My very favorite part is that they're proud to compare themselves to Disneyland. Not having been to Disneyland, I'm lead to wonder if guns are also a big part of life there. Picturing Mickey and Donald and Goofy with guns in paws and webs...
________________________________ From: turquoiseb <no_re...@yahoogroups.com> To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 2:26 AM Subject: [FairfieldLife] The Citadel, or How Wingnut America Would Do Heaven On Earth Fascinating. This has been foretold in science fiction for decades, but it's interesting that someone is actually trying to do it. I say let them, allow their dream castle to become populated with people who think that it would be their version of "heaven on Earth," and then seal them in forever. Voila...wingnut problem solved. http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/01/the_citadel_project_iii_arms.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tpm-news+%28TPMNews%29 Excerpts: "Something that I can't predict, but am hoping for, is a greater level of social interaction," the organizer, who blogs under the names Vernon and VJ, wrote. "Neighborhood barbeques, musical jam sessions and plays at the amphitheater or the Citadel Society club house, interest groups, clubs, organized and spontaneous activities of all sorts. I enjoy board games, myself, and used to go to a game club every Friday night. We'll have some great pubs with local brews, walking and bicycle paths, a firing range you don't have to drive a half hour or more to get to. Maybe a hill with a rope tow for sliding down on inner tubes in the winter time. Militia training will also have a unifying social aspect to it." "Imagine living in a community where you know that residing in every single home in the neighborhood are people who think much as do you, respect most of the values as do you, and will not try to force any of their values on you or your children. Imagine living in a neighborhood where you know every single neighbor on your street, in your neighborhood, and in the entire town, has qualified Riflemen inside, ready to come to your aid at a moments notice, whether to help you change a tire, fix a problem, or cover your back in a firefight with an Enemy of Liberty." According to the project's blog, The Citadel, if completed, will feature the following: the III Arms Factory, a curtain wall and towers, a main gate, a town green named after the Battle of Lexington leader John Parker, a town hall, a community armory, a firearms museum, a farmers' market, a medical center, a retirement facility, schools including a boarding school, a library, a tourist visitor center, a town center featuring retail and commercial spaces, houses, canals, a lake, ponds, firearms ranges, an archery range, sports fields, a hotel, a bank (III Bank), churches, a power plant, underground shelters, a post office, a fire house, a stockade/jail, a biomass plant, walking trails, orchards, gardens, parks, an outdoor pavilions, a large amphitheater, something called a "command and control center," a media center, an airstrip, a helipad, a shuttle system, and a parking center. A bird's-eye artist's rendering of the project gives off a strong medieval vibe. Per the project's Patriot Agreement, which every would-be resident of the community must agree with in writing, an armed citizenry and a trained militia will also be important parts of life at The Citadel. All residents over 13 must be proficient with both rifle and pistol, and each household will have to provide one "able-bodied Patriot" for once-a-month militia training and support. (In its branding and literature, The Citadel refers often to the idea of the three percent or "the III," an allusion to the idea that only three percent of the Colonial population participated in the Revolutionary War, a statistic the Anti-Defamation League has called "not particularly accurate.") Every "able-bodied Patriot of age" within the Citadel will also be required to maintain one AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle, five magazines, and 1,000 rounds of ammunition. "The model will be similar in many ways to that of Disneyland," reads one section of The Citadel's FAQ. "It is walled, gated, private property with controlled access. People pay to enter and agree to the rules because they see value in doing so. It is all based on a voluntary agreement between the owners of the property and those who want to come inside. Millions of people visit Disneyland and interact peacefully. It's exceptionally rare to hear of any serious problems. The key is that those people want to be there and understand what is expected of them. Surprisingly similar to what we are doing." So who are the real people behind The Citadel? While many project participants use pseudonyms online, a few individuals can be pointed out.Miller is the most public face of the project. His LinkedIn page gives his current job as a construction control representative [day laborer] with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Past jobs listed include positions as a facilities engineer [janitor] at Lockheed Martin and an electrician [janitor with electrical tape] at the Department of Defense.
