The following post was originally published over at 299Days.com.
By Glen Tate
Michael Stickland is a conservative alternative journalist in Portland who covers Leftist protests on his channel called “Laughing at Liberals.” He goes to the protests and videos all the violence they commit. They hate him.
He was jumped a few months ago and severely beaten by an anti-Second Amendment activist. Here’s the video (that crunching sound at 0:04 is his shoulder being broken). He knew the identity of the attacker (the guy drove away and his license plate is clearly visible) but the police never got around to arresting him. His shoulder has never recovered from the beating he endured by the “peaceful protestor.”
Learning his lesson that you can’t defend yourself without a weapon, he obtained an Oregon concealed carry permit and took extensive training on the safe use of a defensive firearm. Everyone has a right to defend themselves. What could go wrong?
Last summer he was covering a Black Lives Matter protest and a crowd of thugs, who recognized him and shouted out his name, taunted him as he was trying to escape. Then they charged him. He drew his weapon but did not fire. Here is the video of what happened. Four police officers who saw the video said no crime was committed and Michael clearly acted in self-defense.
He is now facing decades in prison.
Why? Because Portland, Oregon, like many liberal-controlled cities, hates people like Michael Strickland. The trial was a total travesty with a “surprise” prosecution witness, who Michael’s attorneys were not allowed to talk to in advance, being allowed to suddenly testify after the prosecution rested its case. (I’m a lawyer and have never in my life heard of this in my entire life.)
In my opinion, the prosecutor in Portland wants to “make nice” with Black Lives Matter and offered up Michael as a sacrifice to curry political favor. This is why I think Michael Strickland is a political prisoner. His political beliefs meant that he was prosecuted when others are not, all for the political benefit of the government. That’s the classic definition of a political prisoner. That’s Michael Strickland.
Portland officials want to make it illegal for conservatives to defend themselves, and by throwing Michael Strickland in jail forever they have succeeded. Black Lives Matter can burn down entire sections of a city but you can’t defend yourself, and they like it that way.
Don’t let them get away with it. Donate to Michael’s legal defense fund here.
On the one hand I understand his desire to document the very bad behavior .. so it can’t be spun. On the other hand he had to know he was taking a risk by being there. Obviously his belief in the fairness of law was misplaced. Washington, Oregon, California .. New York…
He is absolutely a political prisoner .. and this should make it’s way to the SCOTUS.
He has a right to be there and to defend himself when threatened.
If woudl have done anything different .. I would have taken several more than just myself and left when the belligerent started harassing him.
Oddly it sound like th erape arguments 20 years ago .. where they say he was sthere so clearly he was asking for it.. it’s his fault .. right ?
makes me ill .. so when is the flash point?
GG58
The left has come a long way from the peaceful protests in the 60s. I hope a good lawyer will re-open his case and help him. Lightning
I’ve given some more thought to this ..
Questions I ask myself, not necessarily about this case per se.. but in general .. relating to Lightning’s comment at least tangentially.
The basic character or purpose of protesting has changed. We used to protest to bring attention to, as well as pressure and gain support for a particular position.
Now it seems the violence is more an expectation that someone must pay for some perceived wrong done.. and the protesters should be the ones that make them pay directly rather than indirectly.
It comes from either incorrect or incomplete education. The rule book many use now is WHATEVER I WANT or BELIEVE is true. It isn’t of course in a nation of laws. Laws are rules that apply to everyone. The original rule book for behavior and civility was the bible and the majority of legal minds used it to at least influence the laws made.
We have since thrown that rulebook out, and any LAW that once might have deterred either morally or punitively is now differently applied. We have spent their entire young lives showing them that law is applied unequally based on money and or influence.
Essentially we changed the game and showed them demonstrably how to play it by many many examples. How should they now know otherwise?
I’ll liken it to training a dog. If they don’t know what to do or how to get what they want, be it approval or other, then they don’t know how to be happy. A lot of happy is knowing what the rules are, personally applying them and getting the expected result.
If they don’t know what is expected or try what they think is expected and get failure.. They go about making noise, chewing things barking etc etc.. to get attention, which doesn’t make them happy but is better than nothing.. Looks like happy or something if you don’t know what happy is.
People are a lot like dogs as young children, and behave much the same way when they don’t know what the rules are. The difference is that at some point they become more self aware and can make decision about their own individuality and behavior .. and their future. At the age of accountability one becomes responsible for whether or not God is part of their lives, and whether to apply those rules therein.. That is between them and God eventually ..
When they are here it is between them and US. I reserve the God given right to hold them to those rules, whether they know and apply them or not. For my Soul, My Family, and My Country. And that is between God and Me.. eventually. And I am OK with that.
GG58
Once there is a new US attorney in your area, go to his office with the case. Your civil rights were violated, first by the protester and then by the police.