Young Republicans caught in their vile and racist pro-Hitler and pro-gas chamber hate-filled text streams on social media will not suffer any consequences (maybe one for show) for their actions.  I’m not surprised if you didn’t hear about it.  Regardless, all you have to be is pro-Draco II and you’re protected.  If, on the other hand, you are peacefully protesting against Draco II, you are labeled anti-American troublemakers, you participate in “hate America” rallies, are referred to as the “enemy within”, and stated by White House press-secretary Karoline Leavitt as loving and supporting “Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals”. 

At the No-Kings rally in Manchester last Saturday, I was standing alone within 10 feet a pro-Draco II protester there at the rally (who was peaceful and had the right to be there as much as 200+ anti-Draco II protesters had) when the owner of a shop (I won’t mention the name) on McArthur street came running up to me, outfitted with what I assumed was an open-carry permitted pistol on her side, and verbally in-my-face accosted me saying that I had to get off her property.  I was standing on the sidewalk, was not blocking entrance into her parking lot nor her store.  She allowed the pro-Draco II protester to be there, but said I had to move. 

Not wanting to even accidently provoke her (and her pistol-toting husband), I moved 20 feet away to where she could not continue to berate and threaten me.  I told her to call the police, which she evidently did.  Shortly thereafter, I moved downhill from the pro-Draco II protester to a location in front of a daycare, and shortly after that, three Manchester police cars showed up.  In the meantime, another two No-King protestors had moved to the place I had vacated and the women was bullying them to leave.  I heard that the police told her that as long as the protestors did not block access to her parking lot or store front, they had a right to be on the sidewalk.  The No-Kings protestors turned around and left to de-escalate the situation. The police never came and talked to me.  Before I walked away, though, I asked the man with the gun why he hated us so much and he told me “you Democrats cause all the trouble in the country” (I’m a registered Independent).  Why would someone come to a peaceful and legal rally mad as hell packing a gun?  How smart was that?  What if things had accidently gotten out of control?  Via Draco II and his administration, hate thrives.

America and democracy will not survive divided.  All democracy’s enemies, using division and separation as their calling/hacking cards, are laughing as they watch some American citizens do the destructive work for them.  This has to stop; Draco II has to go.  There is unifying work to be done.  Meanwhile, I’ll keep waiting for my protest paycheck from Antifa, or a bullet from my neighbor.

Bob Bates

Tullahoma