Subj: A new kind of affirmative action.
From: Km2900@aol.com

The following idea seems to fall into the category of being so obvious as to have become elusive. Why is it that those in government who are charged with the responsibility to find solutions to the growing social decline continue to miss this potentially powerful approach to restoring health to American communities?

Our government exerts great, but often futile, effort to address the factors contributing to decline in American society. The reality is starkly clear that government alone cannot halt the decline; the battle against the worsening social conditions in America is being lost on every front. Our society is no longer healthy.

If we are to take seriously the challenge of restoring health to American society, a new kind of affirmative action is needed. It is clear that government can't do it alone. The only real possibility lies

in increasing citizen involvement in our neighborhoods and communities. Citizen involvement has been steadily declining for decades, mainly due to changes in the American lifestyle. A more subtle, but equally powerful, reason is that our tax system reinforces lax individual involvement in the community: we are allowed a check book mentality, and view paying taxes as fulfillment of all social responsibility.

Realistically, given the low level of involvement, promoting citizen participation in their communities will require an incentive. The most effective and practical incentive would be offering the opportunity to fulfill a portion of one's tax liability through community service. If individual states, and Congress, made it possible for people to pay a portion of their taxes through volunteer efforts in their community, the human resources would be generated that could correct the deep social ills in our society and help restore the health of our communities. People who volunteer could "earn" an hourly rate, and community service agencies could validate hours worked, which people would submit with their tax returns.

There are two truths here: Government, without ongoing citizen involvement, can never provide the resources needed to create and maintain a healthy society. Individuals who become involved in their community gain personally through satisfaction in the results of their efforts, and discover deeper meaning in the shared commitment and understanding of the important role that creating and maintaining a healthy society plays in their own life and in the lives of their families.

Government needs to adopt a new kind of affirmative action: providing an incentive for people to invest their time and energy in their communities

Subj: Incumbents hate debates
From: rcrawf4000@aol.com

If you think political debates are unimportant, check out how incumbents hate them and why they do everything they can to avoid them. Debates almost always favor challengers. A series of debates gave a relatively unknown Abraham Lincoln his chance to break into politics

To show how far incumbent parties will go to keep out challengers, consider what happened to Harry Browne (Libertarian). The stated rule was that to get into the October Presidential Debates he'd have to qualify for federal matching funds from the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) by raising enough contributions of $100 or less to be considered a "serious" contender. His campaign topped that hurdle last November and had the required audits, but a funny thing happened on the way to the debates.

All along, Harry Browne had publicly announced that when he qualified for the matching funds, he would refuse the money because Libertarians oppose all forms of welfare, including giving tax money to political candidates (it's wrong to force you to pay for something you may not want). So the FEC (run by Republicans and Democrats, who else?) decided that raising contributions wasn't enough. Browne couldn't be "certified" as qualifying unless he agreed to take the money. No certification, no debates.

Notice that this rule was made up just for this one case. The situation had never come up before because everybody else has been only too willing to take your money. Both Clinton and Dole have accepted millions of dollars of your money to run their campaigns for our votes.

To find out more, call (800) 6821776 for a free information packet. It won't cost you a thing, except maybe a few preconceived notions.

Richard B. Crawford

Subj: Tennessee Volunteer Militia

What is important to the militia is what is important to all Americans. We are concerned with the health of this nation. Militia members are a cross-section of the American people. Many of us have been active in the political realm to voice our opinions to our elected leaders. Our voice has yet to be heard.

The militia is a formation of communities. This is true now as it was throughout the history of this land. We the people have gathered together to form one voice in the hope that we will be heard. Our communities are banding together across this country to form one voice which is getting louder each day. It is not the guns of the militia that our government fears: We have not fired a single shot. The people are uniting together as one to bring out the truth, justice and liberty that we have entrusted to our government which it has taken for granted.

We the people have seen over the years the erosion of our country and have sought answers and justice. The assassinations of JFK and Martin Luther King .Jr., the incidents at Ruby Ridge and Waco, have all had their Senate hearings and to this day justice has not been served. We the people have been told that these matters are closed. We the people will not accept a lie for the truth. We have seen Americans sacrifice their lives in undeclared wars for the United Nations. Now we are asked to send more Americans into harm's way once more. What end and purpose does this sacrifice serve?

Our Constitution is under attack from all sides. We the people will not give up the guaranties that keep us from being ruled by a tyrannical government. These guaranties are called THE BILL OF RIGHTS.

The militia will continue forward to seek the truth and to speak with a loud voice. If you believe in America and its freedoms and if you are concerned about our America's future, then you are with us in the militia. We are only Americans! Any other description of us shows only a lack of knowledge and faith in the people of this country.

Harry P. Bibee III
Tennessee Volunteer Militia

Policy

The Volunteer Militia exists by law under Amendment 11 of the United States Constitution, U.S.C. 10, chapter 13, section 311 and the Tennessee State Constitution, Article I, Sections 24 and 26.

Our purpose is to uphold the United States and Tennessee State Constitutions, defend against domestic enemies, execute and safeguard the laws of the Union, suppress insurrection and repel invasions. We adhere to the literal and original intent of the United States

Constitution and Bill of Rights as put forth by the Founding Fathers and hold those principles inviolate. We reject any philosophy of supremacy based on race, religion or gender.

The Right Wing is not all Christian—right?

Dear Editor:

Many people have a hard time understanding the present political and racial landscape in North America today.

The topic of Militias or the press coverage of Militias is another area of confusion.

The Militia scene is made up of many factions and individual belief systems. Most Militia is basic right wing, and a good portion consider themselves Christian to one degree or another. Sprinkled among this loose network is a growing number of Atheists, Agnostics, Odinists (ancient Viking nature reverence), Pagans and others.

The day when the Right Wing could boast to be mostly Christian is gone. With the diminishing numbers of Klan membership around North America a new more fanatical group has developed in several ways. Increased recruitment of young and left-leaning individuals has also diminished Christian control of especially racial groups.

Organized religion is now seen by a new breed as just as much a part of the cult of universalism as other crumbling Western institutions.

This new kid on the block is publicly scorned by Christians, Humanists, "politically correct atheists" and others. With over 100 racial Web sites on the Internet dedicated to racial information, are we seeing the emergence of a major new trend in Western society? Only time will tell.

Tom Metzger
Vista, CA

Subj: Militia defined

As the leader of a local militia company, I feel it is my obligation to inform and assure the public of our intentions and of our mission. First and foremost, we are not racists. We do not condone nor do we support racist acts. There is no room for acts of racist hate in the Constitution.

Militias are not so much antigovernment as they are pro Constitution. The Constitution is a timeless document which is the basis of our form of government that has in recent years has been disregarded and blatantly ignored.

The members of the militia are not white separatist as the media says, but we are your neighbors. We are not lunatics and killers, but lawyers, ministers, doctors, salesmen, policemen and soldiers.

Our training doesn't involve car bombing and other terrorism. We arm ourselves to insure the blessings of liberty, to preserve our Constitutional rights, and to protect all Americans from aggressors who wish to oppress our fellow citizens. We have pledged to protect all the citizens' rights that are guaranteed to the people by our Constitution no matter their race or religion or their personal beliefs.

Our guide book is the Constitution. We do not consider ourselves to be above the law but part of it. We number in the millions and exist in small, well-organized, tight-knit cells. We are well-armed, well-trained, well informed and peace-loving.

It is apparent that this nation has abandoned the rule of law as laid out in the Constitution, and that the voice of the people is falling on deaf ears in our capitol. This must be changed. The Freemen in Montana are not militiamen, but they are Americans. I do not agree with their views or actions, but I do believe in their inalienable rights to due process.

De Oppresso Libre,
S. Geery, Captain
White House, TN