Folks,I got this from the "Huntsville Times"  back in 96.  I found it interesting.  Its my belief their numbers have increased in this time lapse. dc

  "The room was stifiling hot.  Five men sat around discussing the events of the last few years  The leader of the group was a 45 year old man named Robert.  Members of the congregation included Mike, a 28 year old police officer from a large sourthern city, Bruce, a 40 year old former marine; Kyle, a 35 year old environmental engineer, and myself.
  Robert is a member of the Michigan militia, a fact he will not discuss with everyone.  I was allowed in the circle for reasons I cannot discuss.  I was there to listen, to ask questions and to learn from the man who many consider the new Thomas Jefferson.  To understand him is to understand the militia mentality.
  To understand Robert you must know where he has been.  Robert came from a small farming community in the midwest.  He is the eldest son , born to a 19 year old father and farmer.  He served two tours in Vietnam.  His war record leaves no question to his courage under fire.  The army was not and end but the means to an end. Robert will tell you that he bet his life against a College education in a high stakes game.  He won.  He is a man to fear and to trust.
   After Vietnam, Robert went to Collage and studied History.  He carries with him two books, a Bible and a pamphlet on the Constitution.  At over six feet tall, Robert looks like a warrer.  His barrel chest attests to the fact that he has not let himself go.  His thinning blond hair is the only testamont to his age.  His beliefs are simple.  He believes that no man should be subjected to a tyrannical government.  He believes that the Bible and the constitution set the rules that he must follow.
   He believes that the United States is at a crossroads.  The 1996 elections will tell which path the country will head.   If Dole is elected, the country will be headed back; if Clinton is elected, this Country will never get back.  I got a beer from the ice chest.  I wanted to know what exactly he ment by that.
   Robert leaned forward on his bunk.  He starts to explain; " The ATF and the FBI are after our weapons.   The laws restricting our Second Amendment rights are being enforced.  If Clinton is re-elected, he will support further restrictions on our right to bear arms.   Waco and ruby ridge were just "Reconnaissance by fire" by the government to see how much the American people will stomach".  He reminded us that Concord happened because the British were on a wepons sweep.  "They were after the Colonial stores of gunpowder and muskets.  Up to now the ATF and the FBI have harresed little old ladies," he says," and it is just a matter of time before the government thugs kick in the wrong door and they will be met with a bullet.  Then the blood-letting will begin."   I asked him what he ment.  He continued.  "The ATF will trump up some bogus claim against a citizen.  It could be anything.  Today they talk about the children.  So they will leak out that Joe Shmoe is molesting his daughter or better yet he is hanging out at the school picking up little boys.  They will say that they have to protect the kids, YOUR KIDS."
   "The problem is, Joe is well known.  He is not a child molester, he is just another patriot. He choosesto take a stand.  Now the ATF busts in with their ninga suits.  Joe is ready.   He drops two quickly.  The ATF pulls back. (remember ruby ridge) The ATF and the FBI start another siege.  This time the government has chosen the wrong guy.  See, Waco and ruby ridge were easy.  Both were targets that were insulated from the rest of the community.  Joe is not.  Others will come to his side.  It will be the Concord of the second Revolution"
   The room became quiet.  I turned and pointed to mike the cop.  "Are you telling me that you would shoot him?"  I asked.  Roberts blue eyes got cold. "yes I would," he said.  I looked at mike.  There was a little grin on his face.  "It is my job to ensure that he gets the intel so he can prepare the proper response."  I had to ask the question.  "why does the government want your guns?"  The question opened the door to the inner workings of Robert, the man.
   " It is our belief that this Country has been under assult by a segment of the world that wants to rule it." he said.  "History shows that there has always been men who want to manage dictatorially.  Hannibal, Alaxander the great, Hitler were all bent on world dominiation.  This is written in the history books that we studied.  Knowledge is power.   The founding fathers were smart.  They knew that when you centralize control, as in a big Federal government, you open yourself up for abuses.  That is why the constitution gave the majority of power to each State.  Read your history.  Not revisionst history, but the federalist papers, the constitution"   
    "That is why they have worked so hard to destroy the school systems.  They do not want you to know.   They have taken away the lessons of history.  If the children do not know the constitution, how can we as citizens expect to hold the government accountable to it.   The assult on religion is calculated, also.  The Bible teaches sacrifice of self to serve GOD.  You cannot subject people to tyranny until you take away their hope.  Faith is hope.  In a tyrannical dominion, the government is god.  The greator good is directed to the State."  
   "The threat in the last half of this century has been by the communists.  But  communism  is just a word.  The communist system is one in which wealth is distrirbuted. People become economic slaves to the system.  The enforicing agent was the government.  In the middle ages the kings would tax the land owners.  The land owners would then take 25% of the profits from the workers, the serfs.  today the government takes twice that in taxes.  The taxes you pay as income tax is just part of the total taxes you pay.  you must add in sales tax, property tax,etc,etc,etc.  you pay these taxes because you have been programmed to pay these taxes.  We have become economic slaves.  The income tax system started small, less then 2%.  Now we pay 50% of our income in taxes"   WHY?  " The government uses your money to creat a dependent  class of people.  These people are used to shore up a big government. These people become addicted to the government programs.  The people in power skim off their share.off their share.  For every tax dollar taken to support these programs, only about 17 cents gets to the recipients."
     Robert continued: "The problem us that they have gotten greedy.  They printed money that has no other value than the value that the people have placed on it.  The problem is the people are losing faith in the monetary system.  Soon other countries will start selling our bonds off.  They will not have the faith in the dollar that is needed to perpetuate the system.
     "Remember, we have taken the dollar off the gold standard..  This in itself is unconstitutional.  The dollar, by law, had to be linked to either silver or gold.  It is not.  Now all we have us a piece of paper in which no one has faith in.  Go to the store with a loose leaf binder and tell them you want to buy bread with the paper.  They won't sell you any. When the dollar becomes nothing more than a pretty  piece of green paper, there will be riots in the streets.  that is why we want our guns.  The government knows what history has proven.  Might is right.  You can not rule anyone you cannot control.  Take the guns, take control."
  A chill ran down my spine.  I knew that I was listening to the raveings of a mad man or a prophet.  I wanted to know what a patriot should do.  Roberts answer surprised me.
  "vote! This country has a good system in place to stop tyranny.," he said.  "It is simple, you vote them out of office.  If you vote them out of office, you force their hand.  If you eliminate their legitimate claim to power then they must take blatant illegal actionto hold their power.  If and when they do, you have a cause to rally around.  Waco and ruby ridge brought in thousands to the militia movement.  Why?  America saw both as the government murdering her citizens."  Robert continued  "Plant a garden.  Food will be in short supply if there is second revolution.  Arm yourself.  Each man and woman should have three weapons.  the first is a handgun.  A handgun is easy to carry and is good for close in fighting.  the second is a semi-automaticrifle.  The fire power will allow you to repela sustained attack.  Last is a high-powered rifle with a scope.  Sniping targets of oppertunity will reak havic on the rorale.  ensure you have a couple of thousand rounds for each weapon.  Lastly, make sure you know how to use them.  Prepare for war.  Buy camping equipment.  I learned a lot from the Viet cong.  They fought a guarrilla war.  That is how I will fight in the second revolution, as a guerrilla."
   "finally, ensure you have somthing of value, gold or silver.  The dollar will have collapsed.  You need something to pay for food for your family.  Historically, precious metals have been used for the standerd for trade." It was late.  I asked Robert if there was anything else he would like to relay.  He rubbed his eyes.  "The malitia has been described as a bunch of uneducated rednecks, anti-semitic and racist lunatics.  I am not any of those things.  I am a ChristianI love my GOD. I am an American.  I love ny country.  I will kill or be killed in the defense of both.  The militia is not a bunch of racists.  I have seen the blood of my friends in 'nam.  It didn't matterif it cam from a black man or a white man, it was red.  I learned that being a hero is not dependant on color, but rather on character."
                  This was put togather by John King who lives in  North  Alabama.
                     The first names of the militia have been changed.  dc