"Wyatt Earp is my friend..."

I have always embraced controversy. I tend to rock the boat. Sometimes I find myself alone fighting against the world, but I am never alone. I tend to say my two-cents worth even if I make some enemies because I believe that we all should have the right to express ourselves.

Due to this reality I have been discriminated against in past careers for my religious beliefs and political views. I have been blacklisted and shutout of industries for speaking my mind. I have spoken out on many occasions and been beaten down for taking a stand. There is nothing else left to really take from me except for my life and livelihood, but that would prove difficult. I am not a soft target and I am surrounded by loyal friends. I am also very loyal to my friends.

I believe in loyalty and friendship. I am willing to die for both. I have found that my life is empty without relationships - friendships. I will always die on that hill. Like Doc and Wyatt. Friendship is sacred and it is worth laying down my life for a friend.

When I came to Minds I arrived here broken. My spirit had been broken by the system of anti-free speech oppression on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. I was demoralized by being targeted constantly by anti-theists and anti-Americans and then being blacklisted or banned by those platforms and their tyrannical systems of oppression. There was no real safe-haven for free thinkers.

Then I found Minds. Minds was a safe haven for the rebels and the outcasts. While there are limitations on the extent of “free speech” on this and other similar free speech platforms, it was a relief to be able to express, vent, and not have to fear being targeted or censored. I created this great channel where I can share my thoughts on current events or just rant about my views. There is negative and positive feedback and the occasional troll. I have also made several friends.

Some of these friends are close to my heart. Inspiring, creative, and deep thinkers. We agree and disagree on many issues, but we are faithful friends. It is called mutual respect and loyalty to something greater than just sharing views. See it is not really friendship if all you have are sycophants. I appreciate the disagreements because sometimes I am very wrong in my thinking and I require a friend’s perspective. Sometimes I just need a friend to watch my six.

Knowing this let me ask two questions: How did Doc Holliday react when the cowboys targeted his friends - the Earps? How should I then react when a group of trolls targets my friends?

I saw such a bright future for Minds that I invested and became verified. I am still here after two years because I believe in this platform and I believe in its purpose. However the honeymoon is over. Much has changed. There are some issues I must address and they have nothing to do with the Minds administrators or the site itself (@Jack).

As time goes by and platforms gain popularity the reality is that nothing stays the same. I am not entirely thrilled with some of those changes, but it is not necessarily the app or its creators I have a problem with. It is the reality that there is no real safe haven anymore on Minds. We have been infiltrated by fascists that are hard at work to destroy Minds and what has been built.

We live in a day and age of hate and division. Safety is just an illusion. Free speech is no longer protected. We cannot disagree with certain views or we will be targeted and punished.

The media will literally destroy our lives, our future, and our families if we openly oppose their army of haters. Then their armies will literally burned down our businesses and maybe even kill us and our families. We are seeing this retaliation openly and it is being promoted and protected by everyone with the “leftist” mentality.

This is a new reality on Minds. There is an element here. A unit of fascists. A group that hates free thinkers. A unit of fascists that uses group tactics to target and harass channels. Minds mediators cannot keep up with this level of trolling, so it is not being confronted.

Victims of these trolls are leaving Minds. Great channels leaving because of this “unit” of trolls. I call them a unit because their tactics and strategy is not random, but targeted and effective. They are unified and they may also have the support of several known and/or verified channels.

It’s not petty trolling either. It is not just social media trolling - it is often personal and violates the terms and conditions on Minds. Yet these trolls are very adept at concealing their identities with drive-by tactics - trolling with multiple accounts and then deleting or deactivating those accounts.

This group has been active for several months. There was a short period where they left, but now they are back. I assume they were recruiting and training because they now have more people in their “unit” and their strategy is much more effective.

A few of my subscribers have had to delete several of their accounts on multiple occasions to rid themselves of these trolls, yet the “unit” always finds their new channels and continues the harassment. How do you block an account that is deactivated three seconds after the operators make personal threats? How do you deal with personal threats by a group of miscreants that are able to use multiple accounts for harassment purposes? What type of person or group of persons is capable of this level of harassment?

This unit consists of fascists. Whether they are donning black or red, they are all brown shirts. They stand in total opposition to free speech and their purpose is clear. - to drive away free thinkers and destroy Minds.

I do not know who this “unit” represents, but they tend to target anyone that opposes their views. The identity of some of these harassers is a mystery. Some are known and may have the support of some verified Minds channels. I can say without hesitation that the level of their harassment violates Minds Terms and Conditions. This is also not conspiracy. This unit has targeted hundreds of channels. A few of my friends are still being targeted - consistent targeting for months.

They are not operating alone, but as a unit. This is a group of individuals that despise free speech (unless it is theirs) and target specific people with the intent to disrupt, threaten, harass, and chase those channels off of Minds. Their strategy is very effective. Their strategy is working.

I believe that I have dealt with this “unit” once, but several months ago. They targeted me based on my pseudonym. They tagged me in multiple posts to lure me into a confrontation. They threatened me. Harassed me. They vilified me because I would not engage them. It was kind of a childish bullying or harassment - trying to get me to react to petty taunts and to play their games. I did not bite or pay those individuals much of a mind. I blocked them. That is how I deal with trolls, but I believe this unit has targeted hundreds of channels in the same exact way and baited them successfully.

The “why” they are doing this does not really matter to me because they have attacked my friends. Their tactics matter. Their purpose on Minds matters because they are chasing off many of the deep thinkers and good communicators on Minds. The quality folks are leaving because no one should have to endure this level of harassment.

That is what has changed. The opposition has arrived in force to shut down free speech. That is the reality.

If you have been targeted by this “unit” of harassers please let me know (Private Message). I would personally like to see them called-out and exposed. Minds was created to be a refuge for free speech and free expression. Minds is not theirs to destroy and corrupt. I honestly do not care about their reasons or motivations if they are intent on destroying Minds and violating the rights of other Minds channels. They should be stopped and banned permanently from Minds.

You may go now…