Principled Resistance

Dear Collective,

The strength we need this week goes far beyond training—it’s the strength required for moral clarity and principled action.

A foundational principle of this country is there is no kings. This is a total rejection of dictatorship, oppression, and fascism. Yet, we are seeing people deliberately try to confuse this core value with patriotism. When you hear of anti-fascism (Antifa) equated with being "anti-American," it is blatantly wrong. To be anti-fascist is to be pro-America. Period.

Authoritarians of the world crave violence. They provoke it, they wait for it, and they will use it to justify an abuse of power. They want you to meet their anger with anger and their aggression with aggression. Because the second you lose your head and engage on their terms, they have already won.

This is where our discipline is crucial.

We must not play this game. We know that true power lies in self-mastery of temperance. Your strength isn't proven by what you can destroy; it’s proven when you restrain from acting unbecoming of your expectations.

Look at the resilience shown in the Portland protests: military-clad agents were met not with fists, but with people dancing, riding bikes naked, and showing up in clown gear and frog costumes. This is not weakness. This is disciplined strength. It is the non-escalatory refusal to participate in the conflict on an oppressor’s terms. It is the creative action that exposes the malicious intent behind the provocation.

This week, let your actions demonstrate the strength of care, of love, and of unwavering constitutional conviction. The most effective way to deter fascism is to deny them the fight they seek and show up with calm, powerful clarity.

With Strength and Temperance,

Charlie