Since the late 1980's there has been a steady erosion of individual
rights while an increase in the power of the Federal government. We have
seen the banning of the manufacture and sale of machine guns to the
public, the assault weapons ban, increased restriction on DRMO sales to
the public and other restrictions. While restricting private ownership,
the Federal government has gone out of its way to transfer surplus
property to the police agencies. Under the Law Enforcement supply office
(LESO) program there have been at least 324 helicopters , 517 armored
vehicles (to include Peacekeepers, V150's, Dragoons, V100's and M113's),
and over 7,000 rifles (M-16, M-79, M-21, MP-5) as well as military
training provided to state and local agencies. (National Institute of
Justice report) To avoid the Posse Comitatus Act, which prevents the
direct involvement of the military in the internal affairs of the United
States, the Army has transferred equipment and training to the National
Guard. This all adds up to an ugly picture that most Americans seem all
to willing to ignore.
Understand that while I am pro police, I also have serious concerns
about my individual rights and the world I will be leaving behind to my
son. Many on this group are right, we need to band with other groups,
like the collector car organizations, NRA, Veterans Organizations, and
any other group that has been affected by this style of government. It
was a coalition of groups that elected the current administration, it
will take a stronger group to get the power of the government back in
the hands of the people.
This is what our vehicles stand for, the power of ideas and the
conviction of people to lay down their lives to defend it. Perhaps that
is what the government is afraid of. Not what these vehicles can do but
what feelings they can invoke.
You are sitting at the most powerful weapon ever invented. Nothing can
stop ideas and the power to communicate them to other people. The
American Revolution, the Constitutional Convention, the events leading
up to the signing of the Magna Carta all started as the exchange of
ideas between like minded people. Let us use this to our advantage and
take back what was ours to begin with.
Rick
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