“Christian Warriors” Give the Government Exactly What It Wants
I am not going to comment on the details of this story, since we have seen how many times in the past the initial reports bear only a remote resemblance to the actual truth. But if in fact 9 “Christian Warriors” were plotting to kill policemen (at a funeral?!), I can only reiterate that this is neither a Christian scheme nor is it smart strategically. The average American is more afraid of militia guys with IEDs and pocket Constitutions, than of bloated deficits and waiting lists for kidney transplants. This story is beautiful for the government.
Here’s Lew Rockwell’s take:
Today, the vast and wealthy DC Militia did what it loves doing most, swooping in to arrest Americans talked into dangerous talking. Apparently the 101st Airborne was not involved in the mopping-up operation, though I am not sure. Who can doubt that the nine people arrested were talked into their exploits (of speech, not action) by agents provocateurs? The media are all googly over it—Christian militia members planning to use WMD (oh sure) to overthrow the government. Too bad the nine did not pay attention to what Jesus said about the use of the sword, but did pay attention to agents counseling violence. But again, all the Michigan Nine did was talk: these guys had a website, and played in the woods. Rachel Maddow of MS-GE delightedly explained tonight that those arrested did not actually have to do anything to be found guilty. So these working-class Americans are to be put in super-max government cages for the rest of their lives, except when they are being raped or treated in the single-payer prison medical system, for “seditious conspiracy,” a concept beloved of totalitarian regimes.
There is never an excuse for making terroristic threats.
However, I’ve been amazed about some of the epithets and consipracy theories I’ve heard lately from otherwise perfectly good, rational, civil people. Many of them are reaching a boiling point in their frustration with the actions of Washington, and are verbally lashing out.
I’m not saying there aren’t a few crazies out there that might follow through on their boasts, but I think it’s a lot more likely that most of this violent rhetoric is Quixotic fantasy from people who feel powerless against the government machine.
My goodness. If you don’t like the police, just defund them. Then the police will “act up” and you may actually win the rhetorical battle.
Unfortunately, this is going to be the MSM narative used against us: crazy racist militia types.
I was certainly amused by the constant use of “weapons of mass destruction” phrase in the media yesterday in reference to pipe bombs and other explosive devices. Guess there were WMDs found in Iraq afterall.
I will step out on a limb and make a prediction- the only evidence they actually have are guns and talk. I am guessing that no explosives or other bombs were found yesterday.
I don’t understand why Rockwell feels the need to spin this as a ploy by the government to discredit Christians/”anti-government” folks. Although, as Robert points out, we may not know the actual truth of the story as presently reported, it seems much more likely that this was a few unhinged individuals, rather than honest, well-intentioned people simply smeared by some sort of government plot.
Murphy’s response, to denounce these kinds of actions, seems much more reasonable than Rockwell’s claims of conspiracy.
We can object to statism, and be suspicious of the government’s claims, without turning every story into a battle of honest freedom-fighters versus totalitarianism.
Well Tyler, reading more than a few lines of LRC is like eating a pan full of brownie. You’re going to end with your head over a toilet bowel.
These misguided people sense that what the state is doing is illegitimate but they haven’t figured out that they can’t undermine the belief in the legitimacy of the state by exploding pipe bombs or crashing planes into buildings, or that trying to do so only entrenches the state by letting it claim that it is responding defensively to protect people. Moral considerations aside, this is totally counterproductive.
Dear Mr. Mitchell:
I very much like the thought process in your response, that acting violently against the state may well add legitimacy to their agenda. In fact, isn’t this what nearly every despot seeks to do, legitimize a position by claiming that it somehow protects and defends? It is one thing to slapp down a mugger or rapist, but quite another to resist sworn and deputized authority figures allegedly enforcing the will of the people.
While not a pacifist myself, as Dr. Murphy is, these talks have been very helpful to me. Clearly there are other means that are likely far more effective. I am prior service and have a military mindset. I agree with you that what these people sought, if in fact they did (I suspect a COINTELPRO type activity here), is counterproductive. What I have always admired about competent military leaders is that they never truly view an enemy as an enemy. Perhaps opponent or adversary is a better term. What they all have in common is how well they know the opposition and how well they respect them. I recently reread Hal Moore’s book “We Were Soldiers.” What is most striking about his example is how well he knew, and truly understood his opponent and could quickly out think him and how much he encouraged his fellow officers to understand.
I think the gist of the conversation here, though no one has said it out right, is beat them at their own game. Don’t make the mistake of many miltary leaders and fight the last battle (many think this as the beginning of another American Revolution, but the terms are very different and it is most unlikely to succeed on the terms we operate under now). Perhaps this is one of the reasons we were admonsighed to love our enemies. To love someone, you must know, know, know them, to paraphrase a once popular song. Once we know the opposition as well as we should know ourselves, the dynamics of the percieved battle changes. I think this may work quite well as I do not believe so called progressives really wish to know us. I studying successful leaders and their tactics and to understandthem better will give us a leg up.
Thanks to everyone for their reasoned thoughts on this topic.
JimS
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