[Vision2020] What a Bunch of Snakes

[Donovan Arnold]

The Militia is just another branch of the Republican Party, just like the Tea Party. The Idaho GOP is very dangerous to the people and natural resources of Idaho, far more so than the national GOP. Anyone that votes for any Republican to the Idaho Legislator in 2012 is giving them power and authority in the State and over your life and property.
 
Remember, 
 
"Friends don't let friends vote Republican in Idaho." 
 
Donovan Arnold 

From: Rosemary Huskey <donaldrose at cpcinternet.com>
To: 'Moscow Vision 2020' <vision2020 at moscow.com> 
Sent: Thursday, March 1, 2012 10:16 PM
Subject: [Vision2020] What a Bunch of Snakes

Walter Steed is in charge of the Republican Party in Latah County?  Tonight he allied himself with an out of state Militia leading jackass.  What a sad and sorry situation and what a nest of vipers.  The following was apparently mailed to folks on the local GOP mailing list.  What a disgrace/.
Rose Huskey
 
*******
 
This is an announcement Jeff Williams, Pullman resident, Militia Leader placed on his website about an hour ago.  (It appears that he thought better of it and has subsequently taken it down)
 
“Jeff Williams Freeman
near Pullman, WA
Latah Gop has done the honorable thing and allowed my response to Schroeder to be distributed via the same email list that his baseless defamation was sent to. A small victory for liberty!”
 
  
 
    
PRESS RELEASE - February 29, 2012
Palouse Liberty Project Chairman Jeff Williams Responds to Barrett Schroeder's baseless defamation and slander.
Note: On February 27, a press release was issued by Barrett Schroeder, former chair of the Latah County GOP announcing his candidacy for District 5 State Senate. This document was sensational, defamatory and slanderous. This press release from Palouse Liberty Project chairman Jeff Williams is in response to that his statement ONLY, and should not be construed as endorsement of any particular candidate.
To see the original press release from Schroeder CLICK HERE.
 
Much to my surprise and dismay, I recently learned that a man I have never met (or spoken to) found it necessary to defame and slander my character as a launching pad for his campaign for Idaho State Senate in District 5, based on my involvement with the local Tea Party, my involvement with Continental Congress 2009, and my involvement with a local militia group.
These ad-hominem attacks can only be described as paranoid and bizarre, especially when you consider that I am not running for political office, nor am I currently involved with any campaign at any level in any jurisdiction; I am not even a resident of Idaho.
Nonetheless, candidate Barrett Schroeder has raised a number of relatively incoherent points to which I feel compelled to respond.
The Local Militia
Responding to attacks from Schroeder and others, let me first state unequivocally that the 57/75 Bns. Lightfoot has NO agenda. We are an apolitical entity. We do not endorse candidates. While members and I do hold our own personal political viewpoints, they should not be construed as representative of the group.
Schroeder states that the main reason he has chosen to run for office is to prevent “another Ruby Ridge-type event” from occurring at our hand. Mr. Schroeder’s inability to distinguish between truth and fiction in this regard is exceptionally disturbing, especially for someone purporting to seek elected office.
The aforementioned Ruby Ridge incident was in no way, shape or form related to a militia group, but we thank Schroeder for the purposefully negative and spurious association.
More importantly, our recruiting materials (available to the public online at www.5775lightfoot.com) clearly and unequivocally state that individuals who hold a “personal philosophy based in hatred, offensive violence, overthrow or vigilantism” are not welcome to join us. We provide a comprehensive list of activities we do not condone or participate in, and only those individuals who pass a comprehensive criminal background check will be admitted as members.
Our group has spent a significant amount of time developing standards and practices, which are publicly posted for all to see. We have never been involved in any criminal activities. None of our members have a criminal record. Even local law enforcement has given us their de facto endorsement, provided we conduct ourselves lawfully. (Militias on the Palouse, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, February 11 & 12, 2012) Yet every time some agenda-driven moron comes out of the woodwork imagining and ascribing nefarious intent to us, we must defend against their assertions, even when there is no factual basis for their comments. There’s a word for this kind of activity, it’s called “slander.”
Furthermore, while Schroeder complains about our “secret” militia (I’m thinking most “secret” groups don’t have a website and/or Facebook account) it is baseless and inflammatory comments such as those made by him and others like him that motivate us to protect our privacy in the first place. We don’t wish to be secretive. On the contrary, we are proud of our training and of our fellow militiamen, whom we hold both in friendship and high esteem. We simply don’t want to constantly waste our lives responding to fear mongering and comments which are illegitimate and unsubstantiated. We have no agenda. We have no political involvement, we have no manifesto and we have no ulterior motives.
It is wholly unacceptable that Schroeder and others continue to engage in the character assassination of men they have never met, do not know, and have never been harmed by in any way – real or perceived. The fact that some find this abhorrent practice acceptable is quite distressing, and any individual who engages in these ridiculous and unsubstantiated smear tactics should be ashamed of themselves.
If Schroeder wishes to impose a militia “litmus test” on every individual running for public office, that’s clearly his personal right to do so. Of course, he wants to know if they support our implied and non-existent agenda. 
What I would like to know is if there are any candidates or elected officials, from City Council to Congress (aside from Schroeder, of course) who do not support the unalienable rights of association, assembly and self-defense. If there are other candidates openly disdainful of the first and second amendments as Schroeder seems to be, I’m sure many people would be interested in those details. 
The Articles of Freedom
Schroeder spends a great deal of time discussing another subject he clearly knows nothing about, Continental Congress 2009 – an event I participated in three years ago, held near Chicago, Illinois. Under the rules established by the sponsoring organization, I was duly elected to my position where I proudly and dutifully represented the State of Washington alongside my colleague Darin Stevens, at the time from Spokane.
Regardless of the aspersions Schroeder wishes to cast on that event, the stated and realized goal was to produce a document entitled “The Articles of Freedom,” the expressed purpose of which was to outline and document specific violations of the U.S. Constitution, and then deliver that document which also includes remedial instructions, to elected officials at both state and federal levels. 
It is accepted by many that government at all levels is growing far beyond its constitutional constraints – and, in turn, usurping our natural rights. The instructions we provided were designed to do nothing more than assist in the restoration of constitutional rule of law. I am proud to have my name associated with that document.
I firmly adhere to the perspective that our republic as a whole and sovereign states individually are all in the process of a decline at best, or – in a worst case evaluation – failure, and that the further we stray from our founding principles, the worse our problems become. It is every citizen’s duty to hold their government accountable, and it is quite puzzling as to why Schroeder could possibly be so incensed and disturbed by such citizen involvement in these arenas.
It should also be duly noted that since legislators in all fifty states were served with the Articles of Freedom, many of the ideas contained within have been advanced as legislation, and some ideas even ratified into law. While the authors of the Articles of Freedom cannot claim direct responsibility for this, we all believe in the inherent power of ideas, especially amongst principled and informed legislators. Some of those concepts have been advanced regionally – in Idaho, a Firearms Freedom Act was introduced and passed, and more recently a bill has been introduced which provides for the use of gold and silver coin as sound, constitutional legal tender.
Schroeder seems to go far out of his way in his press release to either be deceitful, or lacks a fundamental understanding of how documents (such as The Articles of Freedom) are written in a legislative or committee-based process; also not a promising trait for someone who aspires to enter public office. I personally sat on two committees and assisted in writing the Declaration and Resolves (page 1), Article 4: Militias, Firearms and the Second Amendment (page 23) and the resolution section of Article 13: Eligibility and the Natural Born Citizen Clause of Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution (page 73).
As to specific differences Schroeder may have with the those articles or others I did not have a hand in writing, men of good conscience can certainly differ. However, Schroeder seems to be plagued by what can only be described as “selective” reading issues, taking items wildly out of context, and purporting outright lies:
- “The document outlines their plans, specifically 1) forming a militia”
There can be no argument that Article 4: Militias, Firearms and the Second Amendment directly encourages state governments to “Make statutes providing for organizing, arming and disciplining the Militia and for governing such part of them as may be called to serve.” However, it doesn’t encourage “A” militia to form, but rather for all states to engage in this lawful, well-regulated and historically viable activity. Additionally, it encourages citizens to “Meet with your County Sheriff and ask for assistance and guidance in establishing a Constitutional Militia;” e.g. - to be responsible citizens, to obey the law, and to work directly with law enforcement in the matter. 
In truth, however, only a fraction of Article 4 is about the concept of the constitutional militia. A majority of this particular article is focused on the right to keep and bear arms as outlined by the second amendment, and to abolish unconstitutional legislation that usurps the fundamental natural law affirming the right to defense of one’s life and property. 
In his opening statement, Schroeder makes a point of mentioning that he is a “Legacy Lifetime Member” of the National Rifle Association, yet he vociferously attacks a document that simply encourages citizens to read and research these issues, to defend their rights in a lawful manner, and to take personal responsibility for their well being and security. Schroeder clearly demonstrates that regardless of what membership he has purchased and what certificate he might hang on his wall, he does not have even a rudimentary understanding of the second amendment. Furthermore, after reading his rambling screed, I have serious doubts as to whether he has read or understands the constitution at all.
- “[The document outlines their plans,] 2) replacing sheriffs with their own candidates...”
The last time I checked, in a constitutional republic, citizens are tasked with the responsibility of electing representatives who reflect their values and principles. In this bizarre statement, Schroeder seems to abhor the very electoral process he purports to enter with this press release. 
- “[The document outlines their plans,] 3) creating ‘Citizens’ Grand Juries’ to ‘indict’ elected officials...”
Again, selective reading and overt intellectual dishonesty. The AOF is comprised of fifteen individual articles which end on page 93. The Appendix begins on page 95. On that page the following text appears: “The following materials are provided as additional historical and educational reference data. They are not part of the official Articles of Freedom.” Appendix 4 is a section entitled “Activities for state and local action” with four paragraphs of descriptive text explaining the origins of these ideas and the reasons for including them in the document. They also clearly state (bold faced and underlined):
“Taking any of this action may result in adverse reaction by those in today’s government. We recommend that no one should do anything that they do not understand, believe in, and are not prepared to defend. Citizens are encouraged to become knowledgeable about the law and the potential legal consequences of their actions before taking them.”
Then, in two short paragraphs, the potential use of citizen’s grand juries are mentioned as a suggestion to others wishing to take grassroots action against out of control government.
While I’m not dismissive of this suggested action, I don’t necessarily endorse it, and I have never considered forming such an entity. In all candor, I don’t fully understand the concept. What I do know is this - as free citizens, it is our right to establish and utilize any system of organization, law or government that best suits the needs of the people. There was this guy named Thomas Jefferson who felt the same way, when he wrote:
“That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
In short, if Schroeder wishes to dismiss the foundational importance of the Constitution AND the Declaration of Independence, it is his right to do so. However, if those are his stated positions, he should never be elected to public office.
- “[The document outlines their plans, to] 4) stop paying income taxes, based on a false conspiracy theory about the 16th Amendment.”
Another overt lie. Here, Schroeder presents himself as the final arbiter on a near century-long debate regarding the ratification of the 16th Amendment (which is also tied directly to the unconstitutional establishment of the Federal Reserve and the issuance of fiat currency). The claim regarding the 16th Amendment is easily researched, and has been contemporarily advanced by individuals such as historian and author G. Edward Griffin, historian and author Dr. Thomas woods - Senior Fellow at the Ludwig Von Mises institute, and congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul, among many others.

In the section “Recommended Civic Actions by the People,” The following steps are suggested. First, citizens are encouraged to read and study the issues. Second, citizens are encouraged to require law enforcement to force compliance by the IRS with their own laws regarding levies and protect the rights of the citizens within their respective jurisdictions. (in a nutshell - their job), Third, if law enforcement officials or are unwilling to do their job, replace them with others who will. Lastly, citizens are instructed to “Prepare to withhold their income tax from the government” but only “once the above steps of self-defense are in place.” Claiming that this section is a directive to simply stop paying taxes is false and a gross misrepresentation of fact, and the last thing we need in any office is another politician who parses and obfuscates in this matter – in order to advance their agenda.
I could potentially write another volume on the overt lies and misrepresentations by Schroeder regarding the Articles of Freedom, but I will abstain at this time, especially considering the other unrelated smear that must be addressed before this response can be adequately completed.
The Local Tea Party Movement
Schroeder claims that the [local] Tea Party movement has been “warped into the militia movement.” This claim is both idiotic and untrue. While I am involved as both the elected chairman of the Palouse Liberty Project, and I am involved in the militia, I do not promote the 57/75th at Palouse Liberty Project meetings or events, and I am on record with an offer to tender my resignation if members feel there is a conflict of interests. To date, no member has expressed any concern, and have offered me nothing but support in both endeavors.
But let’s simply illustrate the folly of this argument by applying Schroeder’s own standard to himself. 
We know he owns a business. He’s an NRA member (even though he clearly doesn’t comprehend or support the 2nd Amendment), as an (alleged) conservative, we’ll presume that he goes to church most Sundays. He’s been the chair of the local Republican Party. So by his own flawed logic, at church he must assume the lectern to preach the benefits of selling his fur pelts, stump for GOP candidates, and then meet his fellow congregants on the way out the door to sign them up for NRA memberships. Obviously, his church has been “warped into the fur / firearm / Republican movement.”
Of course this is an absurd rhetorical argument. But it’s exactly the logic employed by Schroeder in his press release. He conducts business at his business, he explores his religion at church. Even Barrett Schroeder has the ability to compartmentalize and be involved in multiple activities simultaneously without those interests overlapping and contaminating one another... just like I do.
Although – if his pastor reads this, he might like to request a little overlap, something comes to mind about not bearing false witness...
To his additional claim that the militia, the Palouse Liberty Project, or I am personally fronting candidates across the region to support his imagined agenda is similarly outrageous and false. Neither the Palouse Liberty Project or 57/75 Bns. LF endorse or support political candidates, and I honestly couldn’t even tell you who is running for Sheriff in Kootenai or Benewah counties. I do not personally currently support any candidate for Sheriff in Latah County, and I really don’t know if I will. 
Again, I don’t LIVE there.
That being said, I applaud any Sheriff in ANY jurisdiction who would consider the arrest a Federal Agent representing any out of control bureaucracy who would violate the sovereignty of a state or her citizens, in clear violation of the 9th and 10th amendments of the constitution. At the end of the day, the only valid reason to have government or police officers or sheriffs is to protect the rights of citizens. 
Any Sheriff brave or principled enough to take such a stand not only has my philosophical support and gratitude, but I will stand with any individual who chooses to protect my most precious possession – my liberty.
Conclusion
There is an unattributed saying that goes something like this: “Politicians, like diapers, have to be changed frequently – and for the very same reason.” Undoubtedly, since his press release of 27 February, there is a foul stench in the air of District 5 politics, and it’s name is Barrett Schroeder.
Yesterday, if you had asked me who he was, I would not have been able to answer. Today, I know him as a man who precedes himself with a less than admirable reputation, an unprincipled liar and fear monger who will say or do anything to advance his own agenda, and a man who clearly does not cherish the very constitutional principles he would gain office to preserve, protect and defend.
Most politicians at least wait until their election has been secured before trashing the constitution, fear mongering and lying. Not Schroeder. 
At least he’s being up front and honest about something with the voters of Latah and Benewah counties; that when it comes to his election strategy, there’s no lie too big, and no conspiracy theory or fear mongering too absurd.
How nice to know this in advance of an election, for a change.
I urge voters to reject this obscene style of dirty politics, and show Schroeder the exit door to his political career.
 
Jeff Williams
Chairman
Palouse Liberty Project
Permission to reprint this press release is APPROVED, provided such reproduction is not modified or edited in any way. Modified or edited reproduction is DENIED. Modified or edited reproduction without express written consent will be considered a violation of copyright and the DCMA, and constitutes infringement under 17 U.S.C. Section 101 et seq. resulting in liability for statutory damages as high as $150,000 as set forth in Section 504(c)(2) t 
 
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