Former U.S. Senator Tom Coburn from Oklahoma reports today in the WSJ that more than 200,000 non-defense personnel are authorized to make arrests and carry firearms. There are more of these federal officers than there are U.S. Marines (180,000).
"On Friday, June 17, American Transparency, is releasing its OpenTheBooks.com oversight report on the militarization of America. The report catalogs federal purchases of guns, ammunition and military-style equipment by seemingly bureaucratic federal agencies. During a nine-year period through 2014, we found, 67 agencies unaffiliated with the Department of Defense spent $1.48 billion on guns and ammo. Of that total, $335.1 million was spent by agencies traditionally viewed as regulatory or administrative, such as the Smithsonian Institution and the U.S. Mint."
I used to wonder why the Social Security Office that serviced my community had bullet proof glass protecting the employees and there were armed guards at the door. However, after suffering poor customer service repeatedly, I came to understand that citizens become very frustrated and some might resort to violence.
The growing militarization of the non-defence workforce is a concern. Why do agencies like FDA, EPA, VA, SBA and on and on need their own security forces. Who are they protecting themselves from? The American taxpayer who pays their salary? The agencies provide no answers to these questions.
We need to demand that our Federal Legislators stop funding these agencies militarization against us. Contact Senators Cornyn and Cruz, and Congressman Carter to defund these activities.
Perhaps the government is becoming fearful of the people. "When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people there is liberty". (Thomas Jefferson) Why else do they want to take your guns away and abolish the Second Amendment? They may be fearful of the 375 million guns in the hands of honest, law abiding people who will defend the constitution.
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