11 thoughts on “Are Sheriffs Our Last Line of Defense?”
The very last line of defense for the States is in Art. I, Sec. 10:
“No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.”
At the time of the Founding such things as ‘armies of thieves’ were a known concept dating back over two thousand years, then. States that are put in danger by armed foreign gangs, not just military organizations but those practicing private warfare on their own, require a response under all forms of civilization. When they are given a free pass, you are no longer civilized. By the 1903 Militia Act the unorganized militia is defined as all men between the ages of 17-45. Today I am sure we would expand that to women, just to be fair and equal.
When the federal government can not or WILL NOT provide the sovereing protection of the Nation to the States, then the States have the right to call to arms their militia to protect their State. Each State is a sovereign government that agrees to hand off some National powers to the federal government, but when the federal government does not use those powers to protect the States then the States can, indeed, call on the last line of defense. The ones it calls are NOT the US Military or even the National Guard, but its unorganized militia. That last has NO oversight from the federal government and consists of the free citizens of the State.
The people.
That is where the power rests in the Nation: not in any government but the people.
The Sheriff is the most powerful law enforcement officer for his jurisdiction, likewise in cities with the Chief of Police, which is an equivalent position and recognized as such which is where you get the County vs City cop stories. As a courtesy every citizen practicing in the sale, construction or collection of firearms lets the Sheriff know they are doing so. As such the Sheriff fills the civil role of defense for mere law breaking. The State is the last line of defense for all State protection of its sovereignty. The people are their own defense to preserve their lives and property, and prevent unwarranted search and seizure. If you cannot do those things you are not a citizen but a subject without a choice in your life.
Now we need to elect some non-butt kissing Sheriffs with a ready hand out for goodies. Stopping the civil intrusion starts with the Sheriff. Stopping the neglect of the States by the federal government rests with the people and the State government. I would prefer the civil route. Too many want to push the federal government everywhere and stop protecting the States and that will lead to no good place at all. If the federal government can’t uphold its own laws to protect the States then it has no business in SSN, health care or any other thing as its FIRST job is to protect the Nation and its States. And that is the very job it is now neglecting and putting a number of States in the position of having to protect themselves. Sooner or later one can and will do so… I would prefer that not happen and government at the federal level just do its JOB FIRST.
This guy is dangerous.
WHEN ACTOR/COMEDIAN/ENTERTAINER W. C. FIELDS, AN ATHEIST, WAS ON HIS DEATHBED, his nephew walked in on him as he was poring over a Bible. Asked why such a crusty old non-believer was perusing the Holy Book, W.C. responded: “Looking for loopholes, my boy! Looking for loopholes!” A modestly funny story, to be sure; but that is the way too damned many politicians view the Constitution. And it has to stop.
The sheriffs are “A” last line of defense; Parallel to and overlapping with the citizens themselves.
It is up to the citizen to vote or appoint the type of LEO that best suits their needs and idiology.
It is up to the citizen to take the last stand against the unlawful (at ANY and ALL levels) until LEO help arrives.
It is up to the sheriff and other LEOs to support the citizen in their rights and desires to be a free people, as unincumbered as possible by restrictive laws.
It’s like any other contract (or marriage). Each must needs support the other in righteous and lawful desires.
B Woodman III
AJ: salient scholarly as usual.
Ranando: I’m with you on this one. And BOTH sides of the aisle as damned near equally egregious.
B. Woodman: spot on, sir.
BZ
But, then there are people who think this guy’s “dangerous” because he supports and will stand up for the constitution. wow.
Z,
Did you know he was twice elected Graham County sheriff as a Democrat.
Thanks for sharing this with us BZ. I have had very bad experiences with police officers but none with the sheriffs around here. What I am trying to figure out is what is the difference between the two? It seems like the sheriffs have more flexibility in how they interpret and apply the law, well this guy seems reasonable. I read some of his personal testimonies and they are powerful.
Ranando, there ARE Dems who support the constitution, aren’t there? Or there were! 🙂
Mahndisa: In your neck of the woods, the Fresno County Sheriff is responsible for all the UNincorporated areas of Fresno County. The Sheriff is the head law enforcement officer for each county in Fornicalia. Sheriffs in Fornicalia are elected and not appointed by, say, a city council or a mayor. Some sheriff’s departments in Fornicalia may also be responsible, by contract, for law enforcement within certain incorporated cities that wish to take up the services of the Sheriff but do not wish to duplicate and incur all the costs associated with the startup of an entirely separate law enforcement system.
BZ
I think I might mail this to my own local sheriff.
The very last line of defense for the States is in Art. I, Sec. 10:
“No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.”
At the time of the Founding such things as ‘armies of thieves’ were a known concept dating back over two thousand years, then. States that are put in danger by armed foreign gangs, not just military organizations but those practicing private warfare on their own, require a response under all forms of civilization. When they are given a free pass, you are no longer civilized. By the 1903 Militia Act the unorganized militia is defined as all men between the ages of 17-45. Today I am sure we would expand that to women, just to be fair and equal.
When the federal government can not or WILL NOT provide the sovereing protection of the Nation to the States, then the States have the right to call to arms their militia to protect their State. Each State is a sovereign government that agrees to hand off some National powers to the federal government, but when the federal government does not use those powers to protect the States then the States can, indeed, call on the last line of defense. The ones it calls are NOT the US Military or even the National Guard, but its unorganized militia. That last has NO oversight from the federal government and consists of the free citizens of the State.
The people.
That is where the power rests in the Nation: not in any government but the people.
The Sheriff is the most powerful law enforcement officer for his jurisdiction, likewise in cities with the Chief of Police, which is an equivalent position and recognized as such which is where you get the County vs City cop stories. As a courtesy every citizen practicing in the sale, construction or collection of firearms lets the Sheriff know they are doing so. As such the Sheriff fills the civil role of defense for mere law breaking. The State is the last line of defense for all State protection of its sovereignty. The people are their own defense to preserve their lives and property, and prevent unwarranted search and seizure. If you cannot do those things you are not a citizen but a subject without a choice in your life.
Now we need to elect some non-butt kissing Sheriffs with a ready hand out for goodies. Stopping the civil intrusion starts with the Sheriff. Stopping the neglect of the States by the federal government rests with the people and the State government. I would prefer the civil route. Too many want to push the federal government everywhere and stop protecting the States and that will lead to no good place at all. If the federal government can’t uphold its own laws to protect the States then it has no business in SSN, health care or any other thing as its FIRST job is to protect the Nation and its States. And that is the very job it is now neglecting and putting a number of States in the position of having to protect themselves. Sooner or later one can and will do so… I would prefer that not happen and government at the federal level just do its JOB FIRST.
This guy is dangerous.
WHEN ACTOR/COMEDIAN/ENTERTAINER W. C. FIELDS, AN ATHEIST, WAS ON HIS DEATHBED, his nephew walked in on him as he was poring over a Bible. Asked why such a crusty old non-believer was perusing the Holy Book, W.C. responded: “Looking for loopholes, my boy! Looking for loopholes!” A modestly funny story, to be sure; but that is the way too damned many politicians view the Constitution. And it has to stop.
The sheriffs are “A” last line of defense;
Parallel to and overlapping with the citizens themselves.
It is up to the citizen to vote or appoint the type of LEO that best suits their needs and idiology.
It is up to the citizen to take the last stand against the unlawful (at ANY and ALL levels) until LEO help arrives.
It is up to the sheriff and other LEOs to support the citizen in their rights and desires to be a free people, as unincumbered as possible by restrictive laws.
It’s like any other contract (or marriage). Each must needs support the other in righteous and lawful desires.
B Woodman
III
AJ: salient scholarly as usual.
Ranando: I’m with you on this one. And BOTH sides of the aisle as damned near equally egregious.
B. Woodman: spot on, sir.
BZ
But, then there are people who think this guy’s “dangerous” because he supports and will stand up for the constitution. wow.
Z,
Did you know he was twice elected Graham County sheriff as a Democrat.
Thanks for sharing this with us BZ. I have had very bad experiences with police officers but none with the sheriffs around here. What I am trying to figure out is what is the difference between the two? It seems like the sheriffs have more flexibility in how they interpret and apply the law, well this guy seems reasonable. I read some of his personal testimonies and they are powerful.
Ranando, there ARE Dems who support the constitution, aren’t there? Or there were! 🙂
Mahndisa: In your neck of the woods, the Fresno County Sheriff is responsible for all the UNincorporated areas of Fresno County. The Sheriff is the head law enforcement officer for each county in Fornicalia. Sheriffs in Fornicalia are elected and not appointed by, say, a city council or a mayor. Some sheriff’s departments in Fornicalia may also be responsible, by contract, for law enforcement within certain incorporated cities that wish to take up the services of the Sheriff but do not wish to duplicate and incur all the costs associated with the startup of an entirely separate law enforcement system.
BZ
I think I might mail this to my own local sheriff.