Monday, March 29, 2010

What to Make of It

There are some things in our Bill of Rights that we take for granted. Maybe we take them so much for granted that we continue blissfully unaware when they are being removed from our society. I'm not sure what to make of this:

Jackbooted Thugs With a "Candygram" For Mister Patriot

OK, I'll say up front that I'm not all that comfortable with some of the extremist militia types. Paunchy guys with camo, an AR or SKS, some three color face paint, and a couple of cases of Meister Brau in the back of the pick-em-up truck running around the woods are weird. But, they aren't hurting me and it is just another iteration of paint-ball world for a different group. Let them enjoy their fantasies.

I'm not that into extremist religion. That applies equally to extremist Christian sects as it does to extremist Muslim. Extremism is the issue, not religion. We've got a First Amendment that provides for "free exercise thereof" as long as it doesn't involve tossing of virgins (already in short supply) into volcanos.

I am into gun ownership and the Second Amendment. I am very aware of the abuses of the BATF over time. I don't have a lot of difficulty foreseeing a massive drive for confiscation of privately owned firearms. We can all become New Orleans or Washington DC or Chicago IL on any given weekend.

I am deeply bothered by a pattern of FBI raids. I am bothered by sealed warrants that provide no information to the public about a cause for breaking down doors and hauling people away in the night. I can't help but wonder about what "gun charges" were unspecified by an anonymous source. Why can't the FBI and ATF tell us the what, the who, the why and the wherefore on this?

Who was endangered? Was there a plot or conspiracy? Was a domestic terrorist plot foiled? What is going on? Bail? Charges? Miranda?

Can I expect my front door to come crashing open in the middle of some future night as a squad of jack-booted thugs come for my property?

I don't know whether these raids were justified or not. But I do know that the concept under which they were conducted scares me.

2 comments:

Murphy's Law said...

Obama and the Obots have to take some of the focus off of their own corrupt dealings and violations of the constitution, and what better way than to gin up some mysterious and non-specific charges against some guys who already seem a bit off, and then painting them as the boogeymen while letting Obama cast himself and his forces as the new White Knight coming to save us all.

MagiK said...

Been reading a lot about this...SUPPOSEDLY the reason they made the raid is that someone in the group made threats to a Muslim organization. To me this does not justify mass raids, it justifies going after whoever was making the threats IF there was some credible proof that said threat was made.....however what we have is an administration that says that any "chosen" minority (Asians and Hispanics need not apply) can make an a claim of harrassment or threat and this will be the result.

We will see more of this as the administration continues....god help us all if he gets re-elected.