"Wall of Vets", “Raging Grannies” join Portland protesters against federal officers

Walls used to be a bad thing to the far left but now they are all the rage. In Portland, for example, the riots and protests have created a Wall of Moms, a Wall of Dads, and now they are joined by a Wall of Vets. That’s right, military veterans have come together in an organized effort to protect the protesters from the federal officers sent to Portland by President Trump.

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The activist veterans claim that reports “of federal officers in tactical gear emerging from unmarked cars with automatic weapons to pick up protesters” were too much for them to ignore. No longer willing to stand on the sidelines, some arrived and confronted the feds with questions – do the federal officers understand their oath to defend the constitution? The aggression from the Navy veterans didn’t end well.

In a Pokémon hat and Superman T-shirt, and with a cotton mask protecting his face, the 6ft 4in, 275lb man walked up to the officers and asked whether they understood their oath to defend the constitution.

“They are not supposed to be coming and attacking protesters,” Obermeyer told the Guardian. “They didn’t even give any warning, there was no ‘hey you need to move’, ‘hey back up’. There was basically them walking out and assaulting a protester just to prove that they could.”

The veteran met up with another Navy veteran, one 11 years older than the other but both graduates of the Naval Academy.

“I’m not a big believer in coincidence,” said Obermeyer. “I believe that we both have similar feelings because we come from similar places and we truly believe in the constitution as it’s currently written and as it’s taught in grade school. And this is a violation of constitutional rights.”

David, who came dressed in a Naval Academy sweatshirt and Navy wrestling hat, told the Guardian he believes they both came out that day because of their time at the naval academy, which instills “a deep level of integrity” in graduates. But also, he said, for perhaps an even simpler reason.

“We have the ability to see what is right and what is wrong. And what we both saw was wrong and we wanted to go out there and talk to those officers.”

Obermeyer also asked the officers whether they understand what an illegal order is, referencing the fact that military officers are required by law to disobey illegal or unconstitutional orders.

“Assaulting an unarmed protester who is exercising their first amendment rights is illegal, that’s an illegal order,” he said.

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The confrontation didn’t end well. Both were sprayed with tear gas and claim that batons were used on them, resulting in one veteran suffering a broken hand. I do ponder, though, why were they surprised that they were treated like any other protester when their actions agitated the feds just like the actions of other protesters? Do they think that federal officers are morally inferior and don’t understand right and wrong? When did destroying federal property – in this case a federal courthouse – become the right thing to do?

The Wall of Vets members wear white t-shirts. Protests are now color-coded, apparently. The Wall of Moms women wear yellow t-shirts and the Wall of Dads wear orange t-shirts. The veterans come to the same conclusion as the rest of the protesters – the presence of the federal officers makes the situation worse. So, the question is, what exactly is their end game? Is it more palatable to them for the feds to withdraw and allow local and state officials to let Portland burn? Is it ok for federal property to be destroyed? Why should American taxpayers be on the hook for protests that have moved from Black Lives Matters demonstrations to violent, destructive riots led by Marxists and anarchists, including Antifa? Are these the people the veterans want to be in control of Portland or any other American city?

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The veterans want all branches of the military to be represented in their wall. They have organized in five cities so far.

“It’s something I believe in. The other vets here — this is the first time they’ve come down; they don’t like crowds either; we believe in something; it’s time to stand,” said Jonathan Fisher, a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Not to be outdone, a group called “Raging Grannies” joined in. They wear aprons, not specifically colored t-shirts. They have been protesting together since 2012. And, there is also a Wall of Grandparents.

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“We can turn on our television and keep watching people getting killed in cold blood, and we’re just supposed to sit back and not feel any kinda way about it,” said one protester. “I have grandchildren, and I want a different world – period –for all of us.”

Another group — similar but not quite the same — also made their voices heard downtown Friday.

A group of women in their golden years calling themselves the “Raging Grannies” staged a demonstration earlier too.

One of the grannies said she’s fed up with the federal presence in Portland.

Hoo boy. So many groups in t-shirts and aprons. It’s no wonder the message of Black Lives Matter has evaporated and the message that chaos and lawlessness are acceptable from elected officials has risen. The NAACP now calls the riots and demonstrations “a white spectacle” that has entirely moved away from the BLM protests over George Floyd. That’s true – Antifa is mostly white, as are these other groups. As a matter of fact, the City of Portland is white, by a large majority. The president of Portland’s NAACP, E.D. Mondainé, wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post.

Images of “Naked Athena,” as the protester has been labeled, have gone viral, her unclothed confrontation with police earning her accolades as a brave ally of the cause. But I see something else: a beneficiary of white privilege dancing vainly on a stage that was originally created to raise up the voices of my oppressed brothers and sisters. In this, she is not alone. As the demonstrations continue every night in Portland, many people with their own agendas are co-opting, and distracting attention from, what should be our central concern: the Black Lives Matter movement.

Unfortunately, “spectacle” is now the best way to describe Portland’s protests. Vandalizing government buildings and hurling projectiles at law enforcement draw attention — but how do these actions stop police from killing black people? What are antifa and other leftist agitators achieving for the cause of black equality? The “Wall of Moms,” while perhaps well-intentioned, ends up redirecting attention away from the urgent issue of murdered black bodies. This might ease the consciences of white, affluent women who have previously been silent in the face of black oppression, but it’s fair to ask: Are they really furthering the cause of justice, or is this another example of white co-optation?

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Good question. The answer is pretty clear. It was never about George Floyd for the Marxists and anarchists. It is always about tearing down America and replacing our constitutional republic with Marxism.

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