News Flash - April 20th

BOSTON - Responding to an urgent call from the governor of
Massachusetts, regular army and air-force units this morning descended
on the town of Lexington with M1 tanks, Apache and Blackhawk
helicopters, and a small squadron of close-support fixed wing aircraft.
The sudden, pre-dawn attack met with no effective resistance; and the
infantry that followed later in the morning completed "mopping up"
operations with astonishing speed and efficiency. A spokesman for the
military later said that the former town of Lexington, now little more
than smoking rubble, should be cool enough to bulldoze and bury within
just a few days. He also hinted that there may have been a survivor or
two among the townspeople; but that's not yet been confirmed.

At issue in this conflict is the right of civilians to keep and bear
arms. Asked for comment, the commander of the military forces would
only say that he's reluctant to discuss the political issues involved,
and prefers to concern himself with only practical matters. He said
that "Unless these civilians are willing and able to keep and bear
tanks, aircraft, and the massive pool of manpower and skill that it
takes to use those things, their 'rights' are more theoretical than
useful. If people spent as much attention to cleaning and maintaining
their voting habits and their government, rather than their rifles,
things like this might not have to happen."

Film at 11.

KG

Gunner wrote:
BOSTON, - Guard units seeking to confiscate a cache
of recently banned assault weapons were ambushed on April 19th by
elements of a para-military extremist faction. Military and law
enforcement sources estimated that 72 were killed and more than 20
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 April 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 their weapons over 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 Lexington's 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 overmatched 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
has 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.



Gunner

Rule #35
"That which does not kill you,
has made a huge tactical error"