So, after the initial round of intense “let’s get these fuckers” scrutiny, it is nice to sit back and just see what the fuck these dudes talk about. It’s interesting (is that the word?) to analyze their conversations from a sociological or anthropological, even, perspective. We’ll try to avoid horseshoe theory, but the far-left and the far-right have some common ground.
If you’ve ever listened to Identity Evropa’s podcast (which we don’t recommend) you very quickly get the impression that Identity Evropa is a very image-conscious organization. Their national president, Patrick Casey, is quick to denounce “extremists” and brag about how Identity Evropa is full of “well-adjusted” people. It’s a great place for people who want to do racism without the usual trappings of the far-right. That was really the whole point of the group from the start. Nathan D’Amigo, the dishonorably discharged former Marine who will be remembered, if at all, for robbing a cab driver and punching a woman, thought up the group as a way to milk money out of wealthy racists who were leery of clowns like Matt Heimbach of TWP or Jeff Schoep of NSM. Casey, and his podcast, seem to be continuing that business model.
The most active and visible white supremacist group here in Colorado this year has been Identity Evropa. Their stickers and posters have appeared across the Front Range, in Colleges and Universities like UC-Boulder and UCCS here in Colorado Springs. They’ve done pop-up demonstrations, like the one last month at Civic Center Park in Denver.
So in the last 24 hours our Facebook page has been flooded by reactionary trolls. They have let us know in no uncertain terms their feelings towards immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, and women. They are hateful, small-minded folks who think they are somehow hurting our feelings with their bullshit. Their nonsense is total projection. They insult us for being weak, effeminate, queers (which, yea, is true, we’re a bunch of LGBTQ+ people and most of us are sassy bottoms), and call us “keyboard warriors” but the fact is we have been kicking ass in Colorado for over two years now, and we’re not fucking going anywhere.
Zachary Graham Lightner is a member of the SPLC designated hate group the Proud Boys who lives in Peyton, Colorado, and is the operations manager at his family’s lumber business JW Hardwoods.
For some reason, Proud Boys from across the nation traveled to Portland to support Gibson. Even with the out of state auxiliaries, Gibson was still hopelessly outnumbered.
Lightner, and his goofy fucking cowboy hat, have become a regular part of the Colorado Springs Proudboys traveling shit show. His distinctive cowboy hat was caught on camera with Unite The Right participant and former generator-mechanic-turned-GI-Joe Shane Reeves, who was filmed conspiring to commit kidnapping.
Shane Reeves – When you never left the FOB on active duty but you want to look tough for the “soyboys”Lightner adding the finishing touches to a Blue Lives Murder flag.
While they were in town they made sure to pose for a photo op with the Portland Fascists
Lightner (with that fucking hat…) next to “Tiny” Toese, a violentextremist. In the Front row, sporting the CNN Fake news shirt is Louis Huey, a Denver-area InfoWars wannabe.Totally normal stuff, nothing to look at here.
The Proud Boys in Colorado have an extensive history of organizingviolentevents and trying to crash events held by local activists. They have a particular boner for the Empowerment Solidarity Network, an activist group made up of people of color who have organized critical viewings of Childish Gambino’s “This is America” and workshops on toxic masculinity.
Russell Bert Frankland of Lakewood attended Unite The Right as a member of the neo-Nazi Traditionalist Workers Party. Since the collapse of the TWP, Frankland has continued his fascist activism by regularly attending drag queen story hour protests, pasting holocaust denial flyers, and harassing journalists. Continue reading “Russ Frankland – Traditionalist Worker Party (CO)”
On December 2, 2017, Denver activist group Resist 5280 held a March Against White Supremacy. 2017 has been a banner year for hatecrimes, which isn’t surprising given the current political environment. One would think a march against white supremacy wouldn’t be that controversial of an event. One would be wrong.
The Denver event brought out a contingent of counter protesters. In the same way that being “anti-anti-fascist” just makes someone pro-fascist, protesting a march against white supremacy just makes them pro-white supremacy. Which isn’t surprising given the counter-protesters.
This Saturday, October 21st, there is a planned “Freedom Rally” at the Capitol in Denver. The Rally is being organized by one “Ty Freedom” of militia group “American Freedom Keepers.” AFK bills themselves as a kind of radical centrist militia, espousing the usual claims about the constitution. They generally seem less fanatical than the III%ers, and they have been seen here in Colorado Springs waving American flags on the Bijou/I25 overpass.
