The violent mobs in the streets have been able to force concessions from states, counties, and cities, and have even gotten federal legislators to propose legislation to appease the mob and try to stem the violence.
But should we be bending the knee to these protests?
The Department of Defense Dictionary defines terrorism as:
Terrorism – The unlawful use of violence or threat of violence, often motivated by religious, political, or other ideological beliefs, to instill fear and coerce governments or societies in pursuit of goals that are usually political.
Department of Defense Dictionary
These protests and riots certainly meet that definition, since they involve the use of violence against anyone who disagrees with their demands or positions. They’ve gone so far as to get people fired from their jobs for simply not mouthing the words they demand. THAT’S SCARY.
However, many people claim that appeasement will get the violence to stop and that it’s worth it.
I find a lot of guidance in God’s Ultimate Tactical Handbook. In Proverbs 25:26, it says this:
A righteous person who yields to the wicked
Is like a muddied spring or a polluted well
Well, that seems pretty unambiguous…don’t yield to the violent rage-mob, or the cancel-mob, or any mob.
If you study the results of the current protests, every single time that a jurisdiction has yielded to the rioters and gave in to a demand, it has immediately led to more demands, which are usually even more extreme than the previous ones.
As an example, once one jurisdiction agreed to drop charges against the arrested rioters, thinking it would stop further protests, the next night they had even more violent protests with the new demand being release EVERYONE from the jail.
It will never stop, now that they’ve gotten a taste of victory.
The President missed an opportunity to shut this all down with the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone. As I wrote previously, the proper response would have been the immediate application of federal force to end it immediately. Instead, he relied on the local governments to resolve it to try and win points from them. The situation ended with 2 dead and 5 wounded from lawlessness that the Mayor, Governor, and President all had a duty to stop, by force if necessary, but none did. It also gave a huge strategic win to the organized revolutionaries who are leading this.
And what did the President gain from letting the Mayor handle it? She blamed the entire debacle on him.
In Atlanta, the Prosecutor caved to the rioters within hours, but what did he gain? A wide lawless zone, many deaths, a 400% increase in shootings, and a police force that is afraid to do their jobs (rightfully so).
When a small child was killed there by armed revolutionaries (call them what they are), the Mayor vowed to make the area safe immediately. Exactly 24 hours later, there had been 2 more shootings with 3 victims within feet of the location of the girl’s murder.
In Portland, every night for a month ANTIFA forces have tried to barricade the police inside a police station and light it on fire. The police rush out and battle them, arresting dozens. Every morning, the prosecutor caves to the crowd and orders all rioters released without charges. The violence starts again the next evening. It’s like Groundhog Day in Portland, every single day.
Has appeasement and yielding to the violent mobs gained us any safety? Do you feel like this is getting any better?
So, since this is Tactical Wisdom, what can we, as ordinary citizens, do in this situation? A few things.
First, be vocal with your elected representatives, letting them know how you feel about appeasement. I know, they probably won’t listen (mine is Rashida Tlaib, so I get it).
Second, communicate your support to local law enforcement, every chance you get. They get precious little positive reinforcement and these days they’ll appreciate it. They may even remember it when you need their help.
Third, build a local mutual aid group. Find a tribe of like-minded individuals who can work together should any unrest come to your neighborhood. This is vital, because of the issues the McCloskey situation highlighted.
The McCloskey’s rushed out and confronted a massive crowd alone, which could have went bad, but the aftermath was worse. Their neighbors immediately turned on them, offering an appeasement letter to the rioters (think a surrender note), saying that they disagreed with the McCloskey’s and essentially begging the rioters not to come back. Did it work? Nope, the rioters were back the very next day, in larger numbers. Had the McCloskey’s set up a mutual aid group ahead of time, they would have had people to call on to help defend their property and not been left alone.
Fourth, and it’s a common theme on this site, BE AWARE. Don’t just watch the news for information; they only report what’s already happened and most of it isn’t true anyway. Scour the internet for posts about protests in your local area. Most local police departments produce a local crime map, updated regularly, so that you can see where hotspots are. If your employer has a security department, stop by and ask them for information. Many security departments are part of working groups with federal or local authorities that share non-public information about local threats.
Fifth, carry emergency supplies. See any of my posts for more information on that area.
Lastly, understand that, as my friend Ivan Throne says in his philosophy best-seller book, The Nine Laws, Concealment is The Second Law. Not everyone needs to know every detail of your day. Not everyone at work needs to know your political leanings. Your vehicle doesn’t need bumper stickers about the guns you own, your favorite candidate, what you think about their favorite candidate, or your support of causes. These things can cause you to be targeted.
Now, I’m not saying hide or cower in fear. Not at all. I’m just saying don’t make yourself a target by proclaiming everything to the world, every minute. As an example, let’s say I’m a thief, considering going through cars in the parking lot. Will I pick the car with the “peace” symbol sticker or the one with the “Glock” sticker? I think we know. Also, if you’re at work and a protest group passes your building, and sees your 5 Trump/MAGA stickers on your car, what do you think will happen? And how much investigation are the police going to do? Be smart about it.
When the time comes, do not yield in the face of wicked people. Be firm, stand fast, and make your stand. Just make sure it’s on your terms, with your mutual aid group and your gear, not on their terms, with you alone and unprepared.
Every single time a prepared group has stood up to these people, they have moved on to other targets. Saint Louis still stands on his pedestal. The Minneapolis businesses that the Oath Keepers stood in front of are still there. Teddy Roosevelt has not fallen to ANTIFA (Although he may to the Mayor).
The key point is this….When we decide to stand up, do so with a strong group, fully prepared, and never, ever yield.
Just make sure you don’t ever let the enemy decide when or where that will be. As Sun Tzu said, “If you know yourself and know your enemy, you need not fear the result of 100 battles”.
Stay safe, and stay prepared.
Tactical Wisdom 