FBI director Christopher Wray was recently questioned by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) about a Project Veritas report regarding a document, provided by a whistleblower, which revealed FBI guidelines for identifying "Militia Violent Extremists."

In the leaked document, the Betsy Ross Flag, the Gadsden Flag, the Gonzales Battle Flag, and other common American patriotic symbols, were portrayed as materials that could be used by or indicative of "domestic terrorists."  Reference to the U.S. Constitution, in particular the Second Amendment — which the document abbreviated as "2A" — was also included on the list of items a crazed right-wing "extremist" might fancy.

Sen. Cruz was masterful in his takedown of Wray, stating, "Now, that is fairly remarkable that the Betsy Ross flag, in the FBI's indication, is indicative of Militia Violent Extremism because, among other people who have been publicly alongside the Betsy Ross flag, we have President Barack Obama, who was sworn in directly underneath the Betsy Ross flags.  But it's not just President Obama; we also have President Biden, who was sworn in under Betsy Ross flags.  It's not just the Betsy Ross flag.  Also on this list is the Gadsden flag as a symbol of violent extremism.  Now, the State of Virginia has a license plate for the Gadsden flag, as do many other states.  I think people would be astonished to find that having that license plate, the FBI indicates that you're a violent extremist."

Addressing the issue of the Gonzales Battle Flag being included on the list, Cruz noted: "Also included on this is the text that I was particularly struck, is the Gonzales Battle Flag, 'Come and Take It' ... as indicative of being a violent extremist militia."

He added, "Well, I will self-report right now, that every day in the Senate I wear my boots that have the Gonzales Battle Flag on the back of them"...as he simultaneously grabbed one of those boots and set it on the table in front of him, the aforementioned flag facing Wray so the FBI director could see that he wasn't kidding.

How did we reach a point where some of our nation's most revered historical symbols are thought to be totems of domestic terrorists?  How did we arrive at a time when our nation's critical law enforcement agencies have been politicized and weaponized to such an extent that they themselves should be considered to be domestic terror groups, filled with violent extremists?  How did it happen that they have turned on the very citizens they were constitutionally mandated to protect and serve?

And how is it that LGBT flags proudly fly from American embassies around the world, and BLM and Antifa flags are seen as non-threatening — if not essential — while various iterations of "Old Glory" are now seen as "problematic" at best by the powers that be?  Some in the Democrat party today would appear to favor the Chinese Communist Party's flag or the hammer and sickle of the erstwhile Soviet Union over, say, the Gadsden Flag.

So what are average, hardworking, patriotic American citizens in flyover country supposed to do in light of the attacks on them?

Well, it is abundantly clear that our elitist rulers want us to wave the white flag and surrender.

Personally, I would prefer that we don't acquiesce to tyrants — and figuratively shove Gadsden Flags up the part of their bodies where the sun doesn't shine.  

Better yet, we could — each of us — turn their own bombs against them...by calling out their own preposterous extremism, as Sen. Cruz did so effectively.

Image: Picryl.