Committees of Correspondence and Safety

In the past week, I have hear references to two organizations, the Committees of Correspondence and the Committees of Safety, that I had not thought about in years; and then, only in the context of my high school history books. Who knew that we would need the aid of such as these again?

During the time period leading up to the American Revolution, various groups (such as the Sons of Liberty) within the 13 Colonies developed Committees of Correspondence for the purposes of communicating among the various colonies in order to organize opposition to British actions, and bring people together to support the common cause. The first Committee of Correspondence was formed in 1764 in Boston in opposition to the Currency Act. Other such committees were formed to rally people in protest of the Stamp Act and the Intolerable (Coercive) Acts. These various acts all aimed to tax the colonies into oblivion in order for Great Britian to pay for the recent Queen Anne's War (in Europe), which was called the French and Indian War in North America. The English colonists, not used to such oppressive taxes, and unwilling to pay them, generally refused to do so. The Committees of Correspondence were instrumental in organizing mass actions such as the Boston Tea Party.

Starting at the about the same time (the early 1760s), Committees of Safety were formed in many colonial towns and cities. These were local organizations that were often composed of all of the adult males in the community, whose purpose was to discuss the concerns of the day, and to keep watch and act upon threats to the welfare of the community. As part of the latter, the Committees of Safety elected representatives to larger decision-making bodies (regional or colonial), and often were responsible for ordering out the local militias.

Now as events accelerate towards a great crisis that could destroy our Liberty, bankrupt the United States, and change our political system irrevocably, the patriot community is finding ways to communicate for information and action once again. We are also thinking about how to strengthen our communities and prepare our friends and neighbors for the terrible economic disruption (and all that this implies) still to come.

Last weekend, when the Engineering Geek and I attended the New Mexico organizing meeting for the 2009 Continental Congress, the state chair of the New Mexico Constitution Party passed around a letter and call to action for the purpose of organizing a steering committee for a coalition of the liberty parties and organizations (libertarians, constitutionalists, 9-12ers, etc.) in the state based on shared values and goals. The coalition would be based upon small, local groups, which were called 'Committees of Safety.' He listed the following objectives:

“A Proposal for Your Consideration:

“Formation of a unified patriot community here in New Mexico will provide not only mutual support but also enable us to prepare for what appears to be on the horizon for America. As most citizens are woefully ignorant of indifferent to what is going on, it is imperative that we this NOW so that we will be able to help them later. I submit for your consideration these primary objectives:

· That we continue our efforst in the various groups that we represent
· That we cooperate with one another instead of remaining isolated or distant
· That we identify common or shared values and rally around those principles
· That we form a broader coalition based on these shared convictions
· That we develop a functional network for mutual care, training and mobilization

“To this I would add the following suggested goals:

Formation of a steering committee to chart the course of this network
Cross-pollination of our groups and collaborative efforts
Develop strategic plans for crisis preparedness, patriot education and training
Form localized, small groups to facilitate and achieve these goals
Strengthen and expand this alliance across the State of New Mexico

“Find out more at http://americansynergy.wetpaint.org/ or www.committeesofsafety.org"
(From "To the patriot community of New Mexico" by Dave Batcheller, distributed March 21, 2009).

Although there are many of us who have been aware of what is coming for some time, we had all hoped against hope that we were wrong about the severity of the approaching storm. However, in the past few weeks we have seen spending packages passed that commit us well beyond our ability to repay, the monitization of said debt, and now we are hearing our genius Secretary of the Treasury ask for power to nationalize and close any businesses he deems "a threat to economy" without asking leave of anyone. This same brilliant man has also been heard to say that he supports a world currency. He was against it before he was for it. And then he was against it after he was for it. The destruction of the dollar is well underway, and the aforementioned monetization of our debt could lead to hyperinflation. We have begun lending ourselves money to pay for our committments because of the deficits. It is a vicious, downward spiral, that will lead to the destruction of our wealth and the suffering of millions.

All of this has been occuring while the corrupt clowns in Congress have tried to distract our attention by bussing the ACORN equivalent of Brownshirts to protest outside the homes of AIG executives and to threaten their families with all manner of creative destruction. The attorney generals of Connecticut and New York have threatened to "out" the executives who dare to keep their contractual and earned bonuses, not in a court of law, but in the court of public opinion. This is government sponsored rule by fear and intimidation; instigated by the fools (in all three branches and in both "major" parties) in Washington who do it to save their own guilty butts from the opening salvos in the class wars they are creating. (Here at Ragamuffin House, we wonder what they will do when the mob turns on them, as mobs are wont to do. It may well be the Reign of Terror on steroids).

And since our government is pouring gasoline on a variety of fires, we understand that it is up to us to work with our friends and neighbors to develop networks for mutual aid and support in order to weather the coming storm. Those of us who have been aware and have already prepared ourselves can be of great assistance to our friends and neighbors who have not, and those who cannot bring themselves to believe that this could be happening now. Thus, the idea to develop these Committees of Safety.

DISCLAIMER FOR HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE MISSOURI STATE POLICE ASSOCIATION: We are not militias. Even though: 1) most of us have in the past or do now belong to third parties such as the Constitution Party or the Libertarians; 2) most of us have actually voted for people like Ron Paul and Bob Barr; 3) some of us belong to the NRA or JPFO; 4) all of us own pocket copies of the US Constitution provided by that subversive group, the Heritage Foundation; and (gasp!) 5) all of us have had the termerity to criticize or complain about the IRS at some point in our lives.

We live in interesting times.

This morning, I heard Congresswoman Michelle Bachman* interviewed on the Glenn Beck Program. In the course of the interview, which can be found in its entirety here--and it's well worth a listen), she commented that radio programs like Mr. Beck's and groups like the 9-12 Project and the Tea Parties, are the modern equivalent of Committees of Correspondence, because they help Americans who love the Constitution keep abreast of the increasing pace of its destruction by the very people sworn to uphold it. And they provide a rallying point for purposeful action by citizens to defend the Constitution.

*Congresswoman Bachman is the committee member who asked Secretary (and Tax Cheat) Geithner to show her where the Constitution would allow him such powers as he was requesting. She asked it over and over again. Funny, how the good secretary could not find anything like that in the Constitution. I mean, he must know what's in it. He has sworn to uphold it.

As I listened, I thought that the good congresswoman was right. Last night, as I sat in a group of 9-12ers at the Independence Grill in Albuquerque, as we discussed and debated the meaning of the Declaration of Independence, I understood also the meaning of our gathering. These are our Committees of Correspondence. We will be Committees of Safety for the mutual aid and support of our neighbors. We love our country and the exceptional form of government passed down to us from those miracle makers in Philadelphia. We want it to continue and prosper. And as we gather to speak and debate, we find our own voices. Voices that no Fairness Doctrine can ever silence. Here we develop the courage not only to express our beliefs, but to act on them.

And just in time, too. It feels downright serendipidous.