|
Sheriff Mack Comes to Grass Valley
(Friday October 18, 2013)
It's Friday evening and the much talked about
Sheriff Richard Mack's going to tell his interesting story about how he
learned the legal importance of the County Sheriffs if they realize
what's in the Constitution. Yes they and all government people swear an
oath to protect and uphold it, but few know what that entails.
As we cross the street officer Rich Hooper and
another man smile at the camera gal. Ted and Cheryl greet us at the
door, make sure we have our tickets and show us were our reserved seats
are. Lucky as usual...they're in the front.
Friend Sue at the ticket table. Sheriff Keith
Royal and Cheryl.
We're early, but the estimated attendance was
around 600. A diverse crowd with groups who share much in common
regarding Sheriff Mack's vigorous distaste for the intrusion of the
federal government into local affairs. Dyed-in-the-wool rural
conservatives mingling with all sorts of political advocates.
Here's a couple of old fogies looking forward to what Mack says.
Our Congressman Doug LaMalfa
Mack’s
main message is that the United States constitution created a federal
system of government that willfully divided power between a centralized
federal government and the states that comprise the union.
George Rebane hosts an interesting
website on current
political affairs.
And here's our long time talented family friend Rosemary Freeland.
Many productive people are feeling discouraged.
They're burdened with terrible burdens by the Federal, State and local
regulations to the point that it's too difficult to even earn an honest
living. They recognize the cause of the problem, but how do you get rid
of corruption in government. Those who swear an oath of trust to uphold
the Constitution and Bill of (human) Rights that protects us from them.
Towards the end of his talk Sheriff Mack answered that concern when he
said, “Folks, we can stop Obamacare; we can stop the IRS; we can stop
the abuses of the federal government county by county, state by state.”
One of the big problems is our government using grant money as bait to
control local governments. At one time it was called "taxation without
representation."
Mack’s main message is that the United States constitution created a
federal system of government that willfully divided power between a
centralized federal government and the states that comprise the union.
Thus, when the federal government is guilty of overreach — whether by
legislating against the Second Amendment in the form of gun control laws
or attempting to impinge on a state’s right to legalize marijuana for
medical purposes — state officials, from the governor on down to the
popularly elected sheriff, have a duty to disobey federal mandates and
uphold their oaths to the constitution, Mack said.
“We have to get the government back where it belongs,” Mack said. “We
can do that county by county, state by state, but it takes local
officials who keep their word, who keep their oath.”
Mack provided an example of Sheriff Brad Rogers of
Elkhart County, Indiana, who threatened to arrest Federal Department of
Agriculture workers for trespassing on one of his constituent’s property
if they continued to conduct surprise inspections without a warrant.
Mack himself won one of the most prominent states’ rights cases in U.S.
history when he sued the federal government after the Brady Bill was
signed in 1993. The case, which went all the way to the U.S. Supreme
Court, was decided in favor of Mack and other sheriffs who refused to
comply with some provisions of the law, despite being threatened with
arrest if they flouted those provisions. “State officials, and sheriffs
are one of them, are duty bound to interpose its power to prevent the
federal government from victimizing its people.” You can read more on
Mack's website.
He also emphasized sheriffs should do more to uphold the Second
Amendment and prevent their constituents from having their firearms
confiscated. “If anybody asks you why you have an assault rifle, you
should say, ‘It’s none of your business,’” he said. “We choose what kind
of gun to have and own.” Honest elections to elect honest sheriffs is
important, or we'll wind up like the people in
Athens, Tennessee.
On August 1-2, 1946, some Americans, brutalized by their county
government, used armed force as a last resort to overturn it. These
Americans wanted honest open elections. For years they had asked for
state or federal election monitors to prevent vote fraud (forged
ballots, secret ballot counts and intimidation by armed sheriff's
deputies) by the local political boss. They got no help, so some former
GI's armed themselves and took back their town from the corrupt sheriff
and his deputies. Afterwards former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt wrote,
"This is a lesson which wise political leaders learn young, and you
can be pretty sure that, when a boss stays in power, he gives the
majority of the people what they think they want. If he is bad and
indulges in practices which are dishonest, or if he acts for his own
interests alone, the people are unwilling to condone these practices.
When the people decide that conditions in their town, county, state or
country must change, they will change them. If the leadership has been
wise, they will be able to do it peacefully through a secret ballot
which is honestly counted, but if the leader has become inflated and too
sure of his own importance, he may bring about the kind of action which
was taken in Tennessee..."
Watch the Video
"The Battle of Athens:
Restoring the Rule of Law."
The medical marijuana advocates liked what he had
to say because they've been embroiled in a confusing, expensive battle
with the government. “I don’t know why I risked my life to have people
not smoke marijuana,” Mack said, referring to an undercover sting
operation in which he participated early in his career that was partly
what started him on a different path. “Anybody can see the benefits of
smoking marijuana instead of drinking yourself to death.” He
characterized alcohol drinkers as often angry with a propensity toward
violence, whereas pot smokers are typically mellow and cool...I realized
I was dedicating my life and my career to a farce,” he said. “You will
never arrest away the drug problem.” He clarified some things in my mind
regarding herbal medications where people could help themselves
naturally. Why should it be a crime to grow your own medicine as long as
it doesn't become destructive to others.
Below are various points he emphasized during his interesting
presentation. His talk was energizing and the audience responded with
enthusiastic, and sometimes standing applause because it was common sense and encouraging. The
following photos went along with what he was saying. For years
I noticed what looked like a war destroying America from within.
Following his talk there was a question and answer
period. People wrote their questions on a card and Sheriff Mack read
them and responded. He said he learned early on that some people will
monopolize the subject, and he's the one making the presentation... not
them. It went very well.
Time to say goodbye to Charles and Rosemary.
There's a long line of people at the right of the stadium who want to
buy books for Sheriff Mack to autograph, to thank him and get a photo of
him. Much to my surprise he insisted I be in the photo too.
Lou, Sue and Cheryl
And here's three very sweet ladies who helped make
this a success. I've got to tell you that this high lasted a couple of
days afterwards. Partly because I'd sent an Opinion article to the Union
newspaper the night before that coincided and extended what Sheriff Mack explained
tonight. In essence, it's wise look beyond appearances and not believe
what those in our government (and promotors) say, but pay attention to
what they do. To help you notice the difference it would help to study
the Constitution and Bill of Rights they swear an oath of trust to
uphold. It unified America in the beginning and is still
the law.
Back
|