We Leave When We Are Free
We Leave When We Are Free
News from the Bouncy Castle Revolution
Energy and passion are high in Canada these last few weeks. What is happening in Ottawa, in Coutts, and at the Ambassador Bridge, are all giving me hope. I have been watching Viva Frei’s livestreams, and also Ottawalks, and Aron Dueck at the Ambassador Bridge, among others. Rebel News also has very good people on the ground, who are making frequent reports. Watch the interviews, hour after hour after hour, of good people who have shown up in the bitter cold to take a stand, for their freedom, and for all of ours. And then try to conclude that the legacy media is telling you the truth.
That said, there have been a few disappointing moves this week:
Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act on February 14, to deal with the Freedom Convoy. Linda Blade wrote about it here yesterday.
The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) have admitted to sabotaging privately owned excavators, which were sitting on privately owned land, in order to keep them from participating in the border blockade at Coutts in Alberta.
And the New Democratic Party of Canada is contributing to the hysteria by engaging in guilt by association through weak and transparent rhetoric. For instance, the Freedom Convoy having been booted from GoFundMe, through no fault of their own, we are told that they are now “utilizing fundraising platforms that have been used by terrorist organizations, including the Proud Boys”. The New Democratic Party also claims that local citizens are being “spit on,” children and pets are “scared of the bombardment of noise throughout the night,” and workers and employees are being “assaulted.” None of this arrives with evidence, of course.
Ottawa, early February. This and all subsequent photos by Tara C
Why is it so important that we believe that the Freedom Convoy is characterized by white supremacists and louts, intent on violence and social unrest? Why, similarly, was it so important that we believe that the #BlackLivesMatter protests of 2020 were characterized by peace-loving people who were finally standing up for their rights? When, on the first weekend of the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, a statue of Terry Fox had a sign hung around his neck—a sign that read “Mandate Freedom”—the screaming commenced immediately: how dare they denigrate our history, how disrespectful, how outrageous! But when, across North America in 2020, and into 2021, statues ranging from Thomas Jefferson to Queen Victoria were destroyed—including one in Montreal of John A. MacDonald, Canada’s first prime minister, which was toppled and decapitated, after which a carnal act was theatrically enacted on his now detached head—we were assured that the protests were mostly peaceful, and that if you care about statues, you are revealing that you don’t care about people. Not to mention, of course, the fire-setting, the widespread property destruction, the assaults and batterings, and even killings, that occurred during the peaceful protests of the Summer of 2020.
Why, indeed, has the legacy media coverage of both sets of events been exactly the opposite of what is true?
There is, as Bret Weinstein and I discussed on DarkHorse this past weekend, a distinct class element to both the protests, and the media coverage of them. While the #BLM protests of 2020 pretended to speak for the downtrodden and, by implication, the lower classes, it was largely a movement of the middle class, with a sprinkling of those who are elite or elite-aspirational, who took their boredom to the streets with some inspirational slogans. As such, the largely middle class and elite-aspirational class who write for the legacy media applauded it. I wrote about what I saw here (“14 True Things”), in early June 2020.
Of those 14 true things, things 7 and 8 are about protest itself, and they are so obvious that I would feel embarrassed for having put them in writing, were it not for the fact that, at the time of writing, it seemed the entire world had forgotten point eight, in particular:
7. Protest, and the right to protest, are fundamental to democracy.
8. Riot is not protest. Looting is not protest. We have no right to riot or to loot, and indeed, rioting and looting are anathema to democracy.
The #BLM “protests” included riot and looting in abundance, and yet observing that fact out loud made you an enemy of the movement, and of the media.
Now it seems that the elites have forgotten point seven: Protest, and the right to protest, are fundamental to democracy.
The Truckers Convoy has no looting. It has no rioting. It is full of joy and love, hugs and play, tenacity and integrity and honor. It is truly grassroots, a truly working-class movement that is protesting anti-democratic measures which, even if some of them could have been justified at the beginning, have gone on far too long. The state and its sanctions are destroying lives and livelihoods. Many children will never be the same. Many humans of all ages will never be the same. And these truckers, and their supporters and associates—they are protesting for freedom for all of us. They are heroes.
Here are a few first-hand observations from people in Canada. I am, again and always, grateful to them for sharing.
We Leave When We Are Free
Tara C. wrote the heart-wrenching, necessary, true story of her daughter, Mila, which has been shared widely, including being passed out in hard-copy at protests throughout Canada. Tara and her husband returned to Ottawa from their farm in northern Ontario this week, and made these observations:
We were so concerned that with the amped up rhetoric and the super-duper-jumbo state of emergency to add to the already bigger-than-ever state of emergency, the threats of fines and imprisonment, we would see the turnout dwindle. Au contraire! It was bigger than ever! Just breathtaking!...
Here’s what we saw: veterans at the war memorial cleaning the steps while police looked on and a drumming circle pounded, children everywhere, dancing and hugging, a samosa station where Sikhs gave out delicious samosas to anyone who wanted one, people cheered and danced and hugged, zero police in the center of the action, they just remained on the periphery and did nothing at all, and the continuous echo of the great rally cry “Liberté! Freedom!”
We walked up the back and side streets this time, trying to get a feel for how big it all is. Holy shit! We are so impressed with the way they have used their trucks and vehicles like puzzle pieces on the streets, some horizontal, others fitting in vertically and even diagonally. Anyone that suggests the city should tow them had not seen how these vehicles are wedged in, many with their wheels removed. They aren’t going anywhere.
There are structures being built now, towers and platforms. Yes, it’s fair to say it’s an occupation. Everyone there thanking the truckers and begging them not to leave and the truckers promising “WE LEAVE WHEN WE ARE FREE!”
….The big takeaway, and relief, is the numbers continue to grow and everyone remains joyous and committed.
Bouncy Castle Revolution and Pancake Diplomacy
Dan Arcand wrote the exquisite and also much read “The Cavalry Rolled In” as the Freedom Convoy was approaching Ottawa at the end of January. At the end of last week, however, on February 11, Dan reported a somber mood in Ottawa. The streets were nearly empty for a brief spell after Ontario Premier Dan Ford declared a state of emergency to put an end to the “siege” in Ottawa and Windsor. However, Dan continues,
The punch to the gut didn't last long and the trickle of people turned into hordes of roaming patriots by 7pm and there was probably 8k Friday and 15k Saturday but I have no aerials, so it could be less or much more.
This weekend was the bouncy castle revolution: cotton candy, bands and serious speakers on Saturday; pancake diplomacy with politicians and vets on Sunday; and bouncy castles and hockey pickup games everywhere all weekend.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Canada:
“Across the country local events grew. Vets showed up everywhere in uniform. This was well received. Our local convoy had a couple hundred vehicles and ended at a community park for a gathering. It opened with an Ojibwe First Nations cleansing ceremony/prayer, then speakers took turns sharing their experience but mostly their political resolve. Then rally-goers connected with friends and strangers over Timmie’s hot chocolate and donuts. The kids bombed the hills on toboggans as we blasted new emerging Canadian freedom music from the bed of a pickup truck. It was both completely novel and typically Canadian. It was amazing.
Update: Just three days after Premier Ford declared a state of emergency, he dropped requirements to show proof of Covid vaccination to enter indoor spaces in Ontario, as of March 1. The ever-more-daft New York Times allows him to clarify, however, that “Today’s announcement is not because of what’s happening in Ottawa, or Windsor, but despite it.” Sure it is.
Music and Musicians in Defense of Liberty
I will come back with more words to share from more people who have been on the ground in Ottawa, seeing what is happening with their own eyes. For now, though:
On DarkHorseLive115 I mentioned that I had been listening to both Beethoven and Twisted Sister this week, an odd combination to be sure, but somehow it’s been working for me. Twisted Sister came up because of this compilation which emerged early in the Freedom Convoy, and which I posted in Truckers for Freedom on January 28:
In response, my friend Dave Stephens pointed out the following:
Dee Snider, the lead singer of Twisted Sister, was called on to testify before congress in the 80's when the government was hell bent on censoring rock lyrics.
His speech, in my opinion, is one of the best, forgotten take downs of government meddling in free artistic expression. Snider walks into the hearing (in the days when all the male politicians wore suits with vests) in jeans, with big heavy metal hair, a cut off jean jacket, and sunglasses. He takes his speech out from his back pocket, unfolds it, and then proceeds to give an amazing, articulate, reasoned and devastating takedown of the ignorant prudes (Al Gore among them).
I love the bewildered expressions on the politician's faces as they try to make sense of the scene: An obvious low life, to be sneered at and looked down upon by the ruling class, speaking in sophisticated, clear, and compelling language.
It is very fitting that his music is once again being used in defense of liberty.
Here is a video of his testimony. You'll enjoy watching it, I think.
I did, and in turn, I think that you will too.
To all the truckers
and their associates in Canada and throughout the world who are taking personal risks for all of our freedoms: Thank you.
Thank you for being there.
Thank you for defending our liberty and our liberties.
And thank you for holding the line.
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