Fight For What You Believe In #OperationAmericanSpring #OAS

I've had three days to digest Operation American Spring and the heartburn is only getting worse.

It's not the numbers. or lack thereof, it's the reaction. The racist and sexist attacks have been a growing tsunami and no one's safe. The elderly, the infirmed, young, gay, Asian - the onslaught is not witty or ironic or good-natured snark. It's hatred. Pure bashyourfeckingfacein hatred.

And for what? Don't we all have the same Bill of Rights? Everyone's e-mails are being snooped, phones tapped, texts read, speech curtailed, protections infringed, media silenced, due process eroded, bags searched and consciences compromised.

I wish I'd been this engaged during the Bush presidency, because that was surely the sowing: Our government failed us on 9/11 and used it as a pretext for stripping civil liberties. Then they lied to us about a war and sent thousands of men and women into harm's way. Those lucky enough to return were branded domestic terrorists, permitted to die waiting on the V.A, and we were lied to again. Then the kabuki government which failed to protect us decided to fund, arm and train the very same group that attacked us and necessitated all these draconian measures in the first place.

But acknowledging your country's entire raison d'être is just SO gauche, right?

Anonymous is participating. Are they "teabaggers" and traitors, too?  The former insult is a sophomoric softball, but the latter really cofuses me. Separatists actually believe that Citizens standing up in defense of the Republic's rule of law, founding principles and protocols of governance are engaging in sedition. Meanwhile, the lawless apparatus that's subverting all of the same is somehow within due bounds. How can one reason with such blind faith, ignorance and apathy?

Do I agree with every stated goal of OAS? No, but I do appreciate the art of the possible. I will participate again soon, and I don't give a damn if there are 3 people there or 300 million. My founding charter tells me this explicitly:

When a lengthy series of violations are committed (which always have the same result of curtailing my natural abilities), I am empowered and obligated to reject the perpetrators and choose new, lawful representation. Those are Thomas Jefferson's words updated, and each forms the capstone of the Declaration of Independence. If adhering to these "obvious facts" makes me a domestically terrifying traitor, then that I proudly am.

In the meantime, I admire the resolve of those still in Washington and would be happy to post your stories, pictures and any other content related to OAS. I can be reached via e-mail here.

EDIT: How's this for instant validation? Immediately after posting this, I was accused of trying to overthrow the government, execute the President, deport all Muslims, and then lectured on living in the poor, bigoted South. Just as I said, there is no reasoning with madness. 

One Day Down #OperationAmericanSpring #OAS

Day 1 down, how many more to go? Citizens are reconvening at the Washington Monument at 8:00 AM, and the OAS expectation is that turnout will be even greater. The storms may have kept some away, but there are blue skies and it's the weekend, so perhaps they're right.

Turnout figures weren't even in the same galaxy as those being called for. It will likely be fodder for more separatist vitriol, which is reaching a fever pitch. I don't know that I've ever read more hateful, sexist, racist rubbish than I did today. Tolerance is a one-way street for some.

I'm pretty well cooked, so I'll keep this short:

I made it safely into DC, exercised my unalienable rights, covered a ton of ground and hopefully provided an objective window into the day. My countrymen and women were spirited, resolved, and as is always the case, responsible. Every area OAS traversed was policed for litter, and there wasn't a single incident to speak of.

Law enforcement presence was extensive, to say the least. D.C. Park, Metro and Capitol Police were aware of every move in real-time, and I'm still trying to digest the deployment of a drone. I'm not suggesting it was a Reaper or anything similarly offensive, but it's the principle. The apparent lack of cohesion between the respective police units is also curious.

The diversity present today was so nice to see. Women, minorities and millennials marched and made their voices heard. Constitutionalists are so often portrayed as old white men by extremists, and while I know that's hardly the case, it was very encouraging to see everyone represented today.

The most touching event was when the thousand or so marchers arrived at the Capitol. Hundred of schoolkids were visiting from Somewhereville, and they chanted "USA! USA!" as OAS arrived, their smiles beaming while their cheers rose in unison with ours. I thought I'd captured video, but I snafu'd it and recorded my feet walking away.

EDIT: I found someone else's video here.

Here's to Scarlett Sonja on Twitter for kindly sharing my updates. Most of all, I'd like to thank YOU: Over one thousand readers from all around the world checked The Third Lantern today. We shined on every state of the Union, plus D.C., Puerto Rico, Canada, the U.K., Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, The Czech Republic, South Africa, Finland, Indonesia, Japan, Slovakia, Argentina, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, France, Croatia, Hungary, Iran, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mexico, Malaysia, New Zealand, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Russia and Sweden. I'm humbled to be able to reach you all and share the truth.

I'll leave you with a short video of the protest moving to the White House:

Veni, Vidi Veritas - #OperationAmericanSpring #OAS

The American Spring is a peaceful, unarmed assembly of Citizens in Washington, D.C., on Friday, May 16th, 2014.

We are a nation of laws, processes and protocols. Our system of government is not only sound, it's also the finest and fairest ever instituted among men. Our founding charters are explicit regarding every Citizen's rights and duties. We are a constitutional republic conceived in liberty, an exceptional union of sovereign states which must be preserved. To quote Bro. Richard Dreyfuss:

“We were responsible for the greatest revolution in the history of civilization. We gave to 98% of the human race freedoms that they have been lashed for, lost fingers for or had their heads chopped off for, and we gave it to them for free. We are the most revolutionary nation that has ever been and ever will be, and we don’t know enough about our Constitution or our history to know why we should be proud of it.

George Washington said the Constitution should be central, the party should be peripheral. Now we’ve got it all backed around, and now the parties are central and the Constitution is peripheral. We don’t know anything about why the Constitution is the most single greatest step toward humans improving civilization since the beginning of man’s sojourn on earth."

Awareness, appreciation and engagement are not extremism, racism, domestic terrorism or any other ill-fitting "ism". It is patriotism in a time of unprecedented peril.   

I am a son of liberty, a registered Independent, and my reasons for participating are twofold: To exercise our First Amendment right to petition the government, and to accurately convey to you what transpires along the way. I have no material support, no editor, no lobby and nothing to sell. I may not be a journalist, but no one has a monopoly on the truth. That's what this all comes down to for me:

Truth.

If there are seven people milling about the monuments, I will report it. If a million KKK members are jet skiing in the reflecting pool, I will share it. If thousands of law-abiding Citizens are peacefully protesting in support of the Constitution, you will see it. No partisan axe to grind, no ulterior motives, just the unbiased facts.

I don't know if I'll be underwhelmed or awed. I have no idea how the authorities may react, if at all. There are many good people involved, and there are some undeniably on the lunatic fringe. Some think it will be a bloodbath, while others have already deemed it a disappointing failure. 

In the event that data/voice connectivity becomes unavailable, arrangements are in place for an alternative source of updates here. Whatever transpires on Friday and for however long I may remain, I give you my word that The Third Lantern will be shining on Washington.