Oath Keepers on the Washington action.


In addition, there is this statemnent from Stewart Rhodes:

NOTE FROM STEWART: Members of Oath Keepers, I fully support this rally and planned peaceful civil disobedience and I encourage you to attend if you can. However, I want to make it clear that each of you have multiple options here:

1. You can go and simply participate in the rally (and you can choose to do so armed or unarmed – personally, I would be armed, since it is an open carry rally, but that is an individual choice).

2. You can go and outreach to the police and encourage them to respect and protect the rights of the protesters. That is a vital task that we Oath Keepers are pretty good at, and we should be doing that.

3. And/or you can also go into the Gallery of the legislature with the others who intend on using civil disobedience against the new rule put in place by the Speaker of the Legislature, that bans the open carry of firearms in the Gallery for the first time in WA state history (and make sure they know this is only a rule by the speaker, not even a law). If you do choose to take part in the peaceful civil disobedience, go there willing to follow the instructions of the organizers of the event, and the leaders there, such as Rep. Matt Shea, Anthony Bosworth, and MIke Vanderboegh, and go there willing to be arrested, in case that is the outcome (that is what peaceful civil disobedience is all about, after all – it is defying some edict, while knowing you may be arrested for doing so, and being willing to go through that experience).

You can do any one of the above, or all of the above. Personally, if I was able to be there (I am handling a family emergency at the moment that keeps me from attending), I would do all three. I would participate in the open carry rally, I would outreach to the police there, and I would participate in the civil disobedience. Such civil disobedience is necessary in the fight to restore our Republic, and in our mission to defend the Constitution. But each person needs to make a decision for themselves about what they are willing to do at any such event. Not all are at the point of being ready to risk arrest while undertaking peaceful civil disobedience. And that is fine. I do encourage you to begin to exercise those civil disobedience “muscles” but that is an individual choice. I will point out, however, that civil disobedience is a much honored American tradition, starting with the Founding Generation which intentionally refused to comply with multiple edicts, statutes, and rules set by Parliament and King. They refused to comply and used peaceful civil disobedience for many years leading up to the outset of fighting. They held town hall meeting right under the nose of General Gage, in direct violation of an edict of Parliament that banned town hall meetings. They smuggled around egregious restrictions on where they could send their ships and cargo. They refused to pay unjust taxes, and they circumvented or openly defied multiple other statutes passed by Parliament, and multiple acts by the Royal Governors. Civil disobedience, nullification, and defiance were the life-blood of the cause of the Colonists in the years leading up to the outbreak of the actual American Revolution. Learn from their example, and get yourself ready to use the same tactics, which will nor only further the cause of liberty, but will help you to become stronger in your hearts and minds.

I have attended multiple open carry rallies, and I have participated in several acts of civil disobedience, and I can tell you from personal experience, that it is good for the soul. I encourage you to go if you can.

For the Republic,

Stewart Rhodes