This is another one of those stories about people taking their anti-government ideology so far that they really reveal themselves as idiots.

But there's a bit of a back story.

It takes place in or near Concord, New Hampshire, where I grew up.  The story involves Johnathon Irish and Stephanie Taylor, a young redneck couple in Epsom, New Hampshire.  On October 6, Stephanie Taylor gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter.  On October 7, the New Hampshire child services people came in and took the newborn daughter under protective custody, based in part on an affidavit from law enforcement.

The affidavit pointed out that Johnathon Irish had a long record of violence and abuse, i.e., that he had abused Taylor, as well as Taylor's two other children from another marriage.  Also, Irish failed to complete a domestic violence course as ordered previously by the state.  

Mom was no prize either: a hearing was held last month to terminate Taylor's parental rights over her two older children.

Also, Irish and Taylor stockpiled lost of guns and ammunition.

So, all things considered, a judge decided that the child services people ought to get in there and look after the newborn baby.

Oh, but another thing the affidavit mentioned?  It mentioned, in passing, that Irish was a member of the Oath Keepers.

The Oath Keepers is a Las Vegas-based group that describes itself as an affiliation of current and retired military and law enforcement officials who promise to fight government tyranny. Members of the Oath Keepers swear to uphold their oaths to protect the Constitution. Members also pledge 10 specific vows, including, "We will NOT obey any order to blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps."

In other words, the Oath Keepers are paranoid kooks, so it comes as no surprise that they all assumed that social workers took Irish's child because and solely because he was a member of the Oath Keepers.  You can imagine all the back-and-forth on the fringe Internet boards.

So, these past couple weeks, the Oath Keepers and other libertarians have been rallying at the Concord Hospital or various courthouses, decrying the Irish incident and how it foretells that Obama is coming to steal their babies or some such nonsense.

I'll let the Concord Monitor pick it up from here, because this is how we get to the stupid quote of the day:

The internet played a big role in rallying support for the couple. A Facebook page dedicated to the couple spurred the 20 or so protesters at the hospital yesterday. Many held signs, and conversational references to the Nazis and Stalin-era Russia were common. Someone brought poster board and markers for sign-making; one man held a sign that read "Infant Political Prisoner."

A woman who only identified herself as Tiffany held a sign that read "I am an Oathkeeper. Are you gonna take my kids too?"

Tiffany said she had joined the group only yesterday morning, after hearing of Irish's story.

"This is supposed to be America, not Nazi Germany," said Tiffany. "You can't have your children stolen."

Amanda Biondolillo, a Concord woman who came with her young daughter, said she didn't think the state should get involved in family issues at all, even if there is reason to suspect abuse.

"The family should be left to resolve it on their own," Biondolillo said. "Or private enterprise – private companies can contact the family and say, 'We heard you were hitting your kids. Can you stop that?' "

Now, I understand anti-government sentiment, and I don't think that government is always the answer.

But as a matter of social policy, does anyone think that issues of domestic abuse should be left to the family?  Doesn't that make about as much sense as letting arsonists run the fire department?

And Amanda's alternative suggestion — let private enterprise handle it — is even stupider.  How exactly would that business work?  

*Knock, knock*

"Yes?"

"Hi, Mr. Irish.  I'm from Stop Beating Your Wife and Kids, Inc.  Here's my card."

"What do you want?"

"We heard you were hitting your kids.  Could you stop that?" [That's a direct quote from Amanda Biondolillo]

"What?"

"You should stop beating your wife and kids."

"Um, okay."

"Thanks.  Here's my bill."

These people don't even stop to think about what their political beliefs are before they start opening their mouths to demonstrate their ignorance.

Bonus crackpot quote (from the same article):

"We've got Nazis in our airports," said David Oliver, an Exeter man. "They're restricting our movement, trying to chill everybody by stealing babies."

No David.  They're really not.