Troubling: Will Nov. 8 be the start of the next civil war in the USA?

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
3/8/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

'It should be' according to extremists.

There's a troubling trend in America, the rise of armed militias and "patriot" groups who are preparing for a revolution - and a violent one at that. According to the Southern Law Poverty Center (SPLC), these groups are gaining memberships as the possibility of Obama's reelection grows greater.

Members of the Idaho Lightfoot militia.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The founding fathers certainly had the foresight to recognize that things would change. To that end, they instituted a form of government that allows a revolution to take place every four years, albeit a peaceful one. They ensured that citizens would have a voice and a vote.

The original system wasn't perfect, excluding as many people as it included, but over time it evolved into the system we have today where all citizens have a right to vote and participate in government. Still, that is not enough for some who believe the system is broken beyond repair and only a potentially violent overthrow of government can restore order and balance.

The SPLC identifies two distinct types of individuals associated with this potentially dangerous trend, patriots and sovereign citizens.

Patriots believe the government is engaged in conspiracy and see the federal government as their primary enemy. Sovereign citizens believe they are not subject to state and federal laws and that they do not have to pay taxes - essentially they see themselves as individual sovereign entities.

Both types are filling the ranks of anti-government militias.

The Constitution codifies the rights of individuals to their personal beliefs, to free association and membership in organizations they wish to join, and the right of people to bear arms, among a host of other rights that permit militias to exist. However, several individuals belonging to these militias have engaged in plots to attack law enforcement and government officials or to engage in acts of domestic terrorism.

It is this fact that has many within the government and private watchdog organizations alarmed.
According to a recent FBI bulletin, since 2000, at least six police officers have lost their lives in violence involving militia members.

The Oklahoma City bombing and the Ruby Ridge massacre, as well as the Branch Davidian Waco incident were also the result of militia and separatist activity.

Most militia members fear that President Obama is leading a government campaign to strip Americans of their rights. But the militias are not simply watching the President. In Washington state, David R. Myrland was sentenced to 40 months in prison for threatening the mayor of Kirkland with arrest. He sent an email stating, "50 or more concerned citizens will enter your home and arrest you. Do not resist, as these Citizens will be heavily armed."

Ed LeStage, 59, and a member of the 63rd Battalion of Lightfoot Militia, listed as an active militia group in the SLPC report said, "He's after our guns. Obama's been the best gun salesman there ever was." LeStage broadcasts training videos across the country on a weekly basis. The videos are aimed to help members survive an economic meltdown or a state of anarchy.

LeStage said, If Obama is re-elected, "we will probably lose our republic. We will probably turn into another socialist country." On a related online forum one commenter posted, "Nov. 8th should be the start of the next civil war. May GOD guide us safely."

� 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Militias, domestic terror, Obama

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1 - 10 of 31 Comments

Joseph
6 months ago
"To BRIAN....why are you POSTING on a CATHOLIC ONLINE site when in fact its clear you have a PRO OBAMA AGENDA?? Amazing the chutzpa you obamites have coming on this page and making cracks as to NATURES LAW and THE GOD that controls this law. I got a great idea> YOU dont like whats written on COL why dont you just take a pass. Ya know like the game Monopoly where you get OTTA JAIL CARD....YOU should just grab that card and leave COL."

Some of the comments on this page below are the single most revolting hateful comments I have ever witnessed by human beings in my 60 years of being a pastor by either political persuasion. I literally became sick after reading some of these comments. I am ashamed to share the same country let alone political party as those morally depraved here. I can only hope that the lord has mercy on your souls for being so cruel to one another.
Danunzio
7 months ago
It's the left pushing us into civil war not the right. Sadly, the left is so pervasive and evil that it might be inevitable.
Shane
8 months ago
Well folks, I'm not a fanatic or in a militia,But I'm afraid that most of the people in this country are just plain blind or just flat out indifferent to whats going on in America,Our rights are being eaten away, The police are no longer the moral or ethical defenders of the law the government is no longer for the people and we aren't doing anything about it,we as a people took up arms against the British because of over taxing and unjust laws, what do you think is happening right now,people who work hard are loosing their homes because they can't pay the taxes,look how much it costs for simple grocery's the middle class is no longer the middle class,it is now the haves against the have nots. I was born and raised here, I served my country and pay my taxes, But I am not blind, Our country is in a nose dive and if we as a people don't step up and put a stop to whats being done, we might as well forget about having a country that is free,
Tom
9 months ago
Here is something for all those commenting to think about.
Democracy:
Involves the government ruling and making laws for the "greater good" of all people, they may abolish personal rights in doing so.
Democracy is government by and for the people. They may or may not be republics--that is, government limited by constitution or charter.
The tricky part of "democracy" is defining "the people" and then deciding what counts as "by the people" and what counts as "for the people." In a sense, that could be considered the content of democratic practice.
Citizens are expected to participate more actively in a democracy.

Republic:
Involves the government using and abiding by the constitution heavily. Personal rights are respected and cannot be taken away. This helps to avoid tyranny and mobocracy (the majority makes laws and governs by passion, prejudice, or impulse, without restraint or regard to consequences).
Republics are the common and "standard" type of governments found today, not democracies, despite what many people (who may not know the definition of either) think.
Just as democracies may or may not be republics, republics may or may not be democracies.

The difference between Democracy and Republic:
Democracy and Republic are two forms of government which are distinguished by their treatment of the Minority, and the Individual, by the Majority.
In a Democracy, the Majority has unlimited power over the Minority. This system of government does not provide a legal safeguard of the rights of the Individual and the Minority. It has been referred to as "Majority over Man".
In a Republic, the Majority is Limited and constrained by a written Constitution which protects the rights of the Individual and the Minority. The purpose of a Republic form of government is to control the Majority and to protect the God-given, inalienable rights and liberty of the Individual.
The United States of America is founded as a Republic under the Constitution.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_a_republic_and_a_democracy#ixzz24WN51Cjh
David s
10 months ago
"Patriot" - "one who loves his or her country and supports its authority and interests" - Merriam Webster
anthony
11 months ago
I find it funny they make it sound like the hype is 100% over obama and 100% over socialism..

Sure that is a problem, but how about the mega computers being built in utah and other states that are designed to spy on americans?

How about the NDAA and other enfringments on our founding principles that are wisked away under the guise of "protection"?

How about our new pre-emptive strike policies abroad?

Ie things that have bi-partison support and I am sure thta ROMNEY also supports? Things that a free market capitalist and a flaming socialist would gladly unite arms against?
Jeff M
11 months ago
I also see the federal government as the enemy and I would not miss it one bit if it were to collapse tomorrow the same way the USSR did 20 years ago. The United States has become everything is used to despise and most Americans are too stupid to see it. Thanks to being born with dual citizenship I now live in Europe and actually feel more free than I had in the US for the past 15 years. The US needs a revolution (hopefully a bloodless one like what ended the USSR) When things settle down then I might consider returning. At any rate most of those militia groups are nuts btw. Obama is not *the* problem, but the federal government in general. America has become a fascist police state and the sooner its citizens wake up to this fact the better off they will be. The 2nd Amendment will not save America when things really get bad. And if you don't think it will happen just wait.
Kyle
11 months ago
@Brian a cook
National Socialism is not extreme left, it is in fact extreme left. The Right wing actually means less government, while the Left means authoritative or strong central government. Militias have no political allegiance, although members tend to be more right wing. Constitutional unorganized militias are anti-socialists and if you actually researched militias you'd find that out. One can not be a militia member and a National Socialist, it is a contradiction. The KKK are not the militia, but their own organization. The KKK is disliked among the militia and I know for fact black, Latino, and Jewish people are among the militia. I personally have a Jew among my group. I suggest you do some research before coming up with your conclusions on how you judge things.
Esther Marie Ann Ventura Ferencz
1 year ago
To BRIAN....why are you POSTING on a CATHOLIC ONLINE site when in fact its clear you have a PRO OBAMA AGENDA?? Amazing the chutzpa you obamites have coming on this page and making cracks as to NATURES LAW and THE GOD that controls this law. I got a great idea> YOU dont like whats written on COL why dont you just take a pass. Ya know like the game Monopoly where you get OTTA JAIL CARD....YOU should just grab that card and leave COL.
Brian A Cook
1 year ago
Am I supposed to close my eyes to an extreme right--Klansmen, Neo-Nazis, etc--that pretends to promote Nature and Nature's God?

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