2020 Security Blending In

[David in MN]

Remember I'm the guy who wore a "Hillary" T-shirt in 2016 because I assessed that in Minneapolis one could be legally assaulted for a MAGA hat and I was dubious the mob would wait for me to explain a non-voting anarchist position sans hat. I also live in a state where a jury decided that the right thing to do was to murder a man for praying in German; an act I do and a language I speak. Sometimes together.

Today I'm buying "Black Lives Matter" shirts. I might have a fancy with some of their causes but that's not the point. If I get caught in a violent situation I want to be wearing the costume of the presumed innocent. I want the police reticent to interfere with me. Not because I will do bad things but because I want the added security.

Some will not get this. Some will ask very relevant questions like "would you have worn a Nazi armband in Germany in 1937" or "burned your Bible in Russia in 1922"? Yes, I would have. I would have done everything in public to be on the good side of the law and everything in private to subvert it. Might not be what the gentlemen in my family who fought in WWII would want to hear but that's the hand I was dealt. I would wear the costume or do the public act that let me pass in polite society. Just like every politician who wears a flag lapel pin as they sell our children into debt slavery.

If I told you that painting your fingernails orange would let you get a lower mortgage rate you'd do it. If I then said it was in solidarity with orangists in 1600s Netherlands you'd rightly tell me you didn't care. The extra 2% savings would be reason enough. Well, I can wear a costume that lets me walk free in a now very dangerous city.

This is an affront to most people. The conservative minded (on both sides) has this silly idea that we must honestly represent ourselves in public. As though I poop or have sex in public. My public persona has nothing to do with my actual beliefs or desires. As a socialist friend jokes, you conservatives (yes I call him out for his Alinsky tactic of defining me) would win the day if you ever grasped postmodernism. And he has a point. A simple shirt changes my rights status. OK. I didn't write the rule. But I'll use it.

[Morning Sunshine]

interesting, especially in light of the Professor's post on the "Re: Prepping for widespread political violence associated with the election" thread.

http://thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=64459.msg775583#msg775583

I will keep you in mind when I see crazies wearing that shirt, that maybe just maybe they are trying to go "gray man."  But for me, I cannot seem to support something I do not.  It rubs me wrong.

Also, I am reminded of the lady eating dinner at a DC restaurant recently.  https://legalinsurrection.com/2020/08/campus-culture/. She was told to stand up in solidarity with the mob.  She even agrees with them, and by her own admission has marched with them.  But she felt that standing up was the wrong thing to do.  I do not understand her mentality, to be honest.

[David in MN]

It's Americana. We need the abolitionists in the streets at noon but I'm more the type to assist the underground railroad at night.

I do this to blend in with the righties too. I say the Pledge of Allegiance at the gun club even though I think it's sacrilege to pledge fidelity to a piece of cloth much less that it was written by a socialist as a marketing campaign. But for whatever reason the vets love it so keeping them in good graces is fine even if in my heart of hearts they are blaspheming.

Think if you had a child who took biology in college and the prof made them write a paper on the proof there is no God (happened to me). Would you council your child to stand on principle and fail or to tell that poopstain whatever he wanted to hear and keep up the grades and in private keep their beliefs?

If putting a sign in my front yard keeps my house from burning, I'll do it.

[iam4liberty]

Isnt a much simpler solution to live somewhere where wearing a hat isn't a capital offense?

When the mob goes bloodthirsty, it doesnt matter what someone is wearing.  They will pull people at random to beat. You can be the most ardent supporter and they will kill you and your family.  Ask Horace Lorenzo Anderson. 

Also, these arent just random people.  These are organized gangs with a hierarchy and secret symbols to identify each other.  Frankly, they are more likely to think you are an undercover Fed than an actual supporter.  Also, reports out of Minneapolis are that if you put a sign in your yard, they will come shake you down for money to prove your loyalty.

Food for thought:

https://youtu.be/RmPlWpoCM8c

https://twitter.com/i/status/1268281301599162373

Play with matches, get burnt.

[Morning Sunshine]

It's Americana. We need the abolitionists in the streets at noon but I'm more the type to assist the underground railroad at night.

I do this to blend in with the righties too. I say the Pledge of Allegiance at the gun club even though I think it's sacrilege to pledge fidelity to a piece of cloth much less that it was written by a socialist as a marketing campaign. But for whatever reason the vets love it so keeping them in good graces is fine even if in my heart of hearts they are blaspheming.

Think if you had a child who took biology in college and the prof made them write a paper on the proof there is no God (happened to me). Would you council your child to stand on principle and fail or to tell that poopstain whatever he wanted to hear and keep up the grades and in private keep their beliefs?

If putting a sign in my front yard keeps my house from burning, I'll do it.

lots of good points.  I think I would be one who refused to buy sugar and silently supports the abolitionists and maybe quietly give extra food or blankets to the neighbor I know is working the UR.  And nullifies the fugitive slave act on a jury.

I am starting to have reservations about the Pledge of Allegiance as well.  We had a mom bring it up at our co-op, and I was kind of flabbergasted that someone would object to it on the grounds of what you say.  It has made me think, and it is no longer so important to me that my family and my homeschool repeat it.  Instead, I have children who have memorized the Preambles to the Constitution and Declaration and the Gettysburg Address and parts of Patrick Henry's most famous speech.

If it were me, I would have found a way to write a paper on how you cannot prove a negative - in other words, I would have written in support that there is a God and dared the professor to fail me.  I dared many things like that in college, and didn't get my teaching certificate because of that (Thank goodness - I think I would have hated teaching in a public school!)

---
But then, I grew up on stories of the early Mormon Pioneers and their faith and determination to worship God in the way they thought best. 

19-year old Joseph F. Smith, son of Hyrum and nephew of the Prophet Joseph Smith, had this story:

One of the men [in a mob] approached him with a pistol, declaring that it was his duty to exterminate every Mormon he came in contact with. As he pointed his pistol at Joseph, he demanded, “Are you a Mormon?”

Without fear or hesitation, Joseph answered, “Yes siree; dyed in the wool; true blue, through and through.”

The man was so startled by the courage of young Joseph F. Smith that he dropped his pistol and said, “Well, you are the [expletive deleted] pleasantest man I ever met! Shake, young fellow, I am glad to see a man that stands up for his convictions.” The man rode off, with the others following behind (Joseph Fielding Smith, Life of Joseph F. Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1938, 189).

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/1997/11/are-you-a-mormon?lang=eng

I guess, I just believe that whatever happened in that situation would be for the eternal good of Joseph, so I have carried that over into the rest of my life.


---
but like iam4liberty says - I would rather be in a place where that is not an issue.

[CarbideAndIron]

Isnt a much simpler solution to live somewhere where wearing a hat isn't a capital offense?

That's my personal strategy for all this craziness. I'm 50 miles south of Seattle, just west of the mountain, and it's a different world out here. Leftists are EXTREMELY rare. There's daily gun shots, because my neighbors and I all have property and shoot at home. There's a couple BLM signs if I head in to the local suburb. But it's just a handful of 30-50yr old white progressive moms, who's kids don't want them around anymore.
I avoid social media and news now days, so when I hear about all this madness on podcasts or in forums, it's pretty insane to me.
Talking with my black and cop friends/family, they say that their social interactions are all normal still, in the rural or suburban areas. Still mostly positive.

Now I can't say I blame you Dave, if you lived somewhere that dangerous. I know you guys are probably trying to stay close to your wife's work location? I'm not hearing many reasons to stay around there, even without the chaos, your local governance is out of control.
I suppose it depends who I'm with when danger presents itself. If it's my family, I'll do pretty much anything to deescalate and leave. But if I was with my buddies...we might do something stupid, so good thing I just stay home, haha.

[David in MN]

Well I don't live here by choice. My wife demands she's never more than a 30 minute drive from her family. The entire family kind of think this way. In fact, once both daughters graduated and got jobs on the north side of the city my in-laws moved between them. It's a little odd because most of my family has lived out of state from where they grew up and several have lived out of country. So yes, I live in a basketcase state with lousy weather. It sucks but I made my bed.

Where I live you just don't see politic stuff. I'd advise against a Trump or Jo Jorgensen sign in the front yard because we don't have to talk politics; we just vote however the DFL tells us to. You're not going to get beat up but you might be "that guy" for a while. Similarly you might see a few BLM signs but they are pretty much harmless soccer moms trying to be relevant. Too many of us think that a quick virtue signal in the front lawn or on Facebook is the same as storming the beaches at Normandy. I'll confess there are a few "Blue Lives Matter" people and when I drive past I think they're nuts. I support their free speech but holy cow are they inviting trouble. And I default to my mother's belief that anyone with a political yard sign probably hasn't read the source literature (in all cases).

But there is something people don't see. I still technically live in Hennepin County. That sucks hard. I could take a 10 minute bike ride and be in Anoka County but I'm on this side of the river. So if I have to do any business whatsoever involving the county, my courthouse, my government buildings (outside my city), or anything formal like that I'm going to Minneapolis. Sad to say but the county could compel me to go downtown for jury duty. I'd really want to travel undetected. And going to the courthouse means... No weapons. Advertising any cause or slogan that would keep me safer would be a high priority.

These are things that run through my head. Yes, we plan to move further north in the future. Getting out of this county is becoming a bigger deal and with COVID effecting the schools (why we moved here in the first place) the list of reasons to not move further north is getting short. The Mrs. has already demanded our next property have an archery range and (hopefully) room for a clay pigeon thrower. We're on board with (I assume) everyone on this forum but the timing is what the timing is.

[LvsChant]

Now, I must say... Jury duty at the present time would really and truly suck. I went to a court case in my town with my sis-in-law recently. At the regular county courthouse, you are not allowed to bring anything in with you -- no purse, no phone. only your mask and car keys. I find that rather uncomfortable. Perhaps a wallet is allowed for the men... no idea.

Hope you have the chance to get out of that county soon, David.

I also agree with your mom about political signs in yards (I think it applies to bumper stickers as well).

[David in MN]

Make no mistake were my wife willing to live far from her family we would be in a red state. One of the things that 2020 really showed is the disparity of your safety with respect to how your state votes. Red states have done better with regard to riot safety, handled COVID  better with less of an economic impact, and our entire left coast is unable to manage wildfires because their environmental regulation requires too much paperwork to keep people safe.

In many respects it's one of the reasons I am very mad at our governance. Say what you will about your favorite coastal city but it's these big Midwest suburbs where you still don't have to lock your door and kids play carefree. Once they lost that narrative they really hurt their brand.

[CarbideAndIron]

Wow David, it must be pretty bad there if someone your size has to worry about being attacked/confronted while out and about. I mentioned I'm in Wa state, the oppressive side of the state too, and besides a few people holding blm signs at an intersection in the suburbs, there's not much evidence to social unrest. I can wear my 2A hat and be left alone going to a busy grocery store and hospital.
How are the communities outside your county? Like if you head 15min out further, is it still wild there?

[David in MN]

Not bad specifically where I am. But I'm pretty well hidden deep in the burbs. But I wouldn't go downtown. And even the burbs east of me had some fires, looting, etc. Bad enough that my wife's work shut down a 3rd shift during the riots with the advice to employees to go home and protect loved ones. That's 15 minutes from us.

It's not just that. There's a backdrop in Minneapolis others might not see. For whatever reason when BLM wants to make a point here they are allowed all manner of dangerous antics. They have shut down roads in the past and not limited to city streets. I'm talking I35 and I94. It's very dishonest to say that one thing or another has set off Minneapolis when we've seen these dangerous protests before. The city is now in the business of deciding which group of unlawful rioters are allowed to run roughshod over neighborhoods.