Enemies of Liberty are ruthless. To own your Liberty, you'd better come harder than your enemies..

Sunday, November 25, 2012

III: National Stage - Yea or Nay


**SUNDAY UPDATE**  I intend to post about this topic tonight.  I've heard from TL and he is a Go, still waiting to hear from CA.  It is still a holiday weekend, so he may be away.  A few insights: I have a very full plate.  In other projects that have begun here, we have had many outfreakin'standing Patriots pick up the rope and help pull.  I could never accomplish anything without help, and this concept of helping build a national infrastructure, a nexus where locals can get plugged-in, is no different.  I will not be able to do it alone.  I will not even try to do it without TL and CA aboard publicly and in active rolls.  Without their active support, this will simply be another circle-jerk and I'm not in the mood.  I will not let this effort cut into my time and energy on my other projects - if this is a Go I'll work harder and later every night, but I will not take time away from what I am already doing.  So, folks, if you think this national concept is worth the effort, let me know.  I know you can't go all-in without having details, but let me know you are at least considering it, or not.  Thanks.

K

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**UPDATE** Since posting this I have received several emails, and when considered with the comments I have now decided my course on this topic.  I have an email out to TL and CA at the moment.  Short version: I agree that it is time to pull this community together with a simple and concise objective, to combine our voices to be a political voice as well as serve our purpose as III Patriots nationally while helping grow even more locally.  We should be there in the wake of a hurricane Sandy, and we should be on the field in the wake of the next NDAA or piece of legislation that insults the Constitution.  I think we should have a national level III Congress, made up of Patriots from sea to sea, reps from militias, bloggers, individuals and more.  It is time for each and every one of us to lead, follow or GTF out of the way.  I'll flesh this out more tomorrow, hopefully after hearing from TL & CA and anyone else who wants to drop me an email and weigh-in.  Mike M: Thank you.

Yours in Liberty.

Kerodin
III

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Several voices in our community have been calling for a "Leader" and an "organization" or "Structure" with "Action" as the goal.  Let's set aside the Leaderless aspect of the III for now.  Let's set aside any stigma associated with the word "Militia" in the minds of the public.  Let's set aside whatever you need to set aside so we can have the conversation.

The III Brand has grown significantly and positively over the last 2 years or so.  Under the III Brand we have published books, built flags and patches and engraved our blades.  We have begun III Arms.  We have begun a stronghold in the III name.  More than a few of our local militia allies sport a III patch on their gear in addition to their local identifiers.  As a national level Brand, it works and can grow.  It has a political advocacy organization already in place that has served more than 1000 Patriots.

My recommendation: Let's all unify under the III Brand and form a national militia oriented/ action oriented organization, of sorts.  Perhaps we should replace the word militia for PR reasons, you decide.  The national level could be comprised of leaders from the local units, whether they are militia or not.  The national level could elect leaders in spheres of influence from message to training to building networks among local groups, to setting tripwires and contingencies that would bring members of the national to any local that finds itself in need.  Questions such as "What do we (as a group) do if..." can be answered and set as policy.

I would recommend we set it up along militia guidelines with ranks, as well as a "Leadership Council".  Perhaps the "ranks" stop at the regional unit level, and the national Council level has not ranks, but offices.  Some of our bloggers would serve well in such a capacity.  Hold elections to fill the leadership rolls, and local groups can handle recruiting their own units/organizations, and new members can be directed to appropriate local level groups to build a grass roots army.

But since the vacuum most people are seeking to fill is action-oriented, only those who mean to take action are permitted.  Message is essential for PR and for unifying the focus of the members, so Restoration should be the immediate goal with a healthy side dish of Rightful Liberty as defined by Jefferson.  If you have any goals after Restoration, keep them to yourself and work on your goals after Restoration has been achieved.  Any work done to thwart Restoration while in the ranks gets you booted.  A standard oath to protect and defend the Constitution should be mandatory.

Revenue: Nothing is free and people with no skin in the game are not the most motivated.  Charge all members $10 per month.  Use the money to cover basic expenses such as marketing reach.

I expect pushback from most people.  But TL calls for leaders and organizations, and many people agree with him, so then let's give it a whirl.  Here's TL's latest.

I'm ready.  You already know my focus is on the Citadel and related projects, but this idea would earn my support and energy.  It's important.

Kerodin
III

21 comments:

  1. I'm with you and TL. local efforts are paramount to local groups, and have their place for sure. But for a movement to have lasting fire in place of solitary blazes of glory, there need to be foundations and a unified vision. we have that to an extent, but this momentum can still be easily stalled by individual dissent. we need to grow beyond that. and at the same time, keep it from becoming a stagnant cesspool of wannabe politicians. amerc has had some great structural ideas lately. maybe another liberty summit, with the goal of establishing such structures, is in order?

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    1. "...there need to be foundations and a unified vision."

      Right. That's what's missing---unified vision. And it'll keep being missing until the principles are figured out, by each individual AS an individual.

      The Founding Documents can be very useful for this purpose, but they're not the thing itself. The thing itself is a cognitive matter, and NOTHING can make it otherwise. That might be a fearful amount of responsibility for a lot of people, but it's still the way it is and no amount of wishing can ever make it anything else.

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  2. We belonged to a California militia - my husband was the 1stSgt and did the training -- and got out because it was infiltrated by the feds. Should ensure the hot heads and big mouths don't jeopardize the movement.

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  3. I too think it is the right time for a structured organization. And for those who don't agree with the concept or will just tell others it won't work, simple answer, don't join or be a part of it. Move along and continue to watch the country in its path of decay.
    Give ideas to what you think will work or STFU..

    Mike M.

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  4. Mr. Kerodin,
    I too think this is what needs to happen, however I think it needs to be built from the ground up, not from the top down. Here in NC we tried several years ago to form a state-wide militia of sorts called the NC Ranger Corp. It was designed to be an adjunct to local emergency resources during times of need. A great idea but it fizzled. Now there are scattered units from the remnants still trying to stay organized. This is what it will take, small units who once established, pull together on a regional level then a state level and then maybe on a national level.
    I am just beginning to do the work to form a Wake County NC Ranger Corp. Our goal will be to volunteer for local communities and help with, fires, storms, missing persons or whatever calamity we can help with in our local area.
    Naturally in the event of civil unrest and if the local authority is overwhelmed we may have to defend ourselves, that is a given.
    In my home area the local militia who volunteered en-mass were some men who had voluntarily formed to keep their local roads repaired before the War Between the States started.
    That is how men can be organized today. Give them a purpose that helps the community and then their mission can change as the need changes. No matter what you form a group of men to do the authorities are sure to want to monitor you. So what? Let them. And out them to everyone so that if they try provocation no one will listen.
    Anyone in Wake County NC may contact me, that includes you guys with the three letter agencies too.

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    1. Anyone in Wake County NC may contact me, that includes you guys with the three letter agencies too.

      Heh. They don't seem to have found Dixieland, yet......you're a good man, Charlie Brown.:)
      ==========
      Perhaps we should replace the word militia for PR reasons, you decide.

      Dave mentioned the Rangers, but I don't think it makes a hill of beans, because they will denigrate whatever we use. Screw them.

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  5. I am new to this site. I very much agree with the principles espoused. The topic presented in this post represents what I believe to be a nation-wide issue. I wrestle with it personally. As my moniker suggests, I am a preacher but I am not here to do that. Rather, to offer my 2cents with regard to solving what is an apparent problem.

    In the ministry, new ventures can be actioned in one of two ways:
    first, think up a possible thing to do, work out the details and work like heck to try to make it work;
    or
    second, review the field, note the needs that exist in the field, then select the need(s) that your ministry has the means to address and procede.
    I prefer the latter because both the needy receive and the need supplier doesn't waste valuable assests on trial and error.
    The stage, as it has been set forth in these 2 posts, is no different in my view. I have no concrete solution nor direction nor do I claim either - just some "thinking out loud".

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  6. This is what is needed right now! As our Founders worked thier way through the muddle of this same issue many of the leaders met on a fairly regular bassis. They set the ground tone for the organizing of thing s like Malitias that were willing to stand against the Brits, minutemen and the concept, the Sons of Liberty, all this did not happen by chance, it was directed, loosly, from an organized leadership. None of this was a strictly local thing, or it would have folded after the Battles ot Lexington and Concord. No, there was a definate direction to it and we need to stop beliveing the fairy tale and understand the true story of it. Yes local is paramount but useless without a unified goal.

    Cruachan!
    Highlander

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  7. Sam,
    I'm with you on unified vision but I'm against organizing at the national level. The greatest danger to the III movement isn't inaction or disorganization but the possibility that it becomes compromised. The taller the stovepipe of excellence becomes, the more easily it can be toppled.

    What I propose is a central material resource and "council" (for lack of a better word) of writers to help steer better organization at the local and regional levels. Let's get together the best minds supporting the III movement along with local level leadership and let's wargame our way to how we can better enable local leadership and efficacy.

    I'll continue to support the III consensus but my two cents are against nation building the III movement.

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    1. I concur. Once you put a head on the snake, it can be cut off real easy. "Leadership" needs to come from within one's self, not some "superman" everyone looks up to in awe. Look up to yourself in awe, because it is the individual who holds real power. And as Dave said, it needs to be built from the ground up, not the top down. Local local local... However, the unified purpose is definitely needed, and is effective as hell. Sam, you and everyone else involved proved that with III Arms and the Citadel projects.

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  8. I would have to lean more toward P/G's summation... the colonies were not expansive nor were they as densely populated... reaching out to cover/control this nationally might be a bit unwieldy but if the motivation was present for the local levels, the cohesiveness could well develop... national vision and purpose with regional/local area execution...

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  9. I agree with Dave. Remember...local, local, local.

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    1. Let me clarify. I think we have to build local in order to get to the national level.

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  10. We have to assess our strategic goals here: is it to turn the entire nation or is it to create a better regional government? If it's to turn the entire nation, just look at the Republican Party. They spend hundreds of millions of dollars and can't replace a buffoon. What makes anyone think that a national-level III organization will do any different? If we want a better America then we're going to have to carve one out for ourselves. That's best accomplished by migration. What is a national-level organization really going to do for us?

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  11. One problem that you might well encounter is that such a move could serve to splinter what you consider "the movement" to be...and splintering hasn't served anyone well, I don't think.

    The frustration has good cause, but frustration is a poor motivator for rational action. Plus, there will be the obvious result of having even MORE people and groups to contend with, than is already the case. I'm pretty sure your goal is to make things better and not worse, yes?

    BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING. There MUST be A SINGLE PRINCIPLE about which EVERY participant agrees. You ain't gonna get there with the Constitution...maybe much of the DoI, but even then there are problems for some. Nor will you get there with nebulous phrases like, "American heritage," or even the ever-popular "free country," which the commies have co-opted anyway.

    Me, I say there IS an axiom, a principle that cannot be defeated and which every decent soul alive knows is true. The wonderful Mama Liberty was the first to enunciate it AFAIK, and it is absolutely unbeatable IMO.

    "I own myself."

    You can't even CLAIM for that to be false without changing the meanings of the words. It's a social axiom because it references ownership, which means that nobody else can mess with it. And it's true for every person alive, whether they admit it or not. The corollaries flow like a river, from the nature of responsibility to self-survival to respecting the FACT that EVERY person is likewise situated..."that ALL men are created equal."

    You ain't gonna have a successful national movement without a clear and unambiguous declaration that EVERY person in the movement agrees with. That's my suggestion; you can worry about the details later.

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  12. Christian Patriot here in SC. I am all in. Please advise as to anything I can do to help.

    Alan S. Pedersen
    Fort Mill, SC

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  13. Don't pick me for anything. I'm a PR nightmare.

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    Replies
    1. LOL. Honesty is the best policy. I think we just found a new spokesman.

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    2. I think you're right Partisan - Kenny can say "Fuck You" with just the right amount of diplomacy. ;)

      K

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  14. Tea Parties= 4 years
    Libertarian Party/Constitution Party = 31 years
    Militia Movement= 35 years
    Survivalist/Prepper Movement = 40+ years

    Many of us have been doing "local" for a long time.
    We have local and regional networks already established.

    We have local and regional alliances and mutual defense agreements.
    We will continue to focus and grow our "local" capabilities. Just because we don't parade in public,
    don't presume we are not here.

    A National group to share intel and ideas is overdue.
    Provided it does not insinuate command functions or involve "collectivist" ideals. Such a group is already forming in the Militia sub-culture. Perhaps a political Sinn-Fein version is just what we need.

    I would support such a body, and I am sure I could garner support form a good number of other Militia Commanders both at the local and regional levels.

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