The mainstream media is trying to tar and feather the Oath Keepers as a racist, anti-government group of white men. These false characterizations came after a group of Oath Keepers, led by Sam Andrews, arrived at a scene of protesters in nearby Ferguson marking the one-year anniversary of the death of Michael Brown.
According to the Oath Keepers website, the group is a non-partisan association formed to “defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”(1) The group is comprised of former members of the military, law enforcement and fire departments from across the country. According to Andrews, “We know way more about weapons than the St. Louis County Police Department.”(2)
Early Tuesday morning, the group assembled with semiautomatic weapons and walked among protesters. Missouri allows people with permits to openly carry weapons. The group claims they were there to protect reporters from the news organization InfoWars, after two St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporters had been attacked and severely injured the night before.(2,3)
Oath Keepers help protect local businesses and community
The group was present in Ferguson late last year as well, when protests were rekindled after the grand jury decided not to indict officer Darren Wilson, who killed Brown. Sam led the group during the riots. The group protected some businesses after police stood down and allowed looters to ransack many buildings and businesses.(3)
St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar was perturbed the by the Oath Keepers presence last week. Belmar called the Oath Keepers’ presence “both unnecessary and inflammatory.” The mainstream media has tried to demonize the group as a right-wing militant group comprised of white men.(2)
Never mind the fact that the Oath Keepers is an organization comprised of people from all walks of life. Or the fact that Belmar has ordered his police officers to violate state law, including illegally confiscating firearms. Sam Andrews, who led the Ferguson group, set the record straight clearly and succinctly in a recent interview with Jason Van Tatenhove.(3)
Oath Keepers maintain peace at Ferguson protests
Protesters started to gather outside the police station and fire house on the one-year anniversary of Michael Brown’s death. Many protesters were throwing bottles and bricks at police officers. Law enforcement arrived at a nearby scene where looting and shooting was taking place. The violent perpetrators met the police with open fire. The police tracked down and shot one of the men who discharged his gun at the officers. The perpetrator is now in critical condition.(3)
The Oath Keepers arrived early Tuesday morning to help the people of Ferguson board windows to keep businesses and apartments safe from looters. That evening, the Oath Keepers began a security operation with men on apartment roofs to protect people who were sleeping inside.
On August 10, the day after the anniversary of Micheal Brown’s death, the Oath Keepers met with protesters on the street. According to Andrews, after they had been there for about an hour, the situation grew so calm that both police and protesters started leaving. Contrary to Belmar’s remarks, the Oath Keepers presence mitigated, rather than heightened, tensions between the two groups.(3)
The Oath Keepers have done nothing but combat vandalism, protect local citizens and mitigate violence. According to Andrews, Ferguson loves the Oath Keepers. The group has established a relationship with the community, which now welcomes them with open arms. Many citizens expressed their thanks to the Oath Keepers for helping maintain the peace.(3)
The reception from both the community and local police to the Oath Keepers was overwhelmingly positive, reported Andrews. The Department of Justice and leadership from Highway Patrol were the only officials that didn’t want to Oath Keepers there. Andrews stated that some officials threatened to take away their guns. “We stood our ground, and ultimately we won,” concluded Andrews in the interview.(3)
Sources include:
(1) OathKeepers.org
(2) Gawker.com
(3) OathKeepers.org
