Authorities eye statehouse rally
Photos and words by Sean Rayford
"Even if there are conspiracy theories, I don't remember conspiracy theories being a problem, but for some reason they'll take you off of social media for it,” says a woman identifying as “Josie Quinn 3,” eleven days after a mob of Trump inspired conspiracy theorists launched a deadly insurrection at the nation’s capitol. Previously, she’s gone by “Josie Quinn” and “Josie Quinn 2,” but those accounts have been banned.
With unprecedented domestic terror alerts at all fifty state capitols, Quinn is one of many speakers to address about 30 demonstrators gathering at the South Carolina Statehouse January 18. Law enforcement outnumber demonstrators, the majority convoying from Florence, SC, home of rally organizer Shawn B Laurie.
Shawn B Laurie, also known as, “The Veteran Guy.”
Josie Quinn
“We want to talk about our constitution. We want to talk about our freedom. We want to talk about our right to say what we want to say. We are not against anybody, we are not violent, we're not terrorists, we're not racist - we're just proud Americans that want to be heard,” says Laurie, also known as “The Veteran Guy.”
“Veteran Guy,” right, and “White Pony”
Jay Daniels, also known as JFG on social media, believes “big tech and the media” are to blame for the division in America. "It seems like the world only has one point of view and if you disagree with that view, you are disgraced. Americans get up early every morning and go to work, bust their tails to provide for their family,” he says, “They do not deserve to be told to shut up, take it and deal with it. They deserve to be heard and appreciated. The government needs to realize they work for and serve the American people.”
“Government media and big tech are slowly trying to reject our constitutional rights and the first thing they want to do take your freedom of speech,” he continues, “allow me to quote the first amendment: ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or of the right of people to peacefully assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
A demonstrator holds her smartphone in the air after shouting, “A couple of us just got banned online!”
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