In a long, 3 page front section article, supplemented by another quarter page article, the Palm Beach Post Sunday edition doxed dozens of Floridian January 6 demonstrators.
Calling them 'insurrectionists' (without defining the term) and providing photos and city/county location and, sometimes, career and even car type, the Post stated that Floridians were overrepresented in the demonstration and were also disproportionately allied to 'Oath Keepers' and 'Proud Boys,' two groups identified as far-right extremists. At the end of the article, the Post admitted that over 70% of Floridian demonstrators were not allied with either group.
At a time when restaurant-goers have been accosted by Antifa/BLM and various public figures have been harassed outside their homes, it is not clear what constructive civic purpose is served by provision of such detailed descriptions to Post readership. Certainly, such an action might be viewed as premature, as many questions surrounding the demonstration have yet to be answered.
It is clear that Florida, itself, was found lacking, due supposedly to its comparative 'aggressively pro-Trump demographic,' as was the political leadership of the State, due supposedly to its 'failure to tamp down the rhetoric leading up to Jan.6.' These factors, in turn, were traced back to Florida's diverse and changing population, something that could be said of many locales/states in the USA.
The long article states that Oath Keepers started in 2009 as a protest movement against federal government overreach. It is suggested that by supporting President Trump, Oath Keepers has moved away, subsequently, from its initial message.
Containing federal government overreach is a key goal of COS, whose core principles include greater federalism and smaller central government. COS's clear commitment to established constitutional procedures differentiates itself from many groups and actions that may aim to curtail federal government overreach.
Such an approach, and such goals, are all the more important in light of the National Security Council's June 2021 'National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism,' released last week, which lists the need to monitor and take unspecified actions against those who are themselves or who incite 'violent extremists who take steps to violently resist government authority or facilitate the overthrow of the U.S. Government based on perceived overreach.'
The ambiguity of terms such as 'incitement,' 'insurrection,' 'government overreach' and others means that COS goals, message, and method must be broadcast repeatedly and in a careful, nuanced, and transparently explicable manner to as wide an audience as possible.
We have the best strategy for limiting government power. We need to make sure every American knows about it.
