Sign this petition re: QAnon & Michael Flynn

 

My name is Tristeza Ordex. As a Marine Corps veteran and National Organizer for Vets for the People at the Working Families Party, I was disgusted when I heard disgraced Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, who played a prominent role in inciting the attack on the Capitol by white supremacist Trump supporters, openly speculating about the possibility of a Myanmar-style coup in the United States.¹ The Pentagon must take Flynn’s actions seriously.

Sign my petition: Tell the Pentagon to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into Michael Flynn!

Treasonous, corrupt individuals like Michael Flynn exploit their military clout to push a dangerous agenda that threatens our multiracial democracy, enable the toxic culture of sexual assault and violence that currently runs unchecked in our military, and make a mockery out of our service—all without any semblance of accountability.

I joined the Marine Corps because I saw the military as a way to break what felt like generational curses. I thought it was honor and dignity that I would bring to my family. What I couldn’t know was that instead I would become a part of a war machine that recruits people like me but does not protect us. 

When I told my dad I was joining the Marines, he said, "Mija, aquí no quieren a los Mexicanos" (Honey, they don’t like Mexicans here). Those words came full circle when Vanessa Guillén, enlisted soldier and daughter of Mexican immigrants, was murdered last year at Fort Hood in Texas where she was stationed.² Despite the constant calls of "Support our troops," there was little action taken to prevent future tragedies like Vanessa’s. The world will always remind me that I am a woman of color before a veteran. 

Now as the National Organizer for Vets for the People, I am rewriting the narrative of abuse and exploitation by speaking up and speaking out—and to show my own son that we deserve more than the crumbs that people in power give our communities. As a military service member, I was abused, injured, vilified, and broken. As a veteran, I have been retraumatized, exploited, and drugged. For better or worse, being a military veteran is a major part of my identity.

That is why today, I am demanding accountability to rid our democracy of the Michael Flynns of this world who continue to get away with violence without repercussions.

General Flynn is a disgrace to our country. But his pathetic, power-hungry, QAnon-linked behavior is particularly embarrassing to veterans like myself who are fighting to build the democracy we deserve. His words MUST have consequences, because all that he has said and done keeps veterans out of spaces where we can organize and advocate for the needs of our communities. The Pentagon must investigate Michael Flynn immediately. 

Michael Flynn was in the military for 33 years before he was forced into early retirement as a United States Army lieutenant general. Since then, he has taken illegal, secret payments from the Russian government, pushed racist conspiracy theories on national news, was convicted for lying to federal investigators, and multiple times advocated for Trump to impose martial law to overturn the results of the 2020 election.^3,4,5

Instead of facing any consequences for his laundry list of transgressions, Flynn was pardoned by Trump and has been allowed to remain a sounding board for the far right.⁶ For too long, those with power like Flynn have been allowed to push violent, white supremacist rhetoric with no accountability. Enough! Basta!

Will you sign my petition asking the Pentagon to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into Michael Flynn?

Flynn’s repertoire of criminal acts, white nationalistic actions, and denigrating behavior against our democracy must be investigated by the Pentagon at once. We can no longer stand idle as people like Flynn are allowed to push white supremacist agendas while at the same time the Pentagon repeatedly fails to act with any sense of urgency to expose or rectify the abuse and murder of BIPOC, working-class, immigrant-connected, and LGBTQ+ troops on military installations by their peers.

Instead of acknowledging the actual concerns of working-class troops—such as abuse and exploitation by an endless war economy—Michael Flynn used his power to incite the violent January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

It’s unjust to continue sending troops from marginalized communities to endless wars that only profit a war machine that harms families both at home and abroad, while corrupt military elites like Michael Flynn continue to get away with exploiting their station to advocate for violence.

Veterans are coming together with allies to challenge the status quo. We are here to interrupt the cycle of violence and those complicit through silence and inaction. We are here to demand accountability for abusers of power like Michael Flynn. And we need your support to ensure these demands are heard at the Pentagon. 

Will you join us, and add your name to my petition, and then pass it along to your friends?

In solidarity,

–Tristeza Ordex, Marine Corps veteran and National Organizer for Vets for the People 

Sources: 

1. “Longtime Trump advisers connected to groups behind rally that led to Capitol attack,” ABC News, January 15, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/153934?t=11&akid=299696%2E3735812%2EKx-Yl-

2. "Vanessa Guillén murder: Fort Hood soldier’s killer escaped under guard’s watch, Army reveals," Independent, May 1, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/153938?t=13&akid=299696%2E3735812%2EKx-Yl-

3. “Michael Flynn's Russia payment likely broke disclosure laws, lawmakers say,” The Guardian, April 25, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/153935?t=15&akid=299696%2E3735812%2EKx-Yl-

4. “Michael Flynn calls for Trump to suspend the constitution and declare martial law to re-run election,” Independent, December 3, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/153936?t=17&akid=299696%2E3735812%2EKx-Yl-

5. “Michael Flynn’s coup comments show how QAnon is evolving in the Biden era,” Vox, June 1, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/153937?t=19&akid=299696%2E3735812%2EKx-Yl-

6. "Trump pardons former adviser Flynn, who pleaded guilty in Russia probe," Reuters, November 25, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/153939?t=21&akid=299696%2E3735812%2EKx-Yl-

The world watched in horror as white supremacist Trump supporters violently attacked the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of a free and fair election. Now, disgraced former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who played a prominent role in enabling and directly inciting the attack on the Capitol, has openly speculated about the possibility of a Myanmar-style coup in the United States. For too long, those with power like Michael Flynn have been allowed to push violent, white supremacist rhetoric with no accountability. Enough.

Considering Flynn’s history of lying to the FBI and repeated calls for a military takeover, the Pentagon must take this action seriously and immediately investigate whether he has taken any private action to undermine the government of the United States.

Why is this important?

In a meteoric fall from grace, Michael Flynn plunged from one of the most respected intelligence officers of his generation, to a far-right conspiracy theorist and prominent QAnon figure. After a 33 year military career, Flynn was forced into early retirement for his caustic leadership of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and from there he has time and again exploited his military clout to uplift dangerous, white supremacist rhetoric.

He has taken illegal, secret payments from the Russian Government, pushed racist conspiracy theories on national news, was convicted for lying to federal investigators, and multiple times advocated for Trump to impose martial law to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Instead of facing any consequences for his laundry list of transgressions, Flynn was pardoned by Trump and has been allowed to remain a sounding board for the far-right.

Treasonous, corrupt individuals like Michael Flynn exploit their military experience to push a dangerous agenda that threatens our multi-racial democracy, enable the toxic culture of sexual assault and violence that currently runs unchecked in our military, and make a mockery out of our service — all without any semblance of accountability.
This is no surprise. Throughout history, we've consistently seen white supremacy, right-wing groups, and corrupt, treasonous insurrectionists like Michael Flynn go unchecked for the violence and terror they cause.
General Flynn is a disgrace to our country. But his pathetic, power-hungry, conspiratorial behavior is particularly embarrassing to veterans like myself. His words MUST have consequences, because all that he has said and done keeps veterans out of spaces where we can organize and advocate for the needs of our communities.

Michael Flynn used his power to incite the violent insurrection instead of acknowledging the actual concerns of working class troops, like abuse and exploitation by an endless war economy.

It’s unjust to send us to endless wars that only profit the war machine. It’s unjust to not provide a place of healing for those left to mourn the loss of our military members.

Veterans are coming together to challenge the status quo. We are here to interrupt the cycle of violence and those complicit through silence and inaction. Will you join alongside us and add your name to this petition demanding that the Pentagon investigate Michael Flynn?

Will you join us, and add your name to my petition, and then pass it along to your friends?