In two weeks, our nation will celebrate its 248th birthday. Families will gather together to have barbeques and watch fireworks. Every third person you see on the street will be decked out in red, white, and blue. The U.S. flag will be proudly waved just as much in New York and California as it is in Idaho and Alabama. For one day, anyway, it will be safe to be patriotic.
But sadly, in many places across the country, that is not the case the rest of the year. If you’re labeled a “patriot” you are scorned, harassed, or even threatened. All of this might be the penalty for merely displaying the American flag, or - if you dare - for wearing a red hat with a certain famous political slogan. Your fate may be much worse if you choose to do something more than display the flag or wear patriotic attire. If, for instance, you choose to actually speak out against the bullhorn of propaganda, you could lose your livelihood. In some cases, you could be arrested. If you’re having enough of an impact and become a big enough target, is not even unfathomable that you could lose your life.
It is for this reason that some have suggested we ditch the word “Patriots” from our organization’s name. We The Patriots USA was an obvious tribute to the phrase “We The People” in the Preamble to our Constitution. But, partly because that phrase has been adopted by so many other organizations and individuals, and partly because we wanted to stress that we are an alliance of true patriots, we settled on “We The Patriots” instead (though despite our best efforts, people still call us “We The People” all the time). I have no doubt that it has cost us, both in terms of financial support and subscribers to our email list and social media pages. People have come right out and admitted to us that they don’t want to associate with us because they are afraid of “ending up on a list.”
The irony is that nearly every one of these people (or all of them) are already on many lists. If you vote Republican, you’re on a list. If you visit “conservative” websites or listen to what are considered “right-leaning” podcasts, you’re on a list. They know who you are and what you’re doing, and you’re not making things better for you or for the country by refusing to support the very people and organizations who are putting their necks on the line to save the rest of us. What you’re doing, in fact, is playing into the hands of the opposition. In every Marxist playbook, fear is the number one tool used to control the populace. Once we give into fear, we’ve already lost the war.
I have personally been attacked, or at least criticized, for giving too much of myself in defense of freedom. “You can’t beat them,” they tell me, “so just enjoy your life and spend more time with your family.” Some have even hinted that I’m being selfish for taking time away from my family to fight against the machine of tyranny. They tell me that my health will suffer for devoting too much time to “the cause.”
I have no doubt that some (or all) of this is true. But the funny thing is, I’ve never heard anyone criticize a combat veteran for sacrificing his entire life to defend the country and our freedoms. I’ve never heard anyone accuse a servicemember of being “selfish” for spending years overseas away from his family. I’ve never heard anyone say that a fallen soldier was neglectful of his duties as a father because he left home to fight in combat. And well they should not.
Now let me make something crystal clear: I am in no way comparing myself to a combat veteran or a fallen soldier. I am not worthy to polish their shoes. But in 2024 America, any of us who choose to fight for the causes of truth and justice, or to defend our Constitution, may be putting their livelihoods, liberty, and lives on the line. If a billionaire former President can be convicted of 34 felonies, do you think they can’t do the same or worse to you? I have been harassed and even received death threats. And I know that worse is coming, especially if we continue to win legal victories that threaten their global agenda. A victory in our case currently pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, for instance, could permanently allow individuals to opt out of state-mandated vaccinations, regardless of what new “pandemic” is unleashed upon us.
If you don’t want to fight publicly on the front lines, we understand. But all we ask is that you please consider supporting us from behind the line, by making a donation that will continue to fuel our legal efforts. We provide all of our legal services to our clients pro bono, so we cannot survive without your support. Our Mid-Year Giving Campaign ends June 30, 2024. And to stay updated on all of the latest developments with our litigation across the country, please subscribe to our email list. (Trust us, that’s one list that’s worth being on!) God bless you all, and God bless the beautiful United States of America!
Thank you for this beautiful essay. Thank you for giving a voice to so many.
I support you! I will donate when able to. I really enjoyed the Health Freedom conference in Boise last year. You have a fantastic organization. No need to change the name!