The Best Defense Has Been Solidarity, Not Bullets
August 7, 2021 7:41 AM   Subscribe

For nearly nine months, Tenacious Unicorn Ranch, a safe haven for trans and queer Coloradans, faced violent threats from right-wing extremists. Until, that is, they turned to their local anarchists for help. from Alt-Right Coloradans Went to War with an Alpaca Farm — And the Farm Won [from the revitalized Mel Magazine]
posted by chavenet (18 comments total) 34 users marked this as a favorite
 

I noticed nowhere in the article did they mention contacting the police. It's probably because they know the local police won't do shit and are honestly probably some of the most likely violent offenders against trans-anarchists.

When the cops won't do their jobs citizens build their own police forces.

It happened with the Black Panthers and it will happen again and again and again and again until our police forces represent and protect everyone equally.
posted by deadaluspark at 7:52 AM on August 7, 2021 [18 favorites]


A couple paragraphs in:

Logue and fellow ranchers don’t trust local law enforcement, telling me that they feel uneasy because of a few negative encounters with deputies coupled with Custer County Sheriff Shannon Byerly’s own behavior, which includes lying about the group’s behavior to the media and his admission that he spoke at an Oath Keepers rally.
posted by starfishprime at 8:01 AM on August 7, 2021 [51 favorites]


Sounds like it's solidarity with people who are willing to train to use bullets that's working? So kind of both?
posted by clawsoon at 8:07 AM on August 7, 2021 [4 favorites]


“Peace means something different from ‘not fighting’. Those aren’t peace advocates, they’re ‘stop fighting’ advocates. Peace is an active and complex thing and sometimes fighting is part of what it takes to get it.” — Jo Walton

From the Commonplaces sidebar of Making Light.
posted by conscious matter at 8:26 AM on August 7, 2021 [19 favorites]


Si vis pacem, para bellum continues to be true.
posted by NoxAeternum at 8:42 AM on August 7, 2021 [4 favorites]


I've been following the ranch since they turned up in my local social media feeds a while ago. It really, truly sucks to see reminders of how the world won't just let queer and trans people exist peacefully somewhere. Even living out in the middle of nowhere, not troubling anyone and being self-sufficient isn't enough for these hateful people. We could literally go and live on a rock in the desert and there would still be someone angry that we exist.

So glad the ranch has found some peace and safety. Kudos to the allies who stepped up to help. It fucking sucks that it's necessary, but long may it continue.
posted by fight or flight at 9:20 AM on August 7, 2021 [39 favorites]


I didn't know this place existed, and I'm not glad that it needs to exist, but given the world we live in, it is wonderful that this exists.
posted by Alterscape at 12:54 PM on August 7, 2021 [6 favorites]


This is fascinating and fantastic. Thanks so much for posting.
posted by Dysk at 3:11 PM on August 7, 2021 [1 favorite]


My visceral reaction to this article was similar to the one I had with (TW: assault, homophobia, transphobia) this one.

The attack on the couple, and someone arriving in the night at the 'Ranch, both make me terrified.

The solution my partner and I use - hiding in plain sight - is often not an option for trans people. Arming up is an approach that is unfortunately the only active answer for too many oppressed groups... And guns end up taking the lives of far too many of their owners.
posted by Flight Hardware, do not touch at 4:58 PM on August 7, 2021 [3 favorites]


High Country News had a great article about the Tenacious Unicorn Ranch back in January (high Country News is generally awesome, and subscriptions are cheap):

Logue and her cohort seek to challenge the patriotic myths — about Manifest Destiny, liberty and freedom — that their Wet Mountain Valley neighbors double-down on in The Sentinel. “The American frontier or ‘the American West’ wasn’t conquered with rugged individualism,” she said. “It was conquered by communities sticking together. … Nobody did that by themselves.”

posted by oneirodynia at 7:46 PM on August 7, 2021 [8 favorites]


I am disappoint at the lack of alpaca on fascist violence.
posted by Pyrogenesis at 9:44 PM on August 7, 2021 [1 favorite]


"I am disappoint at the lack of alpaca on fascist violence."
Can alpacas be conditioned to spit when something happens? I know they're world class spitters, and it could be a real surprise to be covered in alpaca spit when trying to sneak up on somebody.
Just a thought...
posted by Metacircular at 4:23 AM on August 8, 2021 [1 favorite]


Why can't people just leave other people the fuck alone?
posted by DJZouke at 5:41 AM on August 8, 2021 [6 favorites]


Peace means something different from ‘not fighting’. Those aren’t peace advocates, they’re ‘stop fighting’ advocates. Peace is an active and complex thing and sometimes fighting is part of what it takes to get it.” — Jo Walton

Guess I'm a "stop fighting" advocate, then.
posted by pelvicsorcery at 7:26 AM on August 8, 2021


That was a great post, thanks OP! Unlike another FPP on the blue, it left me feeling optimistic. Yay!
posted by Bella Donna at 12:20 PM on August 8, 2021 [1 favorite]


I’m glad that the farm was able to fend off the militias. But….by setting up their own militia? I have a hard time seeing this as a sign that America is heading toward a good place. Is the lesson here that we should just join up with anarchists and embrace our Mad Max future?
posted by clark at 9:04 PM on August 8, 2021 [1 favorite]


I have a hard time seeing this as a sign that America is heading toward a good place.

It isn't? I don't think anyone is viewing it as such - it's been plenty clear that there is a certain strand of fucked up that is continually growing for some years now, and not just on the US. What's heartening is seeing a group of people deal with that on a way that isn't dependent on the good graces of the law, the police, or the transphobes. Increasingly, you can't rely on those things. So it's good to see someone stick it to them.

If you'll excuse a terrible analogy, it's like someone setting up a domestic charity. Now, the fact that you need charitable organisations to feed people in one of the richest countries in the world is fucked up, and the food bank is a symptom of that. But we still celebrate the food bank and their work, because now people are being fed.

It's fucked up that trans people in Colorado basically need to set up a militia to be left alone in the middle of nowhere. But given that it is necessary, it's fucking awesome that they did.
posted by Dysk at 2:29 AM on August 9, 2021 [7 favorites]


We needed to stand up to these right wing but job bullies a long time ago but after Waco and Ruby Ridge we just kind of let them run over rural America.
posted by interogative mood at 6:44 PM on August 9, 2021 [1 favorite]


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