1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Hi, everyone, it's James. I just wanted to explain why 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:05,119 Speaker 1: you're only going to hear my voice in the first episode, 3 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: but you're going to hear Garrison in the other episodes 4 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: as well. And that's because I went into Natius Unicorn 5 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 1: Ranch twice, once during the period that we're going to 6 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:16,280 Speaker 1: call the siege, and once again in the summer. And 7 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: so the part that only I experienced only I'm going 8 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: to talk about. We felt that was the most honest 9 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:21,759 Speaker 1: way to do it. I hope you enjoy it. I 10 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: have worked on this for a very long time. Hard 11 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: scrabbled pass in southern Colorado in the winter. It's not 12 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,200 Speaker 1: where you'd expect to start a story that's fundamentally about 13 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: the Internet, but it's where a four wheel slid a 14 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: rental car in the spring of If you remember, back then, 15 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 1: Biden had just been inaugurated, some chads had stormed the capitol, 16 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: and vaccines were gradually being administered across the country. Less remarkably, 17 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: frontier rail lines are taken forever to find my damn bag, 18 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: and I was trying to get there before dark about 19 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: a week before it's in a tweet, I thought that 20 00:00:57,760 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: this is a Nature's Unicorn Ranch because I grew up 21 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 1: as a farm who didn't really slide quite as easily 22 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:06,320 Speaker 1: as others did into the supermatcho stuff, and I certainly 23 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: didn't slide anywhere near conservative politics. What the ranches were 24 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 1: doing building a queer haven and anarchistyle pack of farming 25 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:16,320 Speaker 1: co op inspired me. I've been missing country life a 26 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:18,679 Speaker 1: lot during the pandemic, and they wanted to get out 27 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: onto the ranch. But that wasn't really why I was 28 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 1: driving an appropriate, rittle car through a white out. I 29 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: was doing that because I've seen this tweet, and that 30 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: tweet said there ranches under attack and they needed help. 31 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:35,120 Speaker 1: The tenacious Unicorn Ranches under attack by local biggots and militia. 32 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: They have threatened violence publicly to us and those that 33 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: help or associate with us. They have encroached on our property, 34 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,400 Speaker 1: armed at night, with the intent to harm those of 35 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: us that live here. We need help. That's where the 36 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: story starts for me. It's where the story starts for 37 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: a few characters you're going to hear this week, but 38 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 1: it's not where the story really starts. It starts with 39 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: Penelope log we'll call Penny, working at a big box 40 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 1: store dealing with increasing transphobia both online and in person 41 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: in the early Trump era. Penny's a veteran and a 42 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 1: country girl, and she was looking to get out of 43 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: the city along with her partner's Canton Gin. She decided 44 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 1: to rent some land and set up Founding Rescued Our Packers. 45 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: So we started in Livermore, Colorado, which is on the 46 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,919 Speaker 1: whole entire other side of the state. UM, And it 47 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: really was a reaction to what was happening to the 48 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: queer community, UM, not only locally, but kind of what 49 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,679 Speaker 1: we were seeing nationally. Went about two years into the 50 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 1: Trump presidency where things were just getting really bleak and 51 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 1: dire for the majority of people that we hung out with. UM. 52 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 1: We we were originally going to try to like just 53 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 1: make a make a bus that was roadworthy and we 54 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: could live in and just kind of be nomadic, but 55 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: we couldn't really on board and help other people that way. 56 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:58,360 Speaker 1: Like that was really just like it would have been 57 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: hard to have the cats we had. Yeah, we also 58 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 1: like even at that point we had like four cats, 59 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 1: so it was two three cats whatever at the time, 60 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:09,959 Speaker 1: but still too many umbo young dogs and whatever. So 61 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 1: so we uh so I had always wanted to do 62 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: a homestead, and I grew up farming and ranching, so 63 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: it was very natural for me. Um, And so we 64 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: found a ramp that we could rent and livermore Um 65 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: and knee cat and gen Um just uh kind of 66 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:30,959 Speaker 1: set out to start somewhere. So that was a haven 67 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: for queer people, um, but also a home for us. 68 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: You know. It turned out the United States didn't something 69 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: given alt pack of crisis. The animals were once extremely fashionable, 70 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 1: and herds popped up over the West in the nineteen eighties. 71 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: Now that generation about pacer ranches are aging out of 72 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: the hard physical labor that makes about every day on 73 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: a ranch, and there are packers are often left to 74 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: their own devices. The unicorns, as the people in the 75 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: valley called them, adopt these al packers, which are often 76 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: to elected, and care for them. They re feed them 77 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: slowly so they would't die from the blow that comes 78 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 1: from refeeding too fast, and they sell their fiber as yah. Gradually, 79 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 1: with a ton of hard work and a growing community, 80 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 1: they built their ranch into a sustainable operation. But as 81 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: the herd grew and their unfortunate rental agreement became clearer, 82 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: they decided they needed a different ranch, and so they 83 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 1: moved across the state to Westcliffe and it was a 84 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 1: rented ranch that we were trying to rent their own. 85 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 1: We thought we were renting their own actually um, and 86 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: then that rug got pulled out from underneath us, like 87 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 1: they just they just when we went to purchase it, 88 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 1: they were just like, no, you haven't been renting, going, 89 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: you've just been renting. And we were in an additional 90 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: hundred thousand dollars, So it was like, yeah, we had 91 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:56,360 Speaker 1: to move right as COVID was getting bad in America. 92 00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: So like March of that was fun. It was it 93 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 1: was the worst and best move all at the same time, 94 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: because the roads were fucking empty, like if quarantine was 95 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 1: in full effects, so the roads were empty. So we 96 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:12,040 Speaker 1: were traveling with trailers full of animals on empty roads. 97 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 1: And then after like the restrictions lightened and we got 98 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 1: used to what like the normal traffic flow was, we 99 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 1: were like fuck this, like but it was cool, like 100 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 1: having everything shut down. We couldn't like the big problem 101 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 1: was we couldn't rent anything because every rental place had 102 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 1: shut down, and so the really it was like the 103 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: beginnings of like the community for for us right. It 104 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: was like we taped friends and you know, comrades to 105 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 1: how social media. Yeah, and everybody really stepped up and 106 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:43,559 Speaker 1: helped with that move. So it was it was cool 107 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: West Casts where I met them. It's a beautiful town 108 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,719 Speaker 1: in the sound grade to Christo's. In the summer, it's 109 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 1: full of tourists taking weekend trip to the mountains and 110 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 1: eating ice cream. And in the winter it's quiet, snow covered, 111 00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 1: beautiful and absolutely freezing. In March, I drove through the 112 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:04,720 Speaker 1: town in the afternoon and what I figured was an 113 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: inconspicuous man. Everyone else who visited the ranch that month 114 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 1: and picked up a tail. Aside from a few strange looks, 115 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: I think I got through, okay. I took a long, 116 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 1: lonely winding road through the valley and then turned down 117 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 1: a dirt road towards the ranch. Penny met me at 118 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: the gate in a plate carrier with a rifle. We 119 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: briefly hugged, and then I quickly parked my car outside. 120 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 1: That don't that the grown queer community at the ranch 121 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:34,039 Speaker 1: called home. It was a profoundly strange experience. Inside the 122 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 1: house was full of warmth, conversation and laughter, people enjoying 123 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: each other's company and enjoying being out of the biting 124 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 1: wind and snow. Outside was cold. We wore plate carriers, 125 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 1: and the ranches carried long guns. I carried a camera 126 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: and go pro and a kniffac and then dressed in 127 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 1: battle rattle. We broke the eyes on the art pack 128 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:56,679 Speaker 1: of drinking tanks and tried to stop the recently adopted 129 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 1: animals from re feeding too quickly. I walked and talk 130 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 1: with Penny and j another of the unicorns, whose story 131 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: will get you later, about the stress that the increasing 132 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 1: threats to them had had on them. But first we 133 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: met the animals. We have sheeps, we have goats, We 134 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:19,559 Speaker 1: have of course alpaca. We have ducks and chickens um 135 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 1: day to day, five Pyrenees which are life stock guardian dogs, 136 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 1: and a couple of blue heelers rescues um and my 137 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: dog Starbuck, and oh yeah, eight cats. Um, But the 138 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: vast vast majority are the alpacas. It might sound a delic, 139 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 1: and in many ways it is a dilic, But the 140 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: work on the ranch never stops, and sick al packet 141 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: need tending to almost constantly, even during the seats, which 142 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: we will get too soon, I promise there was a 143 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: lot of volunteers could help with, but animal husbandry wasn't 144 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: on the list. So even after long night's patrolling their ranch, 145 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: cold and afraid, Penny and j often had to take 146 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: it in terns looking after old animals with blow let's. 147 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: They labored to breathe. Here's one that I recorded, m 148 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 1: can you set that down? Help me stand her up, 149 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: because we're just gonna see if we can give her 150 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:29,119 Speaker 1: to walk, all right, if you'll run it, okay, I yeah, 151 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: there you are there, you are there, you go. My 152 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 1: felts are perfect. Good. Next up, they can set it 153 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: in there. Gotta walk, baby, that's part of this. I 154 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: know that's part of this through Okay, okay, okay, oh baby, 155 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:08,960 Speaker 1: I can't do that. It's all right, laugh it's sorry. Well, 156 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: if you're not gonna walk, my love, I gotta do this. 157 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 1: I know it hurts. Yeah, okay, let's get you crush. Yeah, 158 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 1: it's okay. There, that's Cooper sounded like there was a 159 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 1: little bit more movement. Yeah. I'm getting the feeling that 160 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 1: they probably didn't even start asking for help until the 161 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 1: we guess thought they heard was actually dying in the 162 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 1: old field. The story about how we got from a 163 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: thriving and happy ran community built on the anarchist principle 164 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: of mutual aid and solidarity to what the Unicorns called 165 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: the seat. If the story it's about lies, bigger tree, 166 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: and the Internet, but it's hard to think about those 167 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:08,199 Speaker 1: things too much of the ranch, because in the two 168 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:12,479 Speaker 1: trips I've taken I felt nothing but incredible sense of love, solidarity, 169 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: and supportive community. If you've engage with the story of 170 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 1: the ranch at all, perhaps following Tenation's Unicorn Ranch online, 171 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: it's probably because of the siege. But I don't want 172 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 1: this to be storied. It's just about guns, bigger tree, 173 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: and community defense. I also wanted to be a story 174 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 1: about how long before the stiege began, the community at 175 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 1: the Sana's Unicorn Ranch realized that nobody was coming to 176 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: save them, and so they decided to save themselves. They 177 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 1: were they want to kill us, and they yeah, but 178 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: when we like call it out, you know, um, I, hey, 179 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: stop killing us, not even like fuck of just hey, like, 180 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: did you just like lay off the whole killing us thing? 181 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 1: You fucking fun half like fucking unsympathetic victim screaming trainings forgot? 182 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: All right? So no, the anther, no, you can't stop killing. Excellent, 183 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 1: Maybe time to get guns now. The day I slip 184 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 1: slid my way across hard scrabbled past in my not 185 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: so trusty nous and our mirror with the same day 186 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 1: that the gunman walked into a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado 187 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 1: and killed ten people with an a R pistol. My 188 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:41,959 Speaker 1: social media feed was filled with the sadly all two 189 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 1: common reactions to these, all two common mass murders that 190 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 1: happen in this country. But the next day I saw 191 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 1: people flooding gun shops in the fear that the state 192 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 1: would begin enforcing to gun control laws. It didn't. As 193 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 1: I edit this draft, another young man with another gun 194 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: has walked into a gay bar in Colorado Springs, about 195 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 1: an hour from the ranch. It's an intensely conservative city. 196 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 1: The host focus on the family. You'll know by now 197 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: that the club queue shooting result in the death of 198 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 1: five people, including two trans people, and in your twenty 199 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,360 Speaker 1: one more, I'll be honest with you, it felt a 200 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 1: bit weird driving through Colorado to write a story about 201 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:22,319 Speaker 1: guns was broadly positive, and in a sense it still 202 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 1: does today. But the reason this story about guns is positive, 203 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 1: really has very little to do with guns and everything 204 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 1: to do with people. It's really a surly about solidarity 205 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 1: what it is about a R fifteen, But some people 206 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:37,280 Speaker 1: will never get part of the A R fifteen enough 207 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:40,599 Speaker 1: to see that. In case you missed it or you 208 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 1: caught one of the reports at the time that seemed 209 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 1: to skim over the fact that the ranch is around. 210 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 1: We should give an account of the siege up top 211 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 1: here so you understand what happened. Understanding why it happened, 212 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 1: that's another episode. So for now, just to understand. It's 213 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: some boomer's log in to their social media and the 214 00:12:56,040 --> 00:13:00,120 Speaker 1: queer elimination rhetoric we've reported so much about overlap with 215 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:02,199 Speaker 1: their small community in a valley in the Soengreade to 216 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: Cristo Mountains, and this was a result. Things started, as 217 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 1: they often do these days, online, with a throwaway comment 218 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: about a parade in town. The girls didn't really know 219 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:15,160 Speaker 1: that they had moved into the reddest county in Colorado 220 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: at the time. Lauren Bobot was that congress person. But 221 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: soon they started to get an idea of what some people, 222 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: pretty small minority of people as it turned down, thought 223 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 1: about them. So It started on Facebook, like honestly, like 224 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: we started seeing more comments and people getting weird about it, 225 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 1: and then there was literally to this day, I will 226 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 1: still say it was a fascist fucking parade. You're talking 227 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: about July, they had a fascism, Like the local fascist 228 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 1: did a fascism And we observed this by accident because 229 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:51,960 Speaker 1: we were like, oh, parade, that doesn't sound interesting, but 230 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 1: we did go into town to get some coffee and 231 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 1: ran smack into a fascist parade and and fascist and 232 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: what what sort of like so fascist in the most 233 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 1: like like direct way that there was Christian nationalist flags, 234 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 1: three percent flags, Confederate flags carried by armed white people 235 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:16,720 Speaker 1: screaming about the government and the Libs and the queers. 236 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: Like it was a they did a fashion there's that 237 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:21,720 Speaker 1: one guy with a shirt that says I know things 238 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 1: and own guns or something like that and shooting and 239 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:30,120 Speaker 1: shoot things yeah, um and so like it was a 240 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 1: overtly hard right sponsored parade that was supposed to be 241 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 1: like hard like that, like it was like set up 242 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: as a protest because of the COVID restrictions. They weren't 243 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 1: letting people have a parade, and this was their answer 244 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 1: to that. Um, and so really all we did was 245 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: call that out on Twitter. We're like, wow, Like, there's 246 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 1: a fashist parade in West Clifton. We'll come back to 247 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 1: this parade next episode. It's organized by a local newspaper, 248 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: which is, to be perfectly frank the most batchit, crazy, 249 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: boom and brain worm thing I've ever seen in print. 250 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:10,440 Speaker 1: It was an open carry event where malicious from across 251 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: the US come to open carry unloaded guns for reasons 252 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 1: that we can't really pin down. Soon. The unicorns calling 253 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 1: out the parade on Twitter set keyboard fingers clicking. I've 254 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 1: said fingers here, but these people give off a distinct 255 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: single finger typing vibe if I'm honest. We started. The 256 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 1: first thing that we noticed was the tails. We started 257 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 1: getting tailed from points that everybody that we were very 258 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: public about frequenting, like Peregrine Coffee and Chappie's. We started 259 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: getting picking up tails from those points routinely. Um, and 260 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: that so like people like following you, yeah, yeah, not 261 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 1: very covertely in the same three vehicles. And they wouldn't 262 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 1: just follow us anyone that they figured out knew us. Yes, 263 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 1: anybody that announced on any social media platform that they 264 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 1: were coming to see us. They would then follow and 265 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 1: then it really got it became super into the physical 266 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: world when nine News, well nine News did a piece 267 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: on us in which the Sheriff's department came up because 268 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 1: they were mass reporting us for animal abuse. A lot 269 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 1: of the harassment came from a website you're probably familiar 270 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 1: with now, but maybe you wouldn't have been back then. 271 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: It might have been farms and locals. You don't have 272 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 1: to say their names, yeah, if we could blank out. 273 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 1: But it's one of those things where like sis, people 274 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: don't even know that Kwie Farms exists, and more people 275 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 1: need to fucking now because it's it's it's ridiculous harass. 276 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 1: We've done a couple of episodes. I don't want to 277 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 1: give them attention, but like I don't know, I don't 278 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 1: know whatever you think is best. Yeah, it's an entire 279 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: forum dedicated to harassing Frans people that get any sort 280 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: of popularity, ruining their lives as best they can with 281 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 1: his stay did goal of making trans people kill themselves. 282 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:04,920 Speaker 1: And it's there's a lot of members like like like 283 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:07,199 Speaker 1: like notable turfs are part of it, like like like 284 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 1: everyone has found this website now and people need to 285 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:12,360 Speaker 1: know it at least existed, and it's a truly awful 286 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 1: cesspool of They spent all of their time obsessing over that. 287 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: It seems like it's worth naming them, but please save 288 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:21,160 Speaker 1: yourself the time and don't click over there. It's nothing good. 289 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 1: Soon things got more real. A local news report who 290 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 1: covered the rude you've got apostle with a white powder 291 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: in it. That powder wasn't deadly, but it was a 292 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:43,199 Speaker 1: real threat. Soon that threat came to the ranch, the 293 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 1: nine news reporter. Thing happened, and then we started getting 294 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: like warnings from people that were monitoring chat rooms, Like 295 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:56,400 Speaker 1: they were like, oh, hey, like the chatter about y'all 296 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:01,119 Speaker 1: has skyrocketed, and like it is blatant, like people making 297 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 1: plans to burn your home down and kill you, like, 298 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:07,399 Speaker 1: and locals started warning us that like, hey, this has 299 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 1: happened before you got to get ready. This is real. 300 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 1: Don't have pea, like, don't be predensiti about this, Like 301 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:17,399 Speaker 1: we're being serious, And so me and Jay started for 302 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:23,160 Speaker 1: about two weeks, we were walking patrols around the perimeter. 303 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 1: The unicorns are afraid, so they took steps to defend themselves. 304 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:29,879 Speaker 1: Lots of the people that they ranch, like Jen and 305 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 1: Cat you can hear anything interview, didn't want to carry guns. 306 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:36,399 Speaker 1: Penny and j had some military experience and they knew 307 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:39,120 Speaker 1: how to use and carry guns. So every night they 308 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 1: set out walking the perimeter to what for intruders on 309 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:46,120 Speaker 1: their property line patrols. They realized that there were people 310 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 1: out there at the night looking back at them. That 311 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:51,400 Speaker 1: night is when me and Jay came back from that 312 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:55,880 Speaker 1: and put out a very whole heartfelt cry on Twitter, 313 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:58,640 Speaker 1: like we don't know what the funk to do. We're 314 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 1: terrified and any help would be amazing. They were armed 315 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:06,120 Speaker 1: at this point, but they weren't ready for a gunfight. 316 00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:09,919 Speaker 1: That's a very different thing. Sadly, though, the gunfight they 317 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:11,920 Speaker 1: weren't ready for wasn't going to wait until they were 318 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 1: yeah armed, um rudimentally armed by the way, like Jay 319 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:19,120 Speaker 1: had a hunting rifle, no a shotgun at that point, 320 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: Um and I had my springfield a r U and 321 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 1: so we scared them off. But like that made it 322 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:31,200 Speaker 1: like clear and present for us, and so we put 323 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 1: a heartfelt call out onto Twitter. Um and although was 324 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,679 Speaker 1: up here like the next day and caught people on 325 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 1: the property that night, like it was armed people on 326 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 1: the property, multiple people. Altho arrived the next day, spread 327 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 1: on by that same tweet I'd seen. This isn't his voice, 328 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:52,639 Speaker 1: but they are his words. We wouldn't say too much 329 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:55,119 Speaker 1: about him other than that he has significant experience with 330 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: this kind of thing, and he spent his own time 331 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,399 Speaker 1: and money to drive across the west to help some 332 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: queer folks he'd never met. He just wanted to raise 333 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:05,400 Speaker 1: our package, and he left the funk alone. I saw 334 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 1: a post on Twitter from someone else boosting the original 335 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:11,400 Speaker 1: Tenacious Unicorn ranch plea for help. I reached out to them, 336 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 1: and after some back and forth and letting them vet me, 337 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: we agreed I would drive down to help them out. 338 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:18,679 Speaker 1: I took a little time to do some map studies 339 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 1: of the area and confirm some suspicions about local law enforcement. 340 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 1: The sheriff at the time had publicly spoken at and 341 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: supported oath Keepers rallies as a keynote speaker, alongside Stewart Rhodes, 342 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:30,880 Speaker 1: as well as other prominent oath keepers and three per centers. 343 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 1: The cops haven't ever been much of an option in 344 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:35,400 Speaker 1: keeping marginals people safe, but this was on a whole 345 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 1: other level. I called some people to tell them I 346 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:41,040 Speaker 1: was heading to its nacous unicorn ranch for accountability's sake. 347 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: At the time, I was binging an unhealthy amount of 348 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 1: letter Kenny, And when one of them asked me why 349 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,160 Speaker 1: I was driving six to seven hours to help total strangers, 350 00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:50,640 Speaker 1: the first thing I thought was when a friend asked 351 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 1: for help, you help them all. They gave us his 352 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:55,679 Speaker 1: account of what happens. Again, for everyone's safety, were not 353 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 1: going to use his voice. But that night he patrolled 354 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:01,639 Speaker 1: the mentor, often nearly being run off the road on 355 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 1: the way to the rug. He said, at first, when 356 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 1: he saw at a tweet, he thought Penny and j 357 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: were of reacting. But after that tale, and after what 358 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 1: happened that night, he knew something very strange was going on. 359 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 1: So on arrival at the hard Pack road off the highway, 360 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:17,200 Speaker 1: there were two cars on the other side of the 361 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 1: highway from the intersection, backed in with their headlights off. 362 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 1: There's an old Durango and a truck that I couldn't 363 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:24,680 Speaker 1: make the model of on the other side of that Durango. 364 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,479 Speaker 1: Once I turned down the road, probably two yards after turning, 365 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 1: I looked back and saw one of them turn on 366 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:32,959 Speaker 1: their headlights and started gaining on me until they were tailgating. 367 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:35,199 Speaker 1: I started to slow and pull over to see if 368 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:37,199 Speaker 1: they would pass, and they slowed and stuck with me. 369 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:40,040 Speaker 1: I had a suspicion about the two cars initially, and 370 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 1: this was confirmation. I can't really see how fast we 371 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,119 Speaker 1: started going, but I know it was significant enough that 372 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:47,199 Speaker 1: I was starting to oversteer and lose traction on the 373 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:49,720 Speaker 1: back end of my car on turns. I knew Penny 374 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:51,840 Speaker 1: and the rest were waiting at the property gate, so 375 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: I signaled Penny to say, hey, I got a tail 376 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:56,880 Speaker 1: keep the gate locked. You'll see me driving by. Tell 377 00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: me what vehicle is following me. The vehicle slowed down 378 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:01,879 Speaker 1: we approached the gate, so it appeared they may have 379 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: been anticipating me to do the same. Once I passed 380 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:06,919 Speaker 1: the gate, they continued to follow. It turns out it 381 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 1: was the Drangle, which I later found out had been 382 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 1: doing drive byes of the property of the past couple 383 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 1: of days. The Draga quickly realized what all those doing 384 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:17,639 Speaker 1: and pursued him pasture rog further down that snowy do it. 385 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 1: Right after I passed the ranch, I accelerated a little 386 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:22,879 Speaker 1: more to create some distance and drove to a spot 387 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:24,280 Speaker 1: that I had seen on the map on the way 388 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:26,680 Speaker 1: down that looked like I could effectively turn around without 389 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 1: extra maneuvering. As I turned around, they had closed the 390 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:32,119 Speaker 1: gap and started to slow. Once they were pulling up 391 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:33,880 Speaker 1: next to me, I turned my high loom and carry 392 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:36,280 Speaker 1: light on them to at least disorient or over stimulate 393 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:38,800 Speaker 1: them with bright white light and try to catch faces. 394 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 1: The windows had a dark tent, so it was not feasible. 395 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 1: My other goal was trying to convey I see you 396 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:48,919 Speaker 1: and I have the advantage without actually visually threatening them. 397 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: The driver had been rolling their window down until I 398 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 1: put that light in the window, then immediately stopped and 399 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:56,200 Speaker 1: rolled it back up. At that point, it was apparently 400 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 1: enough to make them decide it wasn't worth it and 401 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: take off. I legally carry a side arm with me 402 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 1: the majority of the time and had it on me. 403 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 1: I had my hand on it, but didn't feel the 404 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:06,680 Speaker 1: need to draw during that encounter. In the two minutes 405 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:09,359 Speaker 1: since he turned off the hard top, does ideas about 406 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:11,680 Speaker 1: what he was in for had pivoted almost as fast 407 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:14,160 Speaker 1: as his car did not put out earlier on while 408 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 1: driving to the ranch from my house. I had the thought, 409 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: you know, this is probably bullshit and a bit of 410 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: an overreaction on their part, So maybe at least I 411 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,160 Speaker 1: can deescalate some of their anxiety and give them some rest. 412 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:27,360 Speaker 1: This will probably just be a lot of nothing. Clearly, 413 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:30,439 Speaker 1: I was mistaken, and after that encounter my mind was 414 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 1: very much re oriented to the present reality. Driving through 415 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: the gate, I had to prepare myself to the new 416 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:40,400 Speaker 1: possibility of actual exigency, and I thought, oh shit, there's 417 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 1: something to this well petter pattern. Motherfucker's I'll just send 418 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: a message to Penny saying that he was free of 419 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:49,679 Speaker 1: his tail, and she opened up the gate quickly. He 420 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:51,360 Speaker 1: drove up the same dirt road I did a few 421 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: days later to the dome. We had a scared and 422 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:56,719 Speaker 1: sleep deprived unicorns were hiding from the cold and from 423 00:23:56,760 --> 00:23:58,440 Speaker 1: the same people who had just tailed him down a 424 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 1: dirt road. Once I the house, we made introductions, and 425 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:04,160 Speaker 1: I explained that a trusted source had boosted their call 426 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,159 Speaker 1: for help, and I was willing to drive over to 427 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 1: see what, if anything I could do to offer them 428 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:12,160 Speaker 1: in the form of assistance. They gave me situational awareness 429 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 1: of the property who lived there, et cetera. Then went 430 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 1: over what had been happening up until my arrival. The 431 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 1: local harassment people following them and doing drive bys of 432 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 1: their property, the Kiwi farms threats of quote burning them 433 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 1: out of their home. They had also mentioned there was 434 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:29,200 Speaker 1: a probing incident a couple of nights before that had 435 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 1: really set them off when they caught another unknown individual 436 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:34,200 Speaker 1: probing their fence on the southern side of the ranch. 437 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 1: They detailed how they hadn't slept for almost forty eight 438 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:39,360 Speaker 1: hours since that incident, which had prompted their call for help. 439 00:24:40,119 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 1: I could tell they were just done mentally, emotionally, physically, 440 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:46,119 Speaker 1: but still keeping it together. So I said something to 441 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 1: the effect of you've done a great job, go get 442 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:51,359 Speaker 1: some rest. I'll stay up and take the watch. That 443 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:53,919 Speaker 1: was around nine pm. The crew went to get some 444 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: deserved rest, and I got ready to go out. Before 445 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 1: stepping back outside, I had to ask myself what the 446 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: actual funk is going on? I walked outside, grabbed my 447 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:06,479 Speaker 1: rifle and plates, put on some extra layers of warm clothes, 448 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 1: and got ready for what turned out to be a 449 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:14,120 Speaker 1: long night. Quickly as Unicorn slept, Aoud got to work 450 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:16,200 Speaker 1: making a plan to keep the property and the people 451 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 1: they're safe. Having never been on the property, I went 452 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,560 Speaker 1: ahead and to the best of my ability in the dark, 453 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:30,119 Speaker 1: started estimating distances high low ground, points of opportunity, weakness, cover, concealment, hazards, 454 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 1: and any other unclear backdrops. But the other residences that 455 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 1: I had needed to be aware of that all came 456 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:38,960 Speaker 1: into play later. Based off what I found my best guesses, 457 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:41,679 Speaker 1: I started working at patrol on foot, covering the areas 458 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 1: I thought were vulnerable and most likely for incursion. The 459 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:47,879 Speaker 1: roadside seemed like the most likely point of opportunity for 460 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:50,119 Speaker 1: them since there was no barbed wire and a single 461 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:52,560 Speaker 1: low wire fence being the only barrier to entry on 462 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:56,800 Speaker 1: the property. Pretty quickly things got weight. At around I 463 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,679 Speaker 1: heard the first vehicle pass by. There was decent moonlight 464 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:01,119 Speaker 1: at the time time and I could see that it 465 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: matched the shape and size of the Durango. They were 466 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,199 Speaker 1: driving by with their lights off, slow rolling and had 467 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: made a stop about halfway down the property line on 468 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:11,800 Speaker 1: the roadway. They repeated this multiple times, so this kind 469 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 1: of confirmed my theory they would go for the easiest 470 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:16,919 Speaker 1: point of access off the roadway. The drive by has 471 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 1: continued sporadically, and twice from high point on property, I 472 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,359 Speaker 1: watched them turn their headlights back on, heading towards the 473 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:24,919 Speaker 1: highway and stop on the hard pack, where another vehicle 474 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: could be seen sitting with its headlights on. Although is 475 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:31,240 Speaker 1: pretty experience of this scenario, so it's Pool another of 476 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 1: the defenders who came a few days later. And it's 477 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 1: not my first radio with these things either, But that 478 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:38,399 Speaker 1: doesn't mean it wasn't scary for all of us, but 479 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: especially for Ald, who arrived first and was patrolling a 480 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:45,160 Speaker 1: small farm he'd never seen, facing attacks from an unknown 481 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: number of armed assailants. I can't remember how many times 482 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:49,159 Speaker 1: I wish I had my m v g's with me 483 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:51,719 Speaker 1: for better situational awareness, but they have been sent off 484 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:54,200 Speaker 1: for repairs, so I relied heavily on the moonlight, which 485 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,720 Speaker 1: there was a decent amount of not ideal doing a 486 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:58,639 Speaker 1: foot patrol on your own and the dark with an 487 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:02,240 Speaker 1: unknown number of people. Multiple times I thought I should 488 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:04,159 Speaker 1: get one of them up. There's way more ground than 489 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:06,520 Speaker 1: I can safely cover. I don't know the terrain well enough, 490 00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 1: and doing this alone is fucking dumb if this turns bad, 491 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:12,920 Speaker 1: But of course I ignored that intuition and told myself, Okay, 492 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:15,359 Speaker 1: I'm overthinking this right now. These dudes are just trying 493 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 1: to funk with the queers, and this is purely intimidation. 494 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:22,160 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna keep working the vulnerable areas, watch them 495 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:25,479 Speaker 1: play their dumb, bullshit games, and let the Tenacious Unicorn 496 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 1: Ranch folks rest. Besides, at the time, I didn't know 497 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:31,800 Speaker 1: the Tenacious Unicorn Ranch folks before that night. While they 498 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:33,760 Speaker 1: did great with what they had available to them, I 499 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:35,720 Speaker 1: had no idea how they would respond and a ship 500 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:38,879 Speaker 1: hit the fan situation, what their personal capabilities were, if 501 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 1: they could be relied on for team movements, and didn't 502 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:43,719 Speaker 1: want to risk relying on someone running on fumes, so 503 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 1: I said, fuck it, it'll be fine. His fears, as 504 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:50,119 Speaker 1: it turned out, were more than justified. A little before midnight, 505 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 1: cloud cover came in while I was walking along the 506 00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:54,720 Speaker 1: west fence line and saw what I assumed was a 507 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:57,440 Speaker 1: dim flashlight or a cell phone light flash about halfway 508 00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:59,879 Speaker 1: along the north fence line by the road, and I 509 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 1: fifty to twenty seconds later another flash, making me think 510 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:04,800 Speaker 1: that they were moving west towards the ranch gate. It 511 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 1: was the first time I noticed anyone on foot, so 512 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 1: I started slowly working my way down quietly to see 513 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:10,679 Speaker 1: if I could get closer for a good visual on 514 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 1: who it was walking the roadway. Since the moonlight went away, 515 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:16,280 Speaker 1: I stopped about forty or so yards from the gate 516 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: and squatted download or reduced my profile and just watch. 517 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 1: After about ten minutes, I heard quiet voices and then 518 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:25,159 Speaker 1: a very distinct earl from the man that appeared and 519 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,640 Speaker 1: turned to call out after he activated the gate's motion 520 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:30,399 Speaker 1: sensing light. I remember I had to stop myself from 521 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:33,480 Speaker 1: laughing from them not only having such shitty discipline, but 522 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:37,119 Speaker 1: also about what was a perfectly comical chud name. I 523 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 1: stood up and watched another dude come out of the 524 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:41,040 Speaker 1: dark into the light of the ranch gate, who very 525 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:43,440 Speaker 1: much had the build of an earl. The first guy 526 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:45,720 Speaker 1: began lifting and pulling at the gate lock and chain 527 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: while earl was trying to cover the most and sensing light. 528 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:50,600 Speaker 1: They stood at the gate and I could hear them 529 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:52,840 Speaker 1: whispering for about a minute before I got annoyed at 530 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:54,840 Speaker 1: just how dumb they were and how they didn't notice 531 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 1: me creeping closer to them while they were doing all this. Finally, 532 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:00,440 Speaker 1: from around fifteen yards. I went to had and lit 533 00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:02,560 Speaker 1: up the two males on my flashlight, who both had 534 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:05,400 Speaker 1: their faces covered in no visible weapons and a fairly 535 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 1: sarcastic voice. I said something to the effect of, Hey, 536 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 1: what are you idiots doing? Stop playing with the gate. 537 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:14,440 Speaker 1: Go away it would I didn't really feel I had 538 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:16,719 Speaker 1: much recourse other than to give a verbal warning at 539 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:19,120 Speaker 1: that point, because they were still technically not on the 540 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 1: branch property and they had not made any visible attempts 541 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 1: to trespass or do any property damage. Both of them 542 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: ran off in the most awkward, non athletic way you 543 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 1: could think of. I didn't see anyone else in the area, 544 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 1: so I approached the road to watch them jump into 545 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 1: a car and drive off. I kind of laughed at 546 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:37,280 Speaker 1: myself and remember saying out loud, cut, you guys are 547 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:42,080 Speaker 1: impressively stupid. Okay, they're probing the property. Now I realized 548 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 1: these guys weren't working at a higher operational capability. I 549 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 1: also felt a little more comfortable that even though I 550 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 1: didn't have my n VGs to work in the dark environment, 551 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:53,000 Speaker 1: they didn't either. After staying out for another thirty minutes 552 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:54,600 Speaker 1: to make sure they were taking a break, I went 553 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:56,640 Speaker 1: back inside to warm up for a few minutes, get 554 00:29:56,640 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 1: some food, and change my socks. After its scene, they 555 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:01,200 Speaker 1: had maybe gone and re convened after they got caught 556 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:03,480 Speaker 1: trying to tamper with the gate. I turned off the 557 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:05,560 Speaker 1: lights inside the house that were visible from the road 558 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:07,920 Speaker 1: so I wouldn't be visible, and also just to see 559 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: if that might make someone tempted to believe that the 560 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 1: nation's unicorn ranch folks had turned in for the night. 561 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,600 Speaker 1: Things were quired for the next hour or so. While 562 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 1: out walking close to the east fence line towards the road, 563 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:19,600 Speaker 1: I remember a fox letting out a scream from less 564 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:21,720 Speaker 1: than a hundred feet away from me that honestly was 565 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 1: more startlingly all the other events in the night up 566 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 1: until then. If you haven't heard of fox screaming, it 567 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:28,480 Speaker 1: does indeed sound like someone being murdered in the most 568 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:32,240 Speaker 1: brutal way possible. I had a fox, probably the same fox, 569 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:35,000 Speaker 1: a few nights later on the ranch. Even in the 570 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:36,960 Speaker 1: midst of the siege, it was still a working ranch, 571 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 1: and so as a word of protecting people from violence 572 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:43,320 Speaker 1: the ranches, and they're pretty in mountain dogs also had 573 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,920 Speaker 1: to make sure they were protecting the chickens from Foxes. Sadly, 574 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 1: though Foxes weren't the only visitess that night. A few 575 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:54,480 Speaker 1: hours later, a much more serious threat emerged. The night 576 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:56,600 Speaker 1: continued to be quiet for the next while, and I 577 00:30:56,640 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 1: decided to move along the east side of the property line. 578 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:01,840 Speaker 1: The cloud cover broke around two fifteen and I could 579 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 1: see some movement and hear low voices again. I got 580 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: low in held my position since it was fairly safe. 581 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:09,280 Speaker 1: It could make out two figures walking towards me inside 582 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:12,000 Speaker 1: the property boundary. I waited until they were about thirty 583 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:13,800 Speaker 1: or so yards away, and I was pretty sure there 584 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:16,239 Speaker 1: were no others working flanks before using my rifle light 585 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:18,160 Speaker 1: to begin the process of p I d and figuring 586 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 1: out if they were armed. As soon as I saw them, 587 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 1: I noticed they were both armed, one with an A 588 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:24,720 Speaker 1: R with no optics and the other with an M 589 00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:27,200 Speaker 1: one A with optics on it. I realized that while 590 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 1: I had the high ground, I was not comfortable with 591 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:31,240 Speaker 1: the backdrops due to the house across the road potentially 592 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:33,840 Speaker 1: being in line with my firing position, and started shifting 593 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 1: to a safer spot in case the confrontation escalated into 594 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:39,480 Speaker 1: an engagement. I called out my first command while moving 595 00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:41,719 Speaker 1: to a better position to their left side, you are 596 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 1: trespassing on private property. Slowly, placed your weapons on the 597 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:47,920 Speaker 1: ground and show me your hands. Do it now. The 598 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:51,040 Speaker 1: two men frozen place but did not comply, and I 599 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 1: recognized in that moment that these were two different men 600 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:56,760 Speaker 1: than who I had seen earlier. I called out again, 601 00:31:57,280 --> 00:31:59,600 Speaker 1: drop your weapons or I will fire on you. Do 602 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:02,800 Speaker 1: it now. As soon as I finished that sentence, they 603 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 1: both looked at each other with their rifles and low 604 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:08,000 Speaker 1: ready turned to the right and ran. I pursued them 605 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 1: so that I wouldn't lose the advantage I had, and 606 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:11,560 Speaker 1: to make sure there was no way they can make 607 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:13,240 Speaker 1: it up hill towards the house or get into a 608 00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:16,000 Speaker 1: more advantageous firing position if they decided to turn on me. 609 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 1: While parallel to them, so I could keep on the 610 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:21,080 Speaker 1: uphill side, I called out, stop and place your weapons 611 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:23,760 Speaker 1: on the ground. Realizing there might be others out there 612 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:25,600 Speaker 1: watching my light move, I turned it off so I 613 00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:28,160 Speaker 1: wasn't such an obvious target and made short bursts of 614 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:30,120 Speaker 1: the two men fleeings that I could maintain a visual 615 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:32,360 Speaker 1: on them. It wasn't an ideal way to handle it, 616 00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:35,280 Speaker 1: but This was all an incredibly unideal situation to begin with. 617 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:39,120 Speaker 1: After sustaining a fast paced run over uneven terrain and 618 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:41,640 Speaker 1: somehow not falling on my face, I realized we were 619 00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:44,080 Speaker 1: moving toward the fence line and quickly looked around with 620 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:45,880 Speaker 1: my light to make sure no one else was waiting 621 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:48,960 Speaker 1: for them and also armed. At that point, I turned 622 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:51,280 Speaker 1: my light back on them, and they both pivoted directly 623 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 1: to the fence, since we were still some distance from 624 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:55,520 Speaker 1: the gate, where it appeared they were heading toward. The 625 00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 1: first one with the m one a pushed the fence 626 00:32:57,320 --> 00:32:59,760 Speaker 1: down and hopped over. The second one panicked and with 627 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:02,160 Speaker 1: both hands tossed his a r across the small ditch 628 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 1: on the other side of the fence, and I watched 629 00:33:04,040 --> 00:33:06,280 Speaker 1: it fly halfway across the road while he struggled over 630 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:08,920 Speaker 1: the fence. He scurried over and kicked his rifle across 631 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:11,000 Speaker 1: the road before picking it up and disappeared with the 632 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 1: other mail into the small ravine on the other side. 633 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:16,280 Speaker 1: I realized I was disadvantaged where I was located, and 634 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:18,680 Speaker 1: repositioned to a small rocky mountain nearby so that I 635 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 1: can at least get prone and have some cover if 636 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:22,960 Speaker 1: they decided to fire on me. I laid there and 637 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:24,920 Speaker 1: recovered my breath for a minute or so, watching to 638 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:26,960 Speaker 1: see if anyone else was out there, and then moved 639 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:29,000 Speaker 1: toward the house to make sure there weren't other incursions 640 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:30,920 Speaker 1: I may have missed while occupied with the other two 641 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:35,480 Speaker 1: who disappeared after trying and failing for a second time. 642 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:37,600 Speaker 1: It seems that the local biggots took a break for 643 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:40,880 Speaker 1: the evening, but out in the unicorns couldn't. That was 644 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:42,680 Speaker 1: it for the rest of the night. I did go 645 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 1: back down and find their entry point, where the fence 646 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:47,760 Speaker 1: had been newly damaged and bent inward, and tracks leading 647 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:50,320 Speaker 1: over the patchy snow from the roadway. Then I walked 648 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:52,120 Speaker 1: back to their egrest point, where the fence had been 649 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:55,320 Speaker 1: bent outward. Everything that occurred that night was clearly a 650 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:58,960 Speaker 1: hostile incursion, and they demonstrated intent to harm others on 651 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 1: their own property. The only reason that didn't happen is 652 00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:04,440 Speaker 1: because we were armed and prepared. I think they realized 653 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:06,680 Speaker 1: at that point that the ranch was not a soft target, 654 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:08,920 Speaker 1: and the occupants these men painted as weak were in 655 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:12,040 Speaker 1: fact hard people willing to protect themselves and stand up 656 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:15,800 Speaker 1: against their aggression. More importantly, the residents of the Tenacious 657 00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:22,239 Speaker 1: Unicorn ranch just wanted to be left the funk alone. 658 00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:26,200 Speaker 1: It Could Happen Here is a production of cool Zone Media. 659 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:29,080 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, visit our website 660 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:31,239 Speaker 1: cool zone media dot com, or check us out on 661 00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:33,840 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 662 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:36,640 Speaker 1: listen to podcasts. You can find sources for It Could 663 00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:39,640 Speaker 1: Happen Here, updated monthly at cool zone media dot com 664 00:34:39,719 --> 00:34:41,640 Speaker 1: slash sources. Thanks for listening.