Over the course of several months I have received a large number of emails concerning the group called Oath Keepers. I have been asked to join; asked why I don’t mention them in my articles; and some emails in which the claim is made that Oath Keepers are our only remaining chance to protect ourselves from tyrannical government. Upon first being informed of the group, my inclination was to sit back and watch and see how the group addressed certain issues and exactly who would become active in the organization.

Fully understanding if a majority of military and law enforcement personnel in this country were to honor their oaths to the U.S. Constitution and the Constitutions of the individual states, real advancement towards individual freedom and liberty could be accomplished. I also understood those involved would have to uphold and defend all parts of the Constitution and not just the parts they liked or those which required nothing but lip service. I have always been suspect of those of whom I refer to as “comfortable patriots.” Those who believe all it takes to be a patriot is to join some group, send in annual dues, perhaps attend a meeting or two and then sit on their six watching sports or American Idol on TV as the world goes to hell.

Among others I consider to be members of the “comfortable patriots” are those who believe career criminals, masquerading as public servants, will actually pay attention to a multitude of letters, phone calls, faxes, or emails requesting they follow the mandates of the Constitution. One would probably be more successful sending correspondence asking a child molester to voluntarily cease his/her actions against children. How easily forgotten was the admission by those in congress that constituent correspondence concerning the illegal bailouts ran over 99% against that legislation. Did they or did they not authorize those bailouts contrary to the overwhelming wishes of their constituency?

At first blush, I was very encouraged when Oath Keepers came under attack from the Southern Poverty Law Center, (SPLC) for it had been my experience SPLC exists to attack any who would oppose a nose dive into complete Socialism by the US government.

Another concern I had was the inevitable infiltration of the group by various government alphabet agencies. History has shown anytime the government sees an organization gaining influence among the people concerning the government’s socialist and criminal agendas, infiltrators and government snitches suddenly appear by the busload. They use these agents and snitches to demonize the targeted group and if that does not seem to work, they buy off the leadership of the organization with money, power and sex. If an “anti-government” group is in existence for more than a few months and is not infiltrated by alphabet agencies and snitches, they must themselves be a government run operation.

My primary concern with the Oath Keepers is their propensity to support only favored parts of the Constitution. I have read their listed “Orders We Will Not Obey” found here at their website. While the member’s list of orders they will not obey is most commendable, glaringly absent is any reference to participation by their members in the undeclared, unconstitutional wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and the current secret war in Pakistan being led by the CIA. They find it easy to believe their government would move against US citizens, pledge they will not participate in any criminal activities by that government against their fellow citizens, but refuse to believe the same government, under two different administrations, for eight plus years, has lied this country into wars that have taken the lives of a large number of US personnel and larger numbers of Iraqi and Afghan non-combatants: all this for a government that seized firearms from honest citizens and relocated many against their will in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Does this government actually see any difference in the citizens of Iraq, Afghanistan and the citizens of this country? Have we not been treated the same? New Orleans, Ruby Ridge and Waco certainly come to mind.

Call me an idealist, but I would hope those who are willing to pledge an oath not to obey orders that are contrary to the Constitution would also have a problem tolerating illegal activities by their associates who wear the same uniform. This could be especially beneficial among those in law enforcement who have signed on with the Oath Keepers. Such officers would gain much more respect and admiration from those whom they have sworn to “protect and serve” if they would come out publicly against those in their agencies who fail to live up to their oaths, rather than support them and their continued enforcement of unconstitutional laws and criminal acts against citizens who ignorantly believe they are being protected.

There has been an abundance of writings concerning what many see as coming civil unrest in this country. All it would take to stop that from happening would be for elected politicians to follow the dictates of the Constitution they swore to “uphold and defend.” They will not stop; we know that, for the crimes they commit are the source of untold wealth and power, far too much for people of shallow morals and no integrity to resist. Knowing such actions by our elected criminals will not occur, what is our second hope? That would be for the military and law enforcement to uphold the oaths they have taken to the letter, no exceptions. The military and police are the enforcement arm for the criminal cabal. Should they suddenly refuse to enforce unconstitutional laws and prosecute unconstitutional wars, the nation we thought we were would reappear. Short of that, civil unrest is inevitable.

Contrary to what many in the Tea Parties, 912 Movement, Oath Keepers, We The People and other groups believe, this country cannot be turned around and follow the rule of law until a large number of people are willing to follow the whole of the Constitution, not just the parts they find comfortable or accommodating. Acknowledgement must be made that a domestic enemy to the Constitution is just as, if not more dangerous to our liberty than any foreign enemy, especially those created by criminals in our government. Understanding must also exist in these groups to what constitutes a domestic enemy. They must be able to make the uncomfortable realization that anyone who commands others to follow unconstitutional orders, whether it be in the military or in the form of the police enforcing unconstitutional laws enacted by federal, state or local governments, is a domestic enemy to the Constitution. Also, they must accept the fact that anyone who follows those unconstitutional orders becomes a domestic enemy by doing so. The old “we were just following orders” has been tried before and rejected by an International Military Tribunal, common law and decency.

Supporting the troops who are waging an unconstitutional war, supporting police who are enforcing unconstitutional laws, and at the same time condemning other criminal acts committed by government is hypocritical to say the least and counterproductive to any effort whose ultimate goal is individual liberty. One cannot be just a little bit pregnant. If individual liberty and freedom are to ever prevail, a large number of people in this country will be required to become uncomfortable Patriots. This is going to require courage; does any still exist among our people?

When history closes its final chapter on this once great experiment in liberty, who will be given the bulk of responsibility for its demise; the criminals in government who only honored the parts of the Constitution that did not interfere with their criminality, or the people, who honored only the parts of the Constitution that were comfortable?

Written January 1, 2010 by Michael Gaddy for The Patriot Volunteers

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