My hope is that this madness gets squashed and our discussion and acceptance of our own mortality was unnecessary. If the discussion proves to be a valid one, we accept the mortal risk we receive from the violent minority.

There are far more people in this community with empathy toward their fellow man than there are people without it. Because of this, the memories we have accumulated these past 16 years, and everything this community has given to us: we are staying.

They are amping up these conspiracy theories against me and others that they disagree with and there isn't even an election happening locally.

They have one tone in the city chat groups and then amp up to a far darker tone in their telegram chats and their whispers to others at church and at their morning coffee groups.

Now we make these decisions as I start seeing the people fueling the rumors that led to death threats towards me and others start up again.

Anyone who knows me, I don't have the mental capacity for that. I am not a bright man. I am an emotional man and when I see injustice it hurts my soul. In the end we decided to stay until they kill us. Our only concern is for our fur babies. That is always the core of our concerns.

My wife and I had to have the hard talk about whether or not we were actively looking to leave. And that discussion involved our own mortality. We are white, straight, cis Americans and could easily survive the regime if we remain silent.

Death threats that are most likely a direct result of rumors that were being perpetuated by members of our local republican party.

This seems like a simple statement but it really isn't. At this phase in the rise of an autocracy people need to decide to fight or flee. And this comes with very specific risks. For me, I'm still recovering from the death threats I received for running for our local school board.