What exactly is meant when people use the term "martial law?" I must admit I am rather ignorant about this.

Please, I want technical, verifiable information, not "speculation" or any fantasy of what it might be. I would like some real life examples of how this has happened in America and what it entails. How does it affect the day-to-day life of ordinary citizens?

The reason I ask is that the term is being thrown around a lot more. I suddenly realized I didn't really know what it meant, in real terms.

I sure hope that I can hear from some people in the field who have actual experience with martial law or have been trained to function within a setting of martial law.

Thanks.

-- Just Wondering (doesn't@matter.comm), March 30, 1999

Answers

Dang it!

I meant "MARTIAL law," not "marital law," whatever the heck that is. (And I don't want to know.)

I see that Webster's defines "martial law" as "military rule exercised by a nation or state over its citizens or subjects in a situation where they are not legally enemies and when an emergency justifies such action."

What specific events, if any, would justify a martial law scenario?

-- Just wondered (doesn't@matter.comm), March 30, 1999.

Someone may correct me, but I don't recall any authorization in the Constitution for "martial law." So, it is thus an illegal usurpation of power by the rulers. The excuse is always some "emergency", which has no specific definition, thus can be exercised at the whim of the rulers.

-- A (A@AisA.com), March 30, 1999.

Put very simply, the constitution is suspended, and the country is run by executive orders. Many of these are already in place.I'm sure some one can give you the link to them. FEMA is the off switch. Got bunkers?

-- SCOTTY (BLehman202@aol.com), March 30, 1999.

I'm surew that Hardliner will jump in here soon, because he has posted a great examination of martial law. The def'n that is best used includes the clause that says the regulating rules would be the UCMJ, and NOT the executive orders. The suggestion that the executive orders would end up being the regulating rules is NOT true "Martial Law" but "Emergency Suspension of the Constitution", and would in all probability not be supported by the military, in general (sorry for the speculation, but, it's germane).

Chuck, PAGING HARDLINER, PAGING HARDLINER

and Kevin, can you link to the other thread that has Hardliner's def'n?? Yes it's a LONG thread, and it's a LONG read!!

C

-- Chuck, a night driver (reinzoo@en.com), March 30, 1999.

PoOp!!!!!! oH WeLL, DIEteR WiLL EXpLaIN MAriTaL Law anYWAy!!!!!! MAriTAL LAw gOEs aS THus::::::

"YeS DeaR!!!!!"

"Of coURse DeAr!!!!!!"

"WHaT evEr yOu sAY DEaR!!!!!"

-- Dieter (questions@toask.com), March 30, 1999.

Does that troll ever bore himself? Or does he just bore everyone else?

-- RobbY2K (robby2k@uno.com), March 30, 1999.

marital law sounds like more fun than the other. my interpretation of that is that i have the right warm my cold feet on my husband's backside when we go to bed. we have one of those phony certificates with a long list of such marital laws.

-- jocelyne slough (jonslough@tln.net), March 30, 1999.

RObbY 2 k!!!!!! iF YoU ComE CLosER DIetER WiLL ShoW His BORinG TOoLS!!!!! 3/4 WouLd bE GOod fOR YoU, JAckASS!!!!!

soRRy!!!!! idIOt!!!!! TrY 7/8!!!!!

-- Dieter (questions@toask.com), March 30, 1999.

Robby, Deiter is hardly a true troll. If you actually READ his posts, they sometimes make more sense than the rather pedantic, and erudite efforts of the rest of us.

Though, reading through the up and low cases DOES tend to generate a distrust of my newly resurfaced eyes, and a small to large headache.

chuck, who sometimes wishes he had Deiter's insight

-- Chuck, a night driver (reinzoo@en.com), March 30, 1999.

You might try the thread started by Hardliner in January titled, "Some Facts and Opinions about Martial Law." URL:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000NKQ

-- LP (soldog@hotmail.com), March 30, 1999.

It's where the US government, in clandestine manuevers in secret underground bases, sends the signal to the Grey Extraterrestrials from Epsilon Indi. Using retroengineered technology, the agents of Control completely overpower every man woman and child by screwing around with the fabric of reality, itself. Then we are all farmed into vast internment camps where we are processed into a nutricious protein supplement for the alien overlords.

Well, actually it means, technically, that in the event of a break down in civil services, your local colonel has juristiction.

-- coprolith (coprolith@rocketship.com), March 30, 1999.

Marital Law (according to my beloved wife of 25 years):

"Women live longer than men because they aren't married to women."

Oh, MARTIAL law.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), March 30, 1999.

Well, I'd say Dieter has the practical end nailed down, while BD has the theoretical element covered fairly well...

Arlin [who will be committing matrimony this summer]

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), March 30, 1999.

You'll be laughing out of the other side of your blowhole when those little grey bastards take YOU for a midnight ride, Coprolith.

Got a faraday cage?

Got Preparation H?

Prepared.

-- Prepared (violated@spaceship.greys), March 30, 1999.

Have you ever seen an American Flag with Gold Fringe and Tassles? Ever wonder what it means? This is the flag that is used under British Admirality Law. When this flag is displayed your rights under the constitution are supended and you are goverened under the law of the high seas. The Capt. or Admrl. has the final say over all affairs. The two branches of our military who's actions are ruled under this flag are the Navy and Marines.

-- (Boilerman7@powerhouse.com), March 30, 1999.

Dieter isn't a troll. He seems to have problems with the keyboard, and is sometimes mildly rude, but he's usually on point. Can be a little hard to read though.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), March 30, 1999.