Are there any govt guidelines or an outline of what rights will be suspended in case of Martial Law? I'm not looking for a broad answer (like the whole Constitution). I'm interested in finding a site describing what Martial law really means in United States.

I've personally experienced Martial Law in Eastern Europe as a kid....I will never forget it.

jake

-- Jake Melon (woogie@boogie.com), November 16, 1999

Answers

"survival of the fittest"

-- C Darwin (Origin@species.com), November 16, 1999.

My understanding is that it is different per circumstance. I was in SoCA when the soldiers were all standing around on street corners. There weren't any check points, nothing, just uniformed guys standing around on street corners. Strangers drove around everywhere into SouthCentral because people came in from odd corners all over to help with the clean up.

Devastated neighborhoods where the peoples belongings are scattered all about is the touchy-touchy so I've been told. One sees the checkpoints, rules that if one leaves the area one can't return until such time the next day, no one allowed outside of their intact homes, and no one but the people who own the scattered possessions allowed to be out period.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), November 16, 1999.

It means that if you look like Victoria Principal, then Marjoe Gortner gets to try to rape you.

Ten points for anyone that gathers the reference. : )

-- Paul Milne "If you live within 5 miles of a 7-11, you're toast"

-- Paul Milne (fedinfo@halifax.com), November 16, 1999.

Actually, it may turn out to be "survival of the FATTEST". No joke. Anyone with about 20-40 extra pounds on them will be at an advantage if food is scarce!

JAKE: Please tell us more about Eastern Europe under Martial Law. This would be VERY informative to us all. How many months/years did this endure?

-- profit of doom (doom@helltopay.ca), November 16, 1999.

Paul, I don't remember the name of the film, but Gortner was a repressed grocery stock clerk called to active duty in the NG, where he got a loaded gun and became power-mad. Pricipal was a customer of the store that he had his eye on. Can't remember what the disaster was (earthquake?). It's been YEARS since I saw that film. (So do I get those points???)

;^)

-- Dennis (djolson@cherco.net), November 16, 1999.

Here's some quick trivia. I saw on TV a few weeks ago that the gov't sent 15,000 troops into Watts, LA during the famous 1968 riots.

That's a lot of troops per square mile, I think.

-- impala (impala@wild.com), November 16, 1999.

In the earthquake movie tonight they were making people go into the shelters--for their own protection, of course.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), November 17, 1999.

I remember that movie also. Marjoe Gortner. His name was taken frm the combined names of Mary and Joseph. He was a child preacher until he took another road.

-- w.cares (yeasowhat4@aol.com), November 17, 1999.

We can only hope that George Kennedy is around and in uniform!

Definitely not for the "opportune Jewelry looters".

If we see any Black Evel Knievel wannabees, then we will know life is indeed imitating art, even if Charlton Heston is the President of the NRA.

A little shakin', a little tenderizin....and down ya go....Ooops, wrong 70's disaster flick. Mixing Robert Shaw with Steve McQueen, bad combination......... then again so was the acting.

Close enough Paul?

I'd like that ten-spot applied to a barter-portion of Great Northerns if'n you don't mind.

-- INVAR (gundark@sw.net), November 17, 1999.

Jake,

For alot of information on Martial Law,go to

http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/results_.cfm/Martial_Law

-- Maggie (aaa@aaa.com), November 17, 1999.

Paul;

I think it was the movie where dallas or huston got hit by a meteor. So my final answer is Meteor.

-- FLAME AWAY (BLehman202@aol.com), November 17, 1999.

There is no "cut & dry" answer to this! Could go either way.

Executive orders on the books let the Government do *ANYTHING* they want. UN has recently declared it will ignore borders in case of "human rights violations" (read NATO military troops). If "they" decide Y2K is time for war or a revolution, kiss yer a$$ good-bye!

...on the other hand, in the event of something less than TEOTWAWKI, Government "help" given may be genuine and welcome. Not everyone in Government is a Bill or a Hillary. Most military & police are good people concerned about their community and nation. Military & police just get a bad "rap" from the media because they tend to be socially conservative (UNLIKE THE MEDIA).

-- Anonymous999 (Anonymous999@Anonymous999.xxx), November 17, 1999.

They will stand around on corners and look dangerous. If civil authorities impose curfews (probable) they will enforce the curfews, detain violators and turn them over to civil authorities. If there are riots they will contain them (seal off the area) and allow/help civil authorities arrest lawbreakers.

The only way they will get dangerous is if some idiot tries an armed confrontation. That will end quickly.

Remember, soldiers are good young people who believe they are serving their country (you). They are going to be as worried about their families as you are.

-- ng (cantprovideemail@none.com), November 17, 1999.

The name of the movie was "Earthquake". Remember how they had that sound system that actually made the theater seem to shake when there was an earthquake in the movie? A couple of people in the theater actually got up and started for the exits...

-- me (here@themovies.com), November 17, 1999.

Hmmmm! let me see....

Major crisis possible in future--- maybe 3 months away... what would be best....hmmm

Weigh in at 40lb. over weight so I can feed off my body fat?

or be in phenomenal shape, mental,physical,spiritual.

Darn-----decisions,decisions,!!!

-- d.b. (dciinc@aol.com), November 17, 1999.

To all:

Given an 8-10 scenario, the whole idea of Martial Law is entirely moot. Imagine:

The futility of attempting to position the troops throughout the entire country (or even just the big cities);

The problem of keeping the troops themselves safe from all kinds of problems (let your imagination run wild here);

Effects of embedded systems in military equipment;

The situation/condition of the military's suppliers and support infrastructure;

Difficulties in procuring and distributing food and water, gasoline, ammo, spare parts, other supplies, etc. for the troops:

Having to rely on inferior communications systems (assuming general communications are down);

Problems in processing and distributing payment for the troops, not to mention checks and cash having little to no meaning in any case;

The completely open question of who would show up if they envision their families at risk in another area;

Desertions or insubordination for various other reasons (low morale, refusal to take actions against american citizens/families, etc.);

Etc., etc., etc.

So, unless you envision a middle-of-the-road scenario or less, I would not hold out any expectations for enforcement of Martial Law.

-- eve (123@4567.com), November 17, 1999.

---in an emergency situation, and in a martial law situation, basically anything that the prez & Company tell them to do. --Executive orders exist, here is a list of orders. it's long. You may read them here, or at the fed govs own website. Also, remember that entire, or parts of, executive orders and presedential directives are kept secret for national secrecy and security reasons. ---boil down--check for yourself---the government has orrers and plans in place to: -nationalize all means of agricultural production, fuel,transportation,utilities etc, everything you care to name, INCLUDING HUMAN BEINGS. That particular executive order has the postmaster general registering ALL people, and assigning them to work or to be transported to other geographical areas from where you are now. the military and the police would be charged with assisting in carrying out these orders. this is a possible martial law scenario. They(the military and federalized police) would have to make a decision at that time to A-follow orders, or B-not follow orders and be subject to courts martial, which, if it was so declared to be some sort of "war" footing, they might be subject to the death penalty for disobeying any of those orders. perhaps some of the more astute mil folks here might give the exact wording, I don't have a handy link for that to get the exact terms, but i believe that's the gist of it. Martial law can be mild to wild, and everything in between. the realities of these executive orders in place remain, and in case anyone has forgotten, the entire yugo war was fought, and people died, by executive order alone. there was zero congressional or judicial branch input. One man-clinton-decided life or death over an entire peoples, and our military carried out his orders. It's a scary thought to consider what might happen if/when we get a serious crash and burn, and the king decides to cover his-and all the other politicians-collective asses from the responsibility of malfeasance in office. think about it. I know that if I was in now, I would do everything I could to get out. I think it is too great a chance to be caught between a rock and a hard place. For some, it's an acceptable risk, or maybe too far in jobwise to make this a wise decision, but I wouldn't want the pressure of making that sort of decision. to each there own. this current crop of klintonistas is too weird for me..... zog the civilian

-- zog (zzoggy@yahoo.com), November 17, 1999.

Here is a site where you can find a fairly descriptive outline of what martial law is/was like, and a hypothetical synopsis of it's implimentation under the current 'regime'.

I'll type the link in case it doesn't post.

One thing though-Now it would be much worse.

>http://www.wjopc.com< That's their main page.

-- maid upname (noid@ihope.com), November 18, 1999.