Congress is considering legislation called “The Preventing Private Paramilitary Act of 2024.”
It should be called the “Disarming the Militia Act,” because that is exactly what this legislation would try to do.
This from americaoutloud.news.
Members of the Oath Keepers stand on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington.
Apparently not happy with the results of recent attempts to disarm law-abiding citizens, The Regime is now demonstrating their fear that the American people are prepared to defend themselves—even against Congress.
Have these members of Congress forgotten that our war of independence was started by an attempt by the British governor of Massachusetts to disarm the people?
And that the battles of Lexington and Concord were fought by private citizens who formed a militia?
Or could it be they do not care about our rights and the Constitution and are seeking to subjugate We the American People?
Perhaps Congress’ goal is to start a new war of independence.
Ever since 1934 and the passing of the National Firearms Act, Congress and the federal government as a whole have claimed the power to infringe on our right to keep and bear arms because they think they know best. The claim: Certain weapons were too dangerous for private use, and certain places were too dangerous for the American people to defend themselves. And now, with the introduction of the Private Paramilitary Activity Act of 2024, Congress wants to tell We the American People that certain groups are too dangerous to be armed.
The Preventing Private Paramilitary Activity Act of 2024
(a) Offense.—It shall be unlawful to knowingly, in a circumstance described in subsection (b), while acting as part of or on behalf of a private paramilitary organization and armed with a firearm, explosive or incendiary device, or other dangerous weapon—
(1) publically patrol, drill, or engage in techniques capable of causing bodily injury or death;
(2) interfere with, interrupt, or attempt to interfere with or interrupt government operations or a government proceeding;
(3) interfere with or intimidate another person in that person’s exercise of any right under the Constitution of the United States;
(4) assume the functions of a law enforcement officer, peace officer, or public official, whether or not acting under color of law, and thereby assert authority or purport to assert authority over another person without the consent of that person; or
(5) train to engage in any activity described in paragraphs (1) through (4).
This is quite a laundry list of things Congress wants to prohibit. Let’s start with how Congress wishes to define a “private paramilitary organization.”
The term ‘private paramilitary organization’ means any group of 3 or more persons associating under a command structure for the purpose of functioning in public or training to function in public as a combat, combat support, law enforcement, or security services unit.
Private Paramilitary Activity Act of 2024
Congress wants to outlaw militias, except for some we’ll talk about later. A militia is defined as:
a: a part of the organized armed forces of a country liable to call only in emergency
b: a body of citizens organized for military service
Militia—Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
Militias are essential not only to our individual freedom but the freedom of our states.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment II
Without a militia, our states would be defenseless against federal intrusion and overreach. Without the ability for citizens to come together to defend themselves, they would be defenseless against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Congress is trying to control not just the militia but our right to peaceably assemble for our own defense.
Look at the things Congress doesn’t want the people to train for: ‘a combat, combat support, law enforcement, or security services unit.’ Do you look at the world around us and wonder if or when society falls apart, will we be forced to defend ourselves? Are you concerned that something like the movie Red Dawn will actually happen here? Or have you watched the riots in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Seattle, New York, Chicago, and other cities, and want to prepare should something like that happen near you? According to Congress, if you get two friends to work together, you could be a private paramilitary organization.
Are you part of a church security team, a neighborhood watch, or any other group that prepares should they need to provide for their own security? Then you are most definitely part of a private paramilitary organization according to this legislation. Even the act of training for such an eventuality is considered unlawful under this act.
Congress does claim to restrict this act to certain circumstances:
The circumstances described in this subsection are that the conduct described in subsection (a)—
(1) involves—
(A) travel across a State line or national border; or
(B) the use of the channels, facilities, or instrumentalities of interstate or foreign commerce;
(2) involves a firearm, explosive or incendiary device, or dangerous weapon that has traveled in interstate or foreign commerce;
(3) involves the use of ammunition or a large capacity ammunition feeding device that has traveled in interstate or foreign commerce;
(4) obstructs, delays, or affects interstate or foreign commerce; or
(5) occurs wholly within any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
Private Paramilitary Activity Act of 2024
Do you want to help out at the southern border? Better not cross state lines to do it. Want to assist during a riot or national disaster? Congress seems to want you to stay home rather than help. And unless you just happen to live near a firearm and ammunition factory, you’re going to have to get such tools through interstate or foreign commerce.
Why this focus on interstate or foreign commerce? Because these people in Congress are trying to cloak their tyranny under the Commerce Clause, which delegates to Congress the power:
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8, Clause 3
However, this isn’t regulating commerce. It’s regulating people, isolating them, and making it illegal for them to work together or even prepare to defend themselves.
Of course, these members of Congress did, sort of, write in some exceptions to their tyranny.
Subsection (a) shall not apply to—
(1) the armed forces of the United States, the National Guard, the Naval Militia, any regularly organized State militia, or any unorganized or reserve militia called into service by a State or the United States;
(2) a group of individuals who—
(A) associate as a military organization solely for purposes of historical reenactment or study; or
(B) parade in public as part of a bona fide veterans organization with no intent to engage in the activities prohibited by subsection (a);
(3) students in an educational institution authorized by the Federal Government or a State to teach military science as a prescribed part of the course of instruction, when under the supervision of a military instructor; or
(4) members of an organization that is authorized under Federal or State law to provide paramilitary, law enforcement, or security services training or to engage in paramilitary activity, law enforcement, or security services when performing the functions authorized by law and, in the case of paramilitary activity and law enforcement functions, when under the direction and control of a governmental authority.
Private Paramilitary Activity Act of 2024
You see if you are part of a government-authorized, and therefore government-regulated, “paramilitary organization,” then that’s just fine. Let We the People work together to protect ourselves, though, and the tyrants in Congress get very upset.
Now, what good would such a law be if there weren’t some penalties applied?
Any person who violates subsection (a) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both, except that—
(1) in the case of a violation that does not result in bodily injury and is committed by a person who has not, prior to the commission of the violation, been convicted of violating a Federal or State law, the person may be sentenced to probation for a term of not more than 1 year;
(2) in the case of a violation that occurs after a prior conviction under this section has become final, the person shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both;
(3) in the case of a violation that results in damage to property, the person shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both; and
(4) in the case of a violation that results in—
(A) bodily injury, the person shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both; or
(B) death, the person shall be fined under this title and imprisoned for any term of years or for life.
(2) PROCEDURES.—Section 413 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 853), with the exception of subsections (a) and (d), shall apply to the criminal forfeiture of property pursuant to this subsection.
Private Paramilitary Activity Act of 2024
Basically, the penalties start at a fine, without any limitation on how large, and a year in federal prison, for the act of collectively preparing to defend yourself and your neighbors. But wait, there’s more.
(e) Forfeiture.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any person who violates subsection (a) shall forfeit to the United States any property, personal or real, involved in, used, or intended to be used, in any manner or part, to commit, or to facilitate the commission of, the violation, or that constitutes or is derived from proceeds traceable to the violation.
(2) PROCEDURES.—Section 413 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 853), with the exception of subsections (a) and (d), shall apply to the criminal forfeiture of property pursuant to this subsection.
Private Paramilitary Activity Act of 2024
That’s right, if you are convicted, the federal government gets your stuff. Depending on what type and how much equipment you and your friends purchased, that could be thousands, possibly millions of dollars.
Conclusion: This piece of legislation will be dead upon arrival at the Supreme Court.
It violates the First Amendment as it infringes on our right to hold public meetings, demonstrations, and form associations without government interference—the right of the people to assemble. Peaceful protests and petitions to the government are also allowed under the First Amendment.
It obviously violates the Second Amendment since it infringes on our right to keep and bear arms.
This act would violate the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause. No person shall be … deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.
Further, Congress cannot prevent us from interfering with government operations or proceedings if they are illegal.
Courts have found that people can defend themselves against unlawful arrest, but we must first ensure we have a VERY good case before trying this.
And as a reminder to Congress, in the Battle of Athens, TN veterans armed themselves and fought against law enforcement and government officials who were trying to steal an election. When the corrupt Sheriff left the county, it was the ‘private paramilitary organization’ that patrolled the streets to keep law and order until a new Sheriff could be elected.
Final thoughts: Apologies for such a long article. However, what infringements should I have omitted? Exactly! Next time through read only the first several lines and the final several lines.
If there is any good news herein to relate, it is that our oft-times compromised Court of Supremes presently leans toward Conservatism. This bill—if it becomes law—will not survive.
