hey folks, I was one of the people at the counter protest at the b*ck the bl*e event at bibleway baptist church in boone today and I wanted to throw some thoughts out there while things are somewhat fresh /1

first of all you may ask why did this event matter enough to protest? look, Boone is a small town. things like this matter more here. I think it's important to stand up and show that events like this don't reflect our whole community. /2

and if we want to make change, we have to do it everywhere, including small towns. it's time to stop writing off the south and abandoning all the BIPOC and queer folks trying to live there. anyway... /3

I was really scared about going to this protest because of the things happening elsewhere... right wing extremists driving through crowds of protesters etc. it's deeply ironic to me that the people organizing this event were so concerned with security /4

a dozen or so young people with signs are not at all a threat to y'all lmao. meanwhile y'all out there ARMED at your goddamn CHURCH. jesus would be ashamed of y'all /5

I think this sign best illustrates the hypocrisy of these people. They just wanted to be able to have their little racist rally unopposed. They moved to a private location specifically to make it harder for others to exercise their free speech. /6

literally so many people inside the event with trump merch. tons of flags. the B/LEXIT people were handing out blue line flags and american flags and signs. they were just screening out anything besides their own political ideaology. /7

Also, any items that security personnel say pose a threat? Yiiikes. So what you're saying is they can just do whatever the fuck they want. /8

I can't think of anything that more clearly illustrates that these people are not actually for free speech and don't really understand what it means. /10

and look, they can do anything they want on their private property, but I guarantee if I had walked in with a BLM shirt on I would've been kicked TF out. what about my right to free speech? /11

one of them crossed the road to make some sort of point by standing by us and yelling PREACH!!! back toward the rally (with NO MASK. thanks mr. plague vector) I made the point that we were there defending our rights and he scoffed at me and went YOUR RIGHTS??? /13

yes. my rights. I have a right to stand up and protect my town. and if y'all can't handle a couple young people heckling you from the other side of the road, that's your problem /14

mr plague vector did put on a mask when we asked him to, but then later removed it and refused to put it back on. what about my right to live? my right to health? my right to safety? /15

the whole thing was just so deeply frightening. there were a couple trucks and a jeep with flags that kept driving back and forth throughout the event and every time it happened I braced myself for the worst. /16

this isn't to say that all of this just came out of the woodwork. racism is everywhere, and Boone is NOT different. but I am deeply alarmed to see an organization like B/LEXIT targeting Boone. there is nothing accidental about that. they're trying to use us as a pawn /17

I was happy to see that their turnout was so puny compared to the BLM protests that have happened here. they were delighted that their chants of B/LUE LIVES MATTER drowned out our BLACK LIVES MATTER but ultimately I think we know where this community stands /18

I think it's super telling as well that more than half of their sponsors were not local businesses. oh and, if you want a list of businesses to avoid, here you go. /19

Food Lion of Boone
Food Lion of Deep Gap
Lowes Hardware of Boone & Ashe
Lowes Foods of Boone
Pepsi
Walmart of Boone
Troy's Diner
Mo's Boots
421 Auto
New River Building Supply
Omega T's & Screen Printing
Jim Fits Trucking
Jay Bird Ariel Photography
Publix
Triple T Pumping /20

not mentioned in the video (didn't get my phone out fast enough)
Ingles of Boone
Harris Teeter /21

I think Ashe BLM is working on a list of local black owned businesses you can go to instead, so watch out for that. you can also donate to Black In Boone http://linktr.ee/BlackInBoone  and write bibleway baptist church a nasty letter :) /22

I have more pictures and videos if anyone is interested but this is already getting a little long x) I just wanted to post something about this because I feel like people need to know what happened (and that we weren't there to start a fight) /23

in conclusion: black lives matter. fuck these assholes. /24 #BlackLivesMatter #DefundThePolice #BooneNC #AppalachianStateUniversity

more highlights: CHAZ/CHOP mentions, dude throwing water at protestors driving by in a car, dude watching us the whole time while standing with his arms crossed and his buttcheeks clenched, preachers shedding crocodile tears. jeep guy had a huge cigar in his mouth.

these people are both so ridiculous and so dangerous it's maddening

update: the watauga democrat posted an article about this grossly overestimating the number of people at this rally and uncritically promoted the agenda of the rally
@WataugaDemocrat fix your shit. https://www.wataugademocrat.com/community/hundreds-attend-back-the-blue-rally-in-boone/article_9f9faa21-95d6-5141-96fb-6303219edae0.html#utm_campaign=blox&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

I'm glad I took as many pictures and videos as I did (there are more than there are in this thread). I was a little worried something like this would happen