I’m sorry, but no good can come of this. From the great conservative state of Oklahoma, site of the largest domestic terrorist attack in US history, we get this story about a Tea Party umbrella group that is looking to form an official, state-approved militia. The scariest part is that this is not just some crazy idea floated out by wingnuts on the fringe. Nope, they have real supporters in the Oklahoma legislature:
Frustrated by recent political setbacks, tea party leaders and some conservative members of the Oklahoma Legislature say they would like to create a new volunteer militia to help defend against what they believe are improper federal infringements on state sovereignty.
Tea party movement leaders say they’ve discussed the idea with several supportive lawmakers and hope to get legislation next year to recognize a new volunteer force. They say the unit would not resemble militia groups that have been raided for allegedly plotting attacks on law enforcement officers.
“Is it scary? It sure is,” said tea party leader Al Gerhart of Oklahoma City, who heads an umbrella group of tea party factions called the Oklahoma Constitutional Alliance. “But when do the states stop rolling over for the federal government?”
The biggest supporter for this truly frightening idea seems to be a state senator named Randy Brogdon, who also happens to be a birther. Oh, and did I mention that he’s running for governor, too? According to Brogdon, the founding fathers, ” were not referring to a turkey shoot or a quail hunt. They really weren’t even talking about us having the ability to protect ourselves against each other. The Second Amendment deals directly with the right of an individual to keep and bear arms to protect themselves from an overreaching federal government.” Supporters of the Tea Party militia hope to introduce legislation authorizing their creation next year.
Now, I don’t want to put too much stock in all this, or fear-monger about what’s going on here, but it is all a bit disturbing. Tea Party apologists are always saying that it’s not a dangerous movement, and it’s just angry, everyday citizens blowing off steam and expressing themselves. But can someone please tell me what the hell they’re so scared about from the government that they feel they need their own army to protect themselves? I’ve honestly never understood this aspect of the whole thing.
And I just have to add that my favorite quote came from a Tulsa-based Tea Party leader: “It’s not a far-right crazy plan or anything like that. This would be done with the full cooperation of the state Legislature.” I don’t think he understands it can be both. But then again, this is the FOX method of fringe idea propagation: Once a wingnut idea gets repeated by, or supported by, someone in an “official” capacity, it automatically becomes a mainstream idea. Pretty soon, just their own army won’t be enough, and they’ll be fighting to create their own country to get out from under the oppressive federal government. Who knows, maybe they join with other groups and try to create their own Confederation of Teapotian States.