The Republican Party is building a political bomb.

[Lonestarblue]

20. What Matt Gaetz said about using the 2nd Amendment to take control may be illegal.

Here is what Gaetz said. “The Second Amendment – this is a little history lesson for all the fake news media. The Second Amendment is not about, it’s not about hunting, it’s not about recreation, it’s not about sports,” the 39-year-old went on. “The Second Amendment is about maintaining, within the citizenry, the ability to maintain an armed rebellion against the government if that becomes necessary. I hope it never does, but it sure is important to recognize the founding principles of this nation, and to make sure that they are fully understood.”

That is not the purpose of the Second Amendment, but that is a call to be prepared for armed rebellion against the government. Do we have to wait for the actual order to take up arms and start killing government officials before something can be done?


Reading the text of 18 U.S. Code § 2385 - Advocating overthrow of Government is interesting. I won’t repeat the full text here because it is long, but here’s the gist of it.

“Whoever knowingly or willfully advocates, abets, advises, or teaches the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying the government of the United States or the government of any State, Territory, District or Possession thereof, or the government of any political subdivision therein, by force or violence, or by the assassination of any officer of any such government; or

[snip]

Whoever organizes or helps or attempts to organize any society, group, or assembly of persons who teach, advocate, or encourage the overthrow or destruction of any such government by force or violence; or becomes or is a member of, or affiliates with, any such society, group, or assembly of persons, knowing the purposes thereof—

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.“

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2385