National Guard units
seeking to confiscate a cache of recently banned assault weapons were
ambushed by elements of a Para-military extremist faction. Military and
law enforcement sources estimate that 72 were killed and more than 200
injured before government forces were compelled to withdraw.
Speaking after the clash, Massachusetts
Governor Thomas Gage declared that the extremist faction, which was made
up of local citizens, has links to the radical right-wing tax protest movement.
Gage blamed the extremists for recent
incidents of vandalism directed against internal revenue offices. The
governor, who described the group’s organizers as “criminals,” issued an
executive order authorizing the summary arrest of any individual who
has interfered with the government’s efforts to secure law and order.
The military raid on the extremist
arsenal followed wide-spread refusal by the local citizenry to turn over
recently outlawed assault weapons.
Gage issued a ban on military-style
assault weapons and ammunition earlier in the week. This decision
followed a meeting in early this month between government and military
leaders at which the governor authorized the forcible confiscation of
illegal arms.
One government official, speaking on
condition of anonymity, pointed out that “none of these people would
have been killed had the extremists obeyed the law and turned over their
weapons voluntarily.”
Government troops initially succeeded in
confiscating a large supply of outlawed weapons and ammunition.
However, troops attempting to seize arms and ammunition in Lexington met
with resistance from heavily-armed extremists who had been tipped off
regarding the government’s plans.
During a tense standoff in the Lexington
town park, National Guard Colonel Francis Smith, commander of the
government operation, ordered the armed group to surrender and return to
their homes. The impasse was broken by a single shot, which was
reportedly fired by one of the right-wing extremists.
Eight civilians were killed in the ensuing exchange.
Ironically, the local citizenry blamed
government forces rather than the extremists for the civilian deaths.
Before order could be restored, armed citizens from surrounding areas
had descended upon the guard units. Colonel Smith, finding his forces
over matched by the armed mob, ordered a retreat.
Governor Gage has called upon citizens
to support the state/national joint task force in its effort to restore
law and order. The governor also demanded the surrender of those
responsible for planning and leading the attack against the government
troops.
Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and John
Hancock, who have been identified as “ringleaders” of the extremist
faction, remain at large.
And this fellow Americans, is how the American Revolution began, April 20, 1775.
seeking to confiscate a cache of recently banned assault weapons were
ambushed by elements of a Para-military extremist faction. Military and
law enforcement sources estimate that 72 were killed and more than 200
injured before government forces were compelled to withdraw.
Speaking after the clash, Massachusetts
Governor Thomas Gage declared that the extremist faction, which was made
up of local citizens, has links to the radical right-wing tax protest movement.
Gage blamed the extremists for recent
incidents of vandalism directed against internal revenue offices. The
governor, who described the group’s organizers as “criminals,” issued an
executive order authorizing the summary arrest of any individual who
has interfered with the government’s efforts to secure law and order.
The military raid on the extremist
arsenal followed wide-spread refusal by the local citizenry to turn over
recently outlawed assault weapons.
Gage issued a ban on military-style
assault weapons and ammunition earlier in the week. This decision
followed a meeting in early this month between government and military
leaders at which the governor authorized the forcible confiscation of
illegal arms.
One government official, speaking on
condition of anonymity, pointed out that “none of these people would
have been killed had the extremists obeyed the law and turned over their
weapons voluntarily.”
Government troops initially succeeded in
confiscating a large supply of outlawed weapons and ammunition.
However, troops attempting to seize arms and ammunition in Lexington met
with resistance from heavily-armed extremists who had been tipped off
regarding the government’s plans.
During a tense standoff in the Lexington
town park, National Guard Colonel Francis Smith, commander of the
government operation, ordered the armed group to surrender and return to
their homes. The impasse was broken by a single shot, which was
reportedly fired by one of the right-wing extremists.
Eight civilians were killed in the ensuing exchange.
Ironically, the local citizenry blamed
government forces rather than the extremists for the civilian deaths.
Before order could be restored, armed citizens from surrounding areas
had descended upon the guard units. Colonel Smith, finding his forces
over matched by the armed mob, ordered a retreat.
Governor Gage has called upon citizens
to support the state/national joint task force in its effort to restore
law and order. The governor also demanded the surrender of those
responsible for planning and leading the attack against the government
troops.
Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and John
Hancock, who have been identified as “ringleaders” of the extremist
faction, remain at large.
And this fellow Americans, is how the American Revolution began, April 20, 1775.
I think that the only thing that taking honest people's guns away would do is make life easier for the criminals. Because they aren't going to give up their guns. It isn't that hard to buy guns on the street, without the background checks.
