Oath Keepers aim to curb federal power
Recently, in the aftermath of the Southern Poverty Law Center smear campaign which featured Oath Keepers, a reporter for the Bozeman (MT) Daily Chronicle interviewed both me and Elias (the Oath Keepers Montana Director). Below is the article. All in all, it’s not bad as far as the mainstream media goes, though there is a bit of the same old slight of hand of supposed guilt by association and “some say …” or some supposed “expert” says this or that.
One thing the reporter left out regarding the nutbag “Citizen Quizar” is not only was he not a member of our organization, he was also threatening to kill police officers – not very compatible with an organization made up of police officers and military. That’s not even an example of someone “taking it too far,” it is comparing apples to oranges. We are about the oath, period. We are about police and military keeping the oath by refusing unlawful orders and standing down, period. That’s it. Our political enemies have to do some pretty complex innuendo gymnastics to try to make it about something else. Perhaps what they are really worried about is that we just may keep our oaths – the horrors!
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The comments to the article on the newspaper’s site are very illuminating – especially by those who have a problem with police and military simply keeping their oaths and reaffirming their commitment to do so. We invite you to go to the actual article and add your comments there. – Stewart Rhodes
Oath Keepers aim to curb federal power
By JESSICA MAYRER Chronicle staff writer
With a bushy red beard, impish grin and sandals, Elias Alias doesn’t look like a rightwing extremist.
“I am interested in personal freedom,” he said.
 Sean Sperry/Chronicle Elias Alias talks about the Oath Keepers |
Alias is working to make Montana the first state in the nation to create Oath Keepers chapters in every county. Oath Keepers, after forming last spring, is comprised mostly of military and law enforcement personnel aiming to resist what it sees as a federal government overstepping constitutional boundaries.
“It’s time for the people to take the government back,” said the 62-year-old Alias, who, until the name change, was Franklin Shook.
Since former U.S. Army paratrooper and Yale Law School grad Stewart Rhodes founded the national organization months ago, state groups have rapidly sprung up, with highway patrolmen, military, county sheriffs, police officers and, according to the group, U.S. Department of Homeland Security employees signing on to stand against overreaching federal authority.
“I’m getting calls from all over this country from concerned people,” said Alias, who lives in Willow Creek and is the editor of a new publication, the Gallatin County Patriot. “The alarm is out there.”
While in office, President George W. Bush used the war on terror to make Americans afraid, Alias said. The goal was to expand executive power under the guise of national security concerns, he said. Under that leadership, the Patriot Act and other maneuvers skirting established legal protections eroded constitutional mandates. Those actions expanded federal authority over the states and increased surveillance of American citizens, Alias said.
“Fear should not be a part of our daily lives,” he said.
And now, President Barack Obama isn’t reversing those executive maneuvers, Rhodes said.
Before forming Oath Keepers, Rhodes — a former firearms instructor and Libertarian who served on Texas Republican Rep. Ron Paul’s staff — had been warning folks for years about the dangers he sees in America’s increasingly centralized power structure.
But during the past several months, as a new administration stepped up, Rhodes’ message has started to resonate with a larger segment of Americans, he said.
“They’re kind of freaking out,” Rhodes said of the conservative flock.
Meanwhile, Alias, a Vietnam vet who speaks with a drawl befitting someone who spent most of his life in Tennessee, has also grown increasingly alarmed. He’s scared his grandchildren won’t have the freedoms he grew up with, he said.
So, he’s working to revive the concept of liberty in the American people.
“That shouldn’t be a threat to anyone,” he said.
But, it is.
Buzz is growing across the country as “patriot groups,” sprout up, some say mirroring a 1990s movement culminating in the Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people. Fueled by frustration born of the ailing economy, federal bailouts and, according to the Department of Homeland Security, inauguration of the first black president, radical groups are taking advantage of the current political climate to recruit.
“We think there is cause for concern,” said Travis McAdam, executive director of the Montana Human Rights Network.
And the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks “extremist” activity throughout the country, in a report this month points to the Oath Keepers as a “particularly worrisome example of the Patriot Revival.” The SPLC further reports that it’s likely only a matter of time before some segment of the Patriot Revival becomes violent.
The Department of Homeland Security considers groups that reject federal authority in favor of local authority “rightwing extremists,” according to an April 7 “threat analysis” released by the agency.
And that doesn’t sit well with Alias.
“To call Americans with political concerns, ‘terrorists,’ is unacceptable,” he said.
Those who have sworn to uphold the Constitution are obligated to protect the country’s founding principles, regardless of what authority says, he maintained.
“I will honor the U.S. federal government as long as it operates within its constitutional bounds,” Alias said.
It’s no surprise some are dubbing Oath Keepers dangerous, Rhodes said. Demonizing political opponents is an easy way to stem dissent.
“Every oppressive government throughout history has labeled people as enemies of the state,” he said.
The group maintains it is nonviolent. But its Web site offers repeated references to the American Revolution and broaches the possibility of a second such event.
“If you, the American people, are forced to once again fight for your liberty in another American Revolution, you will not be alone. We will stand with you,” the Oath Keepers Web site states.
And with a message like that, some may grab hold and go too far, McAdam said.
That’s apparently what happened with Daniel Knight Hayden, who, after publicizing Oath Keepers material on MySpace and Twitter social-networking sites under the name Citizen Quasar, was arrested in April after posting online that he was “locked and loaded” on the way to a tax-day protest at the Oklahoma State Capitol.
Hayden is not an Oath Keeper, Rhodes said. And targeting his group because one unstable person latched on is unfair. There is always potential for disenfranchised individuals to use political messages as an excuse to sound off, he said.
“Is that what they want, that we should just shut up shop because some nut might take it too far?” Rhodes asked.
Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. had the right idea, Alias said. He aims to educate people about how to protect the U.S. Constitution and their rights. Racism, violence and demonizing political opponents have no place within Oath Keepers, he said.
“People on both sides of the isle are good people,” he said. “They believe what they’re saying, what they’re doing, just like I do.”
But if active-duty Oath Keepers are given an order they deem unconstitutional, they will stand down, Rhodes said, pointing to government orders that should have been disobeyed, like the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
“It’s the people of this country who are responsible for keeping the government in check,” Rhodes said.
Jessica Mayrer can be reached at jmayrer@dailychronicle.com or 582-2635.
I think it is very heroic & honorable that you are doing this. Where do Oathkeepers stand on enforcing mandatory vaccinations? How do they know if they are lethal or not?
AS THE FOLLOWING WORDS STATE IN OUR DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE,HOW CAN ANY TRUE AMERICANS QUESTION THE ACTIONS OF OATH KEEPERS ACROSS AMERICA. “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
I Love my country. It is not the government of this country that I am concerned will take away freedoms, but the Leaders that are elected by us “Citizens” that hold office to run this country. The words above say it all. It is OUR RIGHT AND OUR DUTY as Americans to question and act when needed to protect OUR COUNTRY. This is what our Forefathers intended us to do. If our leaders are questioning our actions, they are questioning our Forefathers actions. THE REAL QUESTION IS WHO ARE THE TRUE AMERICANS.
I’m willing to bet that Daniel Knight Hayden was a plant. Way to easy.
I honor you patriotism to my country and it’s founding principles. Just wish that a sub organization to the “Oath Keepers” could be formed for those of us that feel the same but have not or currently are not serving our Country.
I wish you all well and hope that we will never need your assistance. Will be including this group of honorable Americans in my prayers.
Please do not publish the article that I submitted yesterday.
I have changed a few things in it that will be critical and it’s final form
will be found here if you want to see it.
http://www.lincolncountywatch.org/radicalpolarizationofcops.html
My modifications should be in place at that link by the end of the day today 8 26 09
Thanks,
Paul Stramer
TheWarOnGuns
http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2009/08/27/oath-keepers-gather/
To Elias Alias,
“I will honor the U.S. federal government as long as it operates within its constitutional bounds,” Alias said.
The federal government has for far too long operated WAY outside its Constitutional Powers and Authority (bounds). The government is now an “elective despotism”, the very thing the Framers worked so hard to guard against when writing the Constitution.
I agree, Margaret, that it is very heroic. These are the true patriots of this country. I, too would like to know the Oath Keeper stance on mandatory vaccinations. As a registered nurse and wife of a military physician, we are against injecting toxic poison into our children and believe it is a crime against humanity to force others to do so against their will.
To Jane – I totally agree that the U.S. federal government is operating outside its legal limits. For that reason, I cannot support the U.S. federal government as it presently stands. I am demanding that the U.S. federal government return to an honorable relationship with its own founding legal charter. That is precisely why the SPLC and MHRN are “concerned” – and that is why both of those groups are now exposed as tools of tyranny, useful “think-tanks” in the employ of the berserk, unlawful policy of this current imposter government.
Thank you for acknowledging the government’s departure from its own rule of law. That is the problem. Oath Keepers is part of the solution. Thank you for your support.
Salute!
Elias
To Margaret and “anonymous” – Please try to understand that Oath Keepers has one, and one only, very narrowly-focused mission, which is to inspire and educate all Oath Takers to become Oath Keepers. There are scores of major “issues” and “causes” which need immediate attention by all patriots, but it is imperative that Oath Keepers does not involve itself, as an organization, with specific social, governmental, political issues – as soon as we honor your request to make a stand about vaccines, Oath Keepers shall fail in its central mission. And I’ll be bold enough to state for you clearly – that mission is singularly more important right now in America than any one specific complaint or problem confronting the American people.
So please understand that while I am totally in agreement with all present who want something done to protect Americans from this vaccine onslaught, I will not tolerate any inducement by anyone to distract from the Oath Keepers mission. I understand your message, and I totally agree with you, and I’m just as concerned about the problem of forced vaccinations as are you and others here. But Oath Keepers is not about to abort its mission by varying from its mission into specific needs for political action.
I hope I’ve made this clear, and I hope that you understand that I am not being insensitive, but mostly I hope that you can come to see the value in Oath Keepers refraining from jumping onto the bandwagon of any and all specific threats or dangers imposed upon the American people by this insane U.S. federal government. One step in that direction will kill Oath Keepers. I truly hope you can come to see this. Thank you for your support – we need you and your support. And thank you for trying to understand why we cannot oblige your request for a policy statement on vaccines.
Meanwhile, please do keep up the good work of alerting the American public about the dangers in vaccines. I promise you that I’m keenly aware of the severity of that threat. I support your good work in that area. Thank you!
Salute!
Elias
As for forced vaccinations, and speaking for myself, I oppose it as a violation of personal liberty. And I have, and will continue, to sound off on issues that do relate to our core mission of reminding oath takers to be oath keepers, and that includes dangers to our Bill of Rights and dangers to our natural rights (which the Bill of Rights protects).
The issue of a flu pandemic, and how the government plans to respond (whether constitutional or not), including any plans to “not let a good crisis go to waste” are very, very important. And I have already spoken out on that subject on two radio shows and will do so on this site as well.
However, as Elias said, we still need to keep our principle focus on the oath, and on the Constitution we swore to defend, and we need to focus on our core mission of reaching out to all those who took that oath in military, police, and fire service. That is our focus of effort.
To the degree discussion of current events, possible violations of the oath, and violations of the Constitution help that mission (by example or by teaching more about the Constitution) we will discuss those issues. But not to the point of detracting from our mission.
For the Republic!
Stewart Rhodes
I came across your web site for the first time today. Iam glad that you are there and willing to serve you country.And being faithful to your oath to our constitution is our responsibality and not to our leaders however I fail to hear one reference to our God,our Creator.My first alligeance is to my God who is my personal Savior and then to my country and my family.Until you give God his proper place in you orginazition.i doubt you will be 100% sucessful but i will pray for your people daily.God bless
http://www.scribd.com/doc/18992386/USA-Lawsuit-to-Stop-the-Forced-H1N1-vaccinations-?autodown=pdf
Massachusetts is about to pass a law to force Vaccine citizens: http://www.dailypaul.com/node/104474
Rally is Sept 9 at the state house.
http://www.infowars.com/barack-obamas-indoctrination-project/
http://www.birthers.org
http://www.911truth.org
http://www.auditthefed.com
http://www.swine-flu-facts-truth.blogspot.com
spread these URLs to all your friends
KEEP YOUR KIDS OUT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON SEPTEMBER 8TH!!!! A HITLER YOUTH LIKE SPEECH FROM OBAMA WILL BE SIMULCAST NATIONWIDE TELLING YOUR KIDS TO LISTEN TO HIM, NOT THEIR PARENTS!!!!
See our new blog with an article about Oath Keepers at http://www.paulstramer.net
I am going to fill out the application and along with $30.00, join your organization. I firmly believe that far to many citizens who have taken the oath sometime in their life have forgotten just what it means. I have taken the oath several times, and I have always made a strong effort to uphold the Constution of The United Staes. I am ashamed that to many of our political wiz-kids have taken the oath, but did not take it seriously. I look forward to being a member.
I support Oath Keepers 100% and understand that the main focus is to uphold our Constitution. By doing so, our idividual rights as Americans are also upheld. The subject of forced vaccinations, while important in and of itself, is only one of many attempts to violate our rights given to us by our forefathers. It is by upholding the Constitution that ALL the attempts of the current government to take our rights away are addressed. I again thank you Oath Keepers, for standing up for the citizens of this great country.
http://supremecourtpetition.us/Petition.html This is a really awesome petition! It will be sent to the Supreme Court of The United States until “We The People” get an answer! It is VERY well done and many, many people have already signed it! The comment section is an amazing read, people are really standing up and demanding that the Constitution be honored! Please check it out and if you agree please send it out to as many as you can. Thank you so much, I am so proud to be an American and your fellow patriot!
Why is everyone throwing Mr. Hayden under the bus? A lot of people use the term Locked and Loaded and a term for being prepared! Was he arrested for saying that or did he show up bearing arms? I did not see anything about the incident.
What is the position of the Oath Keepers’ members on refusing to enforce other unConstitutional laws such as federal anti-drug laws?
I myself would be willing to fight for lawful, Constitutional Government if a second revolution is needed, but to go assassinate any govt leader is stupid, the lone gunman seldom succeeds and does little but give the govt even more reason to deny the public it’s lawful rights. In short it’s counter productive to the cause you hope to help.
Vote these idiots out of office and pay more attention to who you do vote for, check their background and voting record, and don’t believe a word that comes out of their mouths during a campaign, they all lie.
Hahaha. Not surprised you guys don’t believe in vaccines either. Did you know electricity is a communist plot!
we need to wake up to the real threat.
the real threat is the fascist, shadow government masquerading behind the laughable, puppet show we see on tv and through the media.
They want us to attack the puppet show, they own both sides of the game, and will sit on the sidelines as we destroy eachother, that’s what they want.
they will watch us destroy eachother while they eat a bag of fn potatoe chips and drink a nice can of (fluoride free) coca-cola.
We need to cut the cancer out, and we need to do this very soon, very quickly, and with stealth and efficiency.
follow the money, is what i’ve heard, follow the money, get to the nazi rats.
To Elias and Stewart, I understand your point that Oath Keepers is about just keeping that oath we swore to the Constitution. But you need to come up with a set of guide lines for those that will be facing the decisions as to what is and isn’t constitutional. The idea of forced vaccinations is definitely against the constitution. So if the are members of Oath Keepers in a state that is going to force children or others to vaccinate. It is reasonable to expect that the courts of that state will be removing children form their parents care in order to have them vaccinated. Should officers refuse to participate in a court order to remove children from a home because they have not been vaccinated? It is time to start talking about specifics, is it not?
You wrote:
“One thing the reporter left out regarding the nutbag “Citizen Quizar” is not only was he not a member of our organization, he was also threatening to kill police officers – not very compatible with an organization made up of police officers and military. That’s not even an example of someone “taking it too far,” it is comparing apples to oranges. We are about the oath, period.”
I have just one minor disagreement with this — it is no longer “apples to oranges” but this is “Apples to Onions”!
Keep up the good work!
You know that it is a small percentage right now and hopefully growing that will be on the side of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. It will be like our founding fathers opposing the British all over again! The 2nd Revolutionary War is about to begin. All it will take is a false flag event or financial colapse or something else that will force martial law upon us. When it happens, it will be the bloodiest War to ever be fought on this Earth. The American Patriot will not give up til dead and the brain dead globalist army will fight like a dumb animal til dead. Unfortuantely, most of those brain dead globalist soldiers will be former US citizens. The day they shoot at their first Patriot defending the US Constitution makes them enemy of the United States Of America. As soon as the first soldier shoots at a Patriot defending the US Constitution, Every officer and government official supporting that shot is enemy of the United States of America. They may have already shot that first shot or supported that first shot and they may already be guilty of treason. When that war starts, then it will be official, the now US Government will no longer be the US Government. They will be the Globalist Government and the real US Government will be those defending the US Constitution. It will not only be a Revolutionary War but also a Civil War all in one. Every US Citizen right now needs to make a decision. Are you a US Citizen or a Global Citizen of the United Nations? You need to pick a side, for there will be no in between.
The Constitution is responsible for the country in Which I was raised, educated, served to protect, and in essence enabled me to become the freedom and liberty loving individual that I am today. I revere the Constution of the United States of America and hold it forth to all throughout the world as the death writ of despotism.