Rise in Militia Groups, Meanness in Town Hall Meetings, and Tyranny
by Jim Atwood
The Southern Poverty Law Center in Birmingham this week documented a frightening rise in militia groups all across the country, particularly in the West and South. Such a rise is not unrelated to the President and his initiatives to reform the American health care system. He and those who support his efforts have even been called Nazis, socialists and communists, by those who claim the mantle of “standing up for America.” Once again, the most frequently used tool in their arsenal is falsehood. Self-appointed Militias in America pose our greatest danger.
As the militias increase in number, their hatred and misinformation is broadcast far and wide. The nastiness of their lies continues and America enters a descending spiral of violent behavior where the loudest voice prevails; fear captures hearts and minds instead of honest, public dialogue; and others are intimidated by those who carry their guns at their sides in public places. When people have a need to shout at those who disagree with them and at the same time carry guns, it is only a short while before those guns will be un-holstered.
Militia groups are built on the principle that individual citizens have the constitutional right and duty to take up arms against a government when its authorities become tyrannical. Such individuals are convinced that Almighty God blesses their efforts. After all, “this is God’s (white) Christian country” and we like it that way.
In a democratic country like ours, citizens must ask the militias and the courts which have recently been softening “the right to bear arms”, just where is that line to be drawn so we can all know when another individual citizen or politician, or leader crosses into the realm of tyranny? Who is it who determines when a speech, a sermon, an action, or a piece of legislation is so far outside of “the American mainstream” that it is in fact, tyrannical and that person must be stopped in his or her tracks, lest the whole country lose its “God-given freedom?”
Is it a judge who rules against the majority? Is it a qualified woman who is hired for a job over a less-qualified man? Is it a doctor who performs an abortion? Is it a gay or lesbian who claims rights of heterosexual persons? Is it a President, Senator, or Congressman who works to change a long established pattern of injustice in a National Healthcare system? Is it a member of a Union who exposes exploitation n the workplace? Is it a preacher who fights racism or sexism or creationism? WHEN are they being tyrannical? Just where is the line?
When courts are replaced by vigilantes, when ballots are replaced by bullets, when civil and polite dialogue is replaced by shouting matches, when law is replaced by individuals or militias who claim the right to determine the boundaries of creative thought, then America is in real danger. And especially when “those who know where the line is” carry guns.
Jim Atwood
August 13, 2009
