At the time of the attack there was a mill, black smith shop, and perhaps half a dozen houses. About twenty families were living there, either in cabins, tents or wagons, some having recently arrived being in transit to Far West, a large Mormon town about thirty miles further to the west. Governor Boggs had given the order for all Mormons to be driven from the state.
After having camped about three miles to the north of Breckenridge, the Livingston County Militia led by Col. Wm. O Jennings attacked the Mormons at Hauns Mill on the afternoon of October 30, 1838. The Mormons having thought that they had reached a truce with the local militia were taken completely by surprise. In the ensuing attack all able-bodied men were either killed or driven off, as were the women and children.
Seventeen men and boys were killed and twelve were wounded. The following morning the survivors returned and placed the dead in a partially finished well located near the mill and then departed for Far West."
And then Wounded Knee "The problem was exacerbated by the presence of military troops on the reservation for the first time in ten years (including Custer’s old unit, the 7th Cavalry, which was predictably spoiling for a fight), and the irresponsible raiding onto the reservation by the civilian "Home Guard", hastily organized on the orders of Governor Mellette.
Led by another hot-head, M.H. Day of Rapid City, the militia provoked several skirmishes, adding fuel to the fire.
Kings River, California; Ludlow, Colorado; and so on. People by themselves may be perfectly reasonable, but get group of hotheads together, add rumors or bad blood, thingas can go from bad to worse. Adding automatic weapons is just not the thing to cure the underlying problems.
If you think I am out of line, flame away - just remember to go back and look at the most recent footage from Ohio..... and ask yourself, what would have happend if these gangbangers brought the family AK to the picnic?
out here.
As far as Wounded Knee goes it is my opinion that the whole damn US Army was spoiling for a fight. They had had enough after 50 years of Indian Wars.
Massacres over the years were mostly caused by turf wars or religious wars. My home, the State of Nevada has the slogan "Battle Born" I am proud of that. This country was built be white men with guns. Just a fact no opinion.
If there were no guns then it would have been done with spears and knives - plain and simple. Roman style, manifest destiny is a powerful thing.
Probably, certainly the well led part, but the other part depends on one's conception of "the law".
One purpose of the second amendment was to see to it that the federal government could not disarm the miltia, that being the body of the people. The people have several roles in government. Voter, taxpayer, juror, and finally the militia which is the final watchdog of the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land. The founders distrusted standing armies, and felt the militia would be good temporary substitute should war break out, and could serve as a check against anyone who would mis use the standing army that Congress was granted the power to raise.
A couple of quotes to back that up.
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Another source of power in government is a military force. But this, to be efficient, must be superior to any force that exists among the people, or which they can command; for otherwise this force would be annihilated, on the first exercise of acts of oppression. Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States. A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive."
-- Noah Webster
An Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution, Philadelphia, 1787
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"As civil rulers, not having their duty to the people duly before them, may attempt to tyrannize, and as the military forces which must be occasionally raised to defend our country, might pervert their powers to the injury of their fellow-citizens, the people are confirmed by the next article [the Second Amendment] in their right to keep and bear their private arms."
-- Tench Coxe in "Remarks on the First Part of the Amendments to the Federal Constitution.", under the pseudonym "A Pennsylvanian" in the Philadelphia Federal Gazette, 18 June 1789 at 2 col. 1