Quote from Blotto:
Sure, take the piss out of people who believe in something and have the courage to stand up for it. What do you believe in?
I've read their ten oaths and there isn't anything which looks "goofy" to me.
2. We will NOT obey any order to conduct warrantless searches of the American people, their homes, vehicles, papers, or effects -- such as warrantless house-to house searches for weapons or persons.
3. We will NOT obey any order to detain American citizens as âunlawful enemy combatantsâ or to subject them to trial by military tribunal.
10. We will NOT obey any orders which infringe on the right of the people to free speech, to peaceably assemble, and to petition their government for a redress of grievances.
For those of us with an interest in the matter, it isn't out of the question that the police and military may be called upon to act unlawfully by putting down legitimate civilian protest.
The governments in the USA and Europe have discussed the need to use the military for domestic enforcement of political will for the last few decades. If you are interested in this I suggest you read about the British experiences deploying the military to Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
There is much written by government agencies regarding the challenges of their using military force to quell civil unrest. Northern Ireland was used by the British Goverment as a test of public opinion as to what is politically tolerable when suppressing a "terrorist threat". Rubber bullets, house to house weapons searches, torture of suspects, internment of political prisoners (some of whom were guilty, but others merely guilty of "driving while Catholic").
The "oath keepers" might appear a bit kooky, but it is comforting to know that at least some of those charged with our protection and respecting our consititional rights don't believe in "befel ist befel" as justification for abuses.