By ANDREW W. GRIFFIN

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: April 14, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Tea Party movement in Oklahoma is getting increasingly more attention this week in the wake of the Associated Press story on Wednesday that highlights interest in this state in having a state militia that would be on guard to protect citizens in the state from federal tyranny.

But trouble is looming. Law-abiding Tea Partiers are apparently being infiltrated and made to look extreme. Growing evidence points to provocateurs that bring to mind the protests of the Vietnam War era and COINTELPRO.

Oklahoma Watchdog received a tip Wednesday noting that a Tea Party activist, Jamison Faught, with the Muskogee Tea Party, had received a call from a man threatening violence at their Thursday Tea Party in Muskogee.

Faught said the man – using a blocked phone number – called him asking him if he was the head of the Muskogee Tea Party. He said he was.

“He then asked, ‘Can I bring my gun?’ I told him I didn’t think it would be a good idea in light of the shooting at the mall this past Saturday,” Faught said. “He then said, ‘Don’t you think someone should shoot the president?’”

Alarmed by the direction the conversation was going and what the man was saying, Faught said gun violence is not necessary and that the Tea Party advocates changing things at the ballot box. The caller said he “wanted to shoot somebody” and then said that the Second Amendment – the Right to Bear Arms – was “all about shooting n*ggers.”

“That’s when I hung up,” Faught said. He said they shared this information with the Muskogee County Sheriff, the District Attorney’s office, the U.S. Marshals and the Muskogee Police Department.

“There are people out there who want to portray the Tea Parties as racist,” Faught said. “That they are against African-Americans and the federal government. We’re not.”

And what Faught encountered appeared to be a provocateur. A federal provocateur, as noted in yesterday’s Watchdog story? A political troublemaker? A violent racist? It’s not clear. But it is troubling, regardless.

A key person in this militia discussion has been Al Gerhart, leader of the Sooner Tea Party and Oklahoma Constitutional Alliance. Gerhart asked the question in yesterday’s AP article: “(W)hen do the states stop rolling over for the federal government?”

Gerhart braved Chris Matthews on MSNBC’s Hardball program on Wednesday night. Matthews did everything to pin Gerhart down on the issue of the establishment of a state-sanctioned militia and the potential problems that may cause the federal government.

“What would be the role of an armed militia, though?” Matthews asked.

“Well, the militia they were speaking about was controlled by the state, by the governor. Uh, so it’s not what most people consider a militia. It’s more a state defense force. There are a total of 22 states that have a defense force already. Oklahoma is the only one that happens to have an inactive force. The purpose would be to back up the National Guard. When our National Guard is deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan or they don’t have the state guard here, that’s when they would step in.”

Gerhart was then asked about the role of the militia in terms of standing up to the federal government. He said if they tried that they would “be squashed,” he later said the Founders envisioned a state militia existing to keep the federal government “in check.”

Matthews brought in the 1957 school integration case in Little Rock and tried to get Gerhart to answer questions about issues unrelated to what the folks interested in a militia are trying to promote.

“There’s a legitimate need to have a State Guard, or else 22 other states wouldn’t have it, Chris,” Gerhart (pictured left) said.

Oklahoma Watchdog reported late Wednesday on this story and concerns about infiltration by troublesome Infoshop and Black bloc anarchists, basically listless gutter punks who look to cause problems during legitimate protests. Locally, in Oklahoma City, the Scissortail Social Space, at 30th and Walker, is a safe haven for this cabal of anarchists who are known for Critical Mass bike rides and the reading of subversive and communistic literature.

Oklahoma Watchdog went by Scissortail Social Space on Wednesday afternoon and did not see any activity at the building. A chair outside had a picture of a heart, overlaid with the “A” anarchist symbol painted on it. Little else could be seen. As their website notes, funds are needed to keep the building occupied. “If there were monthly donors paying rent and other basic expenses,” notes the site. “Would no longer be a last minute scramble.” It’s clearly tough to pay the rent when you’re a ski-mask wearing anarchist, methinks.

And this evening, beginning at 6 p.m., the first of two Tea Parties – the second will be midday Thursday – will be held at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Kaye Beach, at Axxiom for Liberty blog, has a post today titled “Hating on the Patriots – a multi pronged effort.” Beach writes “Here are some ideas to help neutralize the nay-sayers and enjoy your rallies.”

Oklahoma Watchdog will be at both rallies talking to attendees and monitoring the crowd for any potential troublemakers. As the Infoshoppers have noted, they are going to be “crashing” the Tea Parties this week. It’s simply not clear in what cities this activity will be taking place.

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog