All posts by Stevan Thomas

California

Resolution re Private Military Contractors

2 Comments

Now that Blackwater is back in the news and CCR (Center for Constitutional Rights) is filing a lawsuit in DC Federal Court this morning on behalf of 3 of the recent shooting victims, it’s time to dust off my resolution. My first draft was last June. Please feel free to make changes within your own club or central committee, bearing in mind the idea is to get this to the EBoard Resolutions Committee where they will certainly make their own changes. It’s a resolution, not legislation. It needs to go to the EBoard with broad support if they are going to consider it at all. The power to apply deadly force needs to reside within our government and not be outsourced to private entities.
Stevan Thomas
Candidate AD15
http://ElectSteveTho…

DRAFT 10.11.07

Resolution Regarding Private Military Contractors Operating Within California

Whereas, The Constitution of the State of California, under Declaration of Rights, Article 1, Section 5 reads: “The military is subordinate to civil power. A standing army may not be maintained in peacetime.”

Whereas, Private Military Contactors (P.M.C., a.k.a. mercenaries or private armies) are NOT under civil control OR military chain-of-command AND can be looked upon as a “standing private army maintained in peacetime” if allowed to operate within California:

Whereas, Private Military Contractors, using military weapons, were used in New Orleans following hurricane Katrina to keep peace and order and were actively disarming law abiding citizens of their lawfully owned weapons, and were outside of civil control:

Resolved by the Democratic Party of California that we support the urgent need for legislation stating that NO Private Military Contractor, mercenary corporation acting as a paramilitary or private military entity, or any subsidiary of same, be granted a corporate charter to operate in the State of California unless fully and completely under civil control and within the civil or military chain-of-command, subject to civil control and that there be a prohibition against any and all private corporate armies being formed.

Be it further resolved that the Posse Comitatus Act be enforced within the State of California and that it be amended so that no Private Military Contractor may be employed against the civilian population in times of civil unrest.