“Forrest Gump” is one of the truly great movies because of the endless chain of life lessons. Many of these are built around the notion of “Stupid is as stupid does”. This past weekend, the evidences of stupid fell from the skies and piled at our feet. Did you notice? Forrest said, “Mama always had a way of explaining things so I could understand them”. Well, I’m not Momma, but I will do my best.
Michael O’Donnell had a go at the Oath Keepers and the Idaho Three Percenters. Stupid is as Stupid does.
Speaking of these militias, who traveled to the White Hope mine in Montana to provide security services, O’Donnell said, “Bear in mind, we didn’t elect them. They are self-anointed saviors of the American way of life”.
Once again, O’Donnell exhibits an inexcusable lack of constitutional understanding. Militias are constitutionally defined. The founders clearly instructed us on how they are to be organized and who is to serve. If O’Donnell does not support the notion of ordinary men arming themselves in the defense of liberty, then why does he celebrate the Fourth of July? This holiday and the O’Donnell doctrine stand in sharp opposition.
O’Donnell also stated, “The men in camo, carrying guns and roaming the streets, were a tad unsettling to the good folks of Lincoln”.
This exercise was in the operational control of the Oath Keepers. They had a town hall meeting at the beginning of the operation where the militia members were instructed to not wear camo or openly carry weapons in the community. Further, the meeting addressed the legal and constitutional issues that were being defended. Now, I have not researched the issues of this conflict so I cannot offer an opinion, but the Oath Keepers have and they were sincere and rational in their beliefs and actions.
O’Donnell took one final jab by stating, “As a side note, although the Oath Keepers say those who join their call to arms are carefully vetted, three months later two “patriots” at the Bundy showdown ended up ruthlessly executing two police officers while the cops were eating lunch in Las Vegas.”
A simple search for the facts shows that the cop killers arrived at the Bundy ranch and were forced to leave because of their past and then current behavior. It is also interesting to note that they were never members of the Oath Keepers.
Since militias carry guns and serve in the public eye, it is my opinion that they have an obligation to be above reproach. Sadly, this is not always the case. While at the Montana operation, a leader of the Idaho Three Percenters posted to Facebook a full page image in big bold letters, “I’m gonna f!!! s!!! up. You coming?” Then, there were dozens of equally inappropriate replies. Sadly, the president and the vice president of this group participated. Stupid is a stupid does.
Now I ask you, if you woke up to learn that the militia had arrived in your neighborhood and that the leaders were making such statements, would this inspire confidence or would it reinforce fears that gun owners are a bunch of angry, trigger happy, right wing fanatics? Is this type of statement going to hurt or help the anti-gun lunatics in their effort to disarm us all? Is there any way that this statement will help the average American see that gun owners do not represent a threat to society?
Representative Ken Andrus wrote a column and made a long list of socialist programs. He offered his support for all, while providing constitutional authority for none. Stupid is as stupid does.
I will address a few of his comments.
Andrus supported the federal dairy buyout. This program was instituted at a time when dairymen struggled to make ends meet. Andrus wrote, “To remedy the situation the government initiated the dairy buy out. The federal government would buy the cows of willing sellers at a fixed price in return for a commitment that no milk would be produced at those facilities for several years.”
Now, if the market had been left alone to self-correct, it would have done just that. Yes, the price of a gallon of milk would have fluctuated for a short time, but ultimately it would have stabilized as the forces of supply and demand came into balance. This commotion would have lasted a matter of months and cost the taxpayer nothing. The solution that Andrus supports has grown and placed a burden on the American tax payer for decades and there is no end in sight.
Andrus also stated, “Another time the assistance paid the annual mortgage payment, keeping me from going broke and having to move my family off the ranch to who knows where”.
The General Welfare Clause, Article 1 Section 8 and the 14th amendment demand that government provides equal protection under the law for all the people. Andrus is a state law maker. Has he upheld these constitutional provisions? What about the butcher, baker and candlestick maker? If they have a hard time making ends meet, where is the law that requires the government to buy them out and provide a fresh start? When they cannot make their mortgage payments, where is the law that requires the government to pay for them?
Andrus admits that taking this money is wrong but he justifies it, none the less. How is that possible? He forcefully takes from the American people and says there is no crime. Again, what about the butcher, baker and candlestick maker? Where is their equal protection? Are they not guaranteed an equal right to the same benefits that Andrus enjoys? Remember Melissa, the baker from Oregon, who was put out of business because she refused to bake a cake for a wedding of perversion? Since there is no law to give her equal protection, is she not constitutionally guaranteed the right to take that protection for herself? So, can she rob a bank if she says, “I know this is wrong but still, it is justified”? What is the difference? Both plans spread the cost over millions of people so no one is hurt… much. Both plans take money from people against their will. The truth is that people who do this are thieves, even if the government acts as their agent.
Why then is it important for all Americans, whether they be Columnist, Militia, Legislator or other to reach for excellence of character and faith?
George Washington had two horses shot from beneath him, one bullet passed through his hat and three through his coat. He later wrote that he only survived, “by the miraculous care of Providence, that protected me beyond all human expectation”. Godly honor and decency, in the ranks, was of such a high priority to him that he ordered officers in the Virginia Regiment to administer 25 lashes for profanity alone.
After the signing of the Constitution, George Washington retired to meditate on the miracle he had witnessed. He wrote, “It is clear to my conception that no government before introduced among mankind ever contained so many checks and such efficacious restraints to prevent it from degeneration into any species of oppression.”
There is, however, one thing that can and has destroyed the vision of the “Indispensable Man”. John Adams wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other”.
Today, our men and women sink beneath all reasonable levels of decency. Our legislators rob and plunder the people. Columnists publish a twisted version of truth. These fools, in ignorance and greed, pretend allegiance to Constitutional Truth while chipping away at the foundation thereof. We are a nation that has turned its collective back on Providence that preserved George Washington, directed the creation of the Constitution and made this land free. Now, we begin a season of unimaginable trials, not because God turned his face from us, but because we turned from him.
Forrest can understand these principles and the American people cannot. What does this say?
The following include the O’Donnell column, Andrus column, the Three Percenter Facebook post, and the irrational and unsubstantiated response by Brandon Curtis, President of the Idaho Three Percenters.
Read more here.
