[Vision2020] Oklahoma Lawmakers Envision a State Militia

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of NPR at:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125872473

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Okla. Tea Parties And Lawmakers Envision Militia

by The Associated Press

Frustrated by recent political setbacks, tea party leaders and some
conservative members of the Oklahoma Legislature say they would like to
create a new volunteer militia to help defend against what they believe
are improper federal infringements on state sovereignty.

Tea party movement leaders say they've discussed the idea with several
supportive lawmakers and hope to get legislation next year to recognize a
new volunteer force. They say the unit would not resemble militia groups
that have been raided for allegedly plotting attacks on law enforcement
officers.

"Is it scary? It sure is," said tea party leader Al Gebhart of Oklahoma
City, who heads an umbrella group of tea party factions called the
Oklahoma Constitutional Alliance. "But when do the states stop rolling
over for the federal government?"

Thus far, the discussions have been exploratory. Even the proponents say
they don't know how an armed force would be organized nor how a
state-based militia could block federal mandates. Critics also asserted
that the force could inflame extremism, and that the National Guard
already provides for the state's military needs.

"Have they heard of the Oklahoma City bombing?" said Joseph Thai, a
constitutional law professor at the University of Oklahoma. The state
observes the 15th anniversary of the anti-government attack on Monday.
Such actions could "throw fuel in the fire of radicals," he said.

But the militia talks reflect the frustration of some grass roots groups
seeking new ways of fighting recent federal initiatives, such as the
health reform plan, which requires all citizens to have health insurance.
Over the last year, tea party groups across the country have staged
rallies and pressured politicians to protest big government and demand
reduced public spending.

In strongly conservative states like Oklahoma, some legislators have also
discussed further action to fight federal policies, such as state
legislation and lawsuits.

State Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Guthrie, a Republican candidate for governor
who has appealed for tea party support, said supporters of a state militia
have talked to him, and that he believes the citizen unit would be
authorized under the Second Amendment to the Constitution.

The founding fathers "were not referring to a turkey shoot or a quail
hunt. They really weren't even talking about us having the ability to
protect ourselves against each other," Brogdon said. "The Second Amendment
deals directly with the right of an individual to keep and bear arms to
protect themselves from an overreaching federal government."

Another lawmaker, state Rep. Charles Key, R-Oklahoma City, said he
believes there's a good chance of introducing legislation for a
state-authorized militia next year.

Tea party leader J-W Berry of the Tulsa-based OKforTea began soliciting
interest in a state militia through his newsletter under the subject "Buy
more guns, more bullets."

"It's not a far-right crazy plan or anything like that," Berry said. "This
would be done with the full cooperation of the state Legislature."

State militias clearly are constitutionally authorized, but have not been
used in recent times, said Glenn Reynolds, a law professor at the
University of Tennessee and an expert on the Second Amendment. "Whether
someone should get a militia to go toe-to-toe with the federal government
... now, that strikes me as kind of silly," he said.

Some conservative legislators in Oklahoma say talk of a militia, which
would be privately recruited, armed and trained, goes too far.

"If the intent is to create a militia for disaster relief, we have the
National Guard," said Sen. Steve Russell, R-Oklahoma City, a retired Army
lieutenant colonel. "Anything beyond that purpose should be viewed with
great concern and caution."

Democratic Gov. Brad Henry's communications director Paul Sund also
discounted the militia discussion, saying the National Guard handles state
emergencies and security.

Federal authorities say that radical militia groups have not emerged in
Oklahoma, unlike many other states, in part because of the legacy of the
Oklahoma City bombing. On April 19, 1995, an anti-government conspiracy
led by Army veteran Tim McVeigh exploded a truckbomb outside the Alfred P.
Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 people.

Last month, FBI agents conducted a raid on the Hutaree militia group in
southern Michigan and accused members of plotting to kill law enforcement
officers.

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Al Gebhart, co-founder of the Sooner Tea Party and founder of Oklahoma
Constitutional Alliance, is shown in the showroom of his business, The
Carpenter Shop, Monday, April 12, 2010, in Oklahoma City.

http://tinyurl.com/Al-Gebhart

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Seeya round town, Moscow,

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown