A new patriotic organization called “Oath Keepers” was invited to join a Committees of Safety-sponnsored rally on Massachusetts’ historic Lexington Green to renew their oaths to support and defend the U.S. Constitution April 19, the 234th anniversary of the revolutionary war battles of Lexington and Concord. The Committees of Safety is named for the groups that organized in colonial America during the beginning of the War for Independence. 

The new Oath Keepers organization of mostly current and former military, police, and emergency-service personnel pledged themselves to 10 resolutions to disobey any order to confiscate firearms from law-abiding citizens, assist in warrantless searches, or help to detain American citizens without a trial by jury. The organization drew 400 attendees to the event despite little advance publicity (only a YouTube video and an appearance on the Alex Jones radio show). The rally headlined Oath Keepers’ founder Stewart Rhodes, Walter Reddy of the Committees of Safety, and 29 Palms Survey author Lt. Commander Guy Cunningham.

“The only way a tyrannical government from the left or right can succeed is for active duty personnel to obey unlawful orders,” former Army paratrooper and Oath Keepers’ founder Rhodes told the crowd. “If you took an oath to defend the U.S. Constitution, you have a duty to disobey unlawful orders. When you took the oath, you lost the option to duck out.” Rhodes is also an attorney, Yale University graduate, SWAT magazine columnist, and former staffer for Congressman Ron Paul.

Rhodes stressed that although Oath Keepers’ supporters were about to renew their oaths to the Constitution, the American people did not get their rights from the Constitution. “Where do our rights come from? There was no Second Amendment in 1775,” he told the crowd. “The Bill of Rights protects our rights, it doesn’t grant them.”

The event began and ended with words from the six-foot-six “Patriot Pastor” Garrett Lear, who closed his opening remarks with a rousing call for “No king but Jesus!”

Dave Freeman, a retired policeman from Nevada, read and administered the 10 Oath Keepers’ resolutions to it new members, which included Richard Mack, the former sheriff who fought the Brady Bill all the way to the Supreme Court. Nearly all those in attendance renewed their oaths to limit government to the requirements of the U.S. Constitution.

Tom Moor of the Committees of Safety read a speech by constitutional scholar Edwin Viera (Viera was unable to attend as scheduled). 

Organizations like Oath Keepers seem destined for dramatic growth as the Obama administration has targeted political conservatives and military veterans as potential violent terrorists under a new Department of Homeland Security report entitled Rightwing Extremism (pdf). And with the way the Obama administration is targeting the Constitution, the growth of organizations like Oath Keepers will be needed to preserve liberty.

The author wishes to thank Hal Shurtleff for his firsthand reporting on this event.

Photo of Pastor Garrett Lear (left) with Walter Reddy

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Campaign Liberty said:

	Civil and Economic Freedom Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!!!! Thank you for your efforts to secure our civil and economic freedoms again.
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April 20, 2009 | url
Votes: +9

Pat Henry said:

Rights from God, not any State For some theological underpinnings to this viewpoint, see Francis Schaeffer _A Christian Manifesto_, which foresaw the probable need for righteous resistance to tyranny decades ago, helping spark the pro-life Rescue movement. And if you get to Wahington, D.C. with your homeschoolers this summer, you may want to visit the George Mason memorial, a little further down the path from the Jefferson. I prayed there on bended knee with my "arrows" a few years ago. (We then did NOT bother to proceed to the FDR memorial, despite our "conservative" Congressman's aide having stated that FDR was his hero of American history!) Geo. Mason's Virginia rights were the basis for the Bill of Rights, which recognized (not established) the rights of freemen. Remember the verse on the Liberty Bell, and skip the revisionist history now placed around it! (if you also get to Phila.)

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April 20, 2009
Votes: +11

Thomas Paine said:

	Go Oathkeepers! It's amazing that in the "land of the free", we must have Oathkeeper rallys to show our loyalty to the constitution. Our government is so far over the Fascist line, it is sad to say that we must go back to basics like this. Good going Oathkeepers. God bless your virtue. We will beat this fascist progression with hard work and persistant effort.
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April 21, 2009
Votes: +13

ron villareale said:

Standing with the oathkeepers on Lexington green We arrived early on the morning of the 19th at Lexington green. We came to stand with the oathkeepers on that historic site where men first stood for our freedoms against oppressive government. There I meet a legislator from Montana and another from Maryland. A couple from New Jersey had driven up. I meet people from New York, from North Carolina and from many other parts of the country. We had all come to where history had be made in the past. We came to renew and reaffirm the sacrifices of the past and our willing to sacrifice in defence of the Constitution for future generations. By the hundreds Americans gathered on Lexington Green this day from long distances. We gathered not only to represent ourselves, but to represent in spirit all of you that could not be there.

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April 21, 2009
Votes: +12

M said:

	Swept under the rug... www.committeesofsafety.org Link was forgotten -- what a shame!!! Give credit where credit is due!!!
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April 21, 2009
Votes: +0

Allan Smith said:

Offensed by Defense ? My son and I were on The Green by 7:30 Sunday morning and were excited to watch as people arrived. With cameras in hand, we went from place to place on the green, taking photos so that history will record and recall this great milestone in American History. REVISE THIS, ye liberals if you will, for here stood on this 19th of April in the year of Our Lord 2009 brave men all, who by sacrifice of comfort and property, gathered on The Green to once again Pledge to come to the Defense of "We The People" and the Constitution which affirms ( not grants ) "inalienable rights". By sacrifices beyond measure, our country was born, by The Grace of God and by further sacrifice on that day, we committed ourselves to pay what ever price is necessary to redeem it from the hands of the perpetrators of Injustice. What a blessing for our children who were there to witness men of honor taking this stand ... and what cause for rejoicing should resound thru this nation as people view the videos and read such accounts as the one above, as they may all take courage that HONOR and BRAVERY are not dead. My thanks to all the military and police, both active and retired who made their stand on The Green for they have rejuvenated the pulsing heart of Americans around the world. I ask you all "Should those who rape this great nation fear us ?" .... I didn't hear you and I ask again "SHOULD THOSE WHO RAPE THIS GREAT NATION FEAR US ?"

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April 21, 2009 | url
Votes: +4

Mark said:

A rhetorical question... Paul Valone over at Charlotte Gun Rights Examiner just asked the rhetorical question, "Why did Oath Keepers form during the Bush administration?" The answer is obvious, but the question makes a good point. I think this would look good on a T-shirt. Speaking for which, click my link above and you can make your own Oath Keepers T-shirt, or follow this URL: http://www.zazzle.com/wasaka Oath Keepers T-Shirts, Mugs, Neck Ties, Stamps, and more...

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April 22, 2009 | url
Votes: -1

Ron Bokleman said:

	Boston Gun Rights Examiner is an Oath Keeper http://www.examiner.com/x-7133...ath-keeper
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April 22, 2009 | url
Votes: +1

Paladin said:

	Me too! While I wasn't able to attend this historic ceremony, I want ALL PATRIOTS to know that I WILL STAND with them and that I have taken this oath several times before AND retook it via the video. For this cause I hereby pledge my life, my fortune and my sacred honor. Long live the REPUBLIC and Death to Tyrants everywhere.
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April 22, 2009
Votes: +5

Sig Unger said:

	Thank You Evil flourishes when good people do nothing!
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April 24, 2009
Votes: +2

Ticked Off Too said:

	... Mark asked: "Why did Oath Keepers form during the Bush administration?" What date did they form? I was unable to find that information. However, I did find this info in regards to the founder which speaks volumes. He is a former firearms instructor and former member of Rep. Ron Paul's DC staff. Anti-war Ron Paul ..... says it all. Too bad!
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May 01, 2009
Votes: +0

Oath Keepers not such a good idea, Lowly rated comment [Show]