McCabe Home Wise Use Main Page

W.J. McCabe Chapter Izaak Walton League of America

December 13, 1994

The Mind of the WUMmie

Alden E. Lind, Ph.D.

I have recently received a copy of the October 1994 edition of "Federal Lands Update," the newsletter of the National Federal Lands Conference. You will recall that it was this organization which was invited in by the Northern Resources Center (Don Parmeter, Director) and a variety of others to conduct a day-long workshop on "The Powers of Local Governments and the People They Serve." This workshop held on August 14, 1993, was the occasion for the announcement that many of the principles expressed by the visiting speakers were already being put into effect in NE Minnesota by the Northern Counties Land Use Coordinating Board.

To provide some idea of the breadth of involvement in this collaborative effort a listing of the other sponsoring organizations is in order:

Ash River-Namakan Lake Association

Ash River Trail Commercial Club

Associated Contract Loggers

Baudette-Lake of the Woods Chamber of Commerce

Conservationists with Common Sense

Crane Lake Commercial Club

Families for Wilderness

Gunflint Trail Association

International Falls Chamber of Commerce

Itasca County Farm Bureau

Iron Range Labor Assembly

Kabetogama Lake Association

Koochiching County Farm Bureau

Minnesota United Snowmobiler's Association

Minnesota Women in Timber

Multiple Use Association

Northern Resources Alliance of Minnesota

Northwest Angle and Islands Commercial Club

People for a Friendly Border

Rainy Lake Sportfishing Club

Stewardship Alliance for Voyageurs National Park

Now, the appearance of the National Federal Lands Conference was not incidental. Of the roughly 6 hours of conference over 5, according to the video tape I have viewed, were devoted to various presentations by that organization. It was clearly an effort to sell its point of view, to recruit affiliates, to sell books and recordings, and otherwise expand its "reach" into northeastern Minnesota. And, it was at the end of that sales pitch that a local county commissioner arose to announce that the NCLUCB was already aligned with them.

Now, normally that would not be particularly exciting. There is, in principle, no problem with local organizations affiliating with national groups. Frankly, I belong to a number of organizations with that structure. It is less a question of organizational affiliation, per se, than the mission involved in such affiliation.

It is that mission which is now clearly in question. In the October 1994 issue of their newsletter the National Federal Lands Conference comes perilously close to calling for an insurrection. Virtually the entire issue, six pages long, addresses "Why There is a Need for the Militia in America." In a substantively ridiculous and grammatically atrocious presentation the "boxed" highlight on page 1 answers "...we cannot trust the federal government to look out for our individual freedoms,..."

Now, what do they deem a "militia?" They use one of a number of possible definitions: "any army composed of citizens who have volunteered, rather than be conscripted, and who are not professional (paid) soldiers." After a totally ignorant discussion of the Constitution they discuss the militia as if it were the National Guard. But, that is short lived for they promptly deny that the militia means the National Guard. What does it mean? Take note: "Time and time again competent legal counsel has stated, in written opinion, that fully armed militia units are constitutionally mandated in the United States. And...if law abiding citizens want to form such units, they have a perfect right to do so."

How they come to that conclusion is a mystery for no such mandate exists. But, why they would be motivated to "create" such a conclusion is quickly made clear:

"We are reasonably sure that most citizens (or perhaps only those who were acquainted with World War II) know what Nazism is. Nazi stands for National Socialism. Did you know that Sarah Brady, the prime mover and benefactor of the "Brady Bill" said before the Congress, "Our task of creating a socialist America can only succeed when those who will resist us have been totally disarmed."

After demonizing gun control, the crime bill, Attorney General Janet Reno, and "the elitists in power" the author continues:

"Don't those in power, the elitists, realize that if they continue in their ways there could be some dire consequences? If they, in their delusion, think that the various militias will not defend their homeland, they are walking a little loose in their loafers. And ... all those youngsters serving in the U.S. Military: those youngsters from Montana will not fire on Montanans. Those youngsters from Utah will not fire on Utahns, and even the troops from California, will not fire upon their people. When push comes to shove, and the U.S. Military begins to line up against individual states, there will be mass desertions and chaos. At that time, the militias will be the main defense against tyranny. At this present time, the people are warning federal government: let us alone or face the consequences."

The author is clearly not referring to the National Guard at this point. He has other options in mind: "Almost anyone can form a militia. The structure may vary somewhat from state to state, depending on how each state constitution is worded on the subject of militias. So first check your state constitution." Later we find:

"... when the federal government is instituted among men for the purpose of protecting their rights and liberties; and they turn against the people who empower them, and strive to take away their rights and liberties, it is the DUTY of man to put on the cloak of liberty for the sake of protecting mankind from the federal government that is out of control and that has transformed itself into a tyrant. Just as our Founding Fathers of this great country shook off their shackles of bondage; SO MUST WE!"

And, the article concludes as follows:

"At no time in our history since the colonies declared their independence from the long train of abuses of King George, has our country needed a network of active militias across America to protect us from the monster we have allowed our federal government to become. Long live the Militia! Long live freedom! Long live government that fear the people."

Lest you think my excerpting may do a disservice to author Jim Faulkner, identified as a NFLC staff writer, I will, upon request, provide a copy of the article. My excerpting does him a service by deleting a substantial amount of material which is simply confused and ignorant, utterly uninformed, or so tangential as to be irrelevant. What one finds at the core of the article is a call to arms, a call to form citizen militias on the order of the Posse Comitatus, secret or semi-secret private armies prepared to do battle with their "enemies." Indeed, in the article one of the central thrusts in the criticism of Janet Reno is the handling of the Waco Branch Davidian matter. While the article hedges on full fledged endorsement of the Branch Davidian position it clearly states that it was the "federal government" which was the enemy, that Waco was an example of "taking care of" such people as Randy Weaver, Donald Scott, and "property owners in all of the 50 states."

This frame of mind, then, is clearly a part of the message and mission of the National Federal Lands Conference. For an additional view of the militia movement which they are advocating see the December 18, 1994, issue of TIME. Chip Berlet, a researcher for Political Research Associates, is cited in that article as saying that militia units exist in 30 states, including Michigan, Montana and Ohio, and possibly in an additional 10.

Is this what we wish to encourage in Northeastern Minnesota? Is this what those county commissioners and other public officials who have identified themselves with the mission of the National Federal Lands Conference wish for Northeastern Minnesota? It is simply reasonable at this point to ask our regional officeholders who have clearly identified themselves with the NFLC to tell us whether they are members of these militias, whether they support this insurrectionist militia movement, whether they can square what they say in their appeal for public funding for broad based planning with the insurrectionist rhetoric and activities advocated by the NFLC?

We certainly hope that the traditional tough but open fights, the traditional trust of our institutions such as government, the church, our schools, and each other, are not being swept away in a flood of irrationality, fear, and hatred. Many of our people in Northeastern Minnesota have their roots in an area of the world where the consequences of such hatreds are altogether too evident, where tens of thousands are perishing in hatreds spawned by just the sort of thinking which is expressed in the NFLC newsletter and in the irrational hatreds and fears of which these militias are an expression.

Is this to be our legacy?

PS: I did remain true to the grammar and spelling of the original where the NFLC article is quoted.

Back to Briefing Papers Main Page

Back to Wise Use Main Page