Editing Rage Against the War Machine

[[File:3c7f55d2-f660-4a62-a3a1-32696547091b.jpg|thumb|Rage Against the War Machine protesters in [[Washington, D.C.]] on February 19, 2023]]
'''Rage Against the War Machine''' was a major [[Anti-war movement|anti-war]] rally in [[Washington, D.C.]] on February 19, 2023 that was organized by the [[Libertarian Party]] and the [[People's Party]].<ref>[https://rageagainstwar.com/ Rage Against the War Machine]</ref> Credited with reviving the anti-war movement in the [[United States]] (US), 2,000-5,000 people showed up in attendance to protest US funding of the [[Neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]] [[Russo-Ukrainian War|war effort]] in [[Ukraine]] against [[Russia]].<ref>[https://twitter.com/AmericanBaath/status/1627633815672745984 I’m still waiting for the WSWS to organize an anti-war rally that’s 6 hours long, brings in 4,000 people, and marches all the way to the White House. I’m waiting. You can’t criticize #RageAgainstTheWarMachine if you aren’t even going to try and be in the anti-war movement.]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwVQLbRsC38 Anti-NATO Protests SWEEP EUROPE, Putin's BIGGEST Interview Yet]</ref> Many notable American politicians spoke at the event, including former members of the [[United States Congress]] [[Ron Paul]], [[Tulsi Gabbard]], and [[Dennis Kucinich]].<ref>[https://rageagainstwar.com/#Speakers Speakers]</ref>

The rally brought together thousands of [[Communism|Communists]] (primarily [[MAGA Communism|MAGA Communists]] and [[Patriotic Socialism|Patriotic Socialists]]),<ref name=":1">[https://the307.substack.com/p/does-the-red-brown-alliance-exist Does the red-brown alliance exist?]</ref><ref name=":2">[https://the307.substack.com/p/claiming-jimmy-dore-is-right-wing Claiming Jimmy Dore is right-wing is misunderstanding his message.]</ref><ref name=":3">[https://benmedia.substack.com/p/no-jimmy-dore-is-not-a-right-winger No, Jimmy Dore is Not A Right-Winger or Moving To The Right]</ref><ref name=":4">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgYfMNy30w0 Podcast #14- Jackson Hinkle on Patriotism, Marxism Leninism, the People's Party, and more!]</ref> [[Libertarianism|libertarians]],<ref name=":5">[https://www.counterpunch.org/2012/01/20/ron-pauls-anti-imperialism/ Ron Paul’s Anti-Imperialism]</ref> [[Paleoconservatism|paleoconservatives]],<ref name=":6">[https://reason.com/2019/07/10/gabbard-sympathizes-with-amash-says-political-parties-have-too-much-power/ Gabbard Sympathizes With Amash, Says the Two-Party System Sucks]</ref> and Alt-Right [[Conservatism|conservatives]]. Some notable [[Socialism|socialist]] speakers were [[Jimmy Dore]]<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> and [[Jackson Hinkle]],<ref name=":4" /> whereas libertarians were Ron Paul<ref name=":5" /> and [[Daniel McAdams]], and one paleoconservative was Tulsi Gabbard.<ref name=":6" />

== Prelude ==
In 2022, the Libertarian Party underwent an internal revolution, with the [[Libertarian Party Mises Caucus]] (LPMC) taking over the party leadership.<ref>[https://reason.com/2022/05/29/mises-caucus-takes-control-of-libertarian-party/ Mises Caucus Takes Control of Libertarian Party]</ref> Under the LPMC, the party reformed into an [[Anti-imperialism|anti-imperialist]] organization and centered the party to be based on the political positions of Ron Paul.<ref>[https://the162s6.substack.com/p/on-the-libertarian-party-freedom?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2 On the Libertarian Party: Freedom or Fascism?]</ref> The newly Mises Caucus-led Libertarian Party reached out to [[Nick Brana]] of the People's Party, hoping to build an alliance between the [[Populism|populist]] "right" with the populist "left," an alliance previously predicted by the [[Make America Great Again|MAGA]] [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Matt Gaetz]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z337OQW4mW8 Gaetz: Right-Wing and Left-Wing Populists Can Work Together]</ref>

Planning for Rage Against the War Machine started in December 2022, being organized by the Libertarian Party and the People's Party.<ref>[https://twitter.com/RageAgainstWar_ @RageAgainstWar_]</ref> The Libertarian Party officially announced the rally on January 20, 2023, setting the official date for February 19.<ref>[https://www.lp.org/rage-against-the-war-machine/ Rage Against Tthe War Machine | Libertarian Party]</ref>

On February 7, 2023, the [[Green Party]] officially endorsed the rally, though they neglected to sponsor it.<ref>[https://www.gp.org/proposal_1124 Proposal 1124: Endorse the February 19, 2023, Rage Against the War Machine Demonstration]</ref>

=== Demands ===
The official demands of Rage Against the War Machine, as stated by the Libertarian Party and the People's Party, were:

# Not One More Penny for War in Ukraine
# Negotiate Peace
# Stop the War [[Inflation]]
# Disband [[NATO]]
# Global [[Nuclear energy|Nuclear]] De-Escalation
# Slash [[the Pentagon]] Budget
# Abolish the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] and [[Military-industrial complex|Military-Industrial]] [[Deep State]]
# Abolish War and [[Imperialism|Empire]]
# Restore [[Civil liberties|Civil Liberties]]
# Free [[Julian Assange]]<ref>[https://rageagainstwar.com/#Demands List of Demands]</ref>

=== Speakers ===
By the time planning for Rage Against the War Machine had been finished, the official speakers lined up for the event were:

* [[Jimmy Dore]]
* [[Ron Paul]]
* [[Tulsi Gabbard]]
* [[Dennis Kucinich]]
* [[Cynthia McKinney]]
* [[Scott Horton]]
* [[Ann Wright]]
* [[Gerald Celente]]
* [[Chris Hedges]]
* [[Roger Waters]]
* [[David Swanson]]
* [[Daniel McAdams]]
* [[Garland Nixon]]
* [[Max Blumenthal]]
* [[Anya Parampil]]
* [[Jill Stein]]
* [[Tara Reade]]
* [[Diane Sare]]
* [[Dan McKnight]]
* [[Tatiana Moroz]]
* [[Jordan Page]]
* [[Kim Iversen]]
* [[Jackson Hinkle]]
* [[Craig Jardula]]
* [[Wyatt Reed]]
* [[Dan Cohen]]<ref>[https://rageagainstwar.com/#Speakers Speakers]</ref>

== Rally ==

=== Preparation ===
On the morning of February 19, 2023, the Rage Against the War Machine organizers began setting up platforms, microphones, and cameras for the speakers at the rally to use at the start of the event at 12:30 PM.<ref>[https://twitter.com/RageAgainstWar_/status/1627318309241733123?s=20 Just getting started at the Lincoln Memorial #RageAgainstWar]</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/RageAgainstWar_/status/1627333290079256576?s=20 Check 1…2…3 #RageAgainstWar]</ref> At 12:000 PM, 30 minutes before the rally, [[Scott Ritter]] gave a speech streamed on [[YouTube]] and [[Twitter]] that was originally intended to be delivered at the event itself.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_dMAQ2viCg Scott Ritter Uncanceled: Rage Against the War Machine Speech]</ref>

=== Lincoln Memorial ===
[[File:Max Blumenthal Rage.png|thumb|[[Max Blumenthal]] at Rage Against the War Machine<ref>[https://youtu.be/C6k5t-05bxo Max Blumenthal at Rage Against the War Machine] on [[YouTube]] by [[The Grayzone]]</ref>]]
The rally speakers and protesters in attendance met at the [[Lincoln Memorial]] in Washington, D.C. At 12:30 PM, the rally officially kicked off. Nick Brana, the Chairman of the People's Party, and [[Angela McArdle]], the Chairwoman of the Libertarian Party, gave the opening remarks for the event, then passing the microphone to ''[[The Grayzone]]'' editor-in-chief Max Blumenthal to give the first speech. Blumenthal first spoke about his upbringing during the 1980s [[CIA crack epidemic]] and [[Operation Condor]] in [[Latin America]], connecting it to the [[Vietnam War]] veterans who were left betrayed by their government. He talked about [[First World War]] veterans from the [[United States Army]] who rallied against the government in opposition to [[Jim Crow]], regardless of political affiliation and race. He then talked about how [[Douglas MacArthur]] demonized the anti-war movement, and how the US government cracked down on Communists during the [[Second World War]] and the subsequent [[Cold War]]. He followed this by connecting it to the contemporary economic crisis in the United States, stating the necessity of standing together against the imperial war machine. His speech was 8 minutes long.<ref name=":0">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J5QMtiGps8& Rage Against The War Machine - Full Rally]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2cZfMs6Ggc Max Blumenthal - Rage Against The War Machine]</ref>
[[File:Chris Hedges Rage.png|thumb|[[Chris Hedges]] at Rage Against the War Machine]]
Following Max Blumenthal was Chris Hedges, a [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning journalist. Hedges opened by talking about [[idolatry]] and, emphasizing how those who commit idolatry must commit suicide in the name of their idols. He connected this to imperialism, explaining how empires commit suicide in the name of their idols. He followed by stating the need to denounce "the unelected, unaccountable high priests of empire" that launder endless somes of money to fund their massacres of [[Islam|Muslims]], Russians, and [[China|Chinese]] people. He emphasized that the United States had no "rational objectives" in the [[Iraq War]], the [[War in Afghanistan]], the [[Syrian Civil War]], the [[First Libyan Civil War]], the [[Somali Civil War]], and—now—the Russo-Ukrainian War. He explained how imperialism moved from "the Republican Party to the [[Democratic Party]] and then back again, mutating from Cold Warriors to [[Neoconservatism|neocons]] to [[Liberal interventionism|liberal interventionists]]." He then went on to condemn US imperialism in [[Guatemala]], [[El Salvador]], [[Nicaragua]], [[Palestine]], [[Iraq]], [[Sudan]], [[Yemen]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], and [[Kosovo]], explaining how the imperialist actions in the country exposed the "[[Morality|moral]] bankruptcy, intellectual dishonesty, sick bloodlust, and delusional fantasies" of the [[global elite]]. His speech was 10 minutes long.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V3GWxRPw6I&t Chris Hedges - Rage Against The War Machine]</ref>
[[File:Kim Iversen Rage.png|thumb|[[Kim Iversen]] at Rage Against the War Machine]]
Chris Hedges was followed by Kim Iversen, an independent journalist and the host of ''[[The Kim Iversen Show]]'', making her the first woman to speak at the rally as a featured speaker. Her speech was 2 minutes long.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXfoMhOCdwc Kim Iversen - Rage Against The War Machine]</ref>
[[File:Garland Nixon Rage.png|thumb|[[Garland Nixon]] at Rage Against the War Machine]]
After Kim Iversen was Garland Nixon, a radio talk show host, YouTube/[[Rumble]] streamer, [[Center for Political Innovation]] (CPI) member, D.C. resident, and political analyist, being the first [[African-Americans|African-American]] to speak at the rally. His speech was 4 minutes long.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea5rVad7nzE Garland Nixon - Rage Against The War Machine]</ref>
[[File:Dan McKnight Rage.png|thumb|[[Dan McKnight]] at Rage Against the War Machine]]
Following Garland Nixon was a brief video about [[World War III]] as a mass-extinction event, then succeeded by Dan McKnight, a veteran of the [[War on Terror]] and founding Chairman of [[Bring Our Troops Home]]. His speech was 7 minutes long.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtAWhFjBVMQ Dan McKnight - Rage Against The War Machine]</ref>
[[File:Diane Sare Rage.png|thumb|[[Diane Sare]] at Rage Against the War Machine]]
Dan McKnight was followed by was Diane Sare, a musician, political activist, candidate for the [[United States Senate]] from [[New York]], and [[RT]] journalist, making her the second woman to speak at the rally as a featured speaker. Her speech was 7 minutes long.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htiNiL74gJs Diane Sare - Rage Against The War Machine]</ref>

After Diane Sare was Tara Reade, a writer, poet, actress, former Senate aide to [[Joe Biden]], the host of ''[[The Politics of Survival]]'', producer of the ''The Kim Iversen Show'', CPI member, and political analyst, being the third woman to speak at the rally as a featured speaker. Her speech was 3 minutes long.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbLfvkyr85A Tara Reade - Rage Against The War Machine]</ref>

Following Tara Reade was [[Jackson Hinkle]], a prominent MAGA Communist, independent journalist, ally of [[Infrared]], and host of ''[[The Dive with Jackson Hinkle]]''. His speech was 4 minutes long, and is considered to be the best speech at the entire rally by many of the Communists in attendance.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1Yuvlxyy0E Jackson Hinkle - Rage Against The War Machine]</ref>

=== White House ===
After the initial rallying at the Lincoln Memorial and 4 hours of speeches, the crowd organized a march all the way to the [[White House]]. Beginning at 4:30 PM, the march lasted approximately 30 minutes.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsTo6hQ_Oos Rage Against The War Machine]</ref> The crowd then gathered outside the fence that protected the White House, and then continued to protest. New speakers from the Alt-Right and the [[African People's Socialist Party]] (APSP) gave remarks outside the White House, encouraging the protests to continue their movement against imperialism and the Deep State. Among the topics discussed by the protests gathered outside of the White House were [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] [[COINTELPRO]] raids, particularly those against the APSP in August 2022.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbiwrxhY8YA Rage Against The War Machine Live Coverage]</ref>

After about an hour at the White House, Nick Brana declared Rage Against the War Machine a success and the main crowd dispersed. The protest officially ended at around 6:00 PM. Smaller crowds continued to remain in D.C. throughout the rest of the day, with flags of Russia and the [[Soviet Union]] being seen around Washington in the next few hours.

=== CPI reception ===
After the rally came to its formal closure, the [[Center for Political Innovation]] (CPI) held a reception in Washington, D.C. entitled "Preventing [[Third World War|World War Three]]." The reception featured CPI founder [[Caleb Maupin]],<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOF24JVahoo&list=PLf7J70UQL1LMw45bM-o5EjIBBhe8_-wZq&index=1&t=60s Opening of Feb 19th Rage Against The War Machine Reception - What is CPI All About?]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnO1_ntBaUU&list=PLf7J70UQL1LMw45bM-o5EjIBBhe8_-wZq&index=4 Choosing Life or Death in Capitalist America - Caleb Maupin speaks to Feb 19th Reception]</ref> anti-[[Iraq War]] activist Scott Ritter,<ref name=":8">[https://infrawiki.us/index.php/Rage_Against_the_War_Machine?veaction=edit#Reactions Scott Ritter speaks at Feb 19th Reception After "Rage Against The War Machine"]</ref><ref name=":9">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3sj0c1audI&list=PLf7J70UQL1LMw45bM-o5EjIBBhe8_-wZq&index=3 Scott Ritter on Chinese Weather Balloon Hysteria]</ref> APSP leader [[Yejide Orunmila]],<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WSm32nHzGc&list=PLf7J70UQL1LMw45bM-o5EjIBBhe8_-wZq&index=5 FBI Repression of Black Revolutionaries - Yejide Orunmila of Uhuru Movement speaks to CPI Reception]</ref> and other prominent members of the American anti-war movement as official speakers.

== Controversies ==

=== Scott Ritter ===
''Main article: [[Scott Ritter]]''

Initially, Scott Ritter was lined up as a speaker for the Rage Against the War Machine rally. However, allegations of involvement in sexual misconduct generated significant outrage among the [[Synthetic Left]] over his presence in the coalition. Similarly, the [[Libertarian Party Classical Liberal Caucus]] (LPCLC) pushed for the [[Libertarian National Committee]] (LNC) to remove Ritter from the lineup. Ultimately, Ritter was barred from speaking at the rally. The day before the rally, the Synthetic Left media personality [[Flame of Liberation]] (FOL) accussed Rage Against the War Machine of being a coalition of sex offeneders for even considering Scott Ritter.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVKmZABmLJM Rage Against the War Machine Controversy]</ref> Regardless, he both attended the rally and gave delivered his Rage Against the War Machine speech via online video. Ritter also paritcipated in the CPI reception as a guest speaker afterwards.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9" />

=== "Flagman" ===
''Main article: [[Ryan Cotten]]''
[[File:Yesterdays-rage-against-the-war-machine-rally-was-just-a-v0-3484u683qdja1.jpg|thumb|[[Ryan Cotten]] flying the [[Russia|Russian]] flag behind [[Angela McArdle]]]]
During the Rage Against the War Machine rally, there were various instances where an unidentified individual was carrying the Russian flag. The man was became known colloquially as ''Flagman''. He was criticized on the [[Jimmy Dore Show]] by Max Blumenthal, which generated some tension among members of the Rage Against the War Machine coalition. Flagman was later identified as a CPI member named [[Ryan Cotten]]. Caleb Maupin platformed Cotten by interviewing him on [[YouTube]] on February 25, 2023. There, Cotten was able to explain his position.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kv0c_ovzRQ Live #483 - Interview with Flag Man Ryan Cotten, Tulsi Gabbard on Kamala Harris, Banks of Marble]</ref><ref>[https://youtu.be/yGkEhKTZ_R4 WHO IS HE? Meet The Mysterious Man With The Russian Flag] by Caleb Maupin on YouTube</ref>

== Aftermath ==

=== Second American Revolution ===
''Main article: [[Second American Revolution]]''

Shortly after the rally, it was remarked that a [[Second American Revolution]] had begun. On February 22, 2023, [[The Bolshevik Panther]] posted a [[Wikipedia]]-style infobox on [[Twitter]] that labeled the rally as "part of the Second American Revolution."<ref>[https://twitter.com/AmericanBaath/status/1628359423105138689 #RageAgainstTheWarMachine]</ref>

=== Operation Warhawks Removal ===
''Main aritcle: [[Operation Warhawks Removal]]''

On March 8, 2023, the Libertarian Party and the People's Party collaborated again to launch [[Operation Warhawks Removal]] in response to the [[United States House of Representatives]] striking down a resolution to end the occupation of [[Syria|Syrian]] territory by the [[United States Armed Forces]]. The operation identified major populist Republicans, including Matt Gaetz and [[Lauren Boebert]], as anti-warhawks, however it identified the vast majority of Democrats as warhawks.<ref>[https://rageagainstwar.com/#Warhawks Operation Warhawks Removal]</ref>

=== Defend the Guard ===
On March 13, 2023, [[Bring Our Troops Home]] launched an operation entitled "Defend the Guard" to call six [[Arizona Senate|Arizona Senators]] that support funding the Ukrainian war effort against Russia. The Rage Against the War Machine coalition endorsed the operation.<ref name=":7">[https://rageagainstwar.com/#Take-Action Take Action]</ref>

=== Intervention training ===
On March 15, 2023,<ref name=":7" /> the Libertarian Party and the People's Party collaborated again to launch a campaign about training the American people to intervene when their Representatives in Congress vote in favor of pushing towards the Third World War. The intervention training campaign explicitly called out [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]] (AOC), a Democrat with ties to the [[Democratic Socialists of America]] (DSA) who supports funding the Ukrainian war effort against Russia.<ref>[https://rageagainstwar.com/#Intervention Intervention Guide]</ref>

=== Peace in Ukraine ===
On March 18, 2023, [[CODEPINK]] organized an anti-war protest in Washington, D.C. known as [[Peace in Ukraine]]. The Rage Against the War Machine coalition endorsed the rally, encouraging attendants of the February 19 rally to attend Peace in Ukraine.<ref name=":7" /> Peace in Ukraine failed to gather the attention or garner the numbers that Rage Against the War Machine had, however.

=== Defeat the Deep State ===
The Rage Against the War Machine coalition has planned a second rally for Washington, D.C. that is scheduled to occur on February 17, 2024. This second rally, advertised as a sequel to Rage Against the War Machine, is entitled [[Defeat the Deep State]].

== References ==
<references />
[[Category:Events]]
[[Category:Rallies]]
[[Category:Past events]]