The concept of "In Defense of Liberty" was originated by Dave Franey in response to the Oklahoma City bombing. This updated edition has been put together on account of the changes that have occurred over the years. We have not softened any of the questions; they are presented in the same manner in which they were asked. We hope this will assist you in understanding a little more about the militia, and what we represent. Many thanks to all the dedicated patriots who helped!

THANK YOU MICHIGANMILITIA.COM FOR LETTING ME STEAL ALL THIS GOOD READING

1. What is the militia?

The militia is: all able-bodied citizens who are capable of bearing arms; the absolute last line of defense against any threat to the State or Country, whether that threat is natural or man made, foreign or domestic.

Our motivation is patriotism and a sincere desire to defend the Constitution. Our goal is to encourage all citizens to achieve a high level of preparedness for a wide variety of possible emergencies.

We support a Constitutionally limited government and defend the American ideals of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. We are open to all citizens regardless of race, sex, religion, or political affiliation. Groups not open to public membership and/or which are organized for any other purposes are not militias. The militia, as an organization, has no religious theme; is not racial in nature; nor does it advocate terrorism or violence.

2. Why would you want to join an extremist organization like the militia?

The militia as an organization, represents beliefs in: the inalienable right to keep and bear arms; the American ideals of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness; freedom and love of country.

If being a patriot has become so unfashionable with the general populace as to be considered extreme, then so be it. We joined because these qualities, whether popular or not, are honorable.

3. Is militia activity legal?

Yes, we all have the inalienable rights of self-defense; to keep and bear arms; freedom of speech; and to peaceably assemble. These cover the majority of militia activities. The Constitution of the United States prohibits government, at any level, from interfering or infringing on these rights.

Additionally, the Geneva Convention, Hague Protocols, International Law, Laws of Land Warfare, as well as Michigan State Law and Federal Law, all specifically provide for citizen militias, with or without state recognition.

4. Is the government going to target me if I join the militia?

If you are asking this question there is obviously something enormously wrong; it places emphasis on the fact that people are fearful of government reprisal for engaging in legal activities. Law-abiding American citizens participating in legal activities are afraid of their government!

Unfortunately, we cannot answer this question for you, we can only speculate. You will have to ask the government, as we do not speak for them. However, the fear behind this question should compel you to at least look into the patriot movement.

5. If you say the militia is legal, why doesn't the media support you?

The undeniable fact that the militia is legal is irrelevant in regard to media support, whether that support is pro or con; they have absolute control over the truthfulness, context, completeness and objectivity of their work.

Unfortunately we cannot answer this question, you will have to ask the media, as we can only speculate.

6. Are you racists?

No, we welcome Americans of all races, cultures, and beliefs; we gain nothing from turning anyone away, regardless of the hue of their skin. We do not side ourselves with, advocate, or discriminate against any one particular race or culture; the militia is as diverse as the general population.

There are, however, individuals or groups that claim to be militias that say they are of a superior race fighting the "great race war...to annihilate the mud people". These individuals or groups are not militias - they are racists.

7. Are you militant?

No, the nature and purpose of a citizen militia is defensive and concerns itself with the preservation of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. We may be regarded as serious and ever vigilant, but we are not militant.

However, there are individuals or groups that claim to be militias that are determined to be engaged in combat and are aggressively active. These individuals or groups are not militias – they are militant.

8. Isn’t the militia the National Guard?

No, the citizen militia is the unorganized militia; the National Guard is the organized militia.

Federal law (10 USC Section 311a, b1-2) clearly distinguishes between the organized and unorganized militia. It reads in part:

"The classes of the militia are:
The organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and
The unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia."

Note regarding the National Guard: The National Defense Act of June 3, 1916, (39 stat.166), provides in part: "that the Army of the United States shall consist of the regular Army, the volunteer Army, the Officers' Reserve Corps, the Enlisted Reserve Corps, the National Guard while in service of the United States, and such other land forces as are now or may hereafter be authorized by law." We understand from this excerpt that your State’s National Guard was federalized back in 1916. That means the "organized militia" is under the control of the federal Government. The Founding Fathers provided for the citizen militia specifically to safeguard against a corrupt, centralized government!

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain their right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government." -Thomas Jefferson

9. The members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and the state and local police are all sworn to protect and uphold the Constitution. Why do we need militias or even armed citizens?

As Americans, it is "everyone’s" responsibility to uphold and defend the Constitution; this is a requirement of a free people.

The militia is needed as the absolute last line of defense against any threat, whether natural or man-made, foreign or domestic; it is everyone’s responsibility to be prepared to protect and defend state and country.

As to the need for armed citizens, as a human being you have the right to live for your own sake, and while living, you are responsible for defending the life of you and yours.

It is irresponsible, unwise, cowardly, and just plain un-American to deny these responsibilities.

"If a people expect to be ignorant and free, they expect what never was and never will be." -

10. Are you terrorists?

No, the militia does not advocate terrorism or violence. Only lunatics, including those in government, destroy buildings full of men, women, and children. The militia is a dedicated group of citizen patriots who volunteer their time and energy to further the cause of freedom. The only thing we blow to pieces are bowling pins; and if we are ever attacked by them, we will win! (Bowling pins are commonly used for target practice at militia training.)

11. What good does the militia do? What is your contribution to society?

The militia fulfills a long established American tradition as the ultimate and final guarantor of freedom; it establishes that as a free people we are ready, willing and able to defend our lives and country.

We hold informative monthly meetings, update those in attendance on topics such as: pending legislation, civic activities, current events, safety bulletins; and we offer training opportunities in the areas of: weapons safety, CPR, first aid, land navigation, and other useful field techniques.

We strongly encourage everyone to vote and become involved in the safeguarding of rights within their local communities. We believe that the educated, responsible citizen is the best possible guarantee of all our freedoms.

12. Why don't you hold political rallies or try to elect your own candidates?

The militia is a citizen based defensive organization. It is not our purpose to become a political party or promote any candidate for elected office.

While we encourage citizen involvement in the political process, it is always up to each individual to make decisions regarding their voting and other political activities. We intentionally separate our group militia activities from our individual political beliefs, because politics is controversial in nature and would only serve to damage the cohesive quality of our unit.

13. Are there women in the militia?

Yes, they are some of the most dedicated patriots you will ever meet. We do all we can to make the women, and families for that matter, welcome at our meetings or any activity. Come out and we’ll prove it.

14. Why are your training sessions on the weekends during family time?

Not all training is done on weekends, and most training is family-friendly; it is a great family activity. We have families that attend weekend field training with children from babies to teenagers; more are always welcome. We also meet once a month on a weekday evening at a local restaurant, and weekly at someone’s home.

Training can include discussions on pending legislation, current events, or constitutional issues. We encourage all members to bring spouses and children to our meetings. We strive to keep them as "G" rated as possible.

15. Why do you train like the military?

United States Constitution, 2nd Amendment states, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

We take the words "well regulated" seriously. If we ever need to use the skills we have learned, we will be able to do so proficiently. The medical and firearms training our members receive is always important.

There is another, lesser-known reason; in the Michigan Compiled Laws, there is a provision for the Michigan Defensive Force. In the event of the Michigan National Guard being called into active federal duty, the citizens comprising the MDF that have been militia members will be well trained and competent.

16. Why do you need military equipment? (mre’s, gas masks, bayonet lugs, etc.)

In order to fulfill our possible legal obligations under the previously mentioned laws, and out of a sense of duty and responsibility, these items are necessary for the training we participate in. They aid us in self-defense.

Most gear is recommended because we train and prepare for a wide range of emergencies, including natural or man-made disasters, or threats from foreign or domestic power. Some of our recommended supplies will probably not be used regularly, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

17. Why can't you just have your guns, believe what you want, and not be so radical?

"The Constitutions of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed." - Thomas Jefferson

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." - United States Constitution, Second Amendment

"Every person has a right to keep and bear arms for the defense of himself and the state." - Constitution of the State of Michigan, Article I, Section 6

In direct contradiction to the above laws, the government has made "owning our guns and believing what we want" illegal. The above is clear in both intent and wording; this is not an opinion, it is a fact.

The militia is not radical, we are very concerned however, that our elected public servants in government are not following the Law as provided in the Constitution. These and other violations of the Bill of Rights are more numerous every day; the constitutionally limited Republic of our forefathers has been stolen and replaced with a representative democracy. Democracy is tyranny by majority; that is a bad thing.

"There can be no compromise on moral principles. In any compromise between food and poison, it is only death that can win. In any compromise between good and evil, it is only evil that can profit." – Ayn Rand in "Atlas Shrugged"

18. Why do you need to have assault weapons?

This question assumes that we have assault weapons; we do not. Assault weapons are "select-fire" weapons, which means they can fire either semi-automatic (one trigger pull, one bullet comes out) or fully automatic (one trigger pull, lots of bullets come out); this select-fire ability is the defining factor of an assault weapon.

Any weapon that can fire fully automatically has been illegal for private citizens since 1933. Private citizens cannot own them, only military and law enforcement are allowed to have them.

The militia uses civilian variations of these weapons, which are the highest technology available to us, and are semi-automatic. Our "big, black, scary-looking guns" are not big, nor scary; they are just black. They are simple to operate, field efficient, easy to clean, accurate, and commonly available, and are almost universally chambered in a .223 or 7.62 caliber; which is smaller and less powerful than a 30-30 or 30.06 caliber, which are common hunting rounds.

19. Why do you wear camouflage?

By wearing our uniforms, we identify ourselves as members of a positive, patriotic and responsible organization. In addition, the Geneva Convention and other laws require that all militias must have uniforms with insignia to designate them as such.

They provide efficient camouflage in wooded terrain, which is tactically sound. Most members wear fatigues only to meetings or training activities. Today's fatigues are comfortable, economic, and rugged. Besides, they look good!

20. Are you cultists or religious extremists?

No to both. We cherish free thought, patriotic ideals, and the inalienable right of freedom of and from religion. Our members have a variety of religious and philosophical beliefs. We do not side ourselves with any one particular religion; on the contrary, we welcome everyone’s beliefs, as it tends to stimulate intellectual conversation.

There are however, individuals or groups that claim to be militias that say they are God’s army fighting "demonically controlled people who are being activated by Satan." These individuals or groups are not militias, they are religious extremists.

21. Are you going to revolt or riot?

No to both. We in the militia would rather see a revolt at the ballot box than the bullet box.

During the riot in Los Angeles, we saw criminals, not freedom-loving patriots, looting stores and beating truck drivers.

22. Are you survivalists?

No, the militia is an open, all-inclusive type of organization and we are not prone to the typical isolationist attitude of most survivalists. In the event of an emergency or crisis, the militia will stay to assist or defend our neighbors, communities, and state; whereas a survivalist will run to the hills and hide.

23. Do you train to kill people or make bombs?

No. We train with weapons to be able to defend ourselves. The only place you can be trained to kill people is in the Marine Corps and certain government agencies. We do not train to make any weapon of mass destruction of any type. Our whole tactical and logistical table of organization is defensive in nature: to defend ourselves, our families, our communities, and our state.

24. How is your militia structured?

It isn’t "our" militia, it’s everyone’s. The militia is structured by county, forming units. These County Units vary in size and usually break down into smaller teams. These Teams can range in size from a single individual to a small group, each having their own different training, objectives, goals, and call-names. These Teams are affiliated under their County Unit and identify themselves as such. They usually hold meetings and train together as a group; however, these individuals and Teams act and speak for themselves.

Each County Unit has an elected County Coordinator who functions as a communications conduit between the Teams and other Coordinators; this being the primary function. He or a designee is also responsible for producing a monthly newsletter, maintaining a web site, organizing training and events, and chairs meetings. The County Coordinators act and speak for themselves, not for the Units.

The County Coordinators elect a State Coordinator, who functions in a similar manner. The State Coordinator acts and speaks for himself, not for the militia as a whole. There are throughout the state, different militia groups, many of which are not affiliated. While some of these groups claim to represent or command all the militia Units within the state, they cannot, as each individual or Team is autonomous. Given that the militia is "all able-bodied citizens who are capable of bearing arms", no one particular individual or group can represent or command the militia as a whole; excepting in times of invasion or disaster, wherein the Governor would serve as the State Commander.

25. Who in your command structure decides when you fight or kill?

First, in the context of a militia force fighting against a foreign enemy, Congress gave itself the power to decide when the militia was pressed into service. Article 1 Section 8, US Constitution states, "The congress shall have the power... to provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions..." We also know of the possible duty in the Michigan Defensive Force, in which case the Governor would be Commander in Chief.

Secondly, in the context of militia action against a domestic enemy, the highest officer in the Michigan Militia does not have the authority to order any member, of any rank, to come to a monthly meeting, let alone shoot at someone. That decision is left solely to the individual citizen.

26. What do you do to keep racists, terrorists, zealots, or wackos of any stripe out of the militia?

We do not welcome anyone who espouses inconsistent, illogical hatred or violence of any sort. We aim to make anyone who would oppress, by word or deed, as uncomfortable as possible. Officially, we will "suffer the fool"; say what you will, but don't be surprised to be ridiculed by our members. We believe the right of free speech extends to allowing you to make a complete fool of yourself in front of a group of motivated patriots; you will receive the evil eye from the whole of the membership and will be given a rock under which to crawl.

27. What would you do if, tomorrow, the President, Governor, Sheriff, ATF, FBI or Janet Reno decides to outlaw the citizen militia?

They can’t! In order to outlaw the citizen militia, they would have to do away with the inalienable rights of freedom of speech, to keep and bear arms, and to peaceably assemble, among others. In addition, none of those entities have the power to make laws, only Congress and State Legislatures can pass laws, and they don’t have the authority to deny any inalienable rights.

This question underscores the importance and necessity for the militia as the final guarantor of freedom and final guard against a corrupt central government. They can’t outlaw inalienable rights, no matter how hard they try.

28. Isn't the concept of the militia, as it is provided for in the Constitution out of date? (It is over 200 years old.)

No, the intent of the framers of the Constitution was that the militia was to be the primary defensive force for this nation. They wanted normal, everyday average citizens to be the foundation of the militia. In the Federalist Papers, they explained that by arming the whole of the citizenry, the militia would constitute a force superior to any that could be raised by either a foreign enemy or a domestic tyrant. The modern citizen militia consists of responsible concerned patriotic individuals.

We do not consider ourselves or our beliefs out of date; being concerned with protecting your inalienable individual rights is not out of date; standing up for freedom of speech is not out of date; standing for what the Founding Fathers fought and died for: Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, is not out of date; the need to reduce the interference and cost of government is not out of date. Despite the passing of over 200 years, the truth still holds; the price of Freedom is eternal vigilance.

Note regarding the Constitution or its Amendments being considered out of date: The government doesn’t think it is. The 27th Amendment, concerning the compensation to Senators and Representatives, was ratified in 1992; 202 years 8 months after it was originally sent to the states. This particular Amendment was part of the original package of amendments as proposed in 1789, ten of which were ratified in 1791, commonly known as the Bill of Rights and includes the 2nd Amendment.

29. Is the militia anti-government? If not, why are you so negative about the government?

No, the militia is not anti-government; we fully support the restoration of the constitutionally limited government that was intended for this nation. Besides, "We the People" are the government.

Where we do have problems, is with the on-going violations of our inalienable rights, as should you. The reason we are portrayed as negative is that it suits the purpose of tainting the legitimacy of our concerns. This is intentional and politically motivated. No one knows the misleading, deceitful capacity of the media like the Michigan Militia.

31. Does the militia want retribution for the Waco, and Randy Weaver incidents?

Retribution is not the word for it. We want something much more severe--justice. We want Bill Clinton, Janet Reno and every federal agent involved to face the thing that they fear most: a trial by jury. That is it. Simple, fair and straightforward. All we ask is for just a tiny bit of justice.

32. Why should I get involved?

It is the responsibility and duty of every American citizen to get involved. Your duly elected local, state and federal representatives will day after day, year after year, continue to pass unconstitutional laws, raise your taxes beyond the point of serfdom, claim authority over your children, take your property, jail you for pretended offenses, send our military to fight foreign wars, protect you from yourself, etc, unless you get involved.

We need your involvement to let those in government know that THEY work for US, not the other way around. The more people that get involved, the more America will resemble what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they spoke of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

"They that would give up essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin

33. What can I do?

Turn off the television. Read the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. If, perchance you lost your copy of these essential documents--a must for every household, go to your local bookstore and buy them; or, we can provide them for you. Read the Constitution, learn the history, read the Federalist Papers, develop an understanding of how the country was intended to be and then look at what has become of freedom in this country. To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States, you have to understand it.

Read the Constitution, learn it, know it, assert it. It is the document that sets the rules that our government MUST follow. If you don’t know the rules, you cannot expect the government to follow them!

Then contact your local Militia County Coordinator, come to a meeting. There can be no gain from watching television. There can be no gain from complaining or grumbling. There can be no gain from hiding your head in the sand. GET INVOLVED!

"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsel or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen."

- Samuel Adams, debates of 1776