Anyone in the ATF who leaks highly sensitive information could be subject to death by firing squad! As reported in the Washington Times, October 15, 2013, the ATF’s on-line manual suggests that “leakers” could be subject to execution by firing squad and even goes so far as to include an old photo of a French firing squad.
Clearly, even a hint of the possibility of execution can be expected to encourage the boldest of whistle blowers to think twice before taking an “inside” story to the world, either openly or as a confidential source through the press – even if it is only a joke. Was that the intent?
This preposterous report gives us yet another inside look at the extraordinarily pitiful judgment that too often drives the decisions of our government. We also can detect more than a hint of the streak of tyranny that is all too ready to rise up when bureaucratic agencies are allowed to become police powers. If we’re not mistaken, the ATF is already known for its gestapo-like tactics – tactics that have resulted in brutal and fatal raids on a number of sometimes wacky but largely harmless American citizens. Let’s also remember that the ATF was in the middle of the brilliant “Fast and Furious” strategem that gave an arsenal of weapons to the Mexican drug gangs, weapons that have since been used to kill Americans, another example of extraordinarily poor judgment.
So, here is the key question. Did ATF intend the inclusion of the firing squad “threat” as something more than a harmless joke? They say not. Surely, it was just a silly attempt by some faceless underling to add a little humor to the on-line manual, and they promise to take it out as soon as the government shutdown is over. But here is the bigger question. Is this not just one more example of an unaccountable federal government that is, indeed, transforming America into more and more of a police state? It now seems that almost every agency “needs” massive SWAT team capabilities, including fleets of heavily armored transport and fighting vehicles. Why? For what?
Is it any wonder that more and more people are becoming concerned about drone surveillance and the construction of FEMA “camps” which bear an all too striking resemblance to the concentration camps of World War Two. One can’t help but wonder what plans and visions our “leaders” have in store for us. Whatever those plans are, there is little question that they will, if successful, profoundly change America.
So, what will it take to continue to secure and enjoy our personal liberties, those “certain unalienable rights” granted by none less than our Creator? Tragically, it appears that there are too many people in positions of power who do not “hold these truths to be self-evident”. It is our responsibility to stand up and to replace those people with public servants who will truly honor and preserve the Constitution. We need to pray and to work for such leaders.