tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55159283700200205722024-03-13T22:01:50.493-06:00Musings in the WildernessA Constitutionalists personal opinionMark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-3524098784409350022010-02-08T16:06:00.002-07:002010-02-08T16:31:10.453-07:00Musings on provacators , cognative or otherwiseNow if anyone is involved in any sort of group , you will have those that will disagree with what is being said, sometimes its just an honest disagreement , other times, it is by design and intent.<br />Cass Sunstein is President Obama’s Harvard Law School friend, and recently appointed Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and has stated the following as a tactic:<strong>We suggest a distinctive tactic for breaking up the hard core of extremists who supply conspiracy theories: cognitive infiltration of extremist groups, whereby government agents or their allies (acting either virtually or in real space, and either openly or anonymously) will undermine the crippled epistemology of believers by planting doubts about the theories and stylized facts that circulate within such groups, thereby introducing beneficial cognitive diversity.</strong> this taken from the American pendulum blog site which has its own post on this subject here:http://www.americanpendulum.com/2010/01/cass-sunstein-seeks-cognitive-provocateurs/<br /><br />Basically for those of us familiar with what the topic is , Internet trolls , be they group or government affiliated , that show up and try to make groups appear as they are not , as the article states they are easy to root out because they almost always say things counter to whats being said , alienating those in the groups , trying to waste time , change a stated goal , or just basically bring discredit on the group. no matter how often the group leadership trys to explain , or guide them back into the fold so to speak, usually what happens is , they are cut loose , made ineffective and leave with rants that , the group is usurping their constitutional rights to free speech , and are a plant themselves luring in unsuspecting patriots.<br />The thing they do fail to realize , is just because they have freedom of speech , the right to make anyone listen let alone agree with them or believe them , is not .<br /><br />Some of the more complicated tactics i have seen involve not 1 but any number of provocateurs feeding off each other , sounding like a bunch of minah birds all agreeing with one another ,in an attempt to draw support , for what they are saying, sometimes it may work sometimes not , it depends entirely on how knowledgeable and how firmly others believe in what they themselves are there for. translated into goal , or mission solidarity and faith. <br />Now i have talked about the Internet aspect of this , because it tends to reach the most people the fastest, and it is complete as anonymous as anything could be , this also happens in person , withing groups , so a watchful eye , is always advised , and just as provocateurs are easy to spot online with a few well placed questions , they are also easy to find in person , they just may be alittle more cautious since the aspect of anyominity is stripped away. <br />So with all this in mind , i remember this one thing , "DON'T FEED THE TROLLS" eliminate them as soon as they are rooted out , you wont be sorry , what do you think?Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-74043175205390108482010-01-28T14:04:00.002-07:002010-01-28T14:32:35.225-07:00Musings on the 17th Amendment<em>The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures. <br />When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.<br /><br />This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.<br /></em><br /><br />Prior to this amendment , the States Senators were chosen by the individual states legislatures, this amendment , changed that so that the people voted for the representation. and at first glance that would seem to be a good idea where as this Republic is of the people by the people and for the people, but if you compare what we have now , to what the founders had in place , you can see that someone lost some influence with this amendment.<br />In my view , as originally intended in the US Constitution , the people were suppose to be represented in the House of Representatives thus they have always had the vote there for their representation ,that's also the shortest term in government , 2 yrs , my view is the reasoning was , peoples opinions change sometimes quickly so they needed a way to have current representation, those members of the Senate , were intended to be representation for the States , to insure , that individual States rights were protected, Remember , then the Senators were chosen by the States legislature , whom in turn was also elected by the people so the people never really gained anything in being able to vote for state Senators since supposedly , they already had a say (vote) through their state representatives to the legislature.<br />What this amendment means to me , is that the responsibility for choosing any Senator was put back onto the people directly , instead of being answerable to a few legislators in State Government , it made the Senator answerable to everyone in the state. and from what i see it also made it more difficult to recall any representative that was going against the will of the people.<br />Now I will admit , as far as is this amendment good or bad , do I want to keep it or have it repealed , I'm on the fence with those questions. that's something I'm wondering about, since my entire life has been lived under it i have seen no other way it works so I honestly don't know, Now if the Founders , intended the Senate to be the protector of States rights in Congress , there must have been compelling reasons the People wanted to change the process, and that's something , i think needs to be looked at. whats your thoughts?Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-38894228656641063132010-01-28T12:10:00.002-07:002010-01-28T12:13:48.854-07:00My Apologies for being lax in posting here.Recently , i became a State forum moderator over at OathKeepers, and i have been busy, learning what that entails , subsiquently , this Blog suffered for my preoccupation. I still intent to keep blogging , but unfortunately , its going to be as i can , i will try to at least get 1 post a week in on things of interest and my thoughts.Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-84900438890204372092010-01-18T18:07:00.002-07:002010-01-18T18:10:34.292-07:00Been taking some time offI had some plumbing problems to attend to after the recent sub zero weather , and have been taking some time off , i hope those that have been following this blog have found some of the other blogs i follow as entertaining as i do , though there are many subjects i could be talking about , nothing at the moment is jumping out at me , demanding to be discussed, for this i apologize, but tomorrow is a new day and with it will come new things , lets see if something speaks to me.Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-50341934129425203832010-01-10T22:16:00.005-07:002010-01-10T23:01:26.702-07:00Musings on how things look a year after the DHS right wing extremist reportJust under a year ago, the Department of homeland security released a report on right wing extremism in this nation and whom they are. The report i read is here:<br />http://moelane.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/hsa-rightwing-extremism-09-04-07.pdf and not long after that by about a month they also released a report entitled left wing extremism almost as an afterthought. The glaring difference of both reports , was in the methods both these reports said the sides would use, where the right wing side were supposedly going to resort to violence , the left wing side which i count the present administration as decidedly and biasely LEFT wing as well as anyone they employ in any departments , said the lefts mod us operandi would be of the more benign sort of cyber warfare, hacking and disruption of service , things basically annoying inconvenient and totally non violent, lets flash forward to a couple of Tea party demonstrations, we all remember the gentleman attacked selling Gadsden flags to the protesters by some union thugs , did anyone else hear that the same thing happened in Florida to a protester? That that person was also man handled and assaulted along with his wife? what about the implied threat of violence form the left ? never heard of that i bet., what about the blatant changing of schedules and venues to protect incumbant leftist Congress people, or seeding the audience with those to shout down legitimate questions? if they are allowed to speak at all.yes totally nonviolent right? <br />Right after , reading the DHS report i kind of simplified it down to the few needed points, i share them with you.<br />Right Wing Extremist as THEY (left wing morons) define it: <br />1. Anyone who did not vote for Chairman Obama. <br />2. Anyone who believes that America is not to blame for every sulphur fart that is let around the world. <br />3. Anyone who believes that the US Constitution supersedes the U N Charter. <br />4. Anyone who watches Fox News or listens to talk radio. <br />5. Anyone without their head 2 feet up Chairman Obama's poop chute. <br />6. Anyone who believes that church is a place to know, worship and serve God while bringing as many others as possible along; versus a community organizers platform to brainwash people with Black Liberation Theology, including racial and America hate. <br />7. Anyone who does not think that the MSM gets everything that they say as Divine guidance from the Bible. <br />8. Anyone who is sure that human reproduction would cease, as would civilization if homosexual practices become as normal as the left would like to see them. <br />9. Anyone who believes that racism is a 2 way street. <br />10. Anyone who believes that God created everything, He owns everything and that the concept of separation of Church and State has a totally pointless and futile meaning. <br />Any one of those things will land you on alist of Right wing extremists.<br /><br />i think that pretty much sums up what I read in the report,and its kind of funny how none of the violence thus far committed has been done by those that it was predicted it would be done by. Of course , there are lone wolf actions in the past yr, but those can happen even in the best of times right?well even a blind squirrel gets lucky sometimes and finds a nut, that's how i feel about those self fulfilling prophecies from government agencies,and thats what i think they are hoping for, for their report to be made valid and someone some where , prove they didnt waste all that money and resourses compiling that report , our tax dollars at work folks. so what do you think?Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-86264701873017217972010-01-07T01:33:00.002-07:002010-01-14T15:15:16.467-07:00Is there a Constitutional right to form Militias?UPDATEDA comment was made about the Constitutional right to form Militias , and that got me wondering , so i took a look , the word Militia appears in the US Constitution in 4 separate sections , In Art 1 sec 8 , under the powers of Congress: To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;<br /><br />To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;<br />As you can see , this is the power of Congress to write the rules , not the peoples, those rules are found in US CODE.<br /><br />The next mention of Militia is in Art2 sec 2: The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States<br />This declared the President as the Commander in chief.<br />Of course the best known mention of Militia comes in this next section the 2nd Amendment:A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed<br />All this is telling me is that the Militia is seen as necessary and that the people are the militia, the only right here is that of the people to keep and bear arms and that the government cannot infringe on that right. It does not give the people the right to form a militia outside of the constitutional powers of the congress.<br />The last mention of Militia is in the 5th Amendment :No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.<br />Now i can be wrong here , but this tells me that a member of a militia can be called to answer (tried) for a capital crime without indictment , maybe because they fall under a different justice system? and there is a different set of rules under that system?<br />Now I'm willing to bet , for states that joined the Union after the ratification of the Constitution that their respective State Constitution's , will reflect what then the US Constitution and then US Code stated and I'm also willing to bet , that the congressional powers as far as Militias is delegated to the state Govornors and respective State Legislatures.<br />I have not looked into the nuances of US code , or the differing state Constitutions so there of course may be something there, but the answer i come up with is there is a Constitutional right to form militias , the right of the government to do so is plainly stated , but i see no provision that gives that right to the people, now dependant of different states statues and laws , if that right is delegated down further to the people to form their own remains to be seen. what does anyone else think? <blockquote>UPDATE</blockquote> After some discussion on this subject it was pointed out to me that i was very narrow sighted in my perception and i whole heartedly agree that i have been , i was looking at this subject , from a narrow view of the law and what is said in the US Constitution, What i failed to take into account, was Natural law , or natural right, something we all have and have never given up. and in taking that into consideration and a hefty oh duuuuh!!!!! moment i saw the supporting in the US Constitution for the subject , it was right in front of me and i never connected the two, it was the 9TH Amendment.supported by the 10th.<br />What have i learned? don't be so set in your ways that you fail`to look at other views on subject , and i have also learned crow tastes better with Tabasco.... please pass the Tabasco.Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-11849070259137085902010-01-04T13:59:00.002-07:002010-01-04T14:58:35.620-07:00Musings on preparedness and what that will entailIn case some of you have missed it , im a big advocate of being prepared , no matter what the situation. maybe thats the old boy scout in me i dont know , could be its the conservative prudent side of me.<br /> Before one starts to prepare , one has to think about what are they preparing for,what do they think they will need , what will they actually need , and what is the short and long range goals of whatever plans that are formulated.<br /> I am no expert in the field of telling people what they should and should not have , and what plans they should make. but i am (i hope ) gifted with some common sense. so with that said remember , any suggestions i make , are strictly a matter of opinion , and i think staying with the basics, is prudent for myself at least, and any plans one makes can be as simple or complex as they choose to make them.<br />I also wont go into detail of the how toes and where of of specifics of planning , there are any number of internet sites , that have training information , lists of things they reccommend.<br />so lets look at what a preparedness plan actually is , in its most basic and fundimental form, it is for survival, plain and simple , to be able to make it through any particular situation.but what is needed for survival? the basics would be of course shelter , food , and protection, shelter , is usually covered by ones home , but what happens if your home is not available for some reason? do you have a place you can go? and is that place someplace that someone else may be thinking of using as a back up for themselves as well? <br /> Ok next is food , this can get as simple or as complicated as one wants, we have all seen the availability of so called "survival " supplies , prepackaged in neat little packges , if you do your home work you will find , that you can usually get away with a good stock of canned goods , a few dry ingriedients , and particulars that you fancy ,the important thing will be potable water , meaning drinking water, we can go a few days hungery , but we dont last long without that basic nesessity of life.remember , you may not be able to just run down to the local store , and pick up a case of bottled water,or food. and there is no guarentee that anyone will be bringing you any either.and living "off the land " may not exactly be an option either.the desision on how much to stock is entirely up to the individual , because you are the ones that will need to determine what is needed, and that will depend on the situation.You may need to be prepared for as little as a few days , and for as long as it takes for things to return to normal.<br />Now , if you have planned for shelter and food , you have also protected yourself from the elements , and from starvation, but that is not the protection i listed last, and this is a very touchy subject , and requires some thought on your part, because different areas , have different laws , and even different views on what this portion will encompass. personal security , is something a person should at least give a thought to beforehand , because once in the sitution , its kind of late to be thinking ,ok how to i make sure , that i can keep what i have to survive , from those that may not have had the foresight to preplan. A very good example is to look what happened during Hurricane Katrina , how would you avoid what happened there? do you have the skill sets to impliments what would be needed to survive in that situation? the supplies? or even the will to do what may , or may not have to be done? if not , its highly recommended you start learning what you need to know. beforehand, because if you are thrust into the situation and have to learn as you go, chances are the mistakes made then , could be costly , in the sense it could cost you your life. where as , if you have tried some of your plans out and tested them , and found out what works and what doesnt , it greatly increases the chances your preparedness plan will sucseed.<br />As i stated , these are to get you , the reader to think , and some of you may have already thought some of this through and have it already committed , but for those of you that havent, its not too late yet to start thinking and get some plan at least formulated, and to get educated and ready.Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-51873319701692863662010-01-03T14:49:00.003-07:002010-01-03T15:21:51.815-07:00Musings on some groupsWith a new year comes some thoughts, and today i find myself pondering the many different patriot groups that have seem to spring forth.i also am catching myself , looking at what the stated purpose is of these groups and of different political parties.With the diversity of the population I understand that not all groups will be to alls liking.<br />On the surface many of these groups , are saying the right things to attract people , but as always it is incumbent on the person to do the research as to exactly where any group really stands. Only then can a person decide if that group is correct for them.<br />Some groups claim to be non partisan, but what is failed to be realized is that even though a group organization can claim that , the members of said group may not be, even if they agree to act in a non partisan fashion, evidence of this is the Tea party groups, some are truly nonpartisan, while others have a definite tone of political party is, and that is something the individual must determine if they can live with.<br />I have found some groups , that have a very small grass roots start , but on websites claim much more involvement than is really there, especially on a local level, to me having 2 people in a county is not the voice of the people , but is the voice of the individuals, usually claiming to speak for the people , sorry , but they do not speak for me.<br />Personally , i have and still belong to some organizations that have moved away from what they were , or what i believed them to be at the time, One of these groups , is a national group , I'm a life member , but the politics and outlook of this group no longer fit my beliefs fully, so i choose to no longer fund their actions.That is my choice. <br /><br />So as you can see , you the reader have to decide , just as i have , on the validity of a group or organization , it is up to you to decide , whether that group fits you , and vice versa, its up to you to decide can you live with what that group stands for , fully , or partially, because remember as part of the group you are but a single voice , and may not have the power to change it , but then again maybe that can happen too, its all in the wind, and the only way you ll ever really know , is to become educated , discuss and think, from there you can plan , formulate and take action. So what do you think?Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-88554006723313883262009-12-31T19:56:00.002-07:002009-12-31T20:11:15.651-07:00Thoughts at the end of this yearThis yr has been interesting to say the least. this being the last post for 2009, i look back at some of my posts, some that have had little effect , and some that i have been told that have made folks think, , which is a good thing i suppose.<br />I started this blog with the intentions to make people think, a place to clear my thoughts , and a place to state an opinion. <br />There are still some subjects i could post about before the end of the yr, but i think they can be put off for a day or two , and the new year has the promise of some interesting material for posting, specially in light of some current political developments.<br />So i will close out this year , reminding all, that what you read here , is but a matter of personal opinion and conjecture, things as i see them, i offer them out to the public for simple consideration, so i wish all a prosperous and happy new year.<br />Alpha(Mark Mc)<br />IIIMark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-17021147825061172352009-12-29T16:39:00.003-07:002009-12-29T17:12:40.262-07:00MAIG blueprint linkFor those concerned about 2ND Amendment rights, The anti gun Mayor Bloombergsblueprint plans to grab guns without going through the legislature. read more about it at gun rights examiner ,national, david c's war on guns blog as well.<br />http://snarkybytes.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/MAIG-Blueprint-FOIA.pdfMark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-25734639964973698322009-12-29T09:00:00.002-07:002009-12-29T09:51:36.453-07:00Musings and food for thought for the future potential Revolutionary War herosI do not think i can remember a time , that some faction hasn't been calling for armed resistance or action, least not in my lifetime. Usually these calls come from the fringe elements , from those that personally i can never seem to find a commonality with. And nowadays its no different, there are still some out there , that make such calls and of course when they get no action, usually go off grumbling that , people are stupid , unpatriotic and generally cant understand why their call is not answered.<br />I myself , on these self same pages have advised that people need to have plans for themselves and communities, to get ready so to speak for any eventuality and that i think is prudent mainly because those that have a plan will probley be the ones that need the least help.<br />To address what i call the John Brown syndrome, those people calling for armed and open response to what they think is wrongs done by anyone and wish to start the fight on their terms and in places of their choosing.My advise , would be you better think long and hard. especially if your going to move your operation away from your own locality, because , you may have to contend with how the people in your chosen area of operations will perceive you,will you be viewed as a warrior of right? or an out of state interloper? how would you view someone that came into your state to start crap?In my humble opinion , that's a good way to start getting shot at from ALL sides, and frankly , in my view , i would look at such an excursion , about the same as i would the use of UN troops to enforce anything, as an invasion.<br />Besides , if the situation ever gets to the point of armed insurrection, every ones gonna be too busy locally making the needed preparations to insure their own survival<br />and the survival of their own communities,anyone that thinks that action in one state is going to generate a mobilization from another , to come to their aide , I'm afraid is sadly mistaken if anything , it will make others see to the preparations in their own state and community, so thoughts of riding in and being hailed as heroes , is pretty far fetched , and is the stuff of movie lore , not factual happenings.so as far as I'm concerned , don't be expecting to see folks from where I'm located fighting in the hills of another state, cuz we may be busy preparing our own defenses in that case. you would do better to have plans for your own locale , at least there you can have some semblance of logistics and support.<br />This is of course ,entirely hypothetical, and strictly my own personal opinion, but i think it is prudent thought that , some folks , may not see things the same way and view things differently than some of those that wish to start something.Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-22321340733398515952009-12-27T12:22:00.003-07:002009-12-27T13:01:05.145-07:00Musings on the legitimacy( or lack of ) GovernmentGreetings from VERY frozen Wyoming. I hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas.As of late , I have been reading in a few places how some folks believe that our current form of government , is both illegal and corrupt, I tend to agree with the corrupt part, but i wish to look at this charge of illegality.<br />In order to do that, one must go back to the founding of this country, and what forms of government were in place in the different states, we had commonwealths , representative governments , parliamentary systems and even councils.<br />Before we had Our US Constitution, we had the Articles of Confederation, and for some reason that probley needs a closer look , these somehow failed or were not good enough for the men of the time, Hence they came up with what we have today ,The US Constitution.<br />Here is my musings on the matter of the Illegality of the Constitution and its subsequent Amendments,<strong>BULL HOCKEY</strong>. since the document , replaced another , was voted on through due course and agreed to , it IS the defacto template for our form of government, like it or not, same for all 27 of the ratified amendments , since they were enacted following the rules set forth in the Constitution,And it is truly amazing , that for a 230+ yr old document, there have only been 27 Amendments (some i agree that are questionable, and wonder if there is truly need for at this time.)and i acknowledge that there have been many PROPOSED Amendments but only 27 that have passed the ratification process.<br />Now some may feel that government has been over reaching its stated powers as delegated and that, some people have abused the system, i would tend to agree , but unfortunately, i am not the one that is the judge(and i don't think the government wants me to be the judge there).<br />Like it or not, the US Constitution. is the document by which the rules of our government are laid out, and the beauty of it , is that it IS amendable , for good or bad , that must always be kept in mind, but it IS the LEGITIMATE template for our government, the problem i see , is that We the people have expected for too long that government would stay within the confines and framework of what the document allows. remember We the People are the guardians, We the people have the final say with our consent to be governed.so what do you think?Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-80602945971600247942009-12-24T18:51:00.003-07:002009-12-24T19:34:36.788-07:00Musings on Christmas EveThis Christmas season has been a different one, with whats been going on nationally , politically and economically. Usually i take this time , between Christmas and New Years , to reflect on myself and things that i had done over the last year, This year is different , because , events that have been happening are a little more important than just my self. I feel the very future of our nation is being stretched and rent at its very fabric. I hear that this country is more divided now , than at any time in its history even more so than before the last great clash that separated this nation , states,counties, townships and even families.<br />Word has reached me , that the powers that be in the Federal Government , have taken a step that they , a minority , feel is the correct direction for our nation,. they have taken our consent to govern and used it to go against the majorities wishes , they have used the power granted them to bribe,cajole , and threaten to get what an even smaller minority want, some of the actions used are definitely illegal, the package is in my humble opinion un Constitutional , and the plans for implementation , ring of purely tyrannical tilt.<br />I dont know about anyone else , but for me , I'm thinking of what our founding fathers and those that have fought and died for this country would be thinking of todays situation, i wonder , what cost will today's circumstances bring about. I'm finally left to wonder, if called what will i do to stop what i feel is an illegal and unconstitutional unconscionable act by those entrusted with the consent to govern us.<br />I also wonder how many are taking this Christmas, and using it to gather with family, talking quietly about what their beliefs are , maybe talking about options that can be taken,I wonder how many will be thinking , that this may be their last Christmas, and have already made up their minds what they may do. I also wonder , if those they be in power are thinking the same things, and what they are doing to this once great nation , that is dividing it beyond the point of repair, because even if those in power don't believe it , people will use whatever they have at hand to defend themselves from a tyrannical government , they say we have 3 boxes in this country , the ballot box , the jury box and the bullet box, it would appear that the peoples will is being nullified in 2 of them, so i wonder is it only amatter of time before the people feeling oppressed and helpless reaches for that last box, and when they do, will the spirits of Christmas's past and our forefathers be looking on.Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-38574813649168910252009-12-21T14:41:00.002-07:002009-12-21T14:53:26.715-07:00Musings on what it means to be prepared<em> a prudent person keeps an eye on whats happening around them and prepares for any eventuality</em><br />sage advice , but what exactly does that mean? those that live in areas prone to natural disasters can probly answer this better , but to me, it means be ready for any eventuality , Fema has lists of things people should do to be prepared and to survive periods of time when normal services may be interrupted. That might be a good place to start , having a personal plan for eventualities if they should ever happen.One can take further steps if they feel they need to and add and subtract from basic lists , but the fundamentals of shelter food water and security must always be thought out. remember , not everyone may have the foresight to have a plan , and the last thing you will want is to be caught, having to share what you have set aside for yourself and family.and those that don't plan , will revert to basic instincts for survival, be it at the government assistance station , or on their own.Having a personal survival plan is paramount , it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a group survival plan with your neighbors either, think those of like mind , that will give you a group effort to get things back to normal as soon as possible. i figure this is just food for thought , remember a person that fails to plan ,plans to fail, do you want to be one that needs help or one that can help?<br />What do you think?Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-43926552437226951102009-12-17T19:05:00.002-07:002009-12-17T19:30:42.053-07:00Musing on what is a Domestic EnemyA very interesting question, what is a Domestic Enemy as purported to in regards to the US Constitution.<br />I think this question is a very good one to provoke thought, because , there will be as many answers as there are people asked, and they will answer following along their beliefs. So if i leave something out, feel free to add whatever your thoughts are as well.<br />To me , being a Constructionist/Constitutionalists, A domestic enemy is anyone , that would use legislation,intimidation, majority , or use force to advance their agenda of compliance to their will that circumvents , nullifies or outright voids those protections offered by the US Constitution, anyone that over reaches the constitutional limits, imposed by said document up to and including using it against itself. anyone that would infringe on any personal rights , using the legislative or any other process.simply put , if it cannot pass a simple constitutionality test it cant be done.<br />Ok that's to start the ball rolling , and a very quick thought on what a potential domestic enemy could be , it is in no means the only definition, by DHS standards , my beliefs make me a potential domestic enemy, so to to the SPLC< OR any other alphabet group out there. so the answer , is going to be entirely up to what your views and beliefs say , not mine.or theirs.Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-52567871768957867022009-12-13T00:15:00.003-07:002009-12-13T01:55:31.495-07:00Musings on the Militia Movement<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwa0NpZ-TJ3GXnZeA9G_bhKbnvJbXfMUcW1-7o1mlUtb1KsiVgpIMLKaItkI8vsZzi1N-hUs27QFyFP-HkikRGtvRtuQeBynCT0GTlegpHvSBuD-f-FqsI6-pLXrI8XG-brL_ZnGG3bFo/s1600-h/LexingtonM4minutemen.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwa0NpZ-TJ3GXnZeA9G_bhKbnvJbXfMUcW1-7o1mlUtb1KsiVgpIMLKaItkI8vsZzi1N-hUs27QFyFP-HkikRGtvRtuQeBynCT0GTlegpHvSBuD-f-FqsI6-pLXrI8XG-brL_ZnGG3bFo/s320/LexingtonM4minutemen.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414617122373372498" /></a><br />Over my short life thus far , i have seen the survivalists of the 70's and 80's , the hometown militia of the 90's , and now another Resurrection of this movement.The theme that runs common through out all these times is a distrust of the federal government, and the US Constitution. Personally my belief is that anyone that trust the Feds totally , is living in a dream world , but this is not the subject for now , not even the US Constitution is the subject, what is though is that these organizations exist and what i would like to talk about is their formations,organizations , logistics and maybe a few other little tidbits.<br /><br />One thing i do find extremely curious , is the online recruitment for members in an existing Militia , usually it entails giving your name ,geographic location, some other personal info, One even asked what you considered your self a specialist in, as well as marksmanship skills what you considered yourself , top of the list, the infamous Sniper role , now being this is the world wide web, we all know we are all the perfect height , weight , in perfect health if not better , and can ALL shoot the backside out of a gnat at 1000 meters.I can understand wanting to know some of this stuff, like where you are , what can you do for the org and so on , but let me go back to the world wide web thing, who invented it? if you say AL Gore , go to the back of the class with this pointy paper hat, it was the Government, now why would any group want to have a list of its members assessable from online , for all the world to see? to me that would be totally self defeating in that your supposed enemies only have to log in , have someone join with a bogus name and bingo they have your total strength, your , manpower lists in specified cata gories , as well as the names of all your members, umm dunno bout you but to me, thats a serious breach of operational security.and whats even more curious , there are orgs out there that do just that.<br />Now on to the meat of this little exercise in fiction.IF i were going to become a member of an org , there are some things i would have to know,such as , how is it set up is it a local group (most preferable) how is that group split up , squads , teams , cells , and so on, what is the over all mission? i know that is dictated by the circumstances, now what about overall organization of are they going to volunteer to the state , or maybe the local sheriff, whom will they be taking their orders from , or are they going to "freelance"get the picture I'm drawing? We haven't even talked about equipment , training , conditioning supply resupply see its starting to get complicated isn't it? This may actually take alittle more thought , huh?<br />Ok, now for what i think, I think the formation of such a group , is the absolute last ditch effort, the feces has already hit the fan and there is general war already going on.oppression and rights are being abused or abolished.This does NOT in any way mean , you can not get a small group of friends , and play the "what it ? game.<br />Lets assume its a worst case, and you oppose whats going on, you get a small group together , talk things out , decide on what you will do,remember being small means less chance you will be found out if you follow secrecy rules, but being small limits you in activity and targets, but then again , no militia has ever won anything on their own.the very best any militia can hope for is a harassment action against its adversary until such time a greater force can be mustered and brought to bear. Perfect examples are , the viet Cong , the french underground , the Mujaheddin in Afghan, hit and run tactics , and harassment of the troops keeping them on edge.in other words make the wish their mamas never met their daddies.<br />In my fictional little militia, resupply would be just as the others did , take from the adversary's dead , guns ammo the works if at all possible, so the need to have your own high dollar mbr is up to you, but all you really need is something good enough to get you a better one. AS for support , small groups can live off less than large groups , and if you have the support of the people , providence has a way of landing in your lap.And to do that , your group is going to have to do alot of discussion , and have a definite plan of action that is readily identifiable, remember , you want to be the good guys , so your going to have to act that part to the public, which will also affect what activities you engage in.as well as how you conduct them.<br />these are just a minuscule amount of things that would have to be taken into account there is alot more and I'm sure everyone can think of things i haven't even touched on, but then again i like to make people think for themselves , besides , some pencil necked little fed troll is probably sitting in a basement in some government building , writing up a report to the government on my subversive activities tonight , and I'm sure that IF the fan gets hit , ill be one of the first they will come for , that is if i don't get wind of it first.....<br />So what do you think?Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-56604782924065492272009-12-08T14:38:00.002-07:002009-12-08T14:50:07.560-07:00Revisiting of Pt 2 of my musings of the Bill of Rightshttp://musingsinthewilderness.blogspot.com/2009/11/pt-2-of-musings-on-bill-of-rights.html this is a link to the post , and as i stated there was a part missing from the us code as i remembered it , and then i was reminded,by a learned friend that us code has and can be changed frequently and all it takes is a simple amendment vote for in Congress. <br />The part i remember as being there as the third part , had to do with Irregular Unorganized Militias, it was those that did not fall under the organized militia , and did not fall under the terms of the unorganized militia due to age or some other disqualifying factor this group had no military organization or officers and to my view were considered the very last called if the need would ever arise.<br />It took me a while but i finally remembered it with some prodding and thought.Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-81808789439001358962009-12-06T17:36:00.003-07:002009-12-06T17:46:12.786-07:00Revisiting , the proverbial lines that shall not be crossedThis discussion was started over at Oathkeepers with this question to provoke thought , i will include the question as the asker asked , and my following response for your thought and approval:<br />I don't mean to incite anything, just wondering if we have considered or discussed where that proverbial line in the sand actually is. We stand stronger united than divided. When is it that enough is enough. I personally am getting real tired of this administration jamming $hit down my throat. Only so much of that and I start regurgitating it back up.<br />Just something to inspire some thought. I don't have an answer, just wondering.<br /><br />To which i repied:<br /> Reply by AlphaWolf 2 hours ago <br />Kevin, I firmly believe , that the proverbial "line" is a very personal and intimate one, it is something that you , yourself must wrestle with, and ultimately , it is your desicion. I will not even attempt as some here in the group to draw them. What i can offer is some advice , even though it is not asked for, start talking to those in your state group, talk to your neighbors , even if you THINK you know your god given rights , review them, decide what they mean to you, re educate yourself, remember an informed person , makes informed decisions.and by informed , i mean dont take everything as gospel just because someone says it , research it , verify its validity. As far as what subjects are taboo to discuss, i think you can see what is and isnt simply by the response the subject gets , but as someone that contacted me said , their board , their rules , in a recent post i saw 1 member say , there was no"pc police " yet conclude their post , that the views were counter to the group and the person should find another soap box, and ended "you have been warned" if thats not policing........<br />I have had the few people that have contacted me tell me how they had started discussions , only to have them deleted or been set apon by those that do not agree, well as with any group , there will be disagreements , thats going to be natural and is to be expected. and in no way can be avoided. there is no way to please everyone , all you can do is stand fast by your beliefs , and remember , not everyone is going to agree with you, some will say you are to radical or militant , some will say your too pacafist, the thing is and what really matters , is what you think feel and believe. As for me , my credability has been called into question by some , and i have questions of credability of some myself , especial those that demand adherence to THEIR way of thinking to those that think i am too pacafist , im a useful tool, to those that think im too militant , im a firebrand or a loose cannon, to some because i choose to act more slowly and think things through , or because i leave the option open to discuss all options , So Kevin , as i can see from the initial post , you have questions as to where it that line, i tell you , its where ever you draw it at however many levels you want and ultimately , the choice is yours , no one elses , that way they cannot shove anything down your throat, but remember those choices , though they be yours , are yours to live with as well. I hope , as i always do , that my insights provoke thought , as i intend them to , now what you do with them , is entirely your choice.<br /><br />i know what some think , but what do you think?Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-90935091959616660262009-12-04T17:58:00.004-07:002009-12-06T01:49:08.444-07:00Musings on what is a Three percenter?The Three Percent today are gun owners who will not disarm, will not compromise and will no longer back up at the passage of the next gun control act. Three Percenters say quite explicitly that we will not obey any futher circumscription of our traditional liberties and will defend ourselves if attacked. We intend to maintain our God-given natural rights to liberty and property, and that means most especially the right to keep and bear arms. Thus, we are committed to the restoration of the Founders' Republic, and are willing to fight, die and, if forced by any would-be oppressor, to kill in the defense of ourselves and the Constitution that we all took an oath to uphold against enemies foreign and domestic.<br />That is from the sispey street irregulars bogsite, the first place i read the term 3%er. the site address is http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/<br />Another must read from there is http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2009/11/no-fort-sumters-means-exactly-that.html<br />As well as my own posting here in this blog last month on the same subject, which is inspired , by mikes post. so go ahead , read what i have , and see why i call myself a Threeper, and keep in mind , though Mike , may not agree with me, i will try all peaceful means first , and when left no other choice, thats where the men will be seperated from the boys.<br />If you know of other Three percenter sites i would greatly appriciate , a link to them so i can also check them out as well. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong></strong>UPDATE:After a google search of Threepercenter, i have found 10 pages of 3per stuff. the first one on the first page www.threepercenter.org/ leads to an ARM affiliated site , also gives Sipsey street creadit for the creation of the threepercenter movement. ARM being of course the American Resistsnce Movement.<br />As with anything i will not endorse or detract from what these groups stand for , ill leave it to you to decide for yourselves. on apersonal note , i am glad to see that they got rid of the socialist up turned fist holding a chain inside a celtic circle(cross) usually associated with supremacist groups, and added disclaimer's that they are nondiscriminatory, maybe mike v's stating that those groups aint him did some good and made them rethink their marketing.Another thing readily seen , is both those sites are advertising OathKeepersMark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-54357584081125728372009-12-04T12:29:00.003-07:002009-12-04T12:58:30.271-07:00Musings on more than 1 iron in the fireLast couple of posts , I have been talking about oaths, association with groups , and some of my general thoughts and beliefs, and basically have been in a rather cantankerous and pissy mood with but 1 respondent over at another site , which i allowed to let, drive a message away from what i was intending to impart as my opinion.and we all readily understand opinions are that opinions , and they are alot like a certain body part, everyone has them.<br />Ill let it be known right now , that i support the stance of Oath keepers , meaning its stated mission to reach those , that will if it ever happens be called upon to enforce unconstitutional orders, i do believe that the RTI of Oath keepers is a very useful tool to change the perception some of those folks tasked view things.<br />If we can reach these folks , and teach them what we believe, and convince them that we are right, and then inspire them to talk with those in their circle and reach and teach themselves , maybe things wont get too bad if it ever comes to it.<br />That being said there is nothing thast says ,one cannot follow a belief and act accordingly and be not having an alternate plan in the case your initial one either fails , or just isn't enough. Any one that thinks there is only one course , and puts all there hopes in 1 course of action without a back up plan , is ,in my humble opinion is deluding themselves, the old saying don't put all your eggs in 1 basket.In previous posts i talked about the drawing of lines being an individual choice , as they are , and i said nothing about how many or where anyone should be drawing them , i will not presume to make choices for others, because individual circumstances vary, and frankly , some folks may not be comfortable having to make choices at this moment for something that may never come to pass. or may want to wait until they are pressed into making a choice, and eventually , i am very sure, at some point , a choice will need to be made. I just hope that when the choices are being thought of that its made on facts , research and a strong belief that the choice needs to be made and that they are making the correct one, and only they will know that.So in conclusion, personally i think as you can see i have more than 1 iron in the fire as far as what i see to be the truth on some subjects, and that not every thing is the same for every one, and that i think that that is entirely allowable. What do you think?Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-90322493805353845412009-12-02T00:04:00.001-07:002009-12-02T00:36:17.668-07:00Musings on past OathsI have had the opportunity for the past few days to consider, some of the past Oaths that I have taken in my lifetime, from the oath of Enlistment I took 3 separate times,to the oath I took the day I got married,and the day that I became a member of the local Search and Rescue Unit, i also have had reason to think about the reaffirming of my oath to Oath Keepers.What has me thinking is exactly what is an oath and exactly how binding will it be be if taken between just 2 people , a group that its officiated for , or simply a solitary promise one makes to themselves.<br />Now some of you will see , that some of these oath may not apply any longer , like the one to the S&R, i left that organization a few yrs back due to my health so am i styill bound by it?most would say no and what about my oath of enlistment , my military obligation was filled long ago, and i have been discharged from active duty and any reserve commitments, so do those oaths still apply? or can I change them , to fit my current status? I have no Officers appointed over me , I no longer fall under the UCMJ, so are those parts void? What about if i disagree with the President ? do i still have to follow those orders?<br />So does circumstances change the validity of an Oath?can one change that oath after the fact, because you see , none of these oaths has any time limit , or expiration date, most would assume that once the reason for the oath were completed that the oath itself becomes void, but does it ?Some veterans i know , both enlisted and officer corp , tell me no that the oath is for life, though almost to a person , they do agree that the oath is to no person, but to a piece of paper,the Constitution.<br />For me , there has not been an administration , that if i had to that i would , or could swear an oath, like the one i took for enlistment,not since i was honorably discharged but i could and still can swear an oath , to protect the US Constitution from all enemies , both foreign , and domestic , and after all isn't all oaths , a promise? to oneself ? what do you think?Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-47316073613626104622009-12-01T14:49:00.002-07:002009-12-01T15:30:08.195-07:00The consent of the governed"The Consent of the Governed"<br />That in a nutshell is the power of the government, and that power is derived from We the People. That is basically what happens whenever a candidate comes and ASKS us , for our vote, they ask for the consent to represent us , the people and to govern us and we , the people choose whom we will allow to govern and represent us , to the government. Now hopefully , this choice is thought out researched and thoroughly tested by the voters own individual beliefs. This is true from the smallest form of government to the halls of the federal government they ASK us,and we choose.`<br />Ok , the candidate , gets the consent with the vote , and now represents not just those that have voted for them , but the entire group, They are responsible to all the voters , not just those that voted them into office. This is a job now of trying to represent people of differing ideas and goals, and the now elected official has a hard job, especially if they wish to remain in office.<br />most times , people will just wait until the next election cycle , and if the elected official hasn't done anything that would have made the voters act sooner , wait? what can the voters do before an election cycle?if their elected officials are going counter to , what the voters want? Well that is dependant on each individual states election laws and what is said in each States Constitution, you see , contained in the laws of the States , and in the states Constitutions , there are mechanisms to remove an elected official from office, and it is up to an individual to research and know what to do if such becomes the case. The Government isn't going to tell you that though , and if the elected official has more support , than detractor , its an exercise in futility, so most will wait for an election cycle to remove an ineffective or contrary candidate. So knowing where to look and what you can do is ultimately your responsibility, and i cannot go into detail what every different state can do , because each state is different in what they say ,its best if you look yourself for your individual state.<br />What i see though is people have become complacent and remained silent , not realizing that their silence is consent as well,another problem i see is that once elected , the representatives , in their juggling act of trying to represent the entire population , have to compromise to do the most good they can for the most amount of people they represent , its an automatic move towards the opposition from stated beliefs be it to the left or right , and if they don't move , they risk re election.<br />This is but a brief touch on what the subject is , so in conclusion , it is our consent that the candidates ask for , and we either give it to them or we don't through our votes , and there are mechanisms in the Law and government , to remove that Consent if we the people so choose, but ultimately its up to us , we can speak or remain silent , but again silence is a consent all its own, so talk to your representatives , let them know what you think , otherwise , they will be left to decide themselves , and if they continue to go against the peoples wishes , if there is enough , things can always be changed.<br />The best way to get the best government is an educated populus.Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-70034492101904765502009-11-29T17:16:00.003-07:002009-12-06T02:02:00.626-07:00My Musing on "the line" that can't be crossedIve been doing some thinking as of late, what with the current attitudes in politics, the current attitude i see simply in the small town , and cafes i live in. the change in my town isn't as alarming as one would thing , being i live in a very conservative area, but the political attitude both state and federal do sort of surprise me, there is , not seems to be a very large divide on the national scene,that if not addressed and allowed to continue on the course its taking will eventually lead to consequences I nor anyone else really want, but no choices are really being left.<br />The local changes , are very easily fixed though with the electoral process,its a matter of holding our local elected officials to account for their votes , and if we still don't agree , we the people can simply decline to consent to their governing , when they again ask for permission , that's basically what happens when you cast a vote you give your consent for that particular candidate to govern.<br />On the national level , things are a bit more complex, you cannot expect to have 50 separate states , decide to send over 400 elected officials to a single district ,and expect them to agree, i don't think it has ever really happened.even with the drafting of our own Constitution,that's why our Constitution was a compromise effort , and is the best anyone could actually hope for, and i do know there is no way we can get over 300 million people to agree on exactly what that constitution dictates as to delegated powers even though it spells out precisely what those powers are. the problem i do see is the congress are allowed to pass laws with no citizen approval, because simple sending a rep to dc , doesn't necessarily mean your going to agree with the job they are doing, and frankly , people need to wake up[ and realize , they are the bosses , not the elected officials , remember con cent of the governed , and that consent is contingent on the people , not a single vote every so often.It is our responsibility as citizens to inform our elected officials , what we want them to do , not to leave the playing field open for them , to interpret and do as they , or the national party dictate, if you want your reps to buck the party, which a lot of reps want to as is evidence when either party had control and the amount of reps voted against their own national party , which is it should be , the reps we send to dc , should be representing us , we the people , not the party , not the nation,not special interest groups or lobbyist, they represent the individual states they were elected to serve , and its time to remind some of them of that , now if that means removing them from office by recall, or just voting them out , that's entirely up to the citizens , and its the citizens that will have to start doing that, government wont do that for you, what government will do however , is gain more power if you the citizens allow it.<br />An example of this can be found in the Patriot act , the current healthcare legislation in congress , and the litany list of laws and regulations , both federal and state and local that curtail we the peoples rights. i don't think anyone cannot think of an example.<br />I was an enlisted member of the US Armed forces , and that oath , did not have any expiration date , and the only problem that i have with it being an open ended oath, meaning it never expires, is the clause in it to follow the orders of the president of the US and the officers appointed over me, well I am no longer a military member on the payroll of the government,I gain nor receive any benefit nor compensation, my obligation of service as laid out in us code , has been fulfilled , so , even though that oath did not expire, i have taken my oath before god , to do as a civilian , exactly the same as the oath of enlistment or for any office in this land , and i have consciously excluded following the orders of the president or officers, because unless i consent , they are not my officers, yet i still swear to protect the document that is the core of our governmental processes , that codifies our natural and god given rights. No man , nor group of men have the power to strip those inalienable rights from you , unless you allow them to.<br />So as in an earlier post i ask where your personal line in the sand will be , what line will you not be allowed to cross? its time again for we the people to think and decide , and the decision is only one that you can make for yourself.<br />Personally , i will keep my oath , and follow the tenets of the oathkeepers with the 10 orders they will NOT follow. They espouse a non violent approach and they mean it , they aren't looking for a fight , they want to remind the government , in the cases they say they wont do , the government will not have cooperation or support locally, something i have no problem with, there are many ways to and ideas on how to let the government know they are going down the wrong road.The problem i see with this approach , is people will be getting arrested, because there is no threat of any consequence other than public opinion, and we see how public opinion can be manipulated.<br /><br />Another tenet out there is that of the 3%ers, no real organization exists, you will find no rolls , no organizational charts , or charter, what it is is an idea, an idea that the Second Amendment is an individual right , and it is not violable, by anyone, and if anyone should try to violate the right to keep and bear arms they should be met with resistance , and there is no limit on what that resistance may be. Another tenet of the 3%er if they will not fire the first shot, they will defend themselves. against anyone that attempts to by use of force disarm them.<br /><br />So as you see , there are groups out there, and as i said in the previous post you have to do some checking into their background and beliefs as to what they are and stand for, and the choice is ultimately yours , as to what you will do, just as ultimately its your choice , as to where you will put the line you will not cross, and that is a very personal choice , but one i think if you haven't already made, should be thinking about now. Because after you realize a line has been crossed , its hard if not imposable to push that line back to where you want it to be. Hopefully you've got something to think about.<br /><br /><br /><br />UPDATE:<strong></strong> After a google search , there is a Threepercenter group out there , and scuttle butt is there may be one starting in Texas,as with anything , i only say check things out , to make sure its what you think it is.In other words research.Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-35475334151265686122009-11-26T11:44:00.001-07:002009-11-26T12:21:49.254-07:00Thanksgiving DayGreetings form Wyoming on this Thanksgiving day.<br />The turkey has been primed and is roasting, the other sundries that go with the meal are awaiting their turn on the flame. This is but a short respite until I have to go back to the labor , that is this holiday. The smells at the moment wafting thought the homestead here , bring back memories of my childhood and my life. Having grown up in Northern New England , both in NH, and Mass, my family has always had what would be considered a traditional Thanksgiving from that area, I have been blessed with being able to celebrate 47 Thanksgivings to date and only but a few of them was i not able to spend the day with those that mean the most to me, due to military service. Around here , usually the meal is a traditional new england affair , and as of late, and meaning by popular vote, I have been chosen to cook the days meal and coordinate the feeding of the clan , here where i have moved, this is not to say, that others do not work along side me, but for the most part , its a family affair, where everyone doers something even if its just being here to enjoy the day.<br />Today , particularly right now , I'm reflective on exactly what , i have to be thankful for , and in today's climate of uncertainty, and apprehensiveness, about the future, something i usually took for granted while helping my grandma in the kitchen when i was but a nubbin, now i am in the kitchen , toiling as did she and my mother and father did , to make this day at least a bit more memorable for my children and now grandchild. I think about what this day really means to me, of course the usual thankfulness of health and the fact that we will close out another yr together with no major accidents illnesses , or disagreements comes to mind.<br />I'm also thankful that , my children are able to think and see for themselves what they need to, being this is my grandchild's second , Tday , but the first she will probably remember, i await the marvel she will show and the anticipation of teaching her , what is this family's traditions , for that i am thankful.<br />I have to also say i am thankful for being able to say i am a free citizen, with all the responsibilities that come with it, i am thankful for living in a nation, where my beliefs and traditions can be practiced , I'm thankful for the many men and women that serve and sacrifice this day in whatever capacity to ensure that we can all enjoy this day.This list can go on and on , because , we can all be thankful for every little blessing , seen and unseen, to us, some we see outright , some go unnoticed or taken for granted, some are more personal , some are more civic oriented, in the end , today , as id the tradition of my clan, i give thanks , and try to think of all the reasons why i am thankful, and resolve to always try and work towards having reasons to be so.<br />With this, i extend , my warmest holiday wishes to all, and hope that today brings everyone something to be thankful for.<br />To all , may you have a bountiful and joyous Thanksgiving.Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515928370020020572.post-27994057966391814662009-11-24T13:52:00.002-07:002009-11-24T14:04:55.863-07:00Musings on the Bill of Rights Pt 5Amendment IX<br /><br />The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.<br /><br />What this means to me is that , though the people have rights , they in no way impeade or supercede the rights that others have , meaning your rights are there as long as they do not infringe on the rights of others to exercize their rights.<br /><br />Amendment X<br /><br />The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.<br /><br />What this says to me , is that unless the constitution states that the government has a specific power , the government cannot unless a constitutional amendment approves take power that is not in the constitution, and it further grants those rights to the state as long as it is not forbidden to them by the constitution , and if not mentioned , the rights belong to the people. <br /><br /><br />This is the end of this series , and it was posted , with the actual amendments and what my thoughts were as to what they mean , and there can be as many meanings as there are people , but if the plain text of the english language is to be adhered to these simople 10 amendments are plain enough for even the most simple amoung us to understand.Our forefathers , didnt use modern day linguistic tricks , nor were they in the practice of twisting things , they were straight forward , and hopeful, and wanted everyone to have an even chance here , they wanted to get away from a tyranny they percieved as inhumane , and oppressive, my thoughts are that the origional founders , wanted to insure that the government stayed in the hands of the people , not the other way around. What do you think?Mark in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14220244683947684188noreply@blogger.com0