PROCLAMATION

To all citizens of the United States and its Territories:

April 19 of this and each year hereafter is declared to be Militia Day. All able-bodied citizens are to assemble with their arms to celebrate their right to keep and bear arms and to assemble as militias in defense of the Republic, as recognized in the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Leaders designated in each county or municipality are to announce a place for members of the militia to form, beginning at 6:00 AM of April 19. It is suggested that this place be a large field on the outskirts of every major city, and especially those cities having federal courts and offices.

The order of the day shall be to sign up the members, organize them into squads of approximately 20 persons each, and spend the morning in training in the military arts and the safe and effective handling of arms, and instruction in their rights and duties under the U.S. and state Constitutions. This should include learning to recite at least the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, and Tenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution from memory.

Each such squad shall elect a Sergeant-At-Arms who shall conduct the training and report to Militia commanders. He should be a person of good character who has the skills to lead in military march and drill.

Throughout the day, all weapons are to be kept unloaded, and the Sergeant At-Arms shall make it his or her duty to inspect all weapons for compliance. Ammunition may accompany the formation, to be carried by someone designated for that duty, but ammunition is not to be issued to militia members unless or until it is needed to defend against a threat to their lives or those of other militia members or innocent persons.

The order of march shall be to begin after lunch to march two abreast across the city to a site on the opposite side, where speeches shall be given and the militia dismissed. The path of march shall be along sidewalks, respecting private property, traffic signals and other rules of pedestrian movement. In no case shall the march be conducted in a way that would require a parade permit, nor shall such permit be sought or accepted.

The path of march should be past any federal courthouse or offices, and past local government offices, homes of elected officials, and through any neighborhoods which have been subjected to high rates of crime and violence. Each squad shall carry the flags of the United States and of the State.

When opposite government buildings, each squad shall be ordered to halt, face the building, present arms, and recite the First, Second, and Tenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, followed by the oath: "I swear/affirm that I will preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic".

If the government whose buildings they face is deemed to have violated the Constitution of the United States, then, depending on whether it is a federal or a state building, the U.S. or state flag shall be inverted as a protest, and not inverted back to its proper attitude until the squad shall have resumed the march.

During the march, martial music may be played, but it is suggested that, in honor of the militiamen at the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the instruments be drums and fifes, or something similar.

Each squad should be equipped with one video camera, to record the events and any resistance to them which may be encountered. Each squad should have a plan to secure the video tapes and have copies of them made and distributed before they can be seized by any hostile parties. The press should be kept informed and encouraged to provide coverage of the event prior and during its occurrence.

Militiamen shall be permitted to carry protest signs, but shall be asked not to carry any which are not relevant to the occasion or which are too inflammatory. It is suggested that they include the following:

(1) Exhortations to remember events: "Remember Lexington and Concord", "Remember the Warsaw Ghetto", "Remember the Alamo", "Remember Ruby Ridge", "Remember Mount Carmel", and others such.

(2) Declarations of constitutional violations: "Title 26 USC Sec. 5861 is a violation of the Tenth Amendment", "Title 18 USC Sec. 922 is a violation of the Second and Tenth Amendments", "Title 18 USC has jurisdiction only in federal territories or the high seas", "The Firearms Acts of 1934,1968, 1986 are unconstitutional", or others such.

(3) The oath: "I swear/affirm that I will preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic".

(4) Militia identification: "Militia of the County/City of ..."

Women and children are urged to participate, as are citizens of all races, creeds, and religions. It is suggested that children hold the protest signs.

If arrested by law enforcement agents, militia members are not to resist, but when questioned, are to give only their name, county or town, their militia rank (private by default), and to recite the First, Second, and Tenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. At this stage in the Militia Movement, it is best not to be seen as provoking violence, and martyrs will serve the Movement better than victors.

Persons not having or wishing to carry actual firearms are encouraged to carry other kinds of arms, such as swords, bows, knives, or, if nothing else, a wooden or plastic facsimile of a weapon. It should be remembered that "arms" are not just firearms.

Members of youth "gangs" shall not be excluded if they agree to participate under militia discipline, in mixed units, and swear to uphold constitutional laws and the Constitution. They should be encouraged to renounce their allegiance to gang leaders and affirm their allegiance to the community as a whole.

Committees of Correspondence are to be established by state, county, and congressional district. Secure means of communication shall be established to call out the militia on short notice to deal with any emergency. In no case are such Committees of Correspondence or any militia to receive tax funds or to be subject to govermental authority at any level. They shall be private, voluntary associations that fund themselves and make their own rules. These may unite under a National Militia Association, National Militia Coordinating Committee, or some such.

Militias must avoid allowing any persons to become indispensible leaders, so that the Militia Movement could be suppressed by attacking its leaders. The Militia must be, to the extent possible, "leaderless" and spontaneous.

Local militias are to conduct regular meetings for training and discussion on at least a monthly basis, and to plan events for future Militia Day celebrations.

We must also work together to get April 19 declared a national holiday, Militia Day. Not a "right to keep and bear arms" day, because every day is a right to keep and bear arms day. Militia Day shall be a day on which all able-bodied citizens will be called up for formations of their local militias, for training and discussion.

Copies of this proclamation are to be made and distributed everywhere, together with the name and phone number of a local coordinator, and a map of the formation sites and the routes of march.

For information contact: Texas Militia Correspondence Committee, 6900 San Pedro #147-230, San Antonio, TX 78216, 210/224-2868