The Oath Keepers

LITTLE ROCK — Ever heard of a former paratrooper and Yale Law School graduate named Stewart Rhodes?

How about the non-partisan group he founded in April called the Oath Keepers? Me neither. Not until last week anyway.

But we all should be aware of this non-violent, committed group of Americans and how rapidly their numbers are growing across America. Basically, they are men and women who are dedicating themselves to the principles cited in our founding documents.

David Helms of Prairie Grove is the passionate Arkansas coordinator for the group. As with others who have joined Oath Keepers, this 49-year-old Army veteran and pilot says he is devoted to preserving our constitutional republic.

Oath Keepers is primarily composed of current and former military, police and firefighters as well as citizen participants who pledge to remain loyal to the oath they took to support and defend the principles of the U.S. Constitution "against all enemies, foreign and domestic, so help me God." It is basically the same oath recited by all local, state and federal officials.

The Oath Keepers, many of whom choose not to publicize their involvement with the organization, have adopted the motto, "Not on our watch." These citizens actually believe that the oath they took is as much a part of who they are as their physical bodies.

As Oath Keepers, they pledge to never obey orders that would "disarm the American people; conduct warrantless searches; detain American citizens as 'unlawful enemy combatants' or subject them to military tribunal; impose martial law or a 'state of emergency' on a state;invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty; blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps; force Americans into any form of detention camps under any pretext; support the use of any foreign troops on U.S. soil against the American people to 'keep the peace' or to 'maintain control'; confiscate the property of Americans, including food and other essential supplies; infringe on the right of the people to free speech, peaceable assembly and to petition their government for a redress of grievances."

Wow. Who'd have imagined in this democratic republic that such a group would ever feel the need to even organize?

"It's an all-consuming labor of love," said Helms who also has launched an Arkansas Oath Keepers Web site that can be Googled. "There is no pay or compensation beyond the gratification that comes from spreading the word and growing our numbers. Our members pay out oftheir own pockets to print fliers, and spend their own time passing them out and speaking to law enforcement, military personnel and others."

Helms said that the purpose of Oath Keepers is to remind those who've taken an oath to the U.S. Constitution of their sacred pledge.

"The oath is to the Constitution, notto a politician, not to a commanding officer, not to a police chief, not even to a president," he said. "Anyone who has taken the oath must not only obey lawful orders, but they must refuse any unlawful or unconstitutional orders.

"The Uniform Code Of Military Justice is clear that they must uphold their oath. There's no expiration date. Further, those same oath takers are bound by the UCMJ from accepting [unconstitutional] orders and, in fact, must refuse them."

There are other actions that Oath Keepers won't take. For instance, its members don't advocate or promote the overthrow of any government, be it local, state or national. They also do not promote violence or the removal of any official from his or her elected office, including judges.

They are continuing to grow for one reason, Helms said: They want our government to return to the same constitutional republic that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution defined and instituted. They are against aggression toward any citizen. In fact, the group seeks a nation free of fear and hatred. It's fundamental intent, Helms said, is to become "a bulwark against tyranny."

In short, the brief ceremony during which at one time these soldiers, peace officers, firefighters and other public officials raised their rights hands and pledged their energies and lives to protect and defend the Constitution as the law of this nation was as meaningful and enduring as anything they have done in their lifetime.

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Mike Masterson is opinion editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Northwest edition.