I enlisted in the US Air Force in 1973. At that time, I swore to protect the Constitution against ALL enemies, both foreign and domestic. This includes any who try to abrogate any rights guaranteed in the Constitution, I was honorably discharged in 1988 and am a disabled veteran.
When discharged, there was nothing said or done that negated my "So help me God" I said every time I reenlisted. I will NOT forswear myself now or ever.
I fully agree with a statement made by Charlton Heston that the Second Amendment is the first among equals. If this protection is removed, all the rest of the Constitution ts at risk.
God help us against these elected individuals who violate their oath and are trying to tear down this Republic.
This active duty Staff Sergeant focuses his testimonial on the Second Amendment, and on the fact that so many Americans are armed, and that so many have recently bought a massive amount of guns and ammo.
It should be noted that it is Americans from all walks of life who are doing so, many of them for the first time. They are buying guns and ammo at record rates out of concern for what trouble may be coming in general, and in particular out of concern for planned attempts to infringe their right to bear arms.
[NOTE: This is in response to Special Forces SFC Montgomery's post on Saturday March 14, 2009 about the recent changes in the Ft. Bliss firearms policy. To maintain the Colonel's anonymity, certain information has been removed or changed below].
Gentlemen: “Military bureaucrats as officious little commissars, nothing more…”
The Army has (for at least the past 28+ years I’ve been serving) always mandated registration of privately owned weapons (POWs). The registration of one’s privately owned weapons is not a new requirement. Recently, several installations have applied this rule to those living “on the economy”, that is, off the installation, and not just to those living in quarters or in barracks on the installation. [See recent blog posts regarding Fort Lewis.]
Rules for storage are up to the installation (garrison or base) commander. It used to be that all junior enlisted (particularly those living in the barracks) had to store their POWs in the unit arm’s room and receive the company commander’s permission to remove them (say, to go to the military range dedicated for shooting personally owned weapons (most of these ranges have been shut down, post 9/11) or to a public, off-post range). NCO’s and Officers living in quarters were exempt from this rule and could store their weapons in quarters. Regardless, one had to have a copy of the installation Provost Marshal’s registration documentation with the weapon at all times when transporting it onto or off of the base.
This was also the state of affairs when I lived at [on a naval base], 2002 – 2004. Weapons permitted in quarters, but registered with the naval base’s provost marshal’s office. (OK, truth in advertising; I registered my three primary weapons – a [shotgun, pistol and hunting rifle]. That was enough to explain the gun-safe that was wheeled into and out of my quarters when we settled in and departed. But never again.)
Apparently, some bases (Fort Bliss, others?) have changed the policy that all personally owned firearms will now be stored in unit arms rooms….
And here is probably why: Much of the impetus for this rule change (store POWs in the unit arms room) is likely merely an officious over-reaction by the Army in stemming the tide of suicides.The Army has faced a marked increase in suicides in 2008 and early 2009. There were 145 suicides in 2008, at least 24 in January 2009 and 18 more in February (although the status determination hasn’t been finalized on each of the January and February cases, most will be ruled suicides – so the numbers will be close to the 24 and 18, if not ‘spot on.) Currently, the Army’s rate of suicide is 20.5 per 100K – more than the 19 per 100K in the American population (when adjusted to reflect the same demographics for age and gender as compared to the military population). This is the first time the Army’s rate has exceeded the adjusted civilian rate since 1980…. Right now, the Army is undergoing a safety stand-down training program on suicide awareness and prevention and is very serious about peers and leaders identifying the signs of depression and suicidal ideation among their fellow soldiers, family members and civilian workforce. (Note – of the recent spate of suicides in the Army, a third have not been deployed – so it isn’t merely ‘high OPTEMO’ causing this increase.)
Of course, given the military environment of “zero defects”, commanders are most unwilling to allow any chance for the vagaries of human nature by one’s subordinates adversely reflecting upon or interfering with a “perfect” career progression. Subordinates getting a DUI, having an altercation in quarters with one’s spouse, or especially the thought of someone using a POW on or off the installation to commit suicide, gives commander’s the heebie-jeebies…. Can’t make general that way.
So, while I fully understand SFC Montgomery’s reaction to the policy and do not blame him for his intent to get out of the military, this is a case where mere officious bureaucracy is the motivator behind the rule changes which nevertheless serve to curtail our individual liberty and trample the idea of personal responsibility. Military bureaucrats as officious little commissars, nothing more… I do not think, however, that his cited example (Fort Bliss policy) necessarily rises to the occasion for “Gun Confiscation being set up inside the military”
This is why I am in the Army Reserve (albeit a full-timer) and will never again live on the installation or in government quarters, on or off-post. (Many installations now have “privatized” government quarters in enclave neighborhoods that are on the economy, not on the installation – but subject to the same rules as if they were….)
Gun confiscation in America? In the words of General Anthony Clement McAuliffe, "NUTS!"
Brigadier General McCauliffe was in command of the 101st Airborne Division and other Army forces at the key town of Bastogne, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944. German forces surrounded the outnumbered defenders, cutting them off from supply and reinforcement. But the scrappy American troops rebuffed every attack and held on through two days of fierce battle. Knowing the Americans were low on supplies, the German commander offered McAuliffe the chance to surrender. McAuliffe's one-word reply was "Nuts." This became arguably the most famous single statement in World War II and a symbol of the determination to defeat Nazi Germany.
An old vet keeps the Oath by Robert Muchnick USN vet
FINALLY, Americans taking a stand for what is right. I have been looking for you for years.
I am a Vietnam era U.S. Navy veteran, long since discharged from service. Unlike many of the distinguished folks who've posted their testimonials here, my service was less than remarkable, but I did serve, during a time of undeclared war, and volunteered to boot.
When you're eighteen, you maybe believe the "fighting for freedom" and "keeping the world safe for democracy [sic]" stuff because you don't know any better. In the decades since my oath of service, I learned the difference -- painfully -- between "government" and the Constitution; they aren't the same, and are often antithetical to each other. Back in the days of 'Nam, we were ostensibly fighting against a Fascist/Communist tyranny. Now it looks as if we've become one.
I took the oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I never renounced it and it didn't have an expiration date. It also said nothing about the President, the Congress or the Supreme Court. It said the Constitution because it is that greatest of political documents which enshrines the freedom that was America.
The right of defense of oneself, one's family and way of life is a right inherent in all creatures and flows from Nature herself. It is not a right emanating from a benign "government" which can be bestowed or withdrawn by it on a whim. The right of defense exists prior even to the Constitution itself. The same can be said of liberty because liberty without the right of defense is an illusion. The Founding Fathers knew that government can grow to be the enemy of the people's freedom and so put in place measures for "the security of a free State."
There is conflict brewing on the near horizon for this country, of that there can be no doubt. I may be slower and not as strong as I was four decades ago, but I will stand with anyone here to defend freedom and our Constitution for the people of this nation, by whatever means are necessary. The citizen soldier built this nation and the loyal members of the armed and police forces defended it, and we the people will now save it from destruction.
Gun confiscation in America? In the words of General Anthony Clement McAuliffe, "NUTS!"
"The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their Houses, and Farms, are to be pillaged and destroyed, and they consigned to a State of Wretchedness from which no human efforts will probably deliver them. The fate of unborn Millions will now depend, under God, on the Courage and Conduct of this army" - Gen. George Washington, to his troops before the battle of Long Island
Such a time is near at hand again. The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the Courage and Conduct of this Army - and this Marine Corps, This Air Force, This Navy and the National Guard units of these sovereign states.
Oath Keepers is a non-partisan association of currently serving military, reserves, National Guard, peace officers, and veterans who swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic … and meant it.
Our oath is to the Constitution, not to the politicians, and that oath will be kept. We won’t “just follow orders."
Below is our declaration of orders we will NOT obey because we will consider them unconstitutional (and thus unlawful) and immoral violations of the natural rights of the people. Such orders would be acts of war against the American people by their own government, and thus acts of treason. We will not make war against our own people. We will not commit treason. We will defend the Republic.
Declaration of Orders We Will NOT Obey
Recognizing that we each swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and affirming that we are guardians of the Republic, of the principles in our Declaration of Independence, and of the rights of our people, we affirm and declare the following:
1. We will NOT obey any order to disarm the American people.
The attempt to disarm the people on April 19, 1775 was the spark of open conflict in the American Revolution. That vile attempt was an act of war, and the American people fought back in justified, righteous self-defense of their natural rights. Any such order today would also be an act of war against the American people, and thus an act of treason. We will not make war on our own people, and we will not commit treason by obeying any such treasonous order.
Nor will we assist, or support any such attempt to disarm the people by other government entities, either state or federal.
In addition, we affirm that the purpose of the Second Amendment is to preserve the military power of the people so that they will, in the last resort, have effective final recourse to arms and to the God of Hosts in the face of tyranny. Accordingly, we oppose any and all further infringements on the right of the people to keep and bear arms. In particular we oppose a renewal of the misnamed “assault-weapons” ban or the enactment of H.R. 45 (which would register and track gun owners like convicted pedophiles).
2. We will NOT obey any order to conduct warrantless searches of the American people, their homes, vehicles, papers, or effects - such as warrantless house-to house searches for weapons or persons.
One of the causes of the American Revolution was the use of “writs of assistance,” which were essentially warrantless searches because there was no requirement of a showing of probable cause to a judge, and the first fiery embers of American resistance were born in opposition to those infamous writs. The Founders considered all warrantless searches to be unreasonable and egregious. It was to prevent a repeat of such violations of the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects that the Fourth Amendment was written.
We expect that sweeping warrantless searches of homes and vehicles, under some pretext, will be the means used to attempt to disarm the people.
3. We will NOT obey any order to detain American citizens as “unlawful enemy combatants” or to subject them to trial by military tribunal.
One of the causes of the American Revolution was the denial of the right to jury trial, the use of admiralty courts (military tribunals) instead, and the application of the laws of war to the colonists. After that experience, and being well aware of the infamous Star Chamber in English history, the Founders ensured that the international laws of war would apply only to foreign enemies, not to the American people. Thus, the Article III Treason Clause establishes the only constitutional form of trial for an American, not serving in the military, who is accused of making war on his own nation. Such a trial for treason must be before a civilian jury, not a tribunal.
The international laws of war do not trump our Bill of Rights. We reject as illegitimate any such claimed power, as did the Supreme Court in Ex Parte Milligan (1865). Any attempt to apply the laws of war to American civilians, under any pretext, such as against domestic “militia” groups the government brands “domestic terrorists,” is an act of war and an act of treason.
4. We will NOT obey orders to impose martial law or a “state of emergency” on a state, or to enter with force into a state, without the express consent and invitation of that state’s legislature and governor.
One of the causes of the American Revolution was the attempt “to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power” by disbanding the Massachusetts legislature and appointing General Gage as “military governor.” The attempt to disarm the people of Massachusetts during that martial law sparked our Revolution. Accordingly, the power to impose martial law – the absolute rule over the people by a military officer with his will alone being law – is nowhere enumerated in our Constitution.
Further, it is the militia of a state and of the several states that the Constitution contemplates being used in any context, during any emergency within a state, not the standing army. The imposition of martial law by the national government over a state and its people, treating them as an occupied enemy nation, is an act of war. Such an attempted suspension of the Constitution and Bill of Rights voids the compact with the states and with the people.
5. We will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty and declares the national government to be in violation of the compact by which that state entered the Union.
In response to the obscene growth of federal power and to the absurdly totalitarian claimed powers of the Executive, upwards of 20 states are considering, have considered, or have passed courageous resolutions affirming states rights and sovereignty.
Those resolutions follow in the honored and revered footsteps of Jefferson and Madison in their Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, and likewise seek to enforce the Constitution by affirming the very same principles of our Declaration, Constitution, and Bill of Rights that we Oath Keepers recognize and affirm.
Chief among those principles is that ours is a dual sovereignty system, with the people of each state retaining all powers not granted to the national government they created, and thus the people of each state reserved to themselves the right to judge when the national government they created has voided the compact between the states by asserting powers never granted.
Upon the declaration by a state that such a breach has occurred, we will not obey orders to force that state to submit to the national government.
6. We will NOT obey any order to blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps.
One of the causes of the American Revolution was the blockade of Boston, and the occupying of that city by the British military, under martial law. Once hostilities began, the people of Boston were tricked into turning in their arms in exchange for safe passage, but were then forbidden to leave. That confinement of the residents of an entire city was an act of war.
Such tactics were repeated by the Nazis in the Warsaw Ghetto, and by the Imperial Japanese in Nanking, turning entire cities into death camps. Any such order to disarm and confine the people of an American city will be an act of war and thus an act of treason.
7. We will NOT obey any order to force American citizens into any form of detention camps under any pretext.
Mass, forced internment into concentration camps was a hallmark of every fascist and communist dictatorship in the 20th Century. Such internment was unfortunately even used against American citizens of Japanese descent during World War II. Whenever a government interns its own people, it treats them like an occupied enemy population. Oppressive governments often use the internment of women and children to break the will of the men fighting for their liberty – as was done to the Boers, to the Jewish resisters in the Warsaw Ghetto, and to the Chechens, for example.
Such a vile order to forcibly intern Americans without charges or trial would be an act of war against the American people, and thus an act of treason, regardless of the pretext used. We will not commit treason, nor will we facilitate or support it."NOT on Our Watch!"
8. We will NOT obey orders to assist or support the use of any foreign troops on U.S. soil against the American people to “keep the peace” or to “maintain control” during any emergency, or under any other pretext. We will consider such use of foreign troops against our people to be an invasion and an act of war.
During the American Revolution, the British government enlisted the aid of Hessian mercenaries in an attempt to subjugate the rebellious American people. Throughout history, repressive regimes have enlisted the aid of foreign troops and mercenaries who have no bonds with the people.
Accordingly, as the militia of the several states are the only military force contemplated by the Constitution, in Article I, Section 8, for domestic keeping of the peace, and as the use of even our own standing army for such purposes is without such constitutional support, the use of foreign troops and mercenaries against the people is wildly unconstitutional, egregious, and an act of war.
We will oppose such troops as enemies of the people and we will treat all who request, invite, and aid those foreign troops as the traitors they are.
9. We will NOT obey any orders to confiscate the property of the American people, including food and other essential supplies, under any emergency pretext whatsoever.
One of the causes of the American Revolution was the seizure and forfeiture of American ships, goods, and supplies, along with the seizure of American timber for the Royal Navy, all in violation of the people’s natural right to their property and to the fruits of their labor. The final spark of the Revolution was the attempt by the government to seize powder and cannon stores at Concord.
Deprivation of food has long been a weapon of war and oppression, with millions intentionally starved to death by fascist and communist governments in the 20th Century alone.
Accordingly, we will not obey or facilitate orders to confiscate food and other essential supplies from the people, and we will consider all those who issue or carry out such orders to be the enemies of the people.
10. We will NOT obey any orders which infringe on the right of the people to free speech, to peaceably assemble, and to petition their government for a redress of grievances.
There would have been no American Revolution without fiery speakers and writers such as James Otis, Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, and Sam Adams “setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.”
Patrick Henry: "Give me Liberty, or Give me DEATH!"
Tyrants know that the pen of a man such as ThomasPaine can cause them more damage than entire armies, and thus they always seek to suppress the natural rights of speech, association, and assembly. Without freedom of speech, the people will have no recourse but to arms. Without freedom of speech and conscience, there is no freedom.
Therefore, we will not obey or support any orders to suppress or violate the right of the people to speak, associate, worship, assemble, communicate, or petition government for the redress of grievances.
— And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually affirm our oath and pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.Oath Keepers
The above list is not exhaustive but we do consider them to be clear tripwires – they form our “line in the sand,” and if we receive such orders, we will not obey them. Further, we will know that the time for another American Revolution is nigh. If such a revolution comes, at that time, not only will we NOT fire upon our fellow Americans who righteously resist such egregious violations of their God given rights, we will join them in fighting against those who dare attempt to enslave them.
Oath Keepers is a non partisan association of currently serving military, veterans, and peace officers who will fulfill our oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, so help us God.
Our oath is to the Constitution, not to the politicians, and not to any political party. In the long-standing tradition of the U.S. military, we are apolitical. We don’t care if unlawful orders come from a Democrat or a Republican, or if the violation is bi-partisan. We will not obey unconstitutional (and thus unlawful) and immoral orders, such as orders to disarm the American people or to place them under martial law. We won’t “just follow orders." Our motto: “Not on Our Watch!” or to put it even more succinctly, in the words of , "NUTS!"
There is at this time a debate within the ranks of the military regarding their oath. Some mistakenly believe they must follow any order the President issues. But many others do understand that their loyalty is to the Constitution and to the people, and understand what that means.
The mission of Oath Keepers is to vastly increase their numbers.
Thanks for standing up for the U.S. Constitution. I am retired from the U.S. Army Infantry with 23 years of service. Several times during the course of my career, I took an Oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic. I took it seriously, and I still do. I was, and am, willing to die in the defense of my Constitution, without which there is no nation.
Once enlisted, I asked myself how I could best fulfill my Oath to support and defend the Constitution. I decided that my first step would be to find out what was stated in the document. After that, I still had some questions that needed clarification, so I read the concurrent writings of the Founders. It takes a lot of reading and research, but with a committed effort the meaning of the Constitution becomes very plain. I don't need a lawyer to explain it to me.
Human nature and the nature of government conspire to amass power and control, so freedom never lasts very long. Democracy-based societies have a cycle of about 200 years, and we are approaching the end of one of those cycles. The one thing that is required before the government lapses into tyranny is the disarming of the populace. The Founders knew this very well and insisted on the inclusion of a Bill of Rights to restrict the government from interfering with our Natural Rights. The Second Amendment specifies that the Right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. 'Experts' will say that no Right is absolute. I say it IS absolute. It is the one Right that has to stand, uninfringed, in order to preserve liberty as a last resort. Once we are disarmed, liberty is gone.
My warning to the enemies of the Constitution is this:
We will not wait to be disarmed before we resist. If you move the line behind where we now stand, we will not comply. If you send armed men to force compliance, we will defend ourselves and the Constitution. Naturally, we will then be at war with those who sent armed men against us.
For those who find that statement shocking, you should try reading what some of our nation's Founders wrote! I have already sent this message to my elected leaders. I pray to God they honor their own Oaths. We stand ready. -
Military, Veterans, and peace officers who will honor their oaths to defend the Constitution, will NOT “just follow orders,” will stand for liberty, and will save the Republic, so help us God. Our motto is:
"Not on Our Watch!"
JEWS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF FIREARMS OWNWERSHIP: America's Most Aggressive Defender of Firearms Ownership
THE SHELDON LAW FIRM SPECIALIZES IN MILITARY LAW AND LITIGATION. Highly Recommended By Stewart Rhodes For All Active Duty And Veterans.
1.We will NOT obey orders to disarm the American people.
2. We will NOT obey orders to conduct warrantless searches of the American people
3.We will NOT obey orders to detain American citizens as “unlawful enemy combatants” or to subject them to military tribunal.
4.We will NOT obey orders to impose martial law or a “state of emergency” on a state.
5.We will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty.
6.We will NOT obey any order to blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps.
7.We will NOT obey any order to force American citizens into any form of detention camps under any pretext.
8.We will NOT obey orders to assist or support the use of any foreign troops on U.S. soil against the American people to “keep the peace” or to “maintain control.”
9.We will NOT obey any orders to confiscate the property of the American people, including food and other essential supplies.
10.We will NOT obey any orders which infringe on the right of the people to free speech, to peaceably assemble, and to petition their government for a redress of grievances.
1. Email us your own Oath Keeper testimonial at: oathkeepersok@gmail.com Send in text or video - just email us with any questions. OR, 2. Post your Oath Keeper testimonial as a comment: You can submit comments here anonymously if you want.
Your testimonial will be used to reach, teach, and inspire other military, veterans, and peace officers.
3. Put your own Oath Keeper testimonial video on Youtube and send us a link or post it in a comment. We'll link to it here and add it to our Youtube favorites: http://www.youtube.com/OathkeepersOK
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5. Donate to support Oath Keepers. Your donations will go toward efforts to reach, teach, and inspire all who took the oath to be oath keepers.
We are in a battle for the hearts and minds of our own troops.
Oath Keepers is an association of currently serving military, veterans, and peace officers who will fulfill the oath we swore to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, so help us God.
Our oath is to the Constitution, not to the politicians, and we will not obey unconstitutional (and thus illegal) and immoral orders, such as orders to disarm the American people or to place them under martial law and deprive them of their ancient right to jury trial.
We Oath Keepers have drawn a line in the sand. We will not “just follow orders."
Our motto is “Not on our watch!”
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.
There is at this time a debate within the ranks of the military regarding their oath.Some mistakenly believe they must follow any order the President issues.But you can rest assured that many others in the military do understand that their loyalty is to the Constitution, and understand what that means.
The mission of Oath Keepers is to vastly increase their numbers.We are in a battle for the hearts and minds of our own troops.To win that battle, Oath Keepers will use written and video testimony of active duty military, veterans (especially combat vets), and peace officers to reach, teach, and inspire our brothers in arms in the military and police to fulfill their oaths and stand as guardians of the Republic.
If you are currently in the military, are a veteran, or are a peace officer, please submit your written and/or video testimony on your oath, so you can help us win that battle for hearts and minds.Your submission may be anonymous.
Guardians of the Republic, fulfill your oath. Join us.
We are Not advocating or promoting the overthrow of any government whether local, state or national. We want our governments to return to the Constitutional Republic which the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution defined and instituted.
We are Not advocating or promoting violence towardsany organization, group or person. We are determined to Keep our Oath to support and defend the Constitution.
We are not advocating or promoting the removal of anyperson from his or her elected office. We want all elected persons to live up to their Oath to "support and defend the Constitution" as it is written or to leave of their own volition.
We are not advocating or promoting that anyone in theJudicial Branch be removed or replaced. We want the Justices in the Judicial Branch to follow the Constitution as written without interpretation.
We are not advocating or promoting any particular form of government other than the Constitutional Republic which the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution defined and instituted.
We are not advocating or promoting the rewriting of the Constitution nor are we asking for an Amendment thereto. We are insisting on the Constitution being Enforced as it is written.
We are Not advocating or promoting any act or acts ofaggression against any organization or person for any reason including, but not limited to; race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, gender or sexual orientation.
We hope for a return to a Constitutional Republic free from fear and hatred. We hate only tyranny.
We are Oath Sworn Americans who want the Constitution returned to its legal and rightful place, intact, as the ultimate Law of the Land.
DEDICATION:
This site is dedicated to the memory of John William Adams (1925-2006), Marine and Oath Keeper extraordinaire.
John Adams, at the age of 16, lied about his age to join the Marines so he could fight against Imperial Japan in the Pacific. His enlistment date was December 10, 1941, just three days after the attack on Pearl Harbor (see below). As a Marine rifleman, he fought the Japanese from island to island, across the pacific, including at Iwo Jima.We may have good men, but we never had better.
Until his death in 2006, he was a dedicated patriot who still took his oath to defend the Republic deadly serious. May God grant you the courage to do likewise.
John Adams, Enlistment Date December 10, 1941
Now that is what you call stepping up - but he was not alone. And neither are you.
Semper Fi
In memory of that sixteen-year-old boy who went to war so long ago and saw things no sixteen year old should ever have to see, and in the hope that his service was not in vain, we dedicate this song:
THE MINSTREL BOY As Sung by the Late Joe Strummer
The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone In the ranks of death you will find him; His father's sword he hath girded on, And his wild harp slung behind him;" Land of Song!" said the warrior bard, "Tho' all the world betrays thee, One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard, One faithful harp shall praise thee!"
The Minstrel fell! But the foeman's chain Could not bring that proud soul under; The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again, For he tore its chords asunder; And said "No chains shall sully thee, Thou soul of love and brav'ry! Thy songs were made for the pure and free, They shall never sound in slavery!"
“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force: Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.” – Patrick Henry.
Stewart is the founder and Director of Oath Keepers. He served as a U.S. Army paratrooper until disabled in a rough terrain parachuting accident during a night jump.
He is a former firearms instructor and former member of Rep. Ron Paul's DC staff.
Stewart graduated from Yale Law School in 2004, where his paper "Solving the Puzzle of Enemy Combatant Status" won Yale’s Miller prize for best paper on the Bill of Rights. He assisted teaching U.S. military history at Yale, was a Yale Research Scholar, and is writing a book on the dangers of applying the laws of war to the American people.
He is a staff attorney with Jefferson Legal Foundation and has assisted in constitutional litigation in state and federal courts.
Stewart currently writes the monthly Enemy at the Gates column for S.W.A.T. Magazine, and has written for The Warrior, the journal of Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyer’s College; for www.moreliberty.org; and for JPFO.
Stewart has appeared on several radio shows, was invited to speak at Stanford University on unlawful enemy combatant status, and teaches classes on the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
He welcomes e-mail at stewart.Rhodes@aya.yale.edu.
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