What Does It Mean to Be a Patriot?

With such a diverse group it is worth taking the time asking and answering the question, what does it mean to be a Patriot? I hope to outline what I believe it means with the objective of starting a wider conversation that will bring clarity to what it means to be a Patriot.

Authors Note: I am talking about what it means to be an American Patriot in particular. While there will be overlap with Patriots around the world some of these points will apply specifically to American Patriotism.

Love of Country

This is the first and foremost principle of what it means to be a Patriot. This is not a blind love that demands submission but a humble love. Part of what makes this love humble is the understanding that both you and your country are not perfect.

A Patriot will love and respect their country. In order to avoid the dangerous hyper-nationalism a Patriot understands that his country can be flawed or wrong. The love of country a Patriot feels is not a blind slavish kind of love, but more like a love between a husband and wife.

You will have fights and disagreements but if you both remember that you love each other and respect each other than you can come together, solve those problems and come out stronger. In order to do this both the government and the Patriot must be able to talk to and listen to one another.

This is why a Patriot values freedom of speech, the right to peaceable assemble as well as the right to petition the government for a redress of their grievances. This is the mechanism that allows the Patriot and the country to communicate with each other and move forward.

The American author Mark Twain said it best when he wrote, “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” Just because there are individuals in government that operate in a way you do not like does not mean you do not love your country.

Individualism

Patriotism knows no party, race, religion, or any other individual distinction. Instead a Patriot accepts people from all different walks of life and backgrounds that share in a common love of country and the liberty and freedom for which it stands.

Patriotic individualism means you are free to have any individual distinction but that you are able to set that distinction aside and share in a common respect for each person as an individual and a love of country.

This is not the unbridled individualism that results in the Hobbesian Nightmare of everyone against everyone one, but an individualism set within a very wide set of limits. Philosopher Adam Ferguson was right when he said “Liberty or Freedom is not, as the origin of the name may seem to imply, an exemption from all restraints, but rather the most effectual applications of every just restraint to all members of a free society whether they be magistrates or subjects.”

Patriotic individualism is tempered with responsibility. The responsibility that comes with loving your country and taking care of yourself and your family. It means doing your civic duty to the best of your ability, even if all you can do is vote.

Opposes Collectivism in All Forms

Patriots reject collectivist ideology in all its forms. This means that Patriots are opposed to any sort of ideology that puts the group ahead of the individual. These ideologies include Socialism, Communism, Fascism, Nazism and any sort of racial or ethnic supremacy.

This rejection of collectivism does not mean a Patriot cannot associate with people in a group because there is a difference between collectivism and association. Collectivism is “The practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it” while association is “a group of [individuals] organized for a joint purpose.” (Definitions drawn from Google).

This rejection of collectivism is not as easy as it may seem because at the core it means treating everyone, yes even members of groups like Antifa and Neo-Nazi’s, as if they are individuals. Just because you treat someone as an individual does not mean you agree with or respect them, but that you respect their individuality.

Respecting individuality means that you do not apply the actions of certain members of the group to other members of that group. With groups like Antifa this is especially difficult because they purposefully hide their individuality.

Defenders of Liberty

A Patriot does not go looking for or praying for a fight, but is ready to defend themselves if attacked. They do not go out seeking confrontation, but will fight to defend liberty. This is a fine but important distinction that each Patriot must make and reflect on.

A Patriot will not take a stand to try and exert influence over someone else nor to force people to their side but must stand to protect fragile freedom and liberty.

A Patriot does not just defend their own liberty but will stand for those who cannot stand themselves. They do not do this expecting thanks or reward but do so because protecting freedom and liberty is the right thing to do.

A Patriot understands that fighting does not always mean violent or physical altercations. MLK Jr and Gandhi, Patriots both, made valiant and courageous stands out of a love for their countries using non-violence. In Matthew 5:5 it says “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Meek in this context does not mean “weak, tame, or deficient in courage” but rather “power under control.” (Quotes from Theology of Work)

A Higher Standard

A Patriot holds themselves to a higher standard. We need to make sure we do not become the thing we oppose. We need to make sure we do not resort to the sort of tactics or behaviors that are being used against us. It is these sort of behaviors and tactics that, among many other things, we have a problem with, and if we engage in the same sort of tactics and behaviors then what we are really saying is that we do not actually have a problem with these methods but only have a problem with the targets they choose.

This does not mean a Patriot should simply roll over or let those who oppose us run over us because they are willing to be more horrible. Instead it means we need to determine acceptable behaviors and find ways to protect against unacceptable behavior.

Doxing is part of the risk when you stand up. It sucks and is hard and frightening but a Patriot is strong and able to withstand this sort of behavior. If a Patriot holds themselves to a higher standard they are not afraid to have people know what they stand for.

Part of this higher standard is telling the truth, being honest and doing what is right no matter how hard it is or how much criticism you will get for doing it. You do not do the right thing because you expect praise but do it because it is the correct thing to do.

Yes people will try to use lies and slander against the Patriot. Others will use these lies and slander to try and get a Patriot fired or to ostracize a Patriot from your friends and family. Those who seek the truth will be able to see through these lies and only those who want the lies to be true will believe them. It might be rough at first but in the long run it will be for the best.

Yes holding yourself to a higher standard will be a tough responsibility and take a lot of discipline and self-control and we all will have times where we slip up but if we all stand together we will be able to accomplish great things by maintaining this standard. I am reminded of the words of Thomas Paine when in 1776 he wrote,

“THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.”

These words are an echo from the past reminding us that while it is a struggle to be a Patriot it is a worthy struggle. One we accept because of the high value of freedom and the importance it has for each individual. Humbly love your country, support individualism over collectivism, defend liberty and hold yourself to a higher standard. This, in my opinion, is what it means to be a Patriot.

How to Win the Battle with Antifa

A battle with a group like Antifa needs to be waged on all fronts. Physical, Philosophical, Political, and Societal.

Antifa is a broad and confusing term that covers many different people. In order to win a battle you must know your enemy. I will attempt to define what Antifa means and some of the various types of Antifa.

Types of Antifa

Some people take the meaning of the word Antifa literally and believe it simply means you oppose fascism. These people either are not paying attention or are willfully blinding themselves to the truth.

These are the literalist Antifa. They think Antifa means you oppose fascism and that the people in black bloc are protectors of the community and oppressed.

The black bloc Antifa can be broken down into two camps. The shield maidens and the soy sword members.

The shield members are typically woman and provide cover for the sword members by wearing the black bloc uniform and standing between the sword members and any counter protesters. The sword members are the ones who will step out from the crowd from behind the shield members and hit you on the head with a bike lock, smash windows, set fire to cop cars, and generally cause destruction.

The shield members generally outnumber the sword members so they can claim they are largely peaceful to the media and the media will parrot this talking point. They also provide sympathy for the Antifa cause because if they get hurt it makes the other side look bad for beating up women. Something Antifa will exploit every chance they get for propaganda and recruiting purposes.

They also provide a protective group for the sword members to blend into after they commit their heinous acts. If these tactics seem familiar, that is because they are the same tactics used by ISIS and other terrorist organizations. The terrorists will set up base inside a school or nearby so they can produce propaganda that the evil imperialists are killing children.

Antifa also utilizes people intended to bait the opposition. The goal of this is to get the other side to throw the first punch and make them seem like the aggressors. They will do and say anything short of attacking you, if they think it will make you angry. Do not take the bait, it might feel good at the time and you might win the battle but it is a loss for the war.

Archers are the Antifa members who throw objects into the opposing crowd. They are protected in the group from identification and only seek to make the opposition angry. They will throw bricks, bottle of urine, fireworks, and rocks. This tactic is meant to anger the opposition much the same way the bait does and if they hurt someone in the process all the better.

Antifa does have a propaganda arm. Websites such as Rose City Antifa and It’s Going Down spread this propaganda across social media and the web and even reach into the mainstream media.

Antifa also has ally groups, which include labor unions, sections of the Democratic Party, and the Progressive movement. They also have sympathetic allies in the mainstream media and in local government.

Physically

When I say physically I do not mean violence, but rather actually showing up or being physically present. Show up to Free Speech rallies, do not be afraid to share your opinion, and never be ashamed to display the American Flag.

We also need to show up, in numbers, to town halls and other events where politicians are talking with the public. Note: Do not seek out politicians on their private time or if you see them in the grocery store, it might be tempting to exercise turnabout as fair play but it does no good in the long run.

At these town halls we need to ask hard questions, repeatedly, and demand direct answers. Not in a screaming and yelling sort of way that the Democrats demand everything but in an adult calm but tough sort of way.

Ask questions like, what is your opinion on Antifa? How do you plan to keep the community safe from their violence? Or ask about a specific events, such as the Patriot Prayer march on June 30^th that saw Antifa throwing mortars into a crowd of people. You can also ask them about what they think about Free Speech, if they support borders, and what is their opinion on groups like Patriot Prayer.

The questions and answers need to be recorded and shared in a full unedited format across multiple platforms. By asking these questions repeatedly it will force the politicians to address the problem directly. If one person asks they usually can dodge the question but if 4 or 5 people ask they will be run out of room to maneuver and be forced to answer the question plainly.

By getting them to answer these questions it will force the politicians to either express support for Antifa, which will make them look bad to the general public, or if they denounce Antifa it makes Antifa look bad and will cause them to turn on that politician. Either way we win.

Philosophical

This is one of the more difficult aspects because it is a war of ideas and narratives. The best thing we can do is examine Antifa ideology. Antifa for the most part runs on Socialist/Communist and Anarchist ideologies.

We need to examine these ideologies and their evolutions and address their questions and concerns. A good place to start is the Communist Manifesto and the Antifa Handbook. Check out videos and discussions by members of the Intellectual Dark Web, which includes people like Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson, Sam Harris, and Dave Rubin.

These are highly intelligent people that are able to help give words to your thoughts. They are able to express ideas clearly and in understandable terms. Support them and share the ideas you agree with and talk about those that you do not.

If you get a chance you should also read what was written by the founding fathers and the thinkers they were reading. The Federalist and Anti Federalist papers are great, works of Thomas Paine such as Common Sense, and The Rights of Man, and of course the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

If you do not have the time to read these works you can always search for audio versions and listen to them while doing dishes, walking the dog, or during your workout.

Political

Antifa appears to be the militant wing of the Democratic Party. I say, appears to be, because I have no direct proof that they are getting their orders from that party. There are also Democrats who oppose Antifa, though most are probably too afraid to say so.

For those who are afraid we need to stand up and show them they have nothing to fear. If they speak up we need to encourage them. If they support Antifa we need to record it and share that video across the internet.

The goal here is to try and tie the Democratic Party together with Antifa. This will force individual Democrats to either come out against Antifa or accept that they endorse them. This will seem to matter little to Antifa but it will matter to the general public.

It will create a split between the Progressives and the Liberals by forcing them to come down on one or the other side of the issue. Those who come out and oppose Antifa can be reasoned with and would make useful allies. We will not agree on everything but as long as we agree that Antifa is a problem we should work together on that shared idea.

Societal

Currently Antifa enjoy the silence on their behavior on the part of the Mainstream Media. Any coverage that makes it on the news is down played as a few bad actors among a largely ‘peaceful’ protest.

Thanks to social media and the camera phone we can see what truly goes on. We need to film Antifa doing the horrible things they do. We need to film them saying the horrible things they say. The media might be able to downplay a story but they will be forced to show a video and the average person will be able to make the choice for themselves.

If a video goes viral it will bring the violence of Antifa into the daily life of the average person and allow them to see what really happens. To do this we need to build relationships with the media as well as police departments.

We also need to build relationships with business owners who have their property damaged by Antifa, people who have been shouted down and no platformed by Antifa and Progressives and community leaders who want to see an end to their violence.

Never Apologize to a Mob

By considering all these factors we’ll be able to end the violence of Antifa. If we continue to show up and peacefully share ideas we will win. If they attack us for doing so, we will win because they clearly have no argument against us.

We need to understand both our ideas and their ideas. This will allow us to push back against their narrative more effectively. Take some time to read or listen to those in the conversation of ideas.

We need to press those in politics to clearly come out for or against Antifa. Most will try to waffle or deflect, keep asking questions, showing up to town halls and never be afraid to state what you believe as long as you do it respectfully and calmly.

Forge relationships with business owners who have been damaged by Antifa or have suffered thanks to the outrage mob. In their quest for ideological purity Antifa will push people away who do not live up to their ideals of perfection. While you might not agree with some of these people on several issues we can come together under the shared goal of doing something about the violence of Antifa.

The culture war will not be fought on one front but on many and we need to be ready to engage in all of them. Do not damage the cause of liberty and freedom by acting in a silly way because you want to own or burn progressives. It might be funny at the moment to get them mad but remember the mainstream media is more than ready to take your actions and apply them to the whole group.

Only do what you know to be right and would be proud to do. Never apologize to the mob for doing what you believe is right, they will only see it as an admission of guilt. They know no forgiveness and will turn the apology into a weapon.

Antifa is a problem, they lie, commit acts of violence, and are willing to destroy your life if you disagree with them. We can beat them but only by being better than they are. We must remember the quote by Nietzsche “He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster…when you gaze long into the abyss the abyss also gazes into you.”

Thank you for the read and I hope these ideas are a start down the road to ending this time of chaos.

Violent Antifa Attacks Freedom and Courage Rally

Freedom and courage, ideas you would think we all can come together on. Yet at a rally for freedom and courage held by Patriot Prayer in Portland Oregon on Saturday June 30^th 2018 we found out that was not necessarily true.

In The Park

As I arrived at Terry Schrunk Plaza I was greeted by several police officers and metal barricades surrounding the park. Across the street were a large number of black clad protesters known as Antifa, along with unions, NW Carpenters and the Iron Workers Union.

As I entered the park a police officer stopped me and said that if I brought any weapons past this point that I was subject to arrest. Ten feet past him were officers patting people down.

The police made sure we had no weapons before entering the plaza. No such checks were made for the Antifa protesters. Once inside there was music playing, people talking and waving American flags. If Antifa was not across the street it almost seemed like a Fourth of July BBQ was about to start.

We waited for the last shuttle bus to arrive. Previously Antifa would find the vehicles of the people at the rallies and vandalize them by slashing tires and throwing acid on the paint. People have also been harassed and assaulted leaving rallies in the past.

Patriot Prayer organized the shuttle bus to ensure the safety of the people at the rally and their property. Once everyone arrived the speeches started. Joey Gibson spoke about courage. One woman spoke about her family being assaulted by Antifa and how her father ended up in the hospital.

Their lawyers told her family not to go to the rally as it would reflect poorly on their case. Will Johnson spoke about the increasing violence of the radical left and the passive acceptance of the mainstream left. The last speaker was a trans-woman who spoke about free speech and religious freedom.

Once the speeches wrapped up we sang along to We Will Rock You by the band Queen and listened to an original rap by Political Muscle. After this we gathered together and got ready for our permitted march.

Taking the Streets

As soon as we started moving forward Antifa immediately started throwing objects at us. Some threw eggs, others bottle full of liquid, and a few people threw rocks. One person even let off some firecrackers, to which the Department of Homeland Security fired paintballs filled with pepper at the protesters.

The organizers of the rally and march urged people to ignore the violent protesters and to keep moving. The marched moved on down Madison and made a left turn onto 2^nd street. According to Joey Gibson the Portland Police had agreed to escort us along our parade route to protect us from Antifa.

As we started to cross Main Street it was clear that the police had failed in their duty. No one stood between us and the screaming protesters in black. Antifa rushed down the street, yelling and throwing items into the crowd.

Just as the main body was about to cross the street an Antifa protesters threw a mortar into the rally goers. The impact of the explosion rattled the ear drums. This is when the fighting started. Antifa threw several more mortars, which landed mere feet from people.

As the fighting died down the Antifa members ran back to the other end of the block driven back by the rally goers defending their constitutionally protected right to peaceably assemble.

After this melee the Portland Police pulled the permit for the march. We were told to walk on the sidewalk only and that we would no longer have the protection of the Portland Police. We continued walking but when a few more fights broke out the police declared the event a riot.

It was at this time we made the choice to return to the plaza. As we get everyone back into the plaza the organizers called the shuttle buses. It was at this time we were informed that we had to leave the plaza. Joey Gibson told DHS that we refuse to leave until the bus gets here so we can get the elderly and women out.

We packed one bus but the rest of us were turned out onto the streets of Portland where we had people yelling and screaming at us. We stuck together and waited until the next shuttle bus arrived.

I was told by several people that I was dressed fairly normally and if I took my hat with the American flag on it off I should be able to slip away. I refused to take off my hat. I should not have to hide a hat with the American flag on it while walking in a city in the US.

If people want to harass and assault me for wearing a hat with the flag of the United States of America on it, they are the ones with the problem not me. I wore my hat proudly and refused to take it off for anyone.

As we were waiting for the shuttle bus another fight broke out. The police fired a round of tear gas into the melee. It was at this time I decided it was a good time to head back to my car with another guy. Safety in numbers.

The Walk Home

As I started the long walk back to my car with the other rally goer, we started reflecting on the rally as a whole. We shared our experiences and any crazy story that happened that day. I was wearing a hat with an American flag on it as well as a small American flag I picked up along the way.

The person I was walking with was dressed up almost like a superhero. He had a green mask and green gloves on with a Kekistan flag on his back as a cape. I expected to get a few weird looks as most people do not know about Kekistan but as it turned out my American flag drew more ire than anything else.

We were standing on the corner waiting for the light to change so we could cross the street. A man and a woman pushing a stroller with a baby in it walked toward us on our right trying to cross the other street.

The man stepped up behind me and said “I have a lighter ready to burn that fascist flag.” Of course I turned and immediately noticed his wife and baby. We exchanged a few choice words but what shocked me the most was that this man thought it was a good idea to antagonize two strange men he considered fascists while he was out on a walk with a child.

We crossed the street as I shouted he could take the flag from my cold dead hands. A few blocks later a woman started screaming at us “Get out of our city you fascist!” She carried on in this way as the guy she was with pulled her along clearly not wanting to start anything without superior numbers.

It is clear that flying the American flag in Portland is socially unacceptable and people are ready to harass and even assault you (if they have the numbers advantage that is). The average person did not care but there was definitely a violent element ready to hurt people in the city.

Sleeping on the Job

When the rally was over Joey Gibson released a statement. He explained the promises made by the Portland Police when he obtained the permit. Promises that were broken.

It is not the officers I blame for these broken promises. Speaking with them and others it is clear that the orders are coming from above. How high and from who I can only speculate and the police officers remain silent not wishing to lose their jobs.

The DHS did an amazing job of protecting us on federal property and even worked with us when we were trying to get the shuttles to return. The Portland Police seemed to not want this march to happen. They were more than willing to let Antifa attack people so that the permit was pulled and it could be declared a riot.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has tried to get permits for Patriot Prayer events pulled in the past but failed because the rally was held on federal property. It is clear that the mayor of Portland has a bias against the group and has no qualms about using his public office to try and silence those he does not agree with.

To do so would be politically unpopular with the average person, who still believes in Freedom of Speech and loves their country. I do not envy Ted Wheeler, he seems to be stuck between the increasingly violent and authoritarian nature of his party and supporters and the oath he took when he accepted public office to uphold the constitution of the United States and of the State of Oregon.

If he protects the rights of Patriot Prayer to peaceable assemble than the Progressive hate mob will do him in, but if he does not say he will protect the rights of US citizens he will be sleeping on the job. So he says he will protect the group and then has the police stand down knowing Antifa will attack and start a fight.

This gives him an excuse to pull the permit. He can say he tried to protect Patriot Prayer but by pulling the permit he knows he will be giving Antifa exactly what they want, enabling a group who could care less about him outside of the amount of control they have over him. Antifa thinks if the march gets cancelled it is a win. They think it is a win to silence people. Antifa are not peaceful protesters, they are a group who is more than willing to use violence to push their political agenda. 

They are not activists, they are violent terrorists.