FAIRFAX, Virginia — Far-left activists sang, cursed, and shouted as they protested numerous political causes outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
Activists with Our Rights DC marched into the Barrett family’s quiet Virginia neighborhood on Sunday evening, despite a federal law (18 U.S. Code 1507) that forbids picketing or parading “in or near a building or residence occupied or used by such judge, juror, witness, or court officer” with the intent of intimidating or influencing that person.
“Cut her time short,” they chanted as they processed. First they shouted (presumably to Barrett) about the death of Tyre Nichols and racial justice.
“Say his name!” they chanted.
Then they quickly moved on to abortion.
“My body my choice, my body belongs to me,” they sang into megaphones, as one of the activists beat a drum.
WATCH:
Far-left protestors are back at Amy Coney Barrett’s home demonstrating in violation of 18 U.S. code 1507 pic.twitter.com/5r0D2cpryd
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) January 29, 2023
The Daily Signal repeatedly asked the activists, without response, why they were protesting in the Barrett’s neighborhood. The activists similarly would not address questions about the protest’s effect on Barrett’s seven children (there are many other children who reside in the neighborhood as well).
The activists have been protesting outside the homes of the justices for almost nine months, since the May leak of the draft opinion indicating Roe v. Wade would be overturned. Frequent protesters include Sadie Kuhns, Melissa Barlow, Nikki Enfield, and Nadine Seiler.
Many of these protesters have ties to ShutDownDC and Ruth Sent Us, organizations that have posted the addresses of the Supreme Court justices online, offered bounties for sightings of the justices, and called for continued protesting intended to make the justices uncomfortable with overturning Roe v. Wade.
Only last weekend, The Daily Signal covered a protest at Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s home in Chevy Chase, Maryland. As has been the case in recent months, Kavanaugh’s home was heavily guarded by U.S. Marshals standing between the protesters, who were on the sidewalk, and the house.
Conversely, Barrett’s home did not have U.S. Marshals stationed in front of the house (perhaps because the demonstrations at Barrett’s home are typically smaller than that at Kavanaugh’s). The Daily Signal observed two or three policemen as well as two U.S. Marshals on Sunday. The authorities did not stand in front of the house but largely stood by their vehicles.
After processing around the neighborhood several times, the protesters marched back to their meeting place, a middle school parking lot.
Both Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and former Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan begged the Department of Justice in May to enforce the federal law protecting Supreme Court justices.
The DOJ did not fully respond to the request until June 8—the same day that authorities arrested Nicholas Roske and charged him with attempting to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh—but refused to discuss whether the protesters had broken the law citing “longstanding policy.”
“We thought there would be more urgency,” Michael Ricci, who served as former Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s spokesman, shared with The Daily Signal in a Wednesday phone interview. “In this climate, there are any number of threats, both specific and vague, against public officials. And we thought there would be more urgency about protecting the perimeter of the justices’ homes, and by extension, their neighborhoods.”
Laws in both Maryland and Virginia also prohibit picketing to disrupt or threaten to disrupt that individual’s “tranquility in his home.” The Maryland Attorney General’s Office has reportedly disputed the constitutionality of the state’s law.
And in Virginia, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey McKay denied Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s request to establish an expanded security perimeter around the homes of three Supreme Court justices who live in Fairfax County.
Hogan’s office began coordination calls with law enforcement after the governors sent their letter to the DOJ, according to Ricci. That coordination included state law enforcement, Montgomery County law enforcement, and then Supreme Court law enforcement.
“To the extent that federal law enforcement was involved, they were more focused on getting the justices to and from their homes, and weren’t as focused on the immediate community,” he explained. “So it was clear to us we were not going to get a lot of backup, in terms of protecting the area and keeping the peace on the streets, so to speak. So that really became a state, county operation.”
On July 2, the Supreme Court’s chief security officer, Gail Curley, asked top Maryland and Virginia officials to enforce their laws protecting the justices. Since then, law enforcement have continued to stand outside the justices’ homes as the protests take place.
Youngkin’s office continues to monitor the situation and has directed Virginia State Police to be at the ready and in “constant coordination” with local authorities, spokesman Christian Martinez told The Daily Signal on Tuesday.
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“Governor Youngkin will continue to push for every resource of federal law enforcement, including the U.S. Marshals, to be involved while the Justices continue to be denied the right to live peacefully in their homes,” he said.
And until now, Maryland has used county statues and laws on disorderly conduct and noise ordinances to keep the peace.
Article cross-posted from The Daily Signal.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
