Michigan Militia

The Michigan Militia was an organized paramilitary organization founded by Norman Olson, a former U.S. Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer, of Alanson, Michigan, USA. The organization formed around 1994 in response to contemporary encroachments by the Federal Government on the rights of citizens during the early Clinton Administration. The Michigan Militia Corps (MMC) declined during the late 1990s and was essentially defunct as a statewide organization by 2000. Splinter groups continue to meet and train.

	Off-topic "Michigan Militia" is put here based on the following rationale:
	The Michigan Militia is frequently used as a boogieman by gun grabbers in their claims that armed citizens are dangerous. This article is included to rectify misconceptions and give gun owners ammunition to shoot down those lies.

Formation

Two events that contributed significantly to the formation and growth of the Michigan Militia were the Federal standoff at the Branch Davidian church in Waco, Texas (known as the "Waco Siege") and the Federal standoff with the Weaver family in Ruby Ridge, Idaho. Both of these events, which involved agents of the FBI and BATF, were alarming shows of force by the Federal Government against citizens who had not committed any federal crimes, but were targeted for simply having views (however strange they may have been) that ran contrary to those of the party in government at the time. In addition, several gun control laws that were passed during the early Clinton Administration increased alarm amongst many that Second Amendment rights were being severely infringed upon by the Federal Government.

Organization

The Michigan Militia was formally organized with the name Michigan Militia Corps, with the mascot being the wolverine, Michigan's state animal. The MMC was initially divided into four divisions, each having a regional name. The division names were:

1. Superior Michigan Regional Militia (named for Lake Superior)
2. Northern Michigan Regional Militia
3. Central Michigan Regional Militia
4. Southern Michigan Regional Militia

Each militia division consisted of several brigades, which were organized by county.

Each brigade had a commander, generally of the rank of lieutenant colonel, who was elected by the membership of that brigade. Each division was headed by a division commander with the rank of colonel, who was elected by the brigade commanders. The Michigan Militia Corps was headed by a commanding officer with the rank of brigadier general, who was elected at-large by all Michigan Militia Corps members on an annual basis.

At its peak the Michigan Militia Corps comprised membership of approximately 10,000. Major areas of focus for the Michigan Militia were paramilitary training, preparedness, and emergency response.

Timothy McVeigh

For some time, Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, was eagerly associated with the MMC by the mainstream media, eager for a broad brush with which to paint both conservatives and gun owners. In fact, McVeigh was never a member of the organization. McVeigh had attended one meeting of the MMC in the early 1990s and, after listening to some of his bizarre notions, Militia members promptly concluded that he was crazy as a bedbug and showed him the door. He was not invited back.

The Michigan Militia was later declared by the FBI to be clear of any involvement with either McVeigh or the Oklahoma City bombing. This was not, however, reported on anywhere nearly as broad a scale as the initial accusations, slander and misconceptions.

Significant Events

On June 15, 1995, Norman Olson, along with militia leaders from other states, testified before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Terrorism. Olson's opening statement included the following:

Not only does the Constitution specifically allow the formation of a Federal Army, it also recognizes the inherent right of the people to form militia. Further, it recognizes that the citizen and his personal armaments are the foundation of the militia. The arming of the militia is not left to the state but to the citizen. However, should the state choose to arm its citizen militia, it is free to do so (bearing in mind the Constitution is not a document limiting the citizen, but rather limiting the power of government). But should the state fail to arm its citizen militia, the right of the people to keep and bear arms becomes the source of the guarantee that the state will not be found defenseless in the presence of a threat to its security. It makes no sense whatsoever to look to the Constitution of the United States or that of any state for permission to form a citizen militia since logically, the power to permit is also the power to deny. If brought to its logical conclusion in this case, government may deny the citizen the right to form a militia. If this were to happen, the state would assert itself as the principle of the contract making the people the agents. Liberty then would depend on the state's grant of liberty. Such a concept is foreign to American thought.

On Martial Law in America:

One other important point needs to be made. Since The Constitution is the limiting document upon the government, the government cannot become greater than the granting power. That is, the servant cannot become greater than its master. Therefore, should the chief executive or the other branch of government or all branches together act to suspend The Constitution under a rule of martial law, all power granted to government would be cancelled and differed back to the granting power. That is the people. And I'll conclude with this statement: Martial law shall NOT be possible in this country as long as the people recognize the bill of rights as inalienable.

Norman Olson retained the position of Commander of the MMC until after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, when he published a bizarre press release blaming the Japanese for the bombing. This was supposedly done in retaliation for the sarin gas attack in the Tokyo subway system a few weeks before, which Olson inexplicably alleged was a clandestine US-sponsored operation. This outlandish press release was seen as an insufferable embarrassment by the MMC membership and Lynn Van Huizen of Nunica, Michigan was elected state commander in 1996.

Van Huizen was listed in the FBI's report entitled Project Megiddo as a more moderate militia leader, "A number of militia leaders, such as Lynn Van Huizen of the Michigan Militia Corps - Wolverines, have gone to some effort to actively rid their ranks of radical members who are inclined to carry out acts of violence and/or terrorism."

Decline

In the years after the Oklahoma City bombing, the Michigan Militia Corps slowly declined and the leadership fell into infighting. The organization was essentially defunct on a statewide basis by 2000, but small militia groups continued to operate independently.

External links

• MichiganMilitia.com
• Michigan Militia Corps 8th Division
• Michigan Militia Corps - Internet Archive historical copy of the MMC web site, circa 1998.