Patriot movement filled with untruths

Here are the five mother lies told by the patriot movement. The patriot movement, also known as the militia movement, the freedom movement, take back America and myriad other names, is a far-right movement that has sadly dominated the Mountain West since, and in reaction to, the election of Bill Clinton in 1992.

These white evangelical separatist extremists constantly perpetrate lies against liberals, racial minorities, LGBTQAs, environmentalists and progressives in general.

But the five major lies they tell about themselves in order to recruit and get their foot in the political door are as follows:

1. They are not racist.
2. They support religious freedom.
3. They support each individual's lifestyle choice.
4. They compassionately support women's health.
5. They are not affiliated with the KKK, Aryan Nations or John Birch Society.

These are all deliberate lies. You do not have be black, Mexican, Asian, gay or a liberal for them to hate you. If you simply choose to live a secular life or worship God in your own way, they hate your guts. You must be a white, male, evangelical, capitalist, gun-owning "traditionalist" for them to accept you. And you must be all six of those things to have the equal rights they have — you can't just be one or two.

So why join them? Why would you ever dream about voting for them in November?

JACK GREEN

Sandpoint