Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Sheriff Mack vs Sheriff Mike McMeekin: Challenge the Status Quo

Today, July 15, 2009, Richard Mack former 2 term sheriff of Graham County, Ariz, issued a challenge to debate current Missoula County Sheriff, Mike McMeekin.
In a Missoulian article of Monday, July 13, 2009, (http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2009/07/13/news/mtregional/znews08.txt) McMeekin is quoted as saying that, what Mack was doing at a public speaking engagement in Hamilton July 7th was "politics" and what McMeekin is doing is "law enforcement. They're not the same thing.” For that reason, McMeekin found Mack's appearance to be a “nonevent.”
Yet, Mack, who wants to make sure that every sheriff in the country has received a copy of his new book, "The County Sheriff: America's Last Hope" completely disagrees. First, he was NOT asked for his responses to Michael Moore's article about him in the Missoulian.. Second, he believes that, “All law enforcement officers, from the FBI down to the local meter maid, derive their (just) powers from the people,” (see http://www.sheriffmack.com/), “but the only law enforcement officers in the land who answer directly to the people are county sheriffs.” Mack writes, “the Constitution gives the federal government the authority to police exactly four areas: treason, piracy, treaty violations and counterfeiting. The other 5,000 they've stolen and usurped from state and local authorities.” “The very people who have promised us they will protect and defend the Constitution are the ones who are destroying it.” He says in his 49-page book, Mack also quotes America's Founding Fathers who warned that a centralized power in government would lead to one, in Thomas Jefferson's words, “as venal and oppressive as the government from which we separated.”

And the Constitutional Law Enforcement Association completely agrees with him. From their website (http://constitutionallawenforcementassoc.blogspot.com/) , The County Sheriff:The Ultimate Check & Balance, they state, When the United States of America was founded the framers spent arduous hours devising a Constitution that would protect future generations from tyranny and government criminality. A system of checks and balances was established to keep all government, especially at the federal level, from becoming too powerful and abusive.

The Bill of Rights was promulgated to augment the limitations previously placed against the government, to further insure that government would stay in its proper domain.

So, what happens when government does not obey its own constitution? What punishment is meted out to politicians who vote for and pass unconstitutional laws? What happens if they appoint unlawful bureaucracies or allow their agents to violate the rights of the American citizen? The answer to these questions is both astounding and lamentable; NOTHING!

Now the question becomes even greater; who will stop criminal and out-of-control government from killing, abusing, violating, robbing, and destroying its own people? Yes, believe it or not, there is an answer to this one. The duty to stop such criminality lies with the county sheriff. The question needs to be posed to each and every sheriff of these United States; will you stand against tyranny?

The office of sheriff has a long and noble history. It dates back over a thousand years and originated in England. The sheriff is the only elected law enforcement official in America. He is the last line of defense for his citizens. He is the people's protector. He is the keeper of the peace, he is the guardian of liberty and the protector of rights. A vast majority of sheriffs will agree with all of this until they are asked to apply these principles of protection to federal criminals. Their backpedaling and excuses will be more plentiful than radar tickets and louder than sirens at doughnut time. Most of the unbelievers, who themselves have taken a solemn oath to "uphold and defend" the U S Constitution, will passionately and even apologetically exclaim that they have no authority or jurisdiction to tell federal agents to do anything, let alone stop them from victimizing local citizens. The truth and stark reality is that it's just the opposite; the sheriff has ultimate authority and law enforcement power within his jurisdiction. He is to protect and defend his citizens from all enemies, both "foreign and domestic."

Consequently, former Sheriff Richard Mack is issuing this challenge to Missoula County Sheriff Mike McMeekin to a debate concerning McMeekin's part in law enforcement and whether he will stand against tyranny. Former Sheriff Richard Mack would also like Missoula County Sheriff Mike McMeekin to explain "how it is that the ultimate protector and keeper of the peace will not protect his citizens from federal criminals. Bottom line; How is it that the county's servant who promised, in God's name, to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States turns right around and says that it is not his job to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States? Not to mention that he promised to do the same for the Montana Constitution. Is this what he calls politics? I call it keeping your word!"
R Mack

Sheriffs in Montana, swear the following oath of office “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, protect and defend the constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the state of Montana, and that I will discharge the duties of my office with fidelity (so help me God).”

former Sheriff Richard Mack can be contacted at sheriffmack@hotmail.com
phone: 928.792.4340
P.O. Box 971
Pima, AZ 85543

As always, please let me have your comments on this important topic, thanks!
Rick Gold

Monday, July 13, 2009

Sworn Oath of Office: Politics, Words or Duty?

What do US Judges, Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Legislators, Senators, and other US officials have in common?
They ALL must swear to be bound by Oath or Affirmation to support, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
But, have these politicians, faithfully supported, preserved, protected or defended our Constitution down through the years?
Just look at some of the things that the government can now do under The Patriot Act (as one recent example): Search your home; Wiretap your phone, computer, and internet; Investigate your financial records (bank accounts, credit cards, etc.); Investigate your library book activity; Investigate your medical records, travel records, and business records; Freeze your finances without the right to appeal; and Maintain “watch lists” that ban individuals from air travel.
But, aren't these governmental actions UnConstitutional, you might ask? Not until a government court rules they are. So, it appears that the US Congress and Presidents have not "faithfully supported, preserved, protected or defended" our Constitution in regards to The Patriot Act.
There are many other examples through the years, if you'd care to do a google search on dwindling civil rights.
In Montana, we have - the Constitution of Montana -- Article III - Section 3. Oath of office.
"Members of the legislature and all executive, ministerial and judicial officers, shall take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation, before they enter upon the duties of their offices: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, protect and defend the constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the state of Montana, and that I will discharge the duties of my office with fidelity (so help me God)."
Again, in Montana, there are examples of the Montana Legislature & Governor of passing laws
which do not support, protect or defend the constitution of the state of Montana. It's interesting that Retired Graham County, Arizona, Sheriff Mack (who made a handful of speeches in western Montana over the past week) http://www.sheriffmack.com says that "“The very people who have promised us they will protect and defend the Constitution are the ones who are destroying it.” And that Missoula's own Sheriff Mike McMeekin says of Mack "“What he's doing is politics,” McMeekin said. “What we're doing is law enforcement. They're not the same thing.” And "I'm not going to comment on him personally, but I can tell you that in Missoula County we're going to continue cooperating with law enforcement agencies, whether it's the feds, the state or the local police,” McMeekin said.
So, even if the Feds, State or local law enforcement agencies are violating our Constitutional Rights here in Missoula, Sheriff McMeekin says he will cooperate. “We're just another part of law enforcement,” he said. “We're certainly not going to be a county where we expect the feds to ask our permission to do their jobs. We're not going to have any of that nonsense.” Reported by Michael Moore of the Missoulian
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2009/07/13/news/mtregional/znews08.txt
Once again, as Governor Brian Schweitzer has said in his campaigns accross Montana - It's time to Take Back Our State, Montana," and reclaim our State Constitution, too.
Think about it ….As always, please let me have your comments on this important topic, thanks!Rick Gold
Missoula, MT