Political Violence Is Domestic Terrorism: We Must Treat It As A National Emergency
“The Events on January 6 Are Not Past. They Are Prelude.” Just Security Editor Rachel Kleinfeld
QUICK READ: “[W]e need to quit mincing words and just talk about truths…[Jan. 6] was going to be an armed revolution….people died….gallows [were] set up in front of the Capitol.” So stated former Oath Keeper Jason Van Tatenhove at a recent hearing. Violent domestic militias and far-right political candidates are national emergencies that threaten democracy.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
BACKGROUND
“[W]e need to quit mincing words and just talk about truths…[Jan. 6] was going to be an armed revolution….people died….[t]here was a gallows set up in front of the Capitol, ” according to ex-Oath Keeper Jason Van Tatenhove’s testimony.
Hate groups have been expanding for decades, mainstreaming violence as a political tool. Radicalism expert Arie Perliger argues domestic terrorists are emboldened when they think politicians will tolerate violence. Once legitimated, “no one is safe. Violence begets violence.”
GOP members hire militia groups for security, refuse to denounce the Proud Boys, and “offered an oath to ‘swear in’ militia members at a Stop the Steal rally.”
Militia members are part of the state GOP apparatus in Michigan, Florida, Arizona, Oregon, and Wyoming. Florida Senator Rick Scott pals around with their insurrectionist leader Enrique Tarrio, who is running militia members for local offices nationwide.
Proud Boys sit on the Miami-Dade Republican Executive Committee and Proud Boy Dan Tooze took 40% in an Oregon House primary.
Over 100 midterm candidates “promote extreme views, associate with extremists, and/or promote potentially dangerous conspiracy theories.”
Extremist groups have tested and refined their messages in Portland for years. Now they’ve gone mainstream.
ACTION One: Call the Senate.
Script for Oregon Senators
SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The MAGA cult has taken over the GOP. Hate speech and political violence have exploded over the past few years, culminating in an attack on our nation’s capital. This attack is not an end but a beginning of a new chapter of increasingly violence intimidation and threats. We must respond to domestic terrorism aggressively with criminal charges to protect our democracy from anti-democratic extremists.
SEN. WYDEN:
Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The MAGA cult has taken over the GOP. Hate speech and political violence have exploded over the past few years, culminating in an attack on our nation’s capital. This attack is not an end but a beginning of a new chapter of increasingly violence intimidation and threats. We must respond to domestic terrorism aggressively with criminal charges to protect our democracy from anti-democratic extremists.
Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
The MAGA cult has taken over the GOP. Hate speech and political violence have exploded over the past few years, culminating in an attack on our nation’s capital. This attack is not an end but a beginning of a new chapter of increasingly violence intimidation and threats. We must respond to domestic terrorism aggressively with criminal charges to protect our democracy from anti-democratic extremists.
ACTION TWO: Call the House.
Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The MAGA cult has taken over the GOP. Hate speech and political violence have exploded over the past few years, culminating in an attack on our nation’s capital. This attack is not an end but a beginning of a new chapter of increasingly violence intimidation and threats. We must respond to domestic terrorism aggressively with criminal charges to protect our democracy from anti-democratic extremists.
Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)
Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The MAGA cult has taken over the GOP. Hate speech and political violence have exploded over the past few years, culminating in an attack on our nation’s capital. This attack is not an end but a beginning of a new chapter of increasingly violence intimidation and threats. We must respond to domestic terrorism aggressively with criminal charges to protect our democracy from anti-democratic extremists.
Script for Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)
Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The MAGA cult has taken over the GOP. Hate speech and political violence have exploded over the past few years, culminating in an attack on our nation’s capital. This attack is not an end but a beginning of a new chapter of increasingly violence intimidation and threats. We must respond to domestic terrorism aggressively with criminal charges to protect our democracy from anti-democratic extremists.
Script for Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The MAGA cult has taken over the GOP. Hate speech and political violence have exploded over the past few years, culminating in an attack on our nation’s capital. This attack is not an end but a beginning of a new chapter of increasingly violence intimidation and threats. We must respond to domestic terrorism aggressively with criminal charges to protect our democracy from anti-democratic extremists.
Script for Kurt Schrader (OR-05)
Salem office: 503-588-9100 | DC office: 202-225-5711
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The MAGA cult has taken over the GOP. Hate speech and political violence have exploded over the past few years, culminating in an attack on our nation’s capital. This attack is not an end but a beginning of a new chapter of increasingly violence intimidation and threats. We must respond to domestic terrorism aggressively with criminal charges to protect our democracy from anti-democratic extremists.
ACTION 3: GOOD TROUBLE
GOOD TROUBLE: Below are opportunities to fight for our democracy. As John Lewis said, go make some “good trouble.”
Please watch the Jan. 6 Committee hearings, scheduled to air this Thursday at 5 pm (PST).
NEXT TUESDAY LETTER WRITING PARTY, 11:30am-12:30pm - INDIVISIBLE OREGON:
https://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/442887/Fridays at 4 - Letter and Postcard Writing — Indivisible Oregon.
Learn about persuasive language and communication research at the Zoom ASO Movement Briefings every second Wednesday.
Join the campaign to hold the House and Senate at GiveNoGround.org
Work to protect democracy in the House by replacing retiring US Representative Peter DeFazio with another Democrat, replacing Democrat Kurt Schrader, the “Manchin of the House,” with a progressive, and electing a Democrat in Oregon’s new Congressional District 6.
Demand that your primary news source stop creating false equivalencies and just report the truth.
Check out the Poor People's Campaign Readies 'Massive, Nonviolent' Effort to Save Democracy
Outside of Portland? Check out COIN Oregon.
further reading:
Oath Keepers a Threat to Democracy: Jan. 6 Select Committee | Southern Poverty Law Center
Oath Keepers | Southern Poverty Law Center
DOJ implements new methods for hate crime reporting | Salon.com
Racism is keeping many Asian Americans from going to the doctor - Vox
The Dark Lesson Proud Boys and Oath Keepers Will Take From the Jan. 6 Hearings
House Republicans All Vote Against Neo-Nazi Probe of Military, Police
Transcript of the seventh Jan. 6 committee hearing on its investigation : NPR
The Dark Lesson Proud Boys and Oath Keepers Will Take From the Jan. 6 Hearings
How the Proud Boys Gripped the Miami-Dade Republican Party - The New York Times
https://twitter.com/rmayemsinger/status/1545100848224604160
How Oregon was a testing ground for Jan. 6 attack on US Capitol - OPB
