Friday, February 12, 2010

Retired Arizona Sheriff, Richard Mack Speaks of Importance of the Constitution


Feb. 12--Fredricksberg, Tx.


Former Graham County, Texas, Sheriff Richard Mack states that it is the responsibility of local law enforcement to stand up to the federal government when it infringes or oversteps its Constitutional Authority. Mack spoke earlier this week to a group of Texas Sheriffs in Fredericksburg sponsored by the Patriots of Gillespie County.

"States are not subject to federal direction nor can they be compelled to enforce any federal regulatory programs," Mack said. "I believe every peace officer's responsibility is to stand against the intervention and overreaching federal government. The greatest threat to our God-given Constitutional system is our federal government."

"Mack is a tireless crusader of the Bill of Rights and is best known for winning the Supreme Court decision that stated that the federal government may not compel the states to enact or enforce a federal regulatory program," said a spokesman for the group.

Mack pointed to the Internal Revenue Service as one example of how the federal government encroaches on constitutional rights.

"Random audits (by the IRS) are unconstitutional and un-American," he said. "It's just a matter of whether local officials will exercise their rights. Don't whine about Washington. Local officials can make Washington, D.C., irrelevant."

Another example cited by Mack's Web site is seat belt laws. He said we have mandatory seat belt laws, because "people with money wanted us to have seat belt laws," not because the government wants to keep us safe.

"Are seat belts a good thing? Sure," Mack states on the Web site. "But a law? Why a law? Because it saves the insurance companies money if we get hurt less, and it gives them a reason not to pay for injuries if seat belts are not worn. The issue is not whether or not it's a good idea. The real danger here is that when we allow government to enforce these kinds of laws, we are surrendering our ability to think and act for ourselves." Mack ignored the federal law and never issued a seatbelt citation when he was a sheriff.

Gillespie County Sheriff Buddy Mills attended the course and had positive things to say. "It was an information course dealing with the constitution," Mills said. "I went to get more insight into things we already are doing as sheriffs in this state. I found Mack to be very knowledgeable. He was kind of preaching to the choir, because here in Texas, we understand what is going on, and we are here to protect the rights of the citizens."

Mills said although he only has been in office a short time, he has not seen any federal regulatory programs he feels were unconstitutional.

"With the seat belts, they do save lives," he said. "As an officer, it is at your discretion (to write a ticket). We expect our men to use good judgment and common sense. If you put 100 officers in a room, 50 would write tickets and 50 wouldn't."

Notes on Sheriff Richard Mack:

Former Graham County Sheriff Richard Mack was the first county sheriff in the country to file a lawsuit against the Clinton administration, charging that background checks done by local officials mandated by the federal government for the purchase of firearms was unconstitutional. He won his case in 1997 by a 5-4 ruling at the U.S. Supreme Court.

He ran for the U.S. Senate in Arizona in 2006 as a Libertarian candidate.

He now travels the country speaking to local law enforcement groups about the intrusions on the constitution by the federal government. He was awarded Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by the National Rifle Association and other major gun rights groups.

To learn more, go to www.sheriffmack.com

The Unique Constitutional Foundation of the Office of County Sheriff in America.










by Sheriff Mike Raines


Hello, I am Mike Raines, I serve as Sheriff to the good people of Eaton County, Michigan. I am proud of her rich history and I take my role as her Chief Law Enforcement Officer and Constitutional Defender very seriously. ALL Sheriff's, under Article VI, Paragraph-3 are duty-bound through Oath Affermation to 'Protect,Defend and Support the Constitution of these United States. This makes American Sheriffs very unique as Law Enforcers in our Constitutional Republic.  The word Sheriff dirives from two seperate words from 11th Century England, those being Shire and Reeve.  The King, wishing to ensure 'domestic tranquility,' would often appoint a person referred to as a  Reeve to the various Shires (equivenant to Counties in America); over time the two words blended together to form tthe word Shiriff.  The root-word origon of our Sheriff is where the similarities end however.  Because where the English Shire Reeve was appointed by the King and obligated to loyally inforce the Kings dictates, our American Sheriff's are Elected by the People and subject to the Laws specified in our Constitution, which they're obligated by oath to abide-by and defend. 

Anyone who has taken the time to read and study the history of our Constitution understands that the minds of the men who wrote it were brilliant. The framers were men who knew full well the meaning of tyranny and they were passionate to not allow the new republic to be susceptable to it.  The framers established the Constitution as the very foundation of our Republic and the means by which, through its checks and balances, the various branches of government were to operate and draw their specified and limited authority.  Whereas the English Monarchy was based upon the King being the ultimate authority, which in the latin is referred to as Rex Lex, or 'The KING is the Law,' they all wished to do what had never been done in the history of mankind and turn that concept on its head wherein 'The LAW is King,' or Lex Rex.  Each knew all to well the currupting nature of un-checked power and also, that the federal government would be more apt to attempt to over-reach its powers then would any of the individual states.  For this reason they reserved a vast majority of power to the states, giving only those specifically enumerated as such to the federal government. 

Whereas the chiefs and directors of municipal, state and federal law enforcement agencies are either hired or political appointees, only the American Sheriff is elected.  As such, he or she are directly answerable to the people who elected them.  And as they swore an oath to do, their first and foremost responsibility is to protect and serve the people of their county and abide by and defend our Constitution.  In this regard, the duties of the Sheriff are both noble and challenging.

I encourage every American who hasn't already done so, secure a copy of our United States Constitution.  Read it thoroughly and become familar with its amazing wisdom, as well as how its system of checks and ballances operate.  American Citizenship and Freedom was paid for with the Blood of far too many to be taken for granted.  If you don't know your Constitution, you will not be able to see when it's being ignored or subverted.  Commit this accronym to memory: FRVC, or 'Freedom Requires Vigialant Citizens.'

Sincerely,

Mike Raines, Sheriff
Eaton County, Michigan