Time Sensitive Update

Before we get on to the meat of our message, which is an update with concerns about a group that's active in our area, we want to remind you that this Saturday, October 18th from Noon to 2PM is No Kings Part II, Common Ground Rising Rally at the Rutherford County Courthouse – 229 North Main Street, Rutherfordton. For more details you can head over to Mobilize or just send us a message on Signal to get in on the conversation!

What Tactical Civics weirdos think they look like.

A Concern...

We’ve been keeping an eye lately on an anti-government group called Tactical Civics that has become active locally. If you encounter their flyers, meetings, or recruitment, do not confront people alone, Tactical Civics groups have reportedly been known to encourage escalation. Be sure to document from a safe distance (photo, time, location) and report any incidents to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 828-287-6247, the TIPs line if you prefer to remain anonymous at 828-286-TIPS, or 911 if it’s an immediate threat.

What to Know...

Tactical Civics was co-founded by David M. Zuniga, founder of AmericaAgain! (an apparent arm of Tactical Civics under another name), who writes for Christian publisher "Xuon Press," which is part of the Salem Media Group. This is notable, because Tactical Civics claims to be non-partisan, yet their materials are published by Xuon, who claims to publish only Christian and "conservative values" content.

He's written several works meant to teach Tactical Civics, including:

• This Bloodless Liberty (2010)

• FEAR The People (2015)

• Tactical Civics: A New Way of Life for Responsible Americans (2018)

• Tactical Civics Chapter Leaders' Handbook (2018)

• A Tax Honesty Primer (2020)

• Grand Jury Awake (2021)

• Our First Right (2021)

• Mission to America (2022)

• Tactical Civics™ High School Edition (2022)

• Tactical Civics™ For Church Leaders (2022)

• No king but King Jesus (2022)

• Time to Start Over, America: Introducing American Militia 2.0™ (2022)

• The Great We-Set (2022)

• Now or Never (2023)

• Yikes! America is Not Supposed to Work This Way (2023)

• The Banished Bureaucrat (2024)

• Now When We Rise (2024)

Call To Action...

We'd like to formally call on the Rutherford County Library to rescind their permission to allow Tactical Civics to use their community rooms for meetings as we believe that they are in violation of Rutherford County library meeting policy, and we are asking all of you to do the same.

• Library policy explicitly states that “Publicity for events must contain a statement that the Library is not a sponsor.” As demonstrated in their flyers, no such statement appears.

• Library policy also explicitly prohibits use of meeting spaces for “religious services” or “spiritual meetings.” Tactical Civics’ own materials and statements indicate a religious component to their gatherings. Organizers have publicly stated that “it all begins with repentance toward God.” In No King but King Jesus: A Call to America’s Remnant for Tactical Civics™(2022), they describe Tactical Civics™ as “a consciously Christian organization founded to glorify Jesus Christ.” This is reiterated in Yikes! America Is Not Supposed to Work This Way: A Civics Primer for Young Children of Godly and Astoundingly Gifted, Responsible Parents (2023): “The mission of Tactical Civics™ is to glorify Jesus Christ [...]. We pursue that mission every day in our communities and in our online Training Center for thousands of members in well over a thousand county chapters in all 50 states.” Likewise, Now or Never: The Home Mission That Equips Your Church to Learn and Teach Our Romans 13 Duties, Restoring Civilization While Avoiding Politics (2023) describes Tactical Civics™ which describes Tactical Civics as “a missionary outreach to America’s Church [...] to help return to the America we once knew. Not through politics, but by teaching [...] civic duty in the Name of, and for the glory of, Jesus Christ.”

• Library policy further states that meeting room use may not “create risk of harm to any person or persons.” However, Tactical Civics’ publications contain conspiratorial and violent rhetoric. For example, their handbook declares: “Even if the forces of Obamanation and the turncoat element of U.S. military are joined by Communist China or Russia, honorable American forces will join with Militias that will rise up overnight and we will fight to the death for our homes and families—and win—if it comes to that.”

• Finally, library policy prohibits “private social functions.” Tactical Civics, however, operates as a members-only organization. Book One: Tactical Civics: A New Way of Life for Responsible Americans (2018) states that “you must first be a dues-paying member,” and local chapter flyers likewise note that participants must “join” to attend.

In the meantime, we're gong to be reporting activity to civil-rights groups that track extremist activity, organizing community information sessions, and attempting to organize or lift up community events occurring at the same time as their meetings. Joyful, visible alternatives always reduce the recruitment space for hate.

What Tactical Civics weirdos actually look like. Image Credit: Reuters, pictured, Congressman Thomas Massie's holiday photo.

Did we miss something, or get something wrong? Reach out to us with any corrections!

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Hey y'all! Here at Indivisible RuCo we're excited to transition our newsletter over to the blog space on the website, that way, it'll always be there for you to refer back to and to pass along to a friend. Don't worry—we'll still let you know when there's a new one by email. As always, we're here to build community, fight for justice, and if not encourage Rutherford County leadership to put the people of this county first, at least make 'em feel bad about it. As always, if there's anything going on that you'd like to be a part of? Please reach out and let us know!