandfatherly Charlevoix County excavator says he never has been in real trouble with the law. He does not advocate violence.
But as he leans by a sign on his property that says "Honk For Your Constitutional Rights," it becomes clear Barkley is ready for a fight.
"I don't want no bloodshed unless they shoot the first shot," Barkley said. "All I'm doing is standing up for my rights."
As if to underscore the point, Barkley stands just a few feet from a 6-foot-deep trench he dug on the perimeter of his land in the hill country about 10 miles southeast of Charlevoix.
Barkley says armed men from across the country are ready to occupy that trench to defend him, as he approaches a Thursday court deadline to remove three mobile homes he installed on his land.
In April, District Judge Richard May found that Barkley violated the zoning laws of Bay Township when he brought in the homes without permits. May reaffirmed that ruling Tuesday afternoon, denying a petition by Barkley to rescind his order.
The case has drawn widespread interest from local media outlets, not to mention radio talk shows from Arizona to Texas to Washington.
It also has attracted the scrutiny of patriot and anti-government groups, including a Colorado-based organization that threatens to send 600 armed members to protect Barkley.
Denver resident Rick Stanley, founder of the Second American Revolution Militia Mutual Defense Pact, vowed Barkley will not stand alone.
"They have subverted the intentions of what our forefathers say our government should be," he said. "We have a fascist tyranny.
"I call it the police state of America, and we are going to stop it one way or another," Stanley said.
On his Web site, Stanley warned about the consequences of the standoff with Newaygo County resident Scott Woodring, killed by state police in July after authorities tried to serve him with an arrest warrant that accused him of trying to solicit sex from 15-year-old girls.
Stanley said he got involved in the dispute when he was contacted by Barkley, a member of his group.
A statement faxed to The Press quotes Norman Olson, the self-described senior adviser to the Michigan Militia, saying the dispute "stinks of crooked politics, corruption and favors."
"I admire his spirit," Olson said of Barkley.
Charlevoix County Sheriff George Lasater said he is prepared to enforce the law. But he also said he hopes to avoid confrontation.
"We will do everything in our power and jurisdiction to make sure nobody is hurt on their side," Lasater said, adding, "the sheriff's department will do what it has to do to make sure the court orders are followed. We won't be intimidated by them."
Lasater would not say what action he might take if Barkley refuses to back down.
Township officials say they are doing nothing more than enforcing the law.
"This is a simple, blatant disregard for the law," township attorney James Murray said of Barkley's actions. "You can't just disregard ordinances."
According to the township, Barkley applied for a permit to build additions on to two mobile homes on his 4-acre property. Barkley instead moved two additional mobile units onto his property, attaching one to the mobile home in which he lives with his wife, Shirley, 50, and one to the mobile home where his daughter, Kim, 22, lives with her boyfriend and three children.
Judge May found that both homes violated building codes.
The court also found Barkley allowed people to move into another modular unit on the property without a permit.
To Barkley's way of thinking, he is just doing what every property owner has every right to do.
He has tangled with the township before. About 13 years ago, he was cited because of numerous barking dogs on his property. Barkley said he was acquitted.
About five years ago, he had a dispute over stumps he wanted to bury on his property. Barkley said that was resolved amicably.
He has had no criminal brushes with the law, felony or misdemeanor, according to state police records.
Barkley believes he is backed up in his latest dispute by his discovery that his property is "patent land," stemming from an 1871 act by President Ulysses S. Grant.
He said he has several weapons on his property, including a high-powered rifle and shotguns. He has plenty of ammunition.
"I myself am not going to be armed," Barkley said, adding he will leave that to others.
Barkley said he has had plenty of local support, including lots of honking horns in response to the sign in front of his driveway.
But standing on a deck on a bluff that overlooks Barkley's property, neighbor Carol Hellstrom said she backs the township.
"I have no sympathy for him whatsoever," Hellstrom said. "There's reasons for the laws. That's what this whole country is founded on."
Hellstrom's deck faces west, where she has a postcard view of Lake Charlevoix. But she's weary of looking down on Barkley's property, which is cluttered with old tractors, backhoes, numerous vehicles, a sizable wood pile, piles of discarded siding, old tires and rusted engines.
To her way of thinking, Barkley brought this on himself.
If things proceed toward showdown Thursday, Hellstrom said she is making plans of her own.
"We're having a kegger. You might as well enjoy the show."
How very communal.
Freeper? What's his handle?
I heard Hannity's show yesterday and you couldn't be more wrong. The poster you are bashing knows EXACTLY what he or she is talking about and explained himself or herself VERY well.
You're the one who has no damned idea what you're talking about. No offense intended.
If that's the best case Normal Olson can make, I think anybody who shows up at Barkley's trailer park will qualify for Darwin Awards.
And of course, Rick Stanley's "fascist police state" boils down to Mr. Barkley's running afoul of a group of rural good ol' boys.
With people like this are representing RKBA, it's no wonder the gun grabbers have so many successes.
"Ah disagree wit' it! It's gotta be Un-constamashooshanal!"
Mr. Justice Scalia had something to say about these kind of arguments...
Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner, folks!
"You're the one who has no damned idea what you're talking about. No offense intended."
You are 100% correct.
Hannity did state what was reported.
I was incorrect in my formulation of thought, and was refering to ".......some old American Veteran who is violating his homeowner's association agreement by flying an American flag on a flagpole on his property." as stated by xrp.
In all fairness to you, xrp, and others I would apologize, and state there is more to this than the "alleged " violation of a rule.
What Happened
In an interview with NewsMax, Andres explained: "I went before the board of the homeowners association four years ago and asked for permission to put the American flag on a pole, and the board gave me permission because the state of Florida had a law that was written in 1995 that said homeowners associations are prohibited from banning the flying of the American flag regardless of any rules and regulations or bylaws except for size, safety and location which must be adopted into the bylaws.
"I put the flagpole up, and seven months later a new board came in and ruled that I had violated the homeowners statutes on the flag, and I said, 'What homeowners statute?' They said the one that says that you have to fly the flag from your building. I asked them, 'Where does it say that?'
"The fact is there is nothing in the homeowners documents that say where or when and state law prohibits them from saying any such thing.
See post # 37 and this article?
Amendment V
........... nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
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