It’s no exaggeration to say that the West has entered a Bizarro World timeline since Donald Trump was elected in 2016.
Even in 2022, the political timeline is all sorts of wacky.
For example, Belarus granted refugee status to Evan Neumann, a January 6 defendant, per a report by Belarusian state-run media. According to a report by Caroline Vakil at The Hill, Belarusian state media “circulated a photo of him apparently holding country documents.”
“US citizen Evan Neumann received refugee status in Belarus. The document was handed to him in the Department of Citizenship and Migration of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Brest Regional Executive Committee on March 22, 2022,” the Belarusian Telegraph Agency stated on Twitter.
During an interview with the Belarusian state media organ, Neumann revealed that he had “mixed feelings” about Belarus’ move. Nevertheless, he was thankful for Belarus’ gestures. He asserted that Belarus “took care of me,” per a CNN report.
“I am upset to find myself in a situation where I have problems in my own country,” he said to the Belarusian-state media outlet on March 22. Per court records, Neumann does not have a lawyer and is considered to be a “fugitive.”
American officials reported back in December that Neumann left the country following the 14 charges he received that were connected to the January 6, 2021 storming of the Capitol. According to American authorities’ allegations, Neumann assaulted Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department officers with a metal barricade. In addition, he did not comply with orders to leave the Capitol that evening, when he stayed in the building after 5 p.m.
On top of that, Neumann is facing charges for civil disorder; assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers; and using physical violence in a restricted building or premises.
Neumann is just one of hundreds of participants who have received charges for their activities in the Capitol on January 6.
What makes this case more interesting is how Belarus has largely drifted into Russia’s orbit, with even stronger rumors of it eventually being fully annexed into the Russian state through a Union State arrangement. As tensions continue mounting between Ukraine and Russia, one can expect Belarus to be further integrated into the Russian world.
Belarus is by no means a free country, but it is simultaneously comical and yet tragic that an authoritarian country is offering refuge to a January 6 protestor, while the US remains committed to persecuting him. Even worse is how silent the Republican Party has become when it comes to representing the interests of constituents.
We’re truly living in a bizarro world where everything is upside down. Liberty conservatives must exercise courage and stand up for what is right. They cannot afford to emulate the spineless behavior of Republican leaders when it comes to dealing with January 6 protestors. If we don’t defend the freedoms of our fellow man, how can we even expect to preserve our constitutional order?
