Police told to choose: Gun control or Constitution

by: Drew Zahn 

“This is a message to every member of law enforcement and the military,” a sizzling new YouTube video begins. “You know you have a choice to make.”
The video, produced by a man identified on Facebook as Aaron Hawkins, is a challenge to those who enforce America’s laws, warning them the day is coming when gun-control legislation will undermine the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment and police forces will be asked to restrict or even confiscate American citizens’ firearms.

On that day, the video warns, America’s lawmakers will have committed “treason,” and the nation’s police and military will be forced to choose “which side of history you’re going to be on.”
The video, titled “Police & Military – Time to Choose,” cites alleged offenses already enacted against the Constitution from both current and past presidential administrations, including the Patriot Act – which expanded the federal government’s use of domestic security and surveillance powers – and the National Defense Authorization Act – which many worry opens the door to indefinite detention of American citizens without trial.
“At this juncture in history, there can be no question that those holding the reins of power in Congress and the Senate and in the executive branch no longer represent the rule of law,” the video continues, “By destroying the Constitution with the Patriot Act and the NDAA and numerous other police-state measures, they have abandoned every shred of legitimacy and have made themselves into enemies of the people.”

Hawkins, who administers a site called StormCloudsGathering.com, paints the picture in stark terms, but says he hopes principled police and military will rather refuse to enforce the laws than permit a conflict over firearms turn to civil war.
“You took an oath to defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic,” the video reminds the police and military. “The Congress, the Senate and the executive branch have made themselves into a domestic enemy, and they are going to attempt to use you to help them. It’s time to choose which side of history you’re going to be on.
“Any congressperson or senator who puts their name to any law which infringes on the right to bear arms should be arrested for treason. That would be a literal fulfillment of your oath,” Hawkins continues. “If you don’t want the situation to come to that … send a letter to every congressperson, senator and state lawmaker, a letter not asking them nicely to abide by the Constitution, but letting them no on no uncertain terms what will happen to them if they don’t. Make it clear to them that not only will you refuse to enforce their edicts, but they will be defining themselves as enemies of the Constitution and of the people, if they go down this road.”

Hawkins’ video ends with an appeal to support Oathkeepers.org, which describes itself as “a non-partisan association of currently serving military, veterans, peace officers and firefighters who will fulfill the oath we swore to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, so help us God. Our oath is to the Constitution, not to the politicians, and we will not obey unconstitutional (and thus illegal) and immoral orders, such as orders to disarm the American people.”
Though there is no indication the organization endorses Hawkins’ video, a similar call to choose the Constitution over gun-control legislation does appear on the Oath Keepers’ website from a New Jersey police officer identified as Oathkeeper151:

Oathkeeper151 includes in his call to fellow police officers a challenge similar to Hawkins, reminding them that laws are only as enforceable as those willing to enforce them.
“If [we] law enforcement officials and military remembered our oaths,” the Oath Keeper states, “[gun-grabbing legislators] wouldn’t be able to do anything.”