Those Dangerous Constitutionalists!
BY Herschel Smith
10 years ago
A sheriff in Washington state responded Monday to a controversial comment made by one of his deputies two weeks ago during a charity event.
Jerry Moffett, a deputy in Spokane County, Washington, was caught on tape at the Holiday and Heroes event during which some officers took underprivileged children shopping while others stood outside meeting and greeting those attending. But one woman who spoke to Moffett decided to record the interaction. In the video, the woman asks Moffett about the department’s Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) military-style vehicles.
“I’m thinking that is totally appropriate in Iraq but what kind of a situation in the U.S. would you see that happening?” the woman asked Moffett.
The deputy responded by saying, “We’ve got a lot of Constitutionalists and a lot of people that stockpile weapons, a lot of ammunition. They have weapons here locally.”
The Sheriff made a followup comment.
Knezovich said there is “no way” the equipment will be used on any law-abiding citizen. ”It will never be used to take your guns away,” he told the outlet. The outlet noted Moffett is a 20-year veteran of the force and an Army veteran … KXLY reported that Knezovich has since admitted that Moffett’s word choice could have been better, suggesting “extremist” would have been more appropriate than “Constitutionalist
Far from being shocked, disappointed or aghast at the comment by Moffett, I’m pleasantly surprised at his honesty. It’s always a good thing when the truth comes out. There is no reason for such equipment on police forces across the nation except for use on the people of America. Moffett’s candid response reminds us of this truth.
I’m also pleasantly surprised that the Sheriff brought up his time in grade on the police force and his military background. My own son believes that former military should try to avoid law enforcement if possible. There are good men who are former military, and there are bad men who are former military. Moffett is a bad one, and there is no justification for worship of the military. I know what my own son answers to the question, ‘Son, will you fire on American citizens?’ He would sooner fire on his commanding officers who issued such an order.
Mike Vanderboegh was called a radical right-winger. Hey, radical right-winger, constitutionalist or extremist. It’s six one way and half a dozen the other. As for Moffett, we know where he stands, and it’s because of people like him that we are constitutionalists and stockpile weapons. Bring it, Moffett.
On December 18, 2014 at 4:23 am, allen said:
“Knezovich said there is “no way” the equipment will be used on any law-abiding citizen.”
unless you get my address from a drugged-up snitch who will give you ANY address just to get off the hook..or if you go to the wrong house with a SWAT team…
those things NEVER happen. never ever in a million years, right?
On December 18, 2014 at 9:30 am, Harry_the_Horrible said:
3 Felonies a day.
The laws of this country have become so convoluted that is hard NOT to be a lawbreaker. One estimate is that folks commit an average of 3 felonies per day just going about the business of earning a living.
So there are no “law-abiding” citizens.
On December 18, 2014 at 11:27 am, Lina Inverse said:
The estimate is found in a book by the same name (which I haven’t read).
Ayn Rand also had a great bit of exposition on this in Atlas Shrugged
On December 18, 2014 at 7:42 pm, Lou said:
Bingo!
The Federal Criminal Statutes do not require intent; 4000 Federal Criminal Statutes. Technical non-observance can be just as punished as is intentional.
NSA is keeping total records on EVERYONE; these records are to be NEVER erased. EVERYONE is breaking a Federal Criminal Statute every day according to a lawyer specializing in such defenses.
So are you a political enemy; if so you can be sent up for 20 years no problem.
I suspect this is already in force. The USSA has 5% of the world’s population and 25% of the world’s prisoners. The USA is the country we used to live in. The USSR and the USSA have one half of the word’s prison population. Birds of a feather? Sure looks like it.
On December 19, 2014 at 4:18 am, allen said:
I’ve often been curious about that “25% of the worlds prisoners” statistic. could it be because we don’t kill nearly as many as the more heavy-handed communist regimes do? a ditch full of corpses don’t count as prisoners.
iraq used to pull the “oh, the prison is full? drag everyone out and put a bullet in them we’ve a got a few more busloads coming your way” and I doubt they were alone in this tactic.
On December 20, 2014 at 1:58 am, FUBO said:
Maybe if certain libertarian aholes didn’t stand wiith the left and we got back to basic morality in.our schools and if certain libertarian aholes didn’t promulgate drug use, our prison rate would be lower
On December 20, 2014 at 11:40 am, Ron W said:
And when the do as they HAVE, the protesters who are now in the streets wouldn’t care and their instigators would have no problem and even approve as long as it was the Feds doing it.
On December 18, 2014 at 6:29 am, Billy Mullins said:
Kurt Hoffman once wrote that “being despised by the despicable is as good as being admired by the admirable.” Mike has some pretty despicable people despising him.
On December 18, 2014 at 8:48 am, MattBracken said:
I hope that all of the boys and girls down in the fusion centers will take the time to read my essay “Dear Mr. Security Agent.”
http://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/bracken-dear-mr-security-agent/
And while they’re at it, perhaps they can also read, “What I Saw at the Coup.”
http://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/what-i-saw-at-the-coup/
Remember, kids, there WILL be an accounting, and “I was just following orders” won’t work any better than it did in Nuremberg.
On December 18, 2014 at 10:42 am, Backwoods Engineer said:
“Knezovich said there is “no way” the equipment will be used on any law-abiding citizen.”
He’s telling the truth, as he knows it, because it’s all in the definition, and the Almighty State has the power to define who is “law-abiding”.
In the minds of people like Moffet (and maybe Knezovich too), once a person becomes a “Constitutionalist” and “stockpiles a lot of weapons and… ammunition”, they immediately become a threat to the State, whereupon the State no longer sees them as a “law-abiding citizen”, but a “criminal” or “terrorist”, and sees fit to roll MRAPs and load belts of 7.62×51 into the feed trays of the M60’s.
BRRRRAAAAAAAAAP! No more “criminal” or “terrorist”.
Tell me I’m wrong. Go on. Because you know I’m not.
On December 18, 2014 at 11:44 am, robertsgunshop said:
And when deputy Moffett decides to use his MRAP against a “Constitutionalist”, what is he going to do when a enterprising soul turns it into a E-Z Bake oven?
On December 19, 2014 at 4:21 am, allen said:
if someone hasn’t written the book “making thermite and other incendiaries for fun and profit” yet….what are we waiting for?
On December 19, 2014 at 11:58 am, Archer said:
That was one of my thoughts – completely hypothetical, for the record.
How hard would it actually be to spot-weld the doors/hatches shut and disable the vehicle? Even if you do nothing else with it except make a very expensive roadblock.
And how long before some other enterprising soul decides to use it as bait, and starts taking 400+-yard potshots at anyone trying to break it open to let the poor buggers out?
On December 18, 2014 at 12:55 pm, z--man said:
Those police departments grinning and salivating over all this military hardware are forgetting a few things. First, those MRAPs have been shown to be notoriously unreliable and maintenance costs are sky-high. Second, good luck getting replacement parts exactly when you need them. This isn’t exactly a Ford Explorer or a Dodge Charger we’re talking about here. Third, “We The People” may not stand much chance against armored plating or M60 machine guns (as Backwoods Engineer is 100% right about), but the guy who fixes the local goon-squad’s MRAP is going to be picked off as he’s walking down his own driveway. Good luck keeping a competent mechanic around once it really sinks in that the “soft targets” of 4th-Generation Warfare are the most vulnerable. Not to mention the fact that all this military hardware going into “fly-over country” is only creating mini-aresenals which will be taken over because Mr. Bad-Boy cop would rather protect his own family than risk being skinned alive if/when all this goes hot on a wide-scale.
On December 19, 2014 at 9:55 am, UNCLEELMO said:
The county I live in here in the wildland-urban interface of Northern California has acquired one of the big 3 axle MRAPs. I wonder if they have considered the fact that they may not be able to get that thing on half of the county’s back roads without rolling it, or not being able to get it under low limbs, or just plain not have the room to maneuver it where they might want to take it. The loggers were they guys that did most of the maintenance of the Forest Service roads here, and there hasn’t been a lot of that going on since Bill Clinton shut down federal timber sales 20 years ago.
My advise to the Sheriff’s SWAT team is fasten your seat belts. You might need them when this thing rolls down the mountain.
On December 19, 2014 at 10:29 am, z--man said:
There’s a theory which states that the higher-tech something is, the lower the threshold of tech is required to defeat it. Just have a few trees ready to be quickly felled behind and in front on a rugged trail…..and since there’s now a crap-ton of undergrowth due to Clinton’s anti-logging policies, it’s going to be very hard for that MRAP to go anywhere off-road (Something to thank ‘ol Slick Willie for…..how ironic is that?). Not to mention the fact that those dumb things weigh about 15 tons at a minimum…..ideal for a pit-trap. Dig a deep hole, put some pieces of plywood across, cover it with dirt and leaves…..viola. The goon squad may be somewhat safe tucked away in their little armoured shell, but they can’t stay in there forever. They still have to come out to eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom just like the rest of us “Constitutionalists”.
On December 19, 2014 at 10:41 am, UNCLEELMO said:
‘They still have to come out to eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom just like the rest of us “Constitutionalists”.’
Ha! Good one!
Something else that occurs to me- when they get this thing stuck in the boonies, what are they gonna do? Call AAA? It would take a big rig wrecker and a brush crew clearing the way to get it unstuck. Or walk a 7 with a winch five miles to get it. Good luck.
Hopefully they’ll stick to the pavement. Which means Billy Bob and his arsenal in the woods are safe. For now.
On December 19, 2014 at 11:03 am, z--man said:
Good points. They might be dumb enough to venture into the woods with just one of those things……but only once. After that, look for a bunch of vehicles plus the MRAP trying it. I’m sure they will have drones buzzing around too. But there’s yet another factor here: There are many people involved with the goon squad, beyond the goons themselves. There are those folks sitting in their offices, far from danger, writing orders, directing, and deciding who gets SWAT-ed…..they don’t mind putting other people’s lives on the line to go raid one of those lousy “Constitutionalists”……but suppose a couple of the lawyers and bosses get sniped in their own driveway? Or in the bathroom at a restaurant? Or they get “Brietbart-ed” on their morning jog? Suddenly, they will realize that they themselves are not safe either. Imagine the chilling effect that would have in ordering those reckless, arrogant raids against newly-minted “criminals”….that is, people merely standing up for their natural-born rights…
On December 19, 2014 at 12:06 pm, Archer said:
As I understand it, that’s the whole idea of 4GW, isn’t it? To take the fight to the order-makers, instead of just the order-takers, personally?
It takes no courage or conviction to issue orders that risk someone elses’ lives from the safety of a plush office, but when issuing that order has personal, severe consequences, they might just think twice.
On December 19, 2014 at 1:31 pm, z--man said:
Pretty much. You could also call it “asymmetric warfare”. And not just the order-makers, but the journalists, educators, entertainers, policy-makers, etc who also support and promote tyrannical ideas and schemes. There are literally millions of ways to gum up the machinery of tyranny to eventually bring it to its knees. No action is too small or insignificant.
On December 19, 2014 at 2:00 pm, UNCLEELMO said:
z-man- What are the odds? I just heard that my local Sheriff’s Department is conducting a simulated hostage standoff today, and their HNT (Hostage Negotiations Team) is bringing out the MRAP. I think it’s the first time they’ve used it since they acquired it last spring.
I must be on some kind of a psychic wavelength with the Sheriff’s department. I better be careful. :-)
On December 19, 2014 at 2:56 pm, z--man said:
The odds? That’s a good question. I can tell you this much though: A lot will depend on your local sheriff and what his attitudes are towards the rights of the people. So far, in States like New York, Connecticut, Colorado, and (now) Washington State that have imposed draconian gun laws, many County Sheriffs are telling their respective States to go pound sand and they won’t enforce them. Add to that, in Ct there is an 88% non-compliance rate for their “assault weapons” ban, and in New York State it’s damn_near 99%. This represents a major problem for the anti-gun governors and attorney generals of those States. Right now, they don’t know what to do. Methinks they are arrogant and stupid enough to start kicking in doors. They are going to find themselves overwhelmed in a real hurry and and going to request federal assistance, which Barackus Caesar will be all too happy to provide via all the ABC agencies. At that point, it’s going to get really ugly really fast, and who knows how things will do down from there.
The Leftists, Collectivists, Gun-banners and Statists in this country have become emboldened over the past several years, openly calling for the death or incarceration of anyone who opposes them. They used to hide their true thoughts and beliefs, but now they are open about them…..it’s a bit scary, but it’s actually a good thing. After years and years of them telling us that “no one is wanting to take your guns away, we just want reasonable legislation”, now we have tons of proof they have been lying through their teeth for decades. You see, things aren’t moving fast enough for them. They haven’t been able to persuade us to give up our rights peacefully, so now they’re taking the direct, forceful approach. Better we face enemies who are up-front about who they are than people who pretend to be your friends but actually are not. So, let them try. It’s going to backfire on them spectacularly. Ever seen a war-crimes tribunal take place? At some point in the not-so-distant future, you might.
On December 19, 2014 at 3:16 pm, Archer said:
I’ve read Mike Vanderboegh’s summaries of 4GW (a.k.a. “asymmetric warfare”), and Matt Bracken’s short story “What I Saw at the Coup” (he provided the link above). It’s “dirty” civil war, but then again, what civil war isn’t dirty? And in 4GW, it might even be cleaner than “traditional” civil war; it’d take fewer examples – albeit higher-profile ones – for tyranny’s tools and supporters (and their supporters; all targets are fair game) to get the idea that their actions are inconsistent with a nation founded on liberty, and therefore intolerable.
I pray it doesn’t come to that, but I prepare for it, just in case.
On December 19, 2014 at 3:20 pm, z--man said:
I hope you’re right. No one in their right mind wants that kind of horror…..but Leftists don’t have a sane mindset to begin with. I’ve followed Mike’s blog for several years now myself. It’s all very good info.
As for the future…..”prepare for the worst, but expect the best”, as they say.
On December 20, 2014 at 1:26 am, cargosquid said:
You forgot one thing.
They HAVE TO GET OUT to do ANYTHING.
On December 18, 2014 at 1:57 pm, Carl Stevenson said:
When they look upon us as “the enemy”, they need to realize that we outnumber them and if they treat us as the enemy, we will eventually come to view them Ian the same way based on their behavior.
On December 18, 2014 at 2:38 pm, guest said:
Police officers are already look upon as the “enemy”. They can do no right in the publics eyes yet they are the ones putting their own lives in danger daily! All these people that are so bent out of shape by Moffett using the word constitutionalist should take the high road and use it as an opportunity to teach instead of turning it into a negative situation where he and the lives of his family are threatened. All the good that could come out of this situation has been negated by replying with hate. Do you know this guy personally? Do you know that is really how he feels about people? Or did he poorly choose his words to express himself? I am sure everyone that is sending hate mail and mean comments are perfect. They have never said something they regret and have never looked back on a situation and said, “I should have handeled that differently”. How discusting it is that we can’t support the people who risk their lives for us and help them up when they have made a mistake. I really feel that I have lost all trust in mankind and their willingess to turn our society into a posititive environment for our kids!
On December 18, 2014 at 5:53 pm, Tal said:
A police officer has nothing to fear from a “Constitutionalist” as long as he himself does not “break the law.” If he acts as if he is above the law, then he is no better than a criminal.
On December 19, 2014 at 12:50 pm, bnurse said:
I agree with you, and by all means, if the sherriff’s department were to use the MRAP inappropriately, then take it away! If this deputy targeted constitutionalist and broke the law to go after them, then charge him accordingly and take away his rights. He is no different than any other citizen living in this country. I have heard a lot worse come out of my next door neighbor’s mouth with no consequences and the death threats I have read against this deputy and his family are more of a real threat than the generalization that this deputy stated. This whole thing makes no sense to me!!
On December 21, 2014 at 2:00 pm, Ned Weatherby said:
“..then charge him accordingly and take away his rights…”
Don’t know much about the legal system, eh? Like the fact that the same people who charge him are the same people who have to defend a civil action regarding any tort the offender was guilty of. That’s why torts by police are almost NEVER prosecuted.
See, generally, discussions on this site re: “Herschel’s Law.”
On December 18, 2014 at 11:02 pm, tayronachan said:
Very good point. I think what people see here is no Rule of Law at the highest levels of gov. And I am talking about both parties here, and all three branches of the gov. And that has a trickle down effect.
On December 18, 2014 at 11:16 pm, Herschel Smith said:
Just incredible. The police have weaponry that would make most (even well financed) armies in the world jealous, weaponry that will cost the taxpayers millions upon millions of dollars to maintain (have you looked up the price of a tire for an MRAP?). Men and women are shot every day in SWAT raids, some mistaken or wrong address, and most undeserving of being shot without a trial, in home invasions perpetrated by the police. Police shoot a quarter of a million dogs every year, with impunity. No one can do this and get away with it, except the police, who are supported at every turn by the corrupt judicial system. A man tells the truth about why this weaponry exists as part of American policing, and after time in the military, plus 20 years on the police force, does so from a well developed world view that includes disparagement for the rights of citizens to hold arms.
And to you, this is all about a teachable moment, as if the officer is some sort of three year old and there isn’t military hardware among the police!
I couldn’t have made this up if I had tried to. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction (that anyone would be so stupid to mention this being a “teachable moment”).
Amazing.
On December 19, 2014 at 12:43 pm, bnurse said:
I feel sorry for you that you can’t see past the dollar amount spent on items that are intended to keep our swat team protected. What they do for us is priceless…there is not a dollar amount that is to high for the safety of their lives. Does that mean because they are swat that they do not make mistakes??? Of course not. Look how many mistakes in surgery it has taken to get to the result of having “time outs” in the OR to make sure that mistakes are limited to the best of our ability. We are human, WE WILL SCREW THINGS UP. No one is too old to learn from their mistakes and if you think you are beyond that…then there is NOTHING anyone can say to help you in your ignorance.
Their intent is not malicious, they do not start their day with “let’s see how many dogs we can shoot today”. The truth that this deputy talked about has nothing to do with taking people’s rights away – this is an assumption that tons of people are making. Did you hear those words come out of his mouth? NO, what he said was the MRAP is used for protection. Regardless of what someone poorly decides to call extremists, the fact is HE was discussing protection. Are you going to claim that there is no one in this area that we couple possibly need protection against? You mean to tell me that the 230 death threats that this deputy has received over his comment proves that Americans are peace loving trustable people??? Grow up and see our society for what it is and then come up with a soluction to fix it instead of focusing your efforts on tearing people down.
On December 19, 2014 at 1:57 pm, Blake said:
If the Sheriff uses the MRAP “inappropriately” take it away? Seriously?
People tend to die when SWAT is deployed for what is nothing more than a search warrant.
Evidently, you’re one of those willing to trade liberty for the illusion of safety.
On December 19, 2014 at 3:36 pm, Archer said:
“I feel sorry for you that you can’t see past the dollar amount spent on items that are intended to keep our swat team protected.”
After that mini-rant, this is your take-away? Seriously!?
SWAT teams shoot around 250,000 dogs every year. Do you think I’m upset about the $125,000 worth of ammo? No! I’m upset that these big, bad, tacticool ninjas felt “threatened” enough by dachshunds and chihuahuas to open fire! I’m upset that, after clearing homes and handcuffing “suspects”, hundreds are wounded or killed by “accidental (read: negligent) discharges” from these “highly-trained” individuals’ weapons! I’m upset that these heavily-armed tactical teams don’t always do their due diligence and make sure they’re at the right address, and arrest or gun down innocent people! I’m upset that after every one of these “botched” incidents, no officer is ever charged or held accountable! I’m upset that we’re told that our semi-auto AR-15s are “weapons of war that do not belong on our streets”, while DHS is providing full-auto M-16s – honest-to-God weapons of war – to our domestic police forces, to carry as they patrol on our streets!
I’m upset that our fundamental freedoms – priceless by nature – are being eroded before our eyes by those very people sworn to protect and defend them. But you go on and keep thinking this is about the money spent to “keep our swat team protected.”
On December 23, 2014 at 1:05 am, HempRopeAndStreetlight said:
Those who ride with the wolves hang with’em.
On December 20, 2014 at 11:52 pm, gyrwan said:
Guest,
Do you think in English?
The thing about people who aren’t politicians is that they usually say what they think, and think what they say. That’s because people,
generally, won’t say something that they would not ever, in a million years, think. Maybe Moffet mis-spoke; but it’s harder to accept that
Moffett mis-THOUGHT. His association of dangerous criminality with the term “constitutionalist” didn’t just pop onto his tongue without first
being present in his brain.
By that, I mean that only someone who associates (in his head) the word “constitutionalist” with a criminal threat would say what Moffett said.
No one who is “Pro-Life” is going to seriously refer to an unborn baby as “a clump of cells”, or an abortion as “no different that clipping your
toe-nails”. That’s because he wouldn’t ever THINK of an unborn baby that way.
Now, Moffett may have an entirely different thing in mind than most persons here would think of as a “constitutionalist”. This COULD,
theoretically, come from dealings with criminal individuals or groups who are NOT, in fact, constitutionalist; but who merely give themselves
that appellation.
You’re right; people sometimes mis-speak. And we should be perfectly willing to at least hear what Moffett has to say regarding his mis-use of
the term “constitutionalist”. But, if his boss’ opinion that constitutionalists are (presumptively criminal) “extremists” is anything to go by
— and it sure-as-shit IS — then I’m not hopeful that Moffet’s explanation would be convincing.
Besides, there are other worrying statements by Moffett AND Knezovich regarding the need for and purpose of the MRAP that go beyond the
statement about “constitutionalists”.
On December 18, 2014 at 7:24 pm, Lou said:
California is forming and probably has operating now, SWAT teams of heavily armed “officers” to be used to take guns away from people “not allowed to have guns” as per California statutes. These poor souls probably include the veterans who are forced to take the toxic SSRI drugs for PTSD; all the kids forced to take coke like drugs for ADHD et al and you and I for various reasons.
The MRAP is the PERFECT vehicle to be used to transport these goons to their dirty and bloody work of taking guns away from civilians. Hey this is the EXACT same job they did in Afghanistan and Iraq. That 50 cal on the roof is GREAT for softening up the target on the roll.
I am sure this is all just coincidence.
On December 19, 2014 at 1:11 am, El Duderino said:
You’ll never convince me that a .50 M2HB has any law enforcement purpose, perhaps outside a USCG vessel.
On December 19, 2014 at 4:25 am, allen said:
I could see border patrol having good uses for them..the same way they used the quad .50 AA guns in korea for human wave assaults.
On December 18, 2014 at 7:31 pm, bob said:
Ohio State University has an MRAP. I taught there for 35 years. The students can be frisky, but I never thought I needed to bring a gun to class. Guess I was uniformed.
On December 18, 2014 at 7:54 pm, Cameraman said:
That Deputy just took a Large Dump,and it landed in that Sheriff’s Mouth, because that’s all I heard him say was Pure Shyte!!!
Semper Fi
On December 18, 2014 at 8:54 pm, UNCLEELMO said:
Funny. If you’ve never seen the inside of a jail and support the original intention of the Second Amendment (me), you’re an extremist. But if you’ve taken an oath to protect and defend the Constitution while only enforcing laws that you like (the Democrats), you’re a good American.
Alright, it’s not funny. It’s pathetic.
On December 20, 2014 at 1:23 am, cargosquid said:
“suggesting “extremist” would have been more appropriate than “Constitutionalist”
Oh no! This is just fine. Honesty is ALWAYS the best policy because now we know how we stand with those cops.
What these cops don’t understand is that you can stay in that MRAP all you want. You cannot enforce a law from an MRAP.
On December 23, 2014 at 1:10 am, HempRopeAndStreetlight said:
When you say “MRAP” I can’t help but think of BBQ Pulled Pork.
Funny that.