Why Everyone Should Oppose How The Jan. 6 Protesters Were Treated

Today I'm joined by John Strand, a man who participated in the January 6 protests on Capitol Hill. John committed no violence nor was he ever *charged* with any violence. Prosecutors don't dispute that he simply walked in and out of the building that day. For that offense he was facing almost a quarter century in prison. Is that justice?I hope everyone, especially those who are on the political left or otherwise not Trump supporters, will consider this question with an open mind.There was indisputable violence on January 6 and most people can agree those who physically attack another human being should face legal consequences. But for the millions of Americans who have been conditioned to despise January 6 protesters as domestic terrorists or insurrectionists, there is little attention paid to what happened to the hundreds of non-violent protesters that went in and out of the Capitol that day. Many of those protesters were not only charged with misdemeanor offenses, like unlawful entry, but also found themselves facing felony charges that were pulled from 2002 financial accounting law in order to give the Department of Justice the ability to seek up punishment of up to 20 years in prison.No matter what you think of the protesters themselves or what they were protesting, it is important to ask oneself this:  For those who were non-violent, should they face 20 years in prison? And would then fairly apply this principle to *any* other protester?After listening to the show you can learn more about John's story:Website: https://www.johnstrand.com/Twitter: @JohnStrandUSABook: @PatriotPlea00:00Understanding January 6th: Myths and Realities01:54The Role of the Justice System04:10Personal Background and Political Awakening06:54The Freedom Rally and Activism09:30January 6th: The Day of the Capitol Incident12:18The Narrative of the Rally and March14:40Government Response and Security Failures17:29Reflections on Accountability and Future Implications21:39The Super Bowl Analogy: Crowd Dynamics and Expectations23:09Chaos at the Capitol: The Columbus Doors25:19Inside the Capitol: A Bystander's Perspective27:47The Aftermath: Realization of Legal Consequences30:07FBI's Most Wanted: The Unexpected Turn31:41The SWAT Team Assault: A Terrifying Experience34:38Four Days of Silence: Detention Without Charges36:26Common Treatment: The Reality for January 6 Protesters38:11Weaponization of Government: A Call to Awareness42:35Weaponization of Government Power46:58The January 6th Protests: A Double Standard47:30Legal Charges and the Justice System01:01:07Sentencing and Political Critique01:03:10Exoneration and Moving ForwardShow Info-----Twitter@[email protected] -----MusicUrban Deer Hunt:  https://linktr.ee/urbandeerhunt