No amount of protest is lost.

Get out there - especially you veterans.

I've been thinking about this comment I made in a reddit thread addressed to veterans, but I think it deserves its own post and a bit of expansion. For context - I'm in my 50's, I have multiple physical disabilities, and it is hard on me to do all this. Here is the post I made for my fellow veterans:

Every single one of you in here took an Oath. I don't know about you, but I have not forgotten mine. There was no expiration date on that Oath.

No amount of protest is lost. During the first Trump administration when they were separating kids from the parents at airports and such, the government lawyers who are working on those cases specifically said they were given hope by watching us out there protesting so that they could resist the pressure from Trump to stop.

Protesting shows government officials that we are upset with their actions and we aren't taking this crap. It's a warning as well that things could get worse if they don't listen to us. Protest has always been that way. As veterans, it is especially important for us to be out there. People are scared shitless right now. They need a bit of leadership by example. We were brave enough to be fighting for real, so why aren't we all out there fighting now when it matters here in our country? The way we fight is protest. (Also, become ungovernable and resist in any other way you can that won't get you scooped up by the cops.)

A word especially to the other White veterans out there: Read some history. Fucking White people like us led to slavery here in America. Fucking White people are responsible for Jim Crow and all that shit. The Tulsa massacre. Now POC are being deported for having tattoos by a White President. We need to use our privilege as White people and our skillsets as veterans to help fix the shit THAT WE BROKE. (You and me personally? No, we weren't lynching people and such, but I hope you take my meaning. If not, I'm happy to discuss in the comments.) Part of that is showing other White people a better way.

One way I do that is I teach women and others who want it how to safely carry, use and maintain a firearm. Another way is regular protest. I go to local protests and provide security for everyone. I'm building out a medic bag and looking for some classes I can take to refresh my 30 year old training. I exercise all of my Constitutional rights in a legal manner while at the protest.

Which means I am armed and so are my fellow antifa. We have had threats, some of us are already outed, and I’m not taking chances when we have local assholes driving around yelling “White Power!” at us as we peacefully protest. Not here in Florida where every asshole can now carry legally with no training.

If you don't want to or can't do any of that, show up and protest. Hold a sign and yell. If you can't do that, then sit on your ass at home and amplify our message during our protests. Repost pictures and video everywhere of our protests. Get the message out there. The more that government officials and media see this happening, the better. The more the rest of the population sees it, the better. The protests will continue to grow. So you be our bullhorn and get it out there.

If you are worried about being doxxed to the other side, take some basic OPSEC procedures and go out and protest anyway. I am already doxxed to the Oathkeepers and other right-wing groups in the area, so I personally don't care anymore. If you are going to be a keyboard warrior for the cause, get a VPN and use new accounts for everything to reduce your chances of being doxxed. And that is real work - making shit get seen and go viral can be hard.

Go protest. There are nationwide protests scheduled for 4/5. Find one near you, leave your cell phone at home, wear a mask and go put in some fucking work.

Now is not the time to be soft hearted about it. We are veterans. Go fullfill your fucking Oaths. I am.

#OneLove #22ADay Slava Ukraini! Heróyam sláva!