Recently, the U.S. military has been planning to perform a training exercise in the Southwest throughout this coming summer. We should be thankful that they practice, after all. And isn't a strong military, particularly along our border with Mexico, what the conservatives want?
But the minds of pro-gun activists are ever filled with paranoid, anti-government thought.
Naturally, they see the exercise as some sort of government "invasion" (of our own land, duh) and a "prelude to martial law." Extrapolating from that already wild thought, they then try to find a reason for the supposed invasion, naturally jumping on the half-wit theory that it is to confiscate their guns!
One military officer, Lt. Col. Mark Lastoria, sought to calm the extremists. From an article:
Lastoria answered questions for two hours from a crowd of more than 150 people at a special meeting of the Bastrop County Commissioners Court, hoping to allay locals’ concerns that the training operation is a way for the federal government to take over Texas and much of the Southwest.
Instead, Lastoria was told that he couldn’t be trusted and was asked whether Jade Helm 15 will involve bringing foreign fighters from the Islamic State to Texas, whether U.S. troops will confiscate Texans’ guns and whether the Army intends to implement martial law through the exercise. The answer for all three was no.
“It’s the same thing that happened in Nazi Germany: You get the people used to the troops on the street, the appearance of uniformed troops and the militarization of the police,” said Bob Wells, a Bastrop resident, after the meeting. “They’re gathering intelligence. That’s what they’re doing. And they’re moving logistics in place for martial law. That’s my feeling. Now, I could be wrong. I hope I am wrong. I hope I’m a ‘conspiracy theorist.’”
Lastoria
answered questions for two hours from a crowd of more than 150 people
at a special meeting of the Bastrop County Commissioners Court, hoping
to allay locals’ concerns that the training operation is a way for the
federal government to take over Texas and much of the Southwest.
Instead, Lastoria was told that he couldn’t be trusted and was asked whether Jade Helm 15 will involve bringing foreign fighters from the Islamic State to Texas, whether U.S. troops will confiscate Texans’ guns and whether the Army intends to implement martial law through the exercise. The answer for all three was no.
“It’s the same thing that happened in Nazi Germany: You get the people used to the troops on the street, the appearance of uniformed troops and the militarization of the police,” said Bob Wells, a Bastrop resident, after the meeting. “They’re gathering intelligence. That’s what they’re doing. And they’re moving logistics in place for martial law. That’s my feeling. Now, I could be wrong. I hope I am wrong. I hope I’m a ‘conspiracy theorist.’”
- See more at: http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/meeting-does-little-to-sway-critics-of-army-traini/nk4h4/?icmp=statesman_internallink_invitationbox_apr2013_statesmanstubtomystatesmanpremium#23b53c28.3342480.735716
Yes, sir, you are a conspiracy theorist. Go put on your tin hat and clean your gunzzz.....Instead, Lastoria was told that he couldn’t be trusted and was asked whether Jade Helm 15 will involve bringing foreign fighters from the Islamic State to Texas, whether U.S. troops will confiscate Texans’ guns and whether the Army intends to implement martial law through the exercise. The answer for all three was no.
“It’s the same thing that happened in Nazi Germany: You get the people used to the troops on the street, the appearance of uniformed troops and the militarization of the police,” said Bob Wells, a Bastrop resident, after the meeting. “They’re gathering intelligence. That’s what they’re doing. And they’re moving logistics in place for martial law. That’s my feeling. Now, I could be wrong. I hope I am wrong. I hope I’m a ‘conspiracy theorist.’”
- See more at: http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/meeting-does-little-to-sway-critics-of-army-traini/nk4h4/?icmp=statesman_internallink_invitationbox_apr2013_statesmanstubtomystatesmanpremium#23b53c28.3342480.735716
In response, some far-right politicians reacted by pandering to these idiots (as one sane politician put it), such as by the Governor of Texas sending national guard to the region to "monitor" the drills.
Just another wacko pro-gun conspiracy theory!
