Second Term - A Novel of America in the Last Days (The End of America Series Book 1) (29 page)

SIXTY

CIVILIAN
CONSERVATION CORPS

 CONFIDENTIAL
MEMORANDUM

FROM: CCC CONSERVATOR DON OWEN

      Badge Number CCC-45683

SUBJECT: Surveillance of SIMPSON INTERSTATE, INC.

         and Recommendations for Fines/Charges

Summary of Surveillance
 -
This Conservator was tasked
by directive of DAG Scott to attend a monthly Board of Directors meeting of
SIMPSON INTERSTATE, INC. based in Springfield, Mo. See the corporate jacket for
details concerning this mid-sized interstate freight hauling company.

Upon my appearance at the corporate offices, without
advance notice, of course, I was initially rebuffed by employees of the
company. Once I presented the directive letter from our DAG, I was eventually
allowed to attend the Board meeting. It started late. Present were all nine Directors,
which includes the founder and CEO, Brock Simpson, his wife Delilah, and two
sons.

To say that the meeting was contentious would be an
understatement. Things did not go well as soon as I raised issues with slogans
and phrases placed on Simpson trucks over the last three years. They don’t have
even an elementary understanding of the McAlister Act’s restrictions on
negative attacks on public officials, in my opinion. If not significantly
fined, or worse, I don’t think the company will ever come into compliance with
McAlister. The company’s CEO, Brock Simpson, and his wife, Delilah, were both
in my face and refused to take instruction on how to meet the requirements of
the law. They also had an agenda item that referred to the President as an
“idiot”, or words to that effect.

Recommendations
– Accordingly, I would
recommend as follows:

A. Levy a maximum fine on the company for its
current violation of the hate speech law based on words currently being carried
on some of their trucks (see transcript of surveillance meeting for details). I
would suggest fining them $250,000 per day of violation, or $50,000 per truck,
whichever is determined to be greater. The company will hire DC counsel, of
course, to fight the fines, but legal fees alone will quickly run them over
$500,000. That should shut down any more anti-administration slogans on their
trucks. Brock and Delilah, you should have listened.

B. Speaking of the two principals of SIMPSON
INTERSTATE, INC.,
if
they decide to make a public fight over the fines,
which they may well do, based on what I witnessed, I would strongly suggest
sending a referral for criminal charges for violation of McAlister to the DOJ
for both Simpsons, and maybe the entire Board, though I know that if more
people are indicted that raises some enhanced proof of involvement issues. If
Mrs. Simpson is facing charges, I suspect that Mr. Simpson will fold his tent,
and do anything he can to protect his wife. Charges should only be filed if
they decide to take us on, but if they do, we should not hesitate to end the
fight quickly by filing criminal charges. Word of the Simpson Interstate fines
will spread fast and shut up the other companies that like to use their trucks
as traveling billboards for anti-Administration diatribes. It’s time to get
this done.

SIXTY
ONE

Helena,
Montana – Montana State House

“The best laid plans of mice and men
oft times go astray.”
(Robert Burns)

“No OPLAN ever survives initial
contact.” 
(Murphy’s Law on Military        Action)

Friday night at the
Montana State House was quiet. Gunning’s posse bedded down in various rooms, so
as not to all be in one vulnerable location. They didn’t think there was much
of a chance that anyone would want to visit the State House on Friday night,
and that assumption proved to be correct. Saturday came early. Betty Jean had
prepared java and her famous breakfast sandwiches. Using the Governor’s private
galley to prepare the food was a special treat for her. The group’s plan was to
send an e-blast notice of their occupation of the State House to media in
Helena and other Montana cities at 8 AM. At the same time they planned to
e-blast all of the national networks, cable outlets, the large metropolitan
newspapers that were still in business and the Associated Press. The text of
the e-blast read:

URGENT NOTICE TO
MEDIA – A newly organized association of American gun owners opposed to the new
federal anti-gun law has today occupied the Montana State House. Mark Cimarron,
a leader of the group, announced that several owners of firearms, all residents
of Montana, peacefully entered the State House on Friday night. No one in
security was injured and are being well cared for during the occupation. The
Montanans in the State House are all armed as a visible demonstration of their
strong opposition to the federal law which prohibits private ownership of
firearms. The occupiers of the Montana State House assure all law enforcement
authorities that they will not use their firearms, as their occupation of the
government building is a peaceful protest. A video statement by leaders of the
occupying group of gun owners will be made available on YouTube at 10 AM this
day – click on Montana State House Occupation.

At 9:30 AM, Mark,
Doug and Doug’s son recorded their statement for posting and viewing at 10 AM.
Mark spoke first.

 “After the United
States Constitution was approved, Samuel Adams said ‘The Constitution shall
never be construed to authorize Congress to prevent the people of the United
States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms.’ What America
has witnessed instead is a panicked seizure of our Constitutional right to keep
and bear arms. This Congress has proven Samuel Adams to be wrong – this
Congress
has
construed our Constitution to prevent the people from
keeping their own arms. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have bowed to our
tyrannical government and given up their arms. But, they didn’t do so
voluntarily. Our fellow Americans only gave up their arms under the ominous
threat of prison. No free nation should so threaten its own people. Another
Founding Father, George Mason, said, ‘To disarm the people is the best and most
effectual way to enslave them’. As free American citizens, peaceable American
citizens, we are serving notice today that
we will not be enslaved
.”

Doug spoke next. His
comments were video recorded immediately after Mark’s. He had been warned by
those who knew him and who knew that he could sometimes lose his self-control
to watch his words. He silently told himself to be calm and to not lose his
easily lost temper. His son placed his arm on his dad’s shoulder, as a comfort,
and so he could exert some unseen pressure if his dad lost control.

“I’m carrying my
firearm today in this official building as an uninvited visitor for just one
reason. We are occupying this State House this weekend to demonstrate to those
Americans who may think that we are no longer the home of the brave, that
there
are still
Americans who are willing to risk jail, or worse, to advance
freedom. If the federal government wants to take my firearm away from me, let
them come here to the Rotunda of this building, and pry it away from my cold,
dead fingers. I will
never willingly surrender my weapon
with which I
can defend my family. If necessary, I’ll use my fire….”. Doug’s son thought he
knew what was coming next, a threat by his dad to use his gun, so he gently
squeezed his shoulder. Doug got it, so he wrapped up his statement, “….uh, that
is, nobody wants to use their firearm, unless we have to. What needs to be
done? We strongly urge the Congress that just barely passed the McAlister
Anti-Gun Law, to
repeal the law
, and restore freedom in this nation.
That’s all I’ve got to say, though what I just said probably violates the
anti-free speech part of the new law. So be it, I’m still a free man, freely
speaking my mind. God bless America.”

Doug’s son, still
bearing his military close shaven haircut, and by far the youngest of the
occupiers, was brief, “I agree with my dad, and Mark and the other brave men
and women who are standing up for our Second Amendment rights. I didn’t fight
in Afghanistan to preserve American freedoms, just to come back home and
witness those rights being taken away from us. That’s it.”

The camera was turned
off. The recorded segment was uploaded just before 10 AM as a YouTube segment.
Over the next few weeks, the segment became the website’s most viewed, as
millions clicked in to see the historic video.

The group’s two hour
advance notice to the media, was a wise move, as most media do not staff
heavily on Saturdays or Sundays. Two hours was enough time to call in the major
network and cable talking heads, and many prime time commentators. When the
video went up on YouTube, America’s media were ready. Within a short time, the
various media outlets had aired and re-aired the recorded video from Helena,
each overlaid with varying news story headlines:

CBS NEWS

MONTANA REBELLION

NBC NEWS

MOUNTAIN INSURRECTION

CNN

RADICAL GUNNERS IN
THE CROSSHAIRS

FOX

MODERN DAY PATRIOTS
FIGHT BACK

New York Times

Gun Rights Leaders Grab Control

Of Montana State House in Helena

Federal Troops Called
up by White House

SIXTY
TWO

Helena,
Montana – State Capitol Grounds

Colonel Carlos
Jimenez was not happy about his unit’s call up to Helena. As an Army officer, of
course, he did what he was ordered to do, but that didn’t mean that he had to
like it. When he was handed his squad’s mobilization order his first question
to his CO was what the blank was the Army doing involved in a domestic
disturbance? Didn’t the Montana State Police know how to handle trouble makers
in their State? How about the Helena Police Department? And above all these
issues, what about posse comitatus? His questions were ignored.

Why are we here,
Colonel Jimenez asked himself? Why are we entrenched in front of the Montana
State House? As a soldier, he found it very difficult to support the concept of
taking away firearms from civilians. Worse yet, if his command structure wanted
his unit to actually take down the occupiers of the Montana State House,
that
was a problem. His stated Rules of Engagement, which he was assured came from
the highest levels of command and control, were to shoot to kill, if necessary.
He knew what he was being ordered to do, but he wrestled with the idea of
firing on his fellow Americans, especially, he thought, when you agree with
their cause.

As Saturday dawned,
Gunning’s group quickly became aware that the building was now surrounded, not
by State Troopers, but by federal troops. Gunning called his posse together and
gave them the bad news.

“I’m not going to try
and dress this up in any way. We have a
significant
problem. Believe it
or not, we’ve got a front plaza full of U.S. soldiers. They didn’t come here to
congratulate us on our protest. Looks like the Administration has decided to
nip protests like ours in the bud. Even if they might side with us, they’ve got
to do what the command and control structure tells them to do, including taking
us all out. We are in deep doo-doo, to put it mildly.   

“I’m open to ideas,
but this changes our plans. When we thought we might be faced with some Montana
State Troopers, most of whom are with us, many of whom we would probably know,
that was an acceptable confrontation. But,
armed soldiers
? Hello. Whose
brilliant idea was it to call up the Army, for just a simple civil protest?
They didn’t bring in the military when those leftist occupation crazies took
over the government buildings in Portland and burnt City Hall.”

Betty Jean was known
for being practical and hard-headed. She had managed dozens of Forest Rangers
through the years, a group known for their independent approach to life. She
had been the member of the occupying group who was most concerned about their
exit strategy, worrying that if anything could go wrong, it would. She differed
with Gunning’s description of what they were doing as a simple civil protest.

“Look, Gunning, you
know I love you to death, but this is
not
simple, it’s really
not
very civil, since we’re armed, and it’s certainly
a cut above
a protest.
A protest is marching with a sign on the sidewalk outside an abortion clinic,
which many of us have done at one time or another. What we are doing here is
seizing the seat of the government of our State. I’m not shocked that the White
House rolled out the Army. They’ve got to stop gun owning America from anything
else even remotely like what we’re doing. If we succeed in what we are trying
to do, there will be copy-cat actions all over the country. They don’t have a
choice. Stop the gun owners in Helena or face them in Nashville and Phoenix and
Baton Rouge and maybe even at Concord Bridge, again.

“What we’ve got to
decide, and I mean decide
now
, is whether we fold up this little weekend
outing, turn in our guns, say we’re sorry, we was just
a funnin’
, or,
stick with the plan, make our point, then most of us adios, except for Mark,
Doug and his son, who will be left to take the heat.”

Doug jumped in with
both feet, “What? What are you
saying
, Betty Jean? Are you seriously
suggesting that we just
give up
and turn in our guns? I’ll
never
,
under
any
circum….”

“Stop, Doug, stop.
I’m just saying that the game has changed. We’re not up against Trooper Barney
Fife and his buddies, guys who would treat us decent. We’re lookin’ down the
gun barrels of people who are trained to kill. These guys aren’t here to make
nice. I’m frankly surprised that they haven’t breached the entrance doors
already. There’s nothing stopping them, and when they do, we’re toast.

“I suggest that Doug,
his son and I go out on that balcony or parapet, whatever it’s called, now,
like we talked before, and essentially give you cover, while you are exiting.
We’ll say some appropriate words, read some freedom quotes and attract the
attention of the media. After a decent interval, we’ll lay down our guns on the
Don’t Tread on Me
flag, surrender and face the inevitable music.”

The balcony was on
the third floor of the Romanesque building, under the Capitol dome, facing
Lockey Avenue. It was mounted so that the columns on the front of the building
partially shielded the parapet and the overhang of the entrance structure
shadowed it so that it was not well illuminated by normal daylight. It had only
been used infrequently, almost always for a swearing in, usually of the
Governor of Montana, if the weather allowed. Mark, Doug and his son decided
that to maximize the cover they would send an e-blast message advising the
media that they were about to make a public statement, and designating the
exterior parapet as the location. Just before they opened the glass and walnut
doors to the balcony, they could tell that the digital heads-up had worked, as
the area at the base of the building was filled with cameras and reporters.
They also noticed that the soldiers had moved their emplacements to within
about a hundred feet from the building.

The three’s only
disagreement, right before they walked onto the building’s balcony, was whether
they should carry their weapons onto the balcony with them. Mark was concerned,
suggesting that they leave their arms inside, since the video already showed
that they were carrying arms. Doug disagreed, and disagreed strongly enough,
that Mark gave in. They then walked out on the balcony, each carrying his own
rifle. Mark carried his Winchester 30-30 lever action rifle vertically, with
the barrel lying up against his right shoulder. Doug carried his Marlin Model
3630 with both hands, the barrel pointed straight forward. Doug’s son carried
his Smith & Wesson M&P15T rifle pointed straight down, as he had been
trained in the military.

 After Mark, Doug and
his son, all armed, walked onto the parapet, Mark began to speak.

“As we said in our
video, we are here today to protest the federal government’s attempt to take
away our right to own firearms to protect ourselves. Thomas Jefferson once made
a statement….”

Colonel Jimenez
interrupted with a barked command on his bullhorn, which echoed off of the
limestone building, “Lay down your weapons.
Now
. Lay down your weapons,
or we will be forced to….”

Mark, ignoring the
warnings, plunged ahead with his statement, referring to his notes, “As I said,
Thomas Jefferson once made a statement about firearms that directly applies to
our protest today at the Montana State Capitol. Jefferson said, ‘The strongest
reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is,
as a
last resort,
to protect themselves against
tyranny in government’
.”
Our protest at the State House today is truly
a last resort
, and it’s a
protest, in fact, against
a tyrannical government
that has passed laws
to take our firearms away from us, even though our Constitution
prohibits
the government from doing so.”

Colonel Jimenez,
following standard firefight protocol when faced with an armed potential
adversary, snapped out on his command com system to his squad, “Weapons
up….Acquire targets….Hold….Hold….Hold”

Later video showed
that Mark’s rifle fell forward at that point, into a firing position. It was
unclear whether it slipped forward and he grabbed it, resulting in it being in
a firing position, or he intentionally moved it. No one will ever know, as the
moment two of the protestors had soldiers in their firing zone, Colonel Carlos
Jimenez gave an order that he felt he had to give, though his guts wrenched as
he did so,
“Take your shots….Confirmed….Take your shots….Ahw, doggone it.”
Mark
and Doug entered eternity due to clean mid head shots. As Doug fell, his weapon
discharged, whether intentionally or not, also never to be known, sending a
bullet through the upper arm of an Army private who was at the farthest edge of
their emplacement. Doug’s son dropped his weapon and fell to the balcony floor
for cover. As he dived for cover, a bullet shattered part of his lower jaw.
Gunning and the others with him, not yet knowing the fate of their three
friends, surrendered by holding their arms above their heads and slowly walked
out the 6
^th
Avenue Capitol exit doors, on the opposite side of the
building. They did not yet know that they would each soon be charged with
conspiracy to commit murder of a federal employee, assault on a federal employee
and threatening a federal employee with a firearm. What CNBC called ‘The
Montana Armed Insurrection’ was over.