Indiana Militia Corps
From IndianaWiki
- The Indiana Militia Corps, a volunteer citizens militia, should not be confused with the Indiana National Guard.
The Indiana Militia Corps is a citizens' constitutional militia in the state of Indiana. Like the more prominent Michigan Militia, it is a militia organized by armed private citizens.
Like most Constitutional citizen militias, they derive their authority from the common law and regard themselves as an association of unorganized militia. They are a voluntary association, and self-funded. The United States Armed Forces do not recognize them as state defense forces, and such militias have been controversial since their popularity swelled in the 1990s among concerned gun-rights activists, conservatives, libertarians and self-styled patriots.
While militias are not explicitly approved or endorsed by current public policy, they are directly referenced by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and 10 USC 311. They derive their authority from the common law and are in no way a government agency or an Organized Military / United States National Guard unit of their nation. They are private citizens, in voluntary association, and self-funded. The United States armed forces do not recognize them as constituents, or relate with them, and such militias are often highly controversial.
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Militia Controversy Rooted in the 1990's
Militias have their detractors, such as the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center whose political leanings contradict those of most militia groups. The Indiana Militia Corps is a strong militia-movement critic of these organizations, and expresses severe objection to their mis-characterization of militias. Although the Indiana Militia Corps did not form until 2001 and operates differently than many militias formed in the 1990s, militia detractors have characterized the IMC with essentially the same language, dropping pejorative references to racism, criminal activity and antisemitism after losing a civil case to a militia leader in another state, and after IMC contacted the SPLC to formally complain regarding pejorative descriptions on their website that were factually unsupported. The SPLC and ADL have since referred to the IMC more generically as a so-called "extremist" organization.
The Indiana Militia Corps devotes a substantial portion of their official website to expounding upon their positions, values and beliefs, through doctrinal publications and editorials. They stress that they bear no relation to the portrayals made by those who are hostile to them. Presently, no claims made by either the SPLC or ADL can be attributed to the Indiana Militia Corps.
Since the election of President Barack Obama, the patriot movement has come back to life, replete with tea parties and other public expressions of the recent left-wing expansion of government. Consequently, controversy surrounding militia groups has re-ignited and promises to keep the subject from slipping into obscurity.
Origin, description and internal structure
The group was organized on September 29, 2001 by Major General William A. Flatt and Colonel Michael Niese. Shortly after the creation of the IMC, William Flatt was commissioned as a Major General by the Third Continental Congress, and subordinate brigade commanders were appointed the same month. These positions are not considered "self-appointed", as Anti-Defamation League sources would claim, but awarded according to the internal standards of the 3CC organization. The Indiana Militia Corps is part of the unorganized militia as defined by the Dick Act. Though it is unlikely that a private militia would be called to muster in today's political environment, the concept of building a volunteer citizen militia comports with the common law tradition[1] and has precedent with the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. In letters published online, Flatt and Niese expressed a hope that citizen militias would be utilized in the post-9/11 landscape in a manner similar to policy initiatives suggested by The Swiss Report.[2]
The IMC describes itself as "a group of law-abiding citizens formed for the purpose of defending the Constitution of the United States and the Indiana state against all enemies, both foreign and domestic, and to help provide security and support services for local government and other lawful authorities and for the citizens and inhabitants of Indiana, and the United States in time of natural disaster or emergency."[3] They identify themselves as part of the militia movement, but assert they are not anti-government. Their mission statement references the protection of the rights of citizens, defending the state and US constitutions from any threat foreign or domestic, and they assert that constitutionally limited government is necessary to secure and protect individuals' rights from infringement.
The Indiana Militia denies membership to anyone who is or has been "a member of, or associated with" any "subversive" groups "including but not limited to communist or socialist front groups, New Black Panthers, Aryan Nations, Ku Klux Klan, Communist Party USA or the United Nations Association of America." According to their website, the IMC also conducts their own background checks to ensure that people convicted of violent crimes cannot infiltrate the group.[4]
Public affairs and Third Continental Congress
In their article The Quiet Retooling of the Militia Movement: Coordination Among Groups September 7, 2004, the Anti-Defamation League notes the Militia for attempts to organize among the public and other likeminded groups.
Public affairs material promulgated by the Indiana Militia Corps on its official website as well as its affiliated websites emphasize their concerns over governmental abuses, overreaching powers, political corruption, and threats to life/liberty/property. This emphasis is reflected in their publications, along with their belief that institutions for the limitation of powers have been subverted. This aspect of their philosophy aligns them with civil liberty Watchdog groups.
In Fall 2004, an IMC Colonel organized a public "Northern Indiana Preparedness Expo". Such events are popular among survivalist and militia groups. All aspects of preparedness were invited from Gun clubs, militia groups, camping companies that sell survival gear, all the way to local, state, and county police, FBI, NSA, CIA, FEMA, and many other organizations. The Expo was complete with speakers.
The Indiana Militia Corps is affiliated with the Third Continental Congress ("3CC") as a part of their "Continental Militia Network". In 2003, the 3CC issued a General Officer commission to William Flatt to help organize and coordinate states' citizen militias. After the 3CC website shut down in 2006, the organization emerged with a minimally-functioning website in 2008 that is no longer available. According to the Militia Network website, The 3CC appears to be adjourned, but a 4th Continental Congress may be forming soon.
Publications
The Indiana Militia publishes "The LIBERATOR", http://www.indianamilitia.org/liberator.html, whose stated theme is "...the liberation of America from the enslaving influences of globalism and statist thinking". Publication of the newsletter appears to have superseded both editorial and news pages on the website in 2006. At present, publication seems to have settled on a monthly format. According to militia documents, the newsletter is eponymous for abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison's weekly journal, "The Liberator".
The Indiana Militia Corps also produces manuals similar in style to United States Armed Forces military manuals. These manuals offer a combination of training subjects and doctrine.
Official Website
External links
References
- 1. Joyce Lee Malcolm. To Keep and Bear Arms: The Origins of an Anglo-American Right Harvard University Press, 1996 ISBN 0674893077 http://www.joyceleemalcolm.com/books/keep_and_bear_arms
- 2. The Swiss Report, Western Goals Foundation (1983). http://www.constitution.org/mil/swiss_report.htm
- 3. IMC FAQ#1 [1]
- 4. IMC FAQ#13 [2]
- 5. http://www.adl.org/extremism/Militia/Militia_retools.pdf
- 6. Editorial critical of the ADL regarding militias: http://www.indianamilitia.org/takingflak.html
- 7. CONMILNET. http://militianetwork.homestead.com
- 8. 4th Continental Congress. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33199857374
Notes and sources
- Joyce Lee Malcolm. "To Keep and Bear Arms: The Origins of an Anglo-American Right". Harvard University Press, 1996 ISBN 0674893077 http://www.joyceleemalcolm.com/books/keep_and_bear_arms.
- "Quiet Retooling of the Militia Movement" [3], by the ADL, either an academically sloppy or purposefully incorrect misstatement of facts regarding notable members of the Indiana Militia Corps. In it, the ADL author referred to LTC Mike Strauss as "Rev. Lt. Colonel"; mixing his military rank with his position (chaplain, or reverend), a "psyop" technique to give Mr. Strauss the appearance of being a fringe personality. Another misstatement involves MG Will Flatt, where he is cited by the ADL as having said “Patriot Acts 1 & 2 are here. More big brother government is on the way, and unless the Bilderbergers change their mind, they have already selected the next President… If you are completely, deadly serious about restoring freedom, I need to hear from you…” However, no attribution is given and a search shows nothing that proves this quote was made by Mr. Flatt; this quote could only be found in one place after the publication of the ADL article: Wikipedia.
