WHEN DEM TROOPS GO MARCHIN' IN
An Editorial By W. ADAM MANDELBAUM
THE DEATH OF POSSE COMITATUS IN AMERICA
Back in the days when America was a free country, right thinking individuals passed the POSSE COMITATUS ACT 1878. It was designed to keep the boys in military uniform from kicking down your doors.
(That, of course, is a local police function).
Here’s a peek at part of it:
SEC. 15. From and after the passage of this act it shall not be lawful to employ any part of the Army of the United States, as a posse comitatus, or otherwise, for the purpose of executing the laws, except in such cases and under such circumstances as such employment of said force may be expressly authorized by the Constitution or by act of Congress; and no money appropriated by this act shall be used to pay any of the expenses incurred in the employment of any troops in violation of this section And any person willfully violating the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction thereof shall be punished by fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars or imprisonment not exceeding two years or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Added it to it later was:
18 U.S.C. 1385
Sec. 1385. Use of Army and Air Force as posse comitatus
Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
But for fans of martial law, check out Section 32CFR 501.4 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Not only Mr. President, but local commanders can place us under martial law if they feel the need arises. Are you feeling all warm and fuzzy and secure now? Hut toop threep four!
Hey, Homeland Security changes the color chart on us, and we have National Guardsmen stomping around our New York airports and railways. We have Air Force planes flying ready to shoot down anything that looks like Achmed is at the controls. In this country. Right here in River City folks.
Terrorism you say? We have to give up some freedoms to be more secure? Can you say Waco? Want some gummint issue boots kicking your door down in the middle of a good night’s sleep because you might have checked out “Lawrence of Arabia” twice from the local library video vault? (“Golleee Sarg-ent, dey had a guy named Omar in the cast...”).
The government is not your friend, and never has been. They’re not overly bright, either. The more our military is used to enforce domestic “laws” under the guise of domestic security, the more we become (surprise!) a military backed dictatorship. When a new Hitler comes a callin’ in our land, he’ll be eating apple pie and all dressed up in red white and blue. He’ll have shaven his moustache and be wearing a cross instead of a swastika. Heck, he might even talk with a Texas twang.
The overuse of military domestically is a sign of the times, and the times they are a changin;–for the worse, as far as our freedom is concerned.
There are several sides to this issue, of course. This was one of them.
Now y’all come back with some real tasty ripostes.
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