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: @JohnStrandUSA
Book: @PatriotPlea

00:00
Understanding January 6th: Myths and Realities

01:54
The Role of the Justice System

04:10
Personal Background and Political Awakening

06:54
The Freedom Rally and Activism

09:30
January 6th: The Day of the Capitol Incident

12:18
The Narrative of the Rally and March

14:40
Government Response and Security Failures

17:29
Reflections on Accountability and Future Implications

21:39
The Super Bowl Analogy: Crowd Dynamics and Expectations

23:09
Chaos at the Capitol: The Columbus Doors

25:19
Inside the Capitol: A Bystander's Perspective

27:47
The Aftermath: Realization of Legal Consequences

30:07
FBI's Most Wanted: The Unexpected Turn

31:41
The SWAT Team Assault: A Terrifying Experience

34:38
Four Days of Silence: Detention Without Charges

36:26
Common Treatment: The Reality for January 6 Protesters

38:11
Weaponization of Government: A Call to Awareness

42:35
Weaponization of Government Power

46:58
The January 6th Protests: A Double Standard

47:30
Legal Charges and the Justice System

01:01:07
Sentencing and Political Critique

01:03:10
Exoneration and Moving Forward

Show Info
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