HOW in America?
In times of war, sometimes people are taken as prisoners by the enemy. These unfortunate souls are referred to as prisoners of war, or POWs. Over the years, POW has become a very recognizable symbol on flags, stickers, on clothing, and printed in articles and stories, so that we can see and appreciate what POW means. There is a special place in our hearts for that kind of sacrifice in war, for someone taken in battle and held in prison as a prisoner of war. POWs are revered as heroes.
Sometimes there are conflicts or attacks that involve the taking of innocent hostages. These events are horrific and the victims are usually not treated as well as prisoners may be treated, especially if they were taken to drive a particular point or have a specific purpose or outcome. This is usually a negotiation process where the hostages continue to suffer at the hand of their captors while they wait for a resolution, if it comes. Prisoners typically have some basic rights even in wartime, but hostages, not so much. They are helpless victims caught between powers out of their own control, held by captors with no regard for the lives of the hostages other than as a bargaining tool.
Welcome to modern day America. January 6, 2021 “peaceful and patriotic protesters”, aka J6ers, have been hunted down with more zealous fervor by our own FBI than America’s Most Wanted. We now find ourselves in a political war on our own soil, and have our own citizens being held as political hostages right here in the land of the free. Political warfare has been shifted away from the politicians and focused against innocent civilians in the battle for political dominance and power. Individuals from January 6, 2021, are still in various stages of the legal and court process including imprisonment, some for decades, for their attendance at the Capitol at Washington DC almost 3 years ago. They are being persecuted and prosecuted for attending a rally to express their first amendment rights, and to redress their grievances to their government. The opposing political party(ies) have been punishing protesters ever since, and show no intent of stopping their attacks.
In order to prevent such an occurrence in the future, where people try to use their voice in public, a malicious “shock and awe” campaign by our government has been waged against these innocent protesters. The government has spared no expense in the manhunt that has ensued, or on the investigations and ridiculous amounts of money being wasted in the courts.
Their freedoms have been stripped away from them and their families. Many of them have been physically taken hostage by this administration. Long periods of isolation in solitary confinement, no family visits in person or on video for over a year, no church or chaplain services, physical and psychological abuse by prison staff, and a state of constant surveillance and intimidation to discourage communication about conditions with attorneys or the media for fear of retaliation, are some of the treatments experienced by the J6 Hostages.
There have also been tragic suicides by J6 defendants outside of the prison system who were simply terrorized to death by the sheer weight of the FBI and DOJ. The numbers of prosecutions are staggering. The calculated attacks by the federal government are ruthless and cruel. Families are being financially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually destroyed, all at the hand of our government.
Should these unfortunate rally attendees be referred to as hostages of war, or HOWs? Seems like an appropriate modification, considering the reality of the circumstances, and the true gravity of the situation. What a terrible place to find ourselves in. But the reality is that we do have HOWs in America, and that is nothing that should have ever happened. We know how important words are, and we see things that stick in our minds as reminders to what they mean. Some help explain things that affect those around us and the ones we love. Now we get to look at HOW as a reminder.
It’s where we are right now, and where we never want to be again.
HOW also begs the question of HOW did we get here in the first place? And HOW do we make it stop for the victims who continue to suffer? And HOW do we make sure this never happens again in America?
We the people, that’s HOW.
David Sumrall, Daniel Goodwyn, and Donald Trump know the right word. Hostage. This is one of the worst moments in American history. We have American citizens being held as Political Hostages in prisons all over the country. Words matter, and people who know the truth call J6ers Political HOSTAGES.