Enough is Enough: What Are You Going to Do?

The police are being told to stand down so that people the mainstream media call mostly peaceful protesters can riot and loot.

The mostly peaceful people cheer on the minority, actively encouraging, condoning, and providing cover for their actions. The mob has taken away your right to have a say. They boldly claim they are speaking for you, the people, as they set fire to the court house or pull down a statue.

They do not speak for me.

But what do we do? Normally I would say elect new people, go out and vote, get involved in your local party. While those things are still important, this is not a normal time.

The police we have entrusted to keep the peace have been handcuffed and are now being beaten savagely as we look on. We now have a choice, do we stand by and watch as these guardians of peace who have stood between us and the most depraved manifestations of our nature are systematically taken apart or do we pick up the responsibility abandoned by those elected officials entrusted with authority and restore peace and order?

It seems like an easy choice, but it is not as easy as you’d think. You will not be cheered for picking up responsibility, in fact by lifting this cross you will be attacked. You will suffer.

You will be called violent when someone punches you in the face. You will be called an extremist as you call for unity. You will be branded racist for loving your country. You will also be tempted.

Tempted to claim the power being used against you and wield it for good. But good fruit cannot grow from a poison tree. Both the suffering and the temptation seek one thing, to strip away your responsibility, because it is in this responsibility that you find meaning.

It is in this responsibility that you make yourself worthy of the suffering of life.

The streets have never been so crowded yet so empty. People shouting empty phrases into the air, conjuring demons out of brothers and making saints out of lies.

Calling people out does not reach their heart, it only causes them to utter false apologies in a misguided attempt to please a monster that feeds on outrage and misery. The apology, instead of satisfying the monster, only sends it into a frenzy as it justifies the outrage (inherent in any apology is an admission of guilt) and means the fruit of misery is ripe.

Our elected officials drop everything to meet the demands of the rioters but you peacefully gather at the capital in the thousands only to be shooed away with a pat on the head. I am just as guilty of this as anyone else. I post things online, I write my blog, I talk with friends and coworkers and we are all full of ideas of what ‘they’ should do. Then we go back to work, go home, and carry on with our lives.

We say things like, oh it’s Portland, if they would ever come to my town they would never get away with that. Then they come to your town, destroy your statues and loot your businesses. 

You then say, yeah but if they tried that at my house they would never get away with it. Then they show up at your house and burn the American flag on your front porch. You weakly say, well if they break into my house they would never get away with it. 

But it’s too late, they have already gotten away with it. Your house is on fire, the police are not coming, the fire department is not coming, and your neighbors are not coming. You are alone in your burning house and you wonder, why didn’t someone do something? 

All the while you never realized that you were someone, that you could have done something, but each time you were called you hesitated. As your community, your state, and your country burned, you turned on Call of Duty and ignored Duty’s Call. Each hesitation, each ignored call, etched onto your very being until hesitation became habit and inaction became your virtue. 

So what can you do? I’ll admit honestly I have no clear answer for that question because I do not know you. I am not going to lie to you like a politician and say I have all the answers for you and if you support me all your worries will go away. That is a question you are going to have to answer for yourself.

First recognize four things. 

One, work within your circle of influence. This means understanding what you are actually capable of doing. You probably can’t get elected governor, but you can vote. You can always extend your circle of influence and work up to getting elected governor, but chances are for the majority of us, that is outside of our current abilities.

Two, understand there is not going to be one magic solution. Simply changing the school system or the tax code will not fix everything. Lots of things need to be done, do not focus too heavily on any one thing or believe that if only X would happen then everything would be better.

Three we are currently in a culture war not a political disagreement or violent revolution. You cannot win the battle if your army is on the wrong field.

Four, you as an individual are needed right now. Not you as a member of a group (gun owner, male or female, or Trump supporter) but you as the unique individual with your own talents, interests and abilities.

Lastly if you know of any of these events, statue destruction, flooding of a school board meeting to read scripted ‘comments’ trying to cancel someone, or occupations, please bring it to the attention of the rest of the community. Then get up and go use your voice. Don’t get into shouting matches, physical fights or call people names but stand up tall with courage and honor.

PS. I am starting to organize people in my local community here in Oregon to do something I think is pretty cool. Looking to organize mostly young people to become the leaders we need but also looking to build a community. If you are interested, everyone is welcome, reach out to me on Facebook or in the comments of this blog, thanks!

The Truth About Statue Destruction

It’s not about ending racism (a utopian idea that will end up murderous if I ever heard one) it is about far more than that.

It is about an exercise of power. These mobs can do whatever they want and those we’ve entrusted and empowered to maintain law and order will do nothing to stop them.

It is about destroying the fundamental ideals America was founded on. Life, Liberty, property, representative government of the people, and the pursuit of happiness. These mobs have killed people, beaten, bullied, and intimidated people into silence. They have destroyed property and stolen the ability for the people to have a voice in what happens in their community. They have extinguished the pursuit of happiness with every business they burn, every car they destroy and every life they mangle or destroy.

It is about division and chaos. Those directing the mobs want people divided and they know the media WILL cover for them. They will never be held to account by either elected officials, law enforcement, mainstream media, or social media. In fact elected officials, mainstream media and the heads of social media will actively silence, bully, blame, attack and arrest those who speak up.

After all these riots are mostly peaceful anyway, right? They are just ‘protesters’ who tore down that statue. But it is extremists who stand in front of their business with a gun to protect it when the cops have been ordered to allow looting to happen. The extremists are the ones who want to go back to work or church.

Normally I am not for government intervention but I do believe there is a proper role and place for government. This proper role is outlined in the Declaration of Independence “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. – That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”

It is not the duty of our government to solve our problems for us, it is not the duty of government to care for us, and government is not our Mother nor Father nor God. The chief duty of government is to protect the rights of the people.

A mob pulling down whatever statue offends them at the time is not a right that is protected. It is not a protest, it is not free speech.

It is vandalism.

It is the destruction of peace.

It is a rejection of the idea that you or I get to be part of making the decisions within our communities.

The mob simply decides for you.

If this statue, this house, this institution, this person, this group of people are bad in the eyes of the mob, then the mob will come and destroy it and if the elected official is sympathetic to them they simply refuse to apply the law.

It is illegal for elected officials to decide which laws to enforce and which to ignore, it is immoral for elected officials to decide who the laws apply to and whom they do not.

That is not the rule of law. That is a return to aristocracy. A return to legislation without representation. There was no law passed that said the statue of Thomas Jefferson in Portland was to be removed. Did the people in that community want the statue removed? Maybe they did, but that choice was stolen from them.

Even if you agree with the removal of that statue you must disagree with the method in which it was done. The ends do not justify the means, because once they do anything becomes acceptable. As the Roman historian Tacitus once said “Once killing starts, it is difficult to draw the line.”

If you allow the mob to decide for you this time, simply because you agree with their objective or are sympathetic to their cause, they will begin to make decisions for you all the time. You might be able to buy off the mob for a time, after all you have the right sign in your yard and you say all the things they tell you to say.

You hate all the right things and all the right people in order to signal your virtue as a ‘good person.’ But a moment will come when you slip. Maybe you misspeak, a total slip of the tongue. You figure, I’m a good person, people will understand it was an accident.

 

They don’t.

You apologize.

It is only taken as an admission of your guilt.

Next thing you know you have been fired from your job. The mob you once cheered shows up at your front door. They yell at and shove your children as they try to come home after school. The windows of your car are smashed in. Maybe a fire starts, who set it, after all the mob is mostly peaceful as they cheer the flames.

Where are the police you think, the fire department? I’m a good person, why are they doing this to me? Why won’t anyone help me?

It is then you realize those same questions must have gone through the mind of the good police officers who wanted to protect and serve their community with honor. You turn and see the person who set the fire only to recognize a second later that you are looking in a mirror.

These people taking over entire city blocks in Seattle are not there for a summer of love. The mob pulling down statues are not seeking to heal a divided country or help a hurt community. The media is not seeking the truth but providing cover.

They are not all part of some grand conspiracy. They are simply followers of an ideology of division. An ideology bent on pitting one group against another in their unrelenting quest for the only thing they believe that matters in the world.

Power.

The Portland Narrative of The Right Wing Rally

There was a Right Wing rally in Portland on August 17^th 2019. The rally was to raise awareness for domestic terrorism, particularly to highlight the actions of the group known as Antifa. This rally was in response to the brutal attack, at the hands of Antifa, on an independent journalist Andy Ngo that left him with a brain hemorrhage.

Narrative One

Leading up to this rally there was a lot of hot rhetoric on both sides. This of course caught national attention and the media was attempting to bill this event as the next Charlottesville. Naturally this alarmed the public, no one wants Neo-Nazi’s and White Nationalists gathering in their city.

This narrative was pushed by the mayor, Ted Wheeler, and the mainstream media. The only problem was that the Right Wing groups were not Neo-Nazi’s or White Nationalists. In fact Enrique Tarrio, one of the organizers and head of the Proud Boys is not white at all. Seems a bit odd that a White Nationalist group is led by a non-white person.

The media and the Progressive mayor, not interested in allowing the truth to get in the way of a useful narrative, ignored that fact. The mayor instead doubled down. He made the rounds on major media outlets saying that violence will not be tolerated in Portland.

His statements were a bit vague and any attempt by media personalities to get him to clarify who he was talking about were dodged. He seemed to imply that he did not want groups from outside of Portland to bring violence into the city. It seemed like mayor Wheeler was going to allow the police to do their jobs to keep the peace.

The mayor, along with a group of Portland organizations, held a rally a few days before saying they don’t want outsiders to bring violence into their city. That they don’t want people to come here and say hateful things and spread their hateful message.

In an unrelated and totally coincidental matter, several members of Patriot Prayer had arrest warrants issued for them and were taken into custody. This included the head of Patriot Prayer Joey Gibson, who turned himself in voluntarily to the police.

The Death of Narrative One

The rally was set to start at 11am on Saturday August 17^th 2019. Several groups showed up early to organize people and to share their location on social media. I arrived 15 minutes early and made my way to park where the rally was set to take place. After making my way around the police line and ending up among the black bloc I eventually made my way to the Right Wing group.

The Right Wing groups met up in the park, surrounded by police and screaming protesters. The protesters shouted at the Right Wing groups, called them Nazi’s, fascists, racists, and yelled at them to go home. While the organizers were from out of town a lot of people at the rally lived in or near Portland.

The Proud Boys got between the protesters and other members of the rally, trying to keep everyone focused on the speakers rather than engaging in shouting matches. Most the people at the rally understood that Antifa were a distraction and focused on the speakers. While in the park the Right Wing groups knelt down and said a prayer.

They prayed for Antifa and the city of Portland. To bring light into the city and to bring an end to the hate. This was followed by a signing of the national anthem and chants of USA. After this the organizers announced they would march to another location. They walked across the bridge and ended up at their location. It was here that a man walked into the group and started shouting F*** YOU while pointing at the face of every person he saw.

The Proud Boys acted quickly to keep the crowd away from him and the police quickly removed the man from the situation. No punches were thrown, no one was beat up and the police did their job. Soon after this, around 1:30pm the group was told by the organizers to disperse and head home. People left and made their way home.

The rally was over and it was peaceful. Antifa remained and turned their anger on individuals they singled out as Nazi’s, the police, and even attacked the bus the Proud Boys were attempting to leave on. Seems a bit odd that Antifa members spent hours yelling at the Right Wing groups to leave and the moment they try to leave they attack them.

After the Right Wing groups left a civil disturbance was declared due to illegal blocking of roads and several assaults committed by Antifa. The next day the media tried to carry the narrative forward writing things like ‘violence rocks Portland at Far Right rally’ or ‘13 arrested at Far-Right protest in Portland.’

They seem to have forgot that almost everyone has a cell phone with a camera and can watch the events happen in real time, unedited. These media companies had their comment sections light up as people pointed out that they are attempting to mislead people. Mayor Wheeler came out afterward and said that Joe Biggs, one of the organizers, was no longer welcome in Portland.

Wheeler said that Bigg’s message of hate had no place in the city of Portland. This narrative died as soon as the bus carrying the Right Wing rally goers left the city.

Narrative Two (Plan B)

We the people are not stupid. We understand that Antifa is a huge problem in Portland, but Mayor Wheeler refuses to directly address them and the media refuse to shine the light on this group. The first narrative was false and that falsehood was exposed for the world to see, and public sentiment started to turn against Wheeler and Antifa.

That is when the second narrative was born. In order to shift public sentiment against the peaceful Right Wing groups the media started running stories about how much businesses who closed their shops the day of the rally suffered.

The estimated cost to these businesses was $3 million and expected to grow. The media of course is trying to stand this narrative on the corpse of the previous one. They say if these Right Wing groups would not provoke people than things like this would never happen.

To clarify, the narrative goes like this. If Right Wing groups would stop committing the crime of being Right Wing in Portland than black clad people would not have to violently assault people, destroy property, and attack the police costing millions of dollars of tax payer money and hurting business.

It would seem that the Mayor does not believe the people actually committing the acts of violence and property destruction are responsible for their actions. Instead it is the groups who those people hate. It also seems that Mayor Wheeler believes the Right Wing groups are responsible for the hate and anger of other people because the Right Wing groups are the objects of that hate.

The Mayor of Portland seems to think that Right Wing groups should not be allowed to go into certain places if they are hated in those places. And if they do go into those places they are not allowed to enter, the simple act of being there is justification for the outrage, anger, hate and physical attacks they suffer. Not only that but that they are to blame for the attacks they suffer and any damage done due to those attacks.

The goal of this second narrative seems to be the same as the first, sway public opinion against the Right Wing groups.

A Comparison

Joey Gibson, leader of Patriot Prayer told reporters that he and his group have done around 60 rallies all over the state of Washington. All have been peaceful, no property damage was done, and no one was hurt. A few counter protesters even showed up but they all remained civil and everyone got to exercise their right to free speech peacefully.

 

Antifa protested in Portland after the election of President Donald Trump and cost the city $1 million in damages. There was no Patriot Prayer in the city, the Proud Boys did not exist as a group, and no one was counter protesting them. They were so upset about the election of Donald Trump they attempted to burn down and destroy the very communities they now claim they are protecting.

The question becomes, if Patriot Prayer can have around 60 peaceful rallies (so peaceful they get zero media coverage) all over the west coast, why is it that there is only fighting and violence in Portland? You must also ask, if Antifa protests turn toward violence and destruction even in the absences of Right Wing groups, why does the mayor not address directly the issue of Antifa violence?

The problem at these rallies are not the Right Wing groups (don’t get me wrong the Right Wing groups have problems of their own to be sure, just like any other group), they understand they are under a microscope at these events. They understand that any hint of aggression, any fighting, or any statement will be analyzed, picked apart, twisted and turned if it can be used to support the narrative that the cause of all the problems are Right Wing groups.

The problem is not even Antifa, but rather the culture of Portland itself. A ‘Progressive’ culture that increasingly focuses on a person’s group identity as an indicator of good or bad. A culture that believe the world is a conflict between good and evil people. A culture that believes if words make you upset that is violence, to be met with physical violence justified as self-defense. A culture that applies laws differently depending on your ideological belief and the fact that you wear a mask.

The Attack on Andy Ngo and Portland's Rule of Mob

Last weekend we saw the first major event of the protest season in Portland Oregon. Antifa showed up in force and marched down the streets hand in hand with violence and hated.

Double speak chants issued from the black clad crowd. “No Hate, No Fear, Proud Boys are not welcome here.” Were these chants to protest hatred and fear or were they an attempt to purge this feeling from their own hearts?

Andy Ngo

Andy Ngo is a Portland based independent journalist who has worked extensively covering the protests in Portland Oregon. He documents what happens and shares the video on social media as well as writes articles for publications such as Quillette and the Wall Street Journal.

Saturday he was covering several of the events in downtown Portland, excited about his new GoPro camera. Sadly that excitement was short lived when a large group of Antifa protesters, dressed in all black and in masks to obscure their identities, descended on him.

It started with someone pointing him out specifically and telling the crowd he was a ‘bad person.’ This singling out was all that was needed to provide the incentive for the mob to unleash their fury.

First it was someone throwing a drink, probably a milkshake, on Andy. This action was met with cheers and applause. Bolstered by this reaction other members of the crowd quickly stepped up to escalate the violence.

Andy, with his hands up covering himself, was struck several times. Fists, gloves with hardened knuckles, and silly string repeatedly struck Andy. The chaos emboldened Antifa members took the opportunity to rob Andy, stealing his new GoPro and the camera he had been using to document the protest.

Attempting to escape this hate, Andy stumbled across the park, unaware of the extent of his injuries. He felt dizzy and sat down, unknowing that the cause of this feeling was due to a bleed in the brain caused by the attack.

The police, having been ordered to stand down in the face of Antifa by Mayor Ted Wheeler, arrived at Andy’s location and offered medical aid. Andy eventually made it to a hospital later that night to discover the seriousness of his injuries.

Other Attacks

Another man alone, filming Antifa marching the wrong way down the middle of a one way street was pepper sprayed by Antifa and chased off.

An elderly man was confronted by Antifa only to be left with blood running down his face as the violent mob beat him, kicked him while he was down and threw objects at him. When another man tried to intervene to break up the fight he was struck over the head from behind with what appeared to be a crowbar.

This man later went to the hospital and received over 20 stitches in his head. These attacks were just the ones that got reported.

Rule of Mob

The Portland Police is taking a lot of heat for these violent protests. People wonder why they can be seen watching nearby as black clad Antifa violently assault people and destroy property. This is not due to the laziness of the individual officers, or the lack of a desire to perform their duty.

Instead this is due to orders they have been given. These orders come directly from the police commissioner, Mayor Ted Wheeler. Mayor Wheeler justifies these orders by saying he is bound by the first amendment to allow people to protest.

While people have the right to free speech and freedom of assembly, this right must be exercised peacefully. Mayor Wheeler, with the help of some members of the media, tries to pin all the violence on Conservative and Right Wing groups.

If you dig a little and observe other events these groups hold outside of the city of Portland (across the river in Vancouver for example) they are peaceful, people are allowed to speak and counter protesters are allowed to protest. As soon as Antifa shows up things get violent.

The media love to weasel headline these stories. A weasel headline is when you state something that is not false (which is different than something that is true) and frame it in the opposite direction. For example ‘Violence breaks out at Patriot Prayer rally.’ Makes it seem like violence follows the group Patriot Prayer and their rallies.

When you watch the video of the rally you can clearly see it is Antifa attacking the group they do not like. Mayor Wheeler, instead of condemning this sort of behavior actually applauds it. He thanked Antifa for their harassment of ICE personnel saying that he is glad that they are bringing national attention to this problem.

Mayor Wheeler also says that if the police enforce the law it will just cause more protests and Antifa riots. Instead of upholding the rule of law and protecting the liberty of the citizens, we now see a violent aggressive group being allowed to assault who they want, disrupt and direct traffic, and damage property.

When the police do make an arrest these people are often let out on bail or given a fine and turned lose. The city of Portland used to be a beautiful city, full of weird and interesting people peacefully pursuing their American dream. Now it has turned into a graffiti covered homeless camp soaked in urine and littered with used needles.

Where angry black clad mobs rule the street, imposing their ‘woke’ justice through violence and intimidation, backed by city council members and the mayor. Where the police force, whenever they are allowed to enforce the law, are thrown under the bus for political gain. Where business owners keep boards the size of their windows in their stock rooms ready for the destruction of the next round of violence.

The line between civilization and anarchy has worn thin in Portland. Responsibility and authority have been abdicated and the group filling that vacuum believe they are justified in violently enforcing their beliefs on the citizens. With the 2020 elections on the horizon I can only see this downward spiral getting worse. For the citizens of Portland I hope that I am wrong.

No Longer Silent: #timberunity #Oregon11

A lot has been happening in the state of Oregon. From the Governor sending the police after Senators to the #timberunity movement. I thought I would break it down in an attempt to cut through some of the media smoke and mirrors.

Just like every movement, this started before anyone showed up to protest at the capital.

Dangers of Super Majorities

This started when the Democratic Party won super majorities in both the Oregon House and Senate. On top of that they won the Governorship allowing for single party control of the entire state.

Some of the Democratic legislators felt that because they had been granted a super majority by the voters that meant that they could push through any legislation they wanted. To some it also meant that they did not even need to consider Republican representatives or their concerns from their constituents.

The Republicans were listened to in name only. Meaning they were given time to talk but nothing they said was considered or taken seriously. They had zero impact on legislation and were largely ignored by the Democratic legislators.

This dismissive behavior was farther compounded when every piece of legislation had an emergency clause attached to it. This put legislation into effect immediately after it was signed into law and would make it more difficult for the petition and referendum process to go forward.

They did not want these bills to go to be placed on the ballot and go to the voters. They even intended to restrict the ability for people to petition by introducing restrictions on how signatures could be gathered. It would seem the Democratic Party did not want the people or the Democratic process to take place.

The First Walk Out

The Republican Senators, tired of being relegated to seat fillers walked out in protest to stop two bills. One on gun control (HB 978) and the second on mandatory vaccines for kids attending public schools (HB 3063). The Oregon Senate is made up of 30 Senators, 18 Democrat and 11 Republican (one seat was empty due the passing of a Republican Senator Jackie Winters, rest in peace Senator and thank you for your service).

In order to get any business done the Senate must have 2/3 quorum, meaning they need at least 20 Senators present before they can pass legislation. After a few days and much negotiation the Democrats struck a deal to get the Republicans to return to the capital. Both bills were tabled (returned to committee) and a bill that would increase taxes to ‘pay for schools’ was passed.

The stipulations of the agreement were as follows:

The Republicans returned, the two bills were put aside for 2019 and they started to talk on HB2020. The bill number never changed and the Republicans felt like they were being ignored again. Not to mention that the bill had the emergency clause added in.

While the Republicans were deciding on what they should do, Oregonians from rural communities showed up at the capital on Wednesday June 19^th to protest the bill. They drove their logging truck and heavy equipment in and stood one the capitol steps.

This was #timberunity, a grassroots campaign made up of loggers, truckers, ranchers, farmers and people from rural communities in Oregon. They would be the ones paying the biggest price if HB2020 passed and they showed up to express their concern. Chief among those concerns was that their livelihoods would be taken away from them.

The Democrats did not seem to care, saying the sacrifice was worth it if it helped stop climate change.

#Oregon11

The Republican Senators, listening to their constituents, frustrated that their concerns are being ignored by the majority, and believing that the deal to get them returned was violated (HB2020 was not reset) used the only tool available to them, they walked out.

Enraged at this act of defiance Democrats called upon the Governor to compel the Senators to return. Governor Kate Brown gave the orders to Oregon State Police to find the Senators and bring them back to the capital.

Senator Brian Boquist said to Oregon State Police superintendent “Send bachelors and come heavily armed. I’m not going to be a political prisoner in the state of Oregon. It’s just that simple.” Republican Senators flee the state to prevent them from being rounded up by the police to be used as seat fillers in order to pass legislation that they believed would damage the people in the communities they represent.

The Republican Senators become known as the #Oregon11. To retaliate the Democrats plan on fining the missing Senators $500/day of legislative session they miss. They then plan on keeping the session open all weekend in an attempt to increase this penalty.

Democrats and the media call on Republicans to return, saying they have a duty to be at the capital to work for the people who voted them into office. Republicans and their supporters refuse knowing that by returning to the capital they will simply be seat fillers and unable to represent their constituents.

#timberunity and Oregon GOP plans a protest for Saturday (Occupy the Capital) to show support for #Oregon11 and to oppose HB2020. Senate Democrats, citing fears that ‘militia groups’ are going to show up at the capital cancel Saturday’s session.

No proof or source has been provided for these threats and no arrests have been made at the time of this writing. Militia groups offered protection to the fleeing Senators but no proof has been made public showing that they made threats to invade the capitol building. Oregon GOP and #timberunity show up at the capital to protest.

Democratic State Rep Paul Evens makes a statement on twitter comparing the protesters and the #Oregon11 to terrorists. The legislative session is set to end June 30^th and the Republican Senators have shown no signs of returning before then.

Freedom Rally

Thursday June 27^th #timberunity, rural communities, Republicans and many others hold one of the largest rallies at the State capital ever. Trucks parade around the building honking their horns, people giving speeches on the steps of the capitol building, and protesters with signs stand together outside in order to oppose HB2020 and show support for the #Oregon11.

Senate President Peter Courtney announced that he no longer has the votes needed to pass HB2020 when a few members of his party decided they will not vote for the bill. The Progressive members of the Democratic Party believed that with a super majority that they could do whatever they wanted.

They believed they could pass legislation with impunity and that they knew what was best for Oregonians, even better than Oregonians themselves. So far they have not succeeded with HB2020, but they have succeeded in one area, uniting rural and working Oregonians and energizing them to speak up and say no more.

#timberunity #Oregon11

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.