The Hollywood Liberal

Paranoid ?Hatriot? Group Attempting Takeover of Local Sheriffs? Offices
Today, a rather credulous Associated Press article reports on a movement to replace local sheriffs with proponents of a particularly virulent form of “tentherism“: The retired police officer and investment adviser intends to make that a reality, joining at least a dozen candidates in other states running for office on an intepretation [sic] of the Constitution […]

Today, a rather credulous Associated Press article reports on a movement to replace local sheriffs with proponents of a particularly virulent form of “tentherism“:

The retired police officer and investment adviser intends to make that a reality, joining at least a dozen candidates in other states running for office on an intepretation [sic] of the Constitution they say means the sheriff is the highest law enforcer in the land, even above federal agents.

“Frankly if he wants to, the sheriff can probably do more for the Constitution and protecting the people than anyone else,” Nichols said.

The candidates are part of a loosely organized nationwide movement called the Oath Keepers, which is enlisting law enforcement and military personnel to vow to refuse 10 orders they say are unconstitutional, from confiscating guns to warrantless searches.

Inexplicably, the AP article focuses almost exclusively on three aspects of the Oath Keepers’ philosophy: their opposition to gun control, their constitutionally appropriate opposition to warrantless searches, and their opposition to unconstitutional detention policies.

Absent from the article, however, is a discussion of the Oath Keepers’ overactive fantasy life. The Oath Keepers’ website is riddled with paranoid rhetoric about government officials “disarm[ing] the American people,” “confiscat[ing] the property of the American people, including food and other essential supplies,” and “blockad[ing] American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps.” In early 2008, the Oath Keepers’ founder warned that a “dominatrix-in-chief” named “Hitlery Clinton” would impose a police state on America and shoot all resisters. After primary voters chose a different candidate, the Oath Keepers simply rewrote their paranoid fantasy to include a taller, African-American lead.

At a Center for American Progress Action Fund event remembering the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing, former President Clinton described the Oath Keepers as a “hatriot” group that embraces the same violent rhetoric that fueled Timothy McVeigh. If they get their way, this delusional group will soon be given a badge and a gun.

How We Bury the War Dead
Dreazen & Fields, Wall Street Journal
The U.S. military didn't always bring home its dead. In the Seminole Indian Wars in the early 1800s, most of the troops were buried near where they fell. The remains of some dead officers were collected and sent back to their families, but only if the men's relatives paid all of the costs. Families had to buy and ship a leaded coffin to a designated military quartermaster, and after the body had been disinterred, they had to cover the costs of bringing the coffin home.Today, air crews have flown the remains of more than 5,000 dead troops back to the U.S. since the conflicts in Iraq…

What We Owe Our Troops
Ralph Peters, New York Post
Each Memorial Day, we’re treated to countless columns thanking our men and women in uniform for their service and honoring those we have lost or who suffered wounds. The rhetoric’s well intentioned. But it isn’t enough.In the midst of war, we owe our troops far more than an annual pat on the back. Those who serve on the front lines and the vast array of military members supporting them have immediate and vital needs. On several important counts, we’re letting them down.

Idiocy in Brussels Spout
Jonah Goldberg, Boston Herald
"˜Joe Biden.” With the exception of “broken teleprompter,” these are the scariest two words in the White House communications shop.One advantage Biden has over Obama is he can always claim he was “just being Joe” whenever he says something controversial. In this way, Biden reminds me a bit of the late PLO leader Yasser Arafat, who would say “nice” things in English and evil things in Arabic. The press would largely ignore the Arabic and take him at his word in English. Receive news alertsBiden gets away with a similar technique, only it's all…