Political Warfare, Part One: You Need To Know It, by Derek Collins
The start of the new year always brings the same things. Congress and State Legislatures go back into session and the first thing that happens is that some legislator files a bill to continue the never ending erosion of our second amendment rights and immediately the word goes out on Facebook/Instagram/YouTube that the end of the world is nigh and it is now time to panic buy all the guns, parts, ammo, braces, binary triggers, etc. as quickly as possible. The government has failed the people and the gun rights group of your choice has betrayed us all.
I watch as everyone throws up their hands because the government is too far gone and trying to stop the latest grab is pointless. I watch as Professor Tacticool rants against the NRA on their YouTube channel while begging you to support their Patreon page because they are the only true advocates for freedom. I watch as Instructor Super Beard tells you to hurry to their mountain training course to brush up on your magazine quick change drills so when they take your 30rd magazines you will be able to change 10 rounders faster. I watch as friends nod their heads sagely and start talking about soon it will be time to head for the bunker and lock the door. I watch all of this and try to insert some sanity and practical knowledge on how to slow this madness down and maybe start pushing back on this nonsense. I beg the Facebook alarmist, the YouTube hysterics and the Instagram worriers to add a much-needed skill to their bag of tricks. I give step by step instructions on what they need to start doing to slow the assault. In return I get nothing but silence. The silence, as the saying goes, is deafening.
That skill I beg people to learn and use is Political Warfare. It is a skill that those that are after our rights (not just the 2nd Amendment but the entire Bill of Rights) are highly trained in from the highest political office to the college snowflake. It is a skill that side used to wield like a scalpel but now uses like a hammer because our side for the most part refuses to do what is needed to learn it and employ it effectively. Those on the side of freedom are not getting beaten in these political fights. We are just not showing up to the fight and lose by default. Just like becoming an expert marksman or a master of fieldcraft, political warfare must be learned and put into practice. Failure to do so will leave you at the mercy of a highly motivated enemy who sees your belief in freedom as an obstacle to their goals and they will not hesitate to do whatever is needed to remove you.
In a future article I am going to explain why those on our side do not take the concept of Political Warfare seriously or see a need for engaging in this arena. Trust me, as a political activist by trade, I have heard just about every excuse in the book. What I want to communicate is to why it is important for you to start right now adding this skillset just like you would when it comes to all the tactical skills you already have. Below are three solid reasons:
- It will buy you and those you love more time to prepare.
I fully believe that our government is severely broken and may not be repairable. I understand that most view politics as a rigged game. However, a rigged game still has rules and right now those running the game are playing by them. Learning and engaging in those rules delays the inevitable. Engaging the enemy as far out as possible keeps you from having to fight them at the bunker door. Even if you believe your preps are squared away you can always use more time to work on them. Political Warfare will help buy that time for you and your loved ones to get ready. We all understand the value of a delaying action in combat. The same thing works for political combat. Delay the enemy and you buy valuable time.
- It will give you insight into how the enemy works.
The old saying goes that insight leads to foresight. When you know how the enemy tactics work you can plan. It allows you to see what is coming. Sure, you can fight your way out of an ambush but isn’t it always better to not fall for one in the first place?
- It is your duty as a citizen.
Yeah, I know that sounds a bit trite in this day and age. Most of your fellow Americans think the extent of their civic duty is to hit the polls and vote for the lesser evil. I want everyone to understand that the nation our founders gave us was meant to be participatory. People showed up to town halls. They were educated on the issues of the day. Everyone from the college professor to the humble farmer could knowledgably engage in a debate. Many of our founding fathers knew how to wield words as well as they did a sword. It is a skill that we once had but allowed to atrophy over the decades while those that oppose us kept working on it.
The good news is that Political Warfare is a skill that is relatively easy to acquire the basics of and once you apply it you can teach it others. It is a skill that even once life as we know it falls apart you will need in what comes next. The question is, are you willing to put the effort into finally getting into this fight and start pushing back against those that want your freedom?
I am willing and already engaged. Join the fight.
Derek is a US Marine Corps Veteran, Father, Conservative Christian and Political Organizer for an organization that fights for veterans. He works full time on the front lines to preserve liberty and teach others how they can do the same.