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Revitalizing the "militia of the several states"

centsi

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Feb 11, 2008
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Castle Rock, Colorado, USA
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Hey guys. I wanted to float an idea past you guys and see what you think. A lot of us have serious problems with where our country is headed, but most of us are limited to griping about it to our family & friends as well as using outlets like this forum. That's all well and good, but action is what we really need. I've found a plan. It isn't mine, but we can use it here in Colorado. The plan essentially comes from Dr. Edwin Vieira Jr. and you can read all about it at http://www.committeesofsafety.org/. The plan is to form small groups of citizenswith the aim of forcing our General Assembly to enact legislation to re-establish the "militia of the several states"asdescribed in the US Constitution and2A.

TheNational Guard is not the "militia of the several states" described in the Constitution or 2A for a number of reasons: 1) The National Guard was created in 1903. 2)The "militia" is the people, all of them 18-45. The National Guard may be "a" militia in part, but it is not "the" militia. 10 USC 311(a) specifies the difference between the "organized" and "unorganized" militia. 3) The National Guard is now controlled jointly by the Governor of the state and the Secretary of Defense, and for a while it was completely under the control of the president (see John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007). This is not the militia described in the constitution.

2A states "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state...". This is the only place in our constitution today where anything is recognized as necessary. "A well regulated Militia" is necessary to have the security of a free state. Without it we won't have a free state, or so says the constitution. The militia is also the only body that can be called forth to "execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions". Not the Army, not the Navy. Not the several brigades of active military training to deploy in urban environments on US soil in response to presidentially declared "emergencies" in violation of Posse Comitatus. Just the militia.


We the people areultimately responsible for our liberty and safety, as we OCers well know. Wealso haveconstitutional obligation to be "well regulated" and it is my proposal that we organize ourselves with that aim. I am not talking about forming our own militia group. I have no military experience and I don't want to run or be part of a paramilitary organization. I want to convince our lawmakers that it is their duty to provide for a constitutional state militia. I invite your comments and suggestions.

Edited: for formatting
 

Dom

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Apr 11, 2007
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Aurora, Colorado, USA
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It sounds like a good idea to me. The danger would be in being labeled as an "anti-government group" or perhaps a "terrorist threat".

I'm not sure if you're aware, but Colorado does have a State Defense Force more along the lines of a traditional militia. It is regulated in C.R.S Title 4 Section 28:

28-4-103. Supplemental military force. The governor of the state of Colorado may establish, enlist, maintain, and train and regulate an organized military force within and for the state of Colorado constituting a part of the military establishment for the defense of the United States and the state of Colorado, in addition to and supplemental to the existing organizations of the National Guard, to the full extent authorized by the laws of the United States and the constitution of the state of Colorado.
And by the way, you're probably subject to membership whether you like it or not:

28-4-103.5. Persons subject to military duty - state defense force. (1) Every able-bodied male citizen of Colorado and those who have declared their intention to become citizens of the United States residing therein between the ages of eighteen and sixty-four years, except persons exempt by law, are subject to military duty in the state defense force. However, the following persons or classes of persons are exempted from military service: [truncated]
According to C.R.S. 28-4-104, Bill Ritter can order any Colorado citizen to duty in the State Defense Force. Nice to know huh?
 

centsi

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Feb 11, 2008
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Castle Rock, Colorado, USA
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Honestly I must admit that I wasn't aware of CRS 28-4. So Art. XVII of the Colorado Constitution establishes the existence of the state militia, and CRS 28-4 provides for calling up of the same. It's nice to know that this force cannot be compeled to federal service, and that each company selects its officers. In theory this is the militia that the founders had in mind. I suppose the problem now is that we are an "unregulated" militia instead of a "well regulated" one.
 

JBURGII

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A, A
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Evil Ernie wrote:
Here's the link to the CO State Defense Force

http://www.cosdf.us

Here we have the Oregon State Defense Force and I believe a lot of states have such an entity.. not sure how active they are. I know to join here you their website says you must have had prior military experience which I think is a rip for those of us who did not get the chance to serve.

J
 

colorado slick

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Oct 13, 2007
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Windsor, Colorado, USA
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I had the honor of serving as Chief of Staff then Commanding General of the re-activated Illinois State Militia for ten years. We were guided by the constitution but were never "recognized" by the state even though the Governor signed our commissions....Go figure.

Colorado
 

centsi

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Messages
392
Location
Castle Rock, Colorado, USA
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colorado slick wrote:
I had the honor of serving as Chief of Staff then Commanding General of the re-activated Illinois State Militia for ten years. We were guided by the constitution but were never "recognized" by the state even though the Governor signed our commissions....Go figure.

Colorado
So you were officially recognized by the Governor but not the legislature? What kind of duties did you and your members take part in? Did you actively recruit and train? Did your state provide an guidelines for equipment, organization and training?
 

colorado slick

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Oct 13, 2007
Messages
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Location
Windsor, Colorado, USA
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centsi wrote:
colorado slick wrote:
I had the honor of serving as Chief of Staff then Commanding General of the re-activated Illinois State Militia for ten years. We were guided by the constitution but were never "recognized" by the state even though the Governor signed our commissions....Go figure.

Colorado
So you were officially recognized by the Governor but not the legislature? What kind of duties did you and your members take part in? Did you actively recruit and train? Did your state provide an guidelines for equipment, organization and training?

Yes, no and no.State Government loved us for the tourists we brought in for Civil War re-enactments but they wouldn't supply a pound of power. We did it all ourselves. Didn't really want their help. I retired in 1997after reorganizing the militia then another sucker was appointed brigidier and let it go to hell. Right now, I believe there is only Battery G of the First Illinois still active in Rockford.

Colorado
 
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