(TMU) – It’s been less than a week since President Donald Trump name-dropped the far-right Proud Boys group, an organization known for their political violence against left-wingers. And now, the group is trending for reasons entirely out of their control.

And after having their name hijacked by the gay community on Twitter, the surly group of boys are less proud than they are supremely pissed off.

Over the weekend, gay Twitter executed a glorious plan to use the tag #ProudBoys to share uplifting stories and images of love rather than the sort of hatred and violence the far-right group has become known for.

Star Trek star and LGBTQ activist George Takei was one of the first to suggest the subversive trend, writing in a Thursday tweet:

“I wonder if the BTS and TikTok kids can help LGBTs with this. What if gay guys took pictures of themselves making out with each other or doing very gay things, then tagged themselves with #ProudBoys. I bet it would mess them up real bad. #ReclaimingMyShine”

I wonder if the BTS and TikTok kids can help LGBTs with this. What if gay guys took pictures of themselves making out with each other or doing very gay things, then tagged themselves with #ProudBoys. I bet it would mess them up real bad. #ReclaimingMyShine

— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 1, 2020

Over the weekend, the viral campaign swept across Twitter as thousands of users ranging from celebrities to politicians and even the Canadian military used the hashtag.

Take posted a photo of himself with his husband, explaining:

“Brad and I are #ProudBoys, legally married for 12 years now. And we’re proud of all of the gay folks who have stepped up to reclaim our pride in this campaign. Our community and allies answered hate with love, and what could be better than that.”

Excited for our wedding! 6 years of growth and love. Wouldn’t have it any other way. #ProudBoys pic.twitter.com/O4SOPXPSoD

— Christopher Ubiadas (@TheRealUbiadas) October 5, 2020

Rep. Carlos G. Smith, the first LGBTQ Latino legislator from Florida also tweeted that he and his husband Jerick Mediavilla were “Proud Boys” ready to vote. He tweeted:

“@JerickFL and I are joining thousands of gay men on social media to reclaim #ProudBoys from white supremacists and bigoted neo-nazis,” he tweeted. “Let’s replace the hashtag with images of love, positivity, and true PRIDE! Your two favorite #ProudBoys are here standing by, ready to VOTE!”

The Canadian Armed Forces in the USA also participated in the trend, and shared a photo of two men kissing, one of whom is a corporal called Brent Kenny, accompanying their post with the simple caption: “#ProudBoys.”

Our #ProudBoys
Love is Love ❤️ 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈 https://t.co/pAMTc8tEsY

— Royal Canadian Navy (@RoyalCanNavy) October 4, 2020

Naturally, for the Proud Boys – a males-only group obsessed with proving their masculinity through feats of violence and milk-guzzling rituals – the trending hashtag was anything but welcome, especially after Twitter cleansed the platform of their presence.

Members of the so-called “pro-western fraternal organization” have been posting about their displeasure over seeing same-sex love on the much smaller rival app Parler.

As is typical for an organization that has been labeled a hate group by numerous monitors, online Proud Boys spouted homophobic, anti-gay hatred that they’ve long peddled and banked on.

Good morning Gorgeous!#ProudBoys 🌈 pic.twitter.com/TzVre2z5XX

— Allana Harkin (@AllanaHarkin) October 5, 2020

While most people hadn’t heard about the Proud Boys, the infamous group earned their 15 minutes of fame after Donald Trump name-dropped them in a notorious moment from last Tuesday’s first presidential debate with Democratic rival Joe Biden.

Trump clearly had trouble denouncing political violence by his far-right supporters when he was asked by moderator Chris Wallace whether he would “condemn white supremacists and militia groups, and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities.”

Instead, Trump said “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by.”

The Proud Boys are a group of nationalist extremists who describe themselves as “western chauvinists” and are known for their anti-Muslim, misogynistic rhetoric, as well as their frequent brawls with left-wing opponents.

However, the group denies being racist, despite its numerous links with alt-right, neo-fascist organizations.

After the group’s name was hijacked over the weekend, Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio complained that “the left” had turned the group’s name into a “slur” in an attempt “to drown out the voices of our supporters.”

More than 20 years old now, The Matrix is recognized by fans across the world as being one of the most brilliant films in history, most notably for its deeper meaning and esoteric philosophy.

One scene that is particularly intriguing, considering the social climate of today, is Neo’s interrogation by the Agents of the Matrix.

Now, before we dig into the potential hidden meaning here, as I perceive it, and how Neo found himself in this uncomfortable position to begin with, let’s first establish some key points in relation to the overall story line that will help us to appreciate the implications behind this scene a little bit more.

What Does The Character Neo Represent in the Matrix?

Neo in ancient Greek (νέος) means new/young one. This is an important piece of the puzzle to help us understand what the directors of the film are trying to communicate to us. With that said, when we assess Neo’s character in the first film, we find that he is a solitary individual that keeps to himself and is struggling to find deeper meaning in this world by constantly searching the internet.

What Does The Character Morpheus Represent in the Matrix?

Morpheus in Greek mythology is a messenger of the gods. He appears to humans through dreams with the intention of delivering divine Knowledge and Truth. In the Greek mythos, he can appear in almost any form in people’s dreams, which could be because anyone, regardless of race, gender, or outward appearance, can be a messenger of enlightenment and Truth.

The First Matrix Film is About The Beginning of the Journey to Awakening

With the understanding of the deeper meaning behind what Neo and Morpheus’ characters represent in the film, we can now appreciate the intro scene of Neo sleeping (whilst searching for Morpheus) through a different lens of perception and awareness.

You see, Neo sleeping whilst searching online for Morpheus represents the early stages of the Truth seekers journey — “asleep” but still searching for deeper meaning in life — and hoping to find that meaning by seeking out a “messenger” of higher Knowledge and Truth.

Truth is Terrorism in the Empire of Lies

Through his incessant efforts, Neo begins to get closer and closer to finding the elusive Morpheus. This, however, also attracts the unwanted attention of the Agents in the Matrix, which represent the enforcers of the shadow government of this system. Their job is to ensure that no one exposes what the Matrix really is, and how it turns unsuspecting every day human beings into useful resources that it can use and exploit.

The Agents proceed to apprehend Neo and interrogate him, where they make it very clear that they’ve been spying on him and keeping meticulous records of his activities, both online and offline, for quite some time now. As we all know very well today, all around the world intelligence agencies are doing exactly that — tracking what we view online and keeping meticulous records on many of our movements.

The agents, however, do not see Neo as being a major threat to the Matrix system, as he is still in the early stages of his awakening and does not know enough to be a major threat. Instead, they offer him a deal where they will be willing to “wipe the slate clean” on his illegal activities online, if Neo will simply help them track down the man they call Morpheus, who they claim is “a known terrorist” that is “considered by many authorities to be the most dangerous man alive”.

This represents that the single greatest threat to this manipulative system — which is overwhelmingly ruled by deception and exploitation — is any messenger of higher Knowledge and Truth that can potentially awaken those who are still “asleep” to what the proverbial Matrix really is. In fact, one could argue this sort of power struggle has been going on for thousands of years, and is possibly why Socrates was accused of “corrupting the youth” by the ruling class more than 2,000 years ago and subsequently sentenced to death; or why Fred Hampton was assassinated by government authorities in 1969; or, in more recent history, why civilians that were peacefully protesting against Wall Street and the bankers for their part in destroying the world economy in 2008, were targeted by the FBI and even labelled as potential “domestic terrorists“.

Simply put, Truth is terrorism in the empire of lies.

Imaginary Rights

Neo, still being somewhat naïve and unbegun in his journey, rejects the Agent’s offer and demands he get a phone call because “I know my rights!”

To this, Agent Smith retorts, “tell me Mr. Anderson, what good is a phone call if you’re unable to speak?”, which results in Neo’s mouth warping in the most eerie of ways.

This scene represents a lesson that all genuine Truth seekers eventually come to learn — this system is not concerned with human rights nor is it concerned with upholding authentic justice. Instead, it inculcates these beliefs and misperceptions into our minds from a very young age, because it serves to help legitimize its unnecessary existence in the eyes of the unsuspecting public and indoctrinate us as to why we think we need it. But in reality, our government guaranteed “rights” can be taken away from us in the blink of an eye.

In relation to current events, for example, many thousands of people worldwide have been arrested for violating curfew orders; In one Indian state, civilians were told they must take selfies every hour and send it to the authorities to prove that they are staying indoors; in South Africa, some have been fined for not wearing masks while driving their cars; In Boston in the United States, people have even been told that they will be fined if they walk “the wrong direction” down the street; Homeless people in France have reportedly been fined for not staying indoors; Some people have been arrested for attending funerals of loved ones because it violated lockdown orders; Others (including doctors and scientists) have had their right to freedom of speech censored online; In Australia, a pregnant woman was actually arrested in her home for facebook posts that encouraged protesting against the lockdown; According to the International Labor Organization, tens of millions are being pushed into unemployment; and travel all around the world has been severely restricted by these authorities who have taken it upon themselves to be the rulers of this planet by dictating what the rest of us can and cannot do. Whether you agree with these policies or not, these things cannot logically be called “rights” since they are so very easily violated and taken away from us.

There are many other examples that demonstrate how our government given “rights” are more of a comforting illusion than an actual reality, such as the CIA’s secretive Black Site torture programs, which have been done in cooperation with other intelligence agencies and authorities throughout the world. In these programs, people have been kidnapped — without any legal criminal charge or trial — and then taken to undisclosed secret locations where many of them are tortured for many months on end, in ways that are considered to be in violation of international law and basic human rights. The CIA, of course, simply claims they are suspected terrorists. In 2014, however, a Senate Intelligence Committee Report found that at least 26 of the people that were kidnapped and tortured were actually “wrongfully detained”.

Wake Up Neo — You Are the One

Fortunately, Neo manages to escape this unthinkable situation without any serious injury or harm. Soon after, he is contacted by Morpheus, where he is told that he was very lucky that the Agents underestimated his great potential and spared him, because if the Agents had known the great secret that Morpheus knows, then Neo would probably be dead.

Confused by the obvious strangeness of everything taking place, Neo asks Morpheus what the hell is going on, and what exactly is he talking about?? Without hesitation, Morpheus replies to him, “You are the one Neo — You see, you may have spent the last few years looking for me, but I have spent my entire life looking for you.”

This is perhaps the most important lesson the new Truth seeker must eventually come to learn — We are the ones we have been waiting for to change this corrupt world my friends; and we must stop looking for heroes and human leaders to absolve us of this very serious responsibility. Instead, we must all take on the role of Morpheus — which is to awaken as many Neo’s (new minds) as we possibly can, whilst also taking on the role that represents the journey of Neo, by challenging ourselves to become the best version of who we authentically are.

By doing this, we will help to awaken and unleash the unique creative forces of each individual’s problem solving imagination; and we will also find unity in our shared struggle against the injustices, and corruption, of this inhumane system which invariably exploits us all.

If not us, then who? And if not now, then when?

Written by Gavin Nascimento, Founder of aNewKindOfHuman.com

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(TMU) — Police in Colorado have caused an uproar after they barged in on a peaceful protest demanding justice for unarmed 23-year-old Black man Elijah McClain and began using physical force including pepper spray as they dispersed the crowd.

Officers with the Aurora Police Department could be seen marching into the calm Saturday protest clad in full riot gear before brutally breaking it up. In footage from the event, a group of protesters who maintain social distance can be seen holding signs and watching as some violinists performed during dusk.

The violin vigil was a tribute to the fact that McClain, who was brutally killed during an arrest last August, was a skillful violinist who was known for putting on small concerts for cats and dogs at the community animal shelter during his lunch breaks. The violin vigil included six-time Grammy nominee Ashanti Floyd from Georgia, and Lee England Jr. from New York City, and was meant to conclude the day’s events.

In video of the event shared online, the tranquil event appears to be proceeding normally before the police abruptly appeared at the lawn outside the Aurora Municipal Center. Suddenly, the violinists’ music is interrupted by the sound of the crowd crying “No!” as police begin manhandling and attacking the crowd.

In one recording, a woman pleads with the police to stop as the officers clad in full tactical gear including helmets, bulletproof vests, and gas masks prepare to remove the protesters from the public park by force.

Protesters peacefully refused to comply with the orders to disperse while forming a human chain around the violinists to protect them from the Aurora Police Department onslaught.

Attendees allege that at some point police used, or threatened to use tear gas – a chemical weapon banned from war by international treaties – against the protesters. However, an APD spokesperson denied the allegation while admitting to the Cut that “there was pepper spray deployed.”

Peaceful gathering to honor the life of #ElijahMcClain turned in a hostile “unlawful protest”. @AuroraPD antagonized peaceful protestors and put people in harm and used teargas to dispurse people attending a vigil. Shameful! pic.twitter.com/HtWS3mxFc2

— Carlos Espino (@CarlitoPlanet) June 28, 2020

The events on Saturday began without any incident during the afternoon as local organizations led a rally and march from a park between APD headquarters and the Aurora Municipal Center. Student groups also led a separate rally and march that would have ended with the violin vigil in Aurora’s City Center Park.

Marchers walked without incident behind a banner that read, “Justice for Elijah McClain, murdered by Aurora police.”

https://twitter.com/fisherjolene/status/1277299645706719233

Despite the lack of any violent incidents or unrest, however, police had a strong presence – leading some in the crowd to chant, “Why are you in riot gear? We don’t see no riot here.”

At around 8:30 p.m., however, the police began initiating aggressive tactics against the crowd. Carlos Espino, who attended the event, told the Cut that cops “quickly started moving in on just all protesters, getting them to move away and step back.” At that point he saw a “smoke plume in the air” that he believed to be tear gas. Others claim that the smoke, which Espino said had a strong chemical odor, may have been from smoke bombs.

When protesters were finally forced into a parking lot, the violinists continued performing while some singers broke into song to defiantly, yet peacefully, resist the officers’ aggression. However, police continued to charge the crowd.

https://twitter.com/MacDaddyCJ/status/1277294355686912000

Three people were eventually arrested for violating lawful orders after warnings were given.

The police had issued a statement Saturday noting that while they support a peaceful protest, they would be vigilant about the presence of alleged “outsiders” with violent goals. Organizers saw the warning as ominous and seeking to justify in advance the police repression that took place.

“The Aurora Police Department has responded by circulating rumors of a `violent threat´ in order to intimidate organizers and attendees and to justify mobilizing a militarized police response to crack down on protesters,” a local chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation said in a statement quoted by New York Times.

The altercations of Saturday evening are likely to result in further anger and mistrust toward Aurora police.

The Aurora community held a vigil with live music in honor of Elijah McClain and the cops decided to come in and use f****** tear gas on them…APPARENTLY WE DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT TO MOURN THE LOSS OF AN INNOCENT LIFE!!! #AbolishThePolice pic.twitter.com/oDDeuEZyY9

— Laur (@lsimon210) June 28, 2020

McClain’s death at the hands of Aurora police had only led to small protests over the last 10 months but came under renewed attention following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis cop on May 25.

Police in Aurora were responding to a call of a suspicious person wearing a ski mask and waving his arms while walking down the street. McClain’s sister later told Denver7 that he would sometimes wear an open-face ski mask because he “had anemia and would sometimes get cold.”

McClain, a certified massage therapist and self-taught violin player, was running an errand when officers tried to detain him.

As #Aurora municipal security forces lost patience with how long it was taking to illegally evict us from the #ElijahMcClain violin vigil, they began deploying chemical agents directly into protesters faces and at protesters that were fleeing while attempting to make arrests pic.twitter.com/ElDeu8Q4LD

— dula lipa (@dulapalooza) June 28, 2020

Police claim that McClain, who was unarmed and often listened to music as he walked home, allegedly refused officer commands to stop walking before “a struggle ensued” and the small-framed young man allegedly fought back as officers tried to take him into custody. Officers allege that he tried to take one of their guns.

“I have a right to stop you because you’re being suspicious,” an officer is heard on a body camera recording telling McClain.

In the meantime, officers used a carotid hold – a chokehold that cuts off the flow of blood to the brain – against the young man. When he attempted to roll over to vomit, officers screamed at him to “stop resisting!”

“If you keep messing around, I’m going to bring my dog out here and he’s going to bite you,” an officer told McClain.

McClain’s body eventually went limp. One officer asked, “Are you OK?” However, he wasn’t asking McClain, but the officer who was pressing his body weight down on the young man’s body.

“Yeah, I’m good,” the officer responded.

Aurora Fire Rescue then injected McClain with a large dose of ketamine in an attempt to sedate him, which police later called “a standard medication routinely utilized to reduce agitation.”

McClain suffered cardiac while en route to the hospital before he was later declared brain dead, and eventually taken off life support.

The haunting last words of Elijah McClain, transcribed from police video, have been widely shared since his death. He said:

“I can’t breathe. I have my ID right here. My name is Elijah McClain. That’s my house. I was just going home. I’m an introvert. I’m just different. That’s all. I’m so sorry. I have no gun. I don’t do that stuff. I don’t do any fighting. Why are you attacking me? I don’t even kill flies! I don’t eat meat! But I don’t judge people, I don’t judge people who do eat meat. Forgive me. All I was trying to do was become better. I will do it. I will do anything. Sacrifice my identity, I’ll do it. You all are phenomenal. You are beautiful and I love you. Try to forgive me. I’m a mood Gemini. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Ow, that really hurt. You are all very strong. Teamwork makes the dream work. Oh, I’m sorry I wasn’t trying to do that. I just can’t breathe correctly.”

Three officers were eventually placed on leave but District Attorney Dave Young allowed them to return to the force on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence to charge them.

Last Thursday, Governor Jared Polis ordered prosecutors to reopen the investigation.

https://twitter.com/adamjtru/status/1277139149326188544