Several years ago, while chatting in the cool of the evening, my son (who was then a police officer) told me he was glad he was the one who had to carry guns for his work instead of me. Startled, I asked him why. “Everybody thinks you’re such a nice, friendly guy,” he said. “You are – but you are also the most remorseless man I have ever met. I have never seen you start a fight, but if someone insists on one, you don’t stop until they have been completely defeated or completely given up.” I had to concede the truth of that. Growing up, my son had seen me in more than a few private confrontations, both personal and political. As an adult I have occasionally counseled him on how to handle the infighting that is endemic to any organization.

I have never begrudged an honorable opponent. In fact, I have become close friends and allies with a lot of them. I don’t like people who are sneaky and think it clever to hit below the belt, calling it “hardball.” I don’t like people who use deceit and treachery to get their way. If they are pathetic guttersnipes who flail ineffectively, I just ignore them. But if they are aggressive and in a position to do real damage, I warn them and try to reason with them. If they persist, anyway, I work to destroy their career and influence, altogether. It is usually not all that hard to turn their own malice against them.

I have had two U.S. Senators, the Chief of Staff to a Governor, and a major lobbyist try to intimidate me by telling me they would see I was destroyed if I didn’t knuckle under. Two of them ultimately went to prison and the other two lost their next re-election. I don’t react well to pressure, strongarm tactics, or deceitful manipulation. When such a one insists on such a confrontation, I am content to fully engage and see who is the stronger. I don’t tolerate toxic tactics terribly long. I could go on, but you get the idea.

A few days ago, I posted a Tweet that has disturbed a few people whose confidence I value. I did not tweet it in anger (or, at least, not the hot kind). I knew before I put it up that it was liable to upset some of my allies. But I did it intentionally and with full knowledge of what I was doing and what I intended. Here, then, is the text of the tweet:

“Let me explain what you actually have accomplished, lefties, in your effort to get us all to kneel at your altar: I no longer want you humbled. I want you completely and utterly destroyed…your jobs, political positions, everything…with the ground salted behind you. You have shown you have no sense of honor, decency or fair play and you will NEVER stop in your relentless pursuit of power. So, I will work from the standpoint of nullification and secession, I will be glad to join any mob to cancel you, and I will support those who work to take you down even by questionable means. You are a clear and present danger to liberty and justice, so you must be stopped and segregated from honest society. That is what you have accomplished. I am no longer “reasonable” when it comes to you violent deatheaters.”

One person thought I was suggesting killing them. I had put in the words about jobs and political positions to make clear what I was talking about. I reinforced that by the line about “segregate(ing) them from honest society.” The word, “mob,” disturbed another. It is the social media “mobs” which have been used to cancel Christians and conservatives. The lefties got my meaning. Shoot, I have already been part of two such mobs: those focused on Bud Light and Target. I began my boycott of Target years ago when it allowed men into the women’s washrooms. I am glad the rest of the conservative world has caught up with me. As far as Bud Light goes, my contribution to the boycott is nominal. When I was younger, I liked beer…but for the past decade and a half or so, get me a six-pack and I’m good to go for three or four years. Another was worried about the “questionable means.” I’m focused on nullification and succession – and building a workable infrastructure that people can use if all collapses, which is looking more likely by the day. But if some go into open revolt, while I will question the efficacy of their judgment, I will not condemn them.

The left thinks that Christians and conservatives are like Republicans on a Congressional Committee: when an outrage is committed, they expect us to complain and then fall into line. I’m not that way.

I was scrupulously honest and just in my sojourn in politics. Often, if there was an intractable dispute between groups, even if my opponents were among one of the groups, I would quietly be called in to negotiate or arbitrate the dispute. Whatever the public rhetoric might be, I was trusted by almost all. I could forge deals and make them stick. Once, a family member in Alabama needed a birth certificate very quickly. I went to the Democratic County Clerk’s office. Turned out you had to either apply in person or send a notarized request in by mail. When they said I couldn’t get it, I asked for the clerk directly. I explained the situation to her and she told them to give me the birth certificate. Then she paused and asked, “This isn’t some sort of sting operation, is it, Charlie?”  I replied, “You know me. I don’t do ambushes. If I am coming after you, you know it upfront.” She nodded and turned back to her subordinate and told him to give me the birth certificate.

I did not resent anyone who fought me honorably and prevailed. I was notorious for sniffing out ambushes. On two occasions, I WAS successfully ambushed. On both occasions, after a little howling, I tipped my hat to the opponents – and told them so, because they were clean, well-executed shots.

I was, however, also known for savage effectiveness in battle and absolute relentlessness. If you fought honorably and hard, there was nothing serious to fear from me. If you specialized in cheap shots, intimidation, and manipulation – and would not cease after a warning or two, I endeavored to end your career – and usually succeeded. When it comes to defending the people and beliefs I am charged with, I am not a nice guy.

Unfortunately, some of those most doctrinaire and energetic groups on our side have little prudence, discipline, or discernment. They are easily seduced by an enemy who tells them what they want to hear and ever ready to banish a friend who has a dissenting word. A few years back I was invited to meet with some of the leadership of a couple of prominent patriot groups. After doing some deeper research, I decided to quietly let it slide. A friend who had done some major political work with me asked me why. I dismissively told him that if I wanted to meet with the FBI, they have an office right in Denver. Sure enough, about two years later it became common knowledge that several of these groups were hotbeds for federal agents provocateurs.

I take very seriously my duty to protect and defend those who are given into my care for a time and those who ally with me. I will negotiate with the opposition when I can, fight honorably with them when I can’t, and fight for their complete destruction and removal from polite society if they will not have an honorable fight. I have techniques I almost never discuss that are effective in using their aggression against them to their destruction – but I don’t deploy such techniques until all doubt about their dishonorable intentions is dispelled. I do NOT require that they submit to my will: I am perfectly content to have them live whatever perverse delusions they want so long as they don’t try to force it on others. If we cannot meet even that low standard, then I am all hammer and tongs, even if it is often muffled behind a curtain. I am far more martial and militant than many, save those who know me most intimately, suspect. You need to know that.

For several years now the anti-God left has gleefully railroaded Christians and conservatives. We have almost a thousand political prisoners in Washington, held in prison for trumped-up trespassing charges for longer than most murderers, rapists, and arsonists get. While the DOJ refuses to seriously investigate the firebombing of churches and pro-life crisis pregnancy centers, they target pro-lifers for praying outside of abortion clinics. The DOJ is targeting parents who object to schools grooming their kids and targeting Catholics who attend traditional Masses. The left sinisterly describes all black and brown conservatives as actually “white supremacists.” They have left no doubt whatsoever what their intention is. Our offense is not that we have not been genteel enough, but that we have defended our brothers with insufficient vigor. To the left, my attitude is, Mene, mene, tekel upharsin.

I fired a warning shot across the left’s bow with that tweet. Most will not take it seriously, but some will have felt a chill. I don’t care how they react, but I am obligated to tell them true. As they are determined to utterly destroy Christian faith and jail all those who will not bow down to their toxic ideology, I am determined to utterly destroy that toxic ideology. I am open to those who repent. I am open to those who don’t repent, but don’t try to force others to bend to their will. For those who will do neither, I am coming for them. It may be subtle and stealthy, it may be open and hard, but I will not be genteel.

If you are my ally, you need to know this about me. I am always aware that I must eventually stand and give account for my choices before God, and I make those choices in that light. I am gentle and kind with my friends and with those who intend no harm, though they disagree profoundly with me. For the rest, they need to know that if they choose continued attacks on the faith and the faithful, or any other innocents, I will fight vigorously and relentlessly – not just complain. Near the end of the Chronicles of Narnia, Lucy notes that Aslan is not a tame lion, “but he is a good one,” she adds. I endeavor to be good, but you are entitled to know I am not tame.

I have publicly laid out the corrupt left’s choices – and now they must choose or perish.

If communication goes out for any length of time, meet outside your local Church at 9 a.m. on Saturday mornings. Tell friends at Church now in case you can’t then. CORAC teams will be out looking for people to gather in and work with.

Find me on Twitter at @JohnstonPilgrim