BLOG ENTRY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
MISSOURI LIBERTY GROUP RESPONDS TO MIAC MILITIA REPORT
The Liberty Restoration Project (
www.libertyretorationproject.org), a Kansas City-based political education organization has begun to implement a strategy in response to a Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) Strategic Report on the modern militia movement. The report, released February 20th, suggests that bumper stickers and publications showing support for Ron Paul, the Libertarian Party, the Campaign for Liberty, and other segments of the Freedom Movement may be “political paraphernalia” used by members of radical militia groups. The report also considers anti-abortion signage, documentaries such as Freedom to Fascism, the Gadsden Flag, and signage critical of the Federal Reserve Bank to be “propaganda” and possible indications of paramilitary extremism.
In response to the high volume of questions and responses after the memorandum was released by an unnamed law enforcement officer, Lieutenant John Hotz of the Missouri State Highway Patrol suggests that the report is being misinterpreted and “Troopers have been shot by members of groups, so it’s our job to let law enforcement officers know what the trends are in the modern militia movement”. While it may be true that it was poorly written and benign in nature, and it may also be true, in a coincidental sense, that members of paramilitary groups are attracted to libertarian political views, the document opens the possibility of political profiling. Why should anyone be afraid of displaying a bumper sticker for fear of profiling? This is not an overreaction to say the least.
Perhaps most egregious of all, the MIAC (a Department of Homeland Security Fusion Center) does not differentiate between a militia, which is Constitutional and exists in many states, and paramilitary groups. Vile paramilitary groups such as the Christian Identity Movement and White Nationalists are listed as “ideologies” of the militia and lumped in with them are “Tax Resistors” and “Anti-Immigration” activists. The intent of the authors of the document could be simply misled and driven by mainstream Republican/Democrat thinking as being “normal”. But, the suggestion that criticism of government policy, a political philosophy outside of mainstream party noise, and liberal activism is akin to terrorism must be revealed and abolished in its earliest stages. The Liberty Restoration Project is demanding a retraction by the Governor as the Chief Executive in title on the report itself and an apology from the MIAC.
The Liberty Restoration Project (LRP) has announced a five-part strategy to face the implications of the MIAC report:
1. SUNSHINE/FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUESTS: On Monday, March 16th, requests for documents, emails, publications and multimedia used as sources for the MIAC Report were made under the Sunshine Law in Missouri by members of LRP. These requests were hand-delivered to Governor Nixon, the State Highway Patrol, the Missouri Office of Homeland Security, and the Department of Public Safety.
2. THE MISSOURI LEGISLATURE: On Wednesday, March 18th an email blast and phone bank campaign will be launched to Missouri legislative representatives to make them aware of the Sunshine Law requests and to provide the MIAC information and to ask for an investigation. Once the Legislature is back in session (March 23rd), representatives of LRP, Campaign for Liberty, and other participants in the Freedom Movement will lobby legislators in person in Jefferson City. If you would like to help phone bank, contact
[email protected] . LRP will be posting a phone script and sample letters you can use to send to Missouri representatives and the Governor. As always, please be polite and professional.
3. MONEY TALKS: Working with Restore the Republic, Kansas City activists will begin strategic communication with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and the Missouri Tourism Council. They will be notifying them of the intent to deter tourism and travel to Missouri until a retraction is made by Governor Nixon.
4. PUBLIC RELATIONS: Members of the Liberty Restoration Project will be releasing Letters to the Editor and Opinion Articles once the Governor and other agencies have had three days to reply to the Sunshine requests. The editorials will be sent to all newsprint and news media in Missouri. Samples of these works will also be available at the LRP website for work in your state.
5. A CALL TO JOIN US AND CONTINUE THE WORK: We in the Freedom Movement must continue the message. We have nothing to hide and nothing to fear – it is the ones who wrote the MIAC Report that fear the Freedom Message. The Campaign for Liberty Regional Conference must sell out and get media attention. And the Kansas City Monopoly March (End the FED II) on April 25th could be the biggest in the nation!
If you would like to aid in the campaign to smother the internet with this information, please contact Bryon Huber at:
[email protected]
In Liberty,
Kent Andel, The Liberty Restoration Project
