Be alert and be aware. Former Homeland Security Secretary, Tom Ridge took to Fox News earlier this week to state that the terror warnings of lone wolf attacks for Independence Day were not “business as usual.” Current Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson says his department is encouraging law enforcement “to be vigilant and prepared” ahead of the holiday in the U.S. following those three attacks. Johnson says people should attend Independence Day events as planned but “remain vigilant” and report any suspicious activity. The warning focused specifically on military and law enforcement, however all were instructed to be aware of the threat.

And as if impending threats upon military and law enforcement from those outside are not enough, entering from stage left is an organization known as Disarm NYPD. Who are Disarm NYPD? This is who they are (according to their Facebook Page):

The United States, with its roots as a slave holding society, has normalized the practice and the belief that the lives of black people as a whole, and poor people in general are expendable. We are here to prove otherwise. We are here to take away the power from the powers that be. We are calling for the immediate disarming of the NYPD, and the immediate demobilization of the police from our neighborhoods.

The NYPD has proven it is an illegitimate institution. Every year another life is callously taken away and we refuse to continue living like this. We will begin living a dignified life, and that starts with the removal of the murderous tools from their hands, and the removal of them from our lives.

How do they plan to get their name out there? Taking their lead, no doubt from Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan by taking our flag down and going one step further and burning it.

Last week, we created an event called “Burn the American Flags”, which has invoked quite a reaction from people, both positive and negative. What we had intended to be a decidedly small, unspectacular gathering of burning symbols of oppression has been shared thousands of times and has been picked up by the press. We feel that we should take this opportunity to further clarify our position on the subject.

We maintain, unwaveringly, that both the Confederate flag, and the American flag are symbols of oppression. We must keep in mind that the Confederacy only lasted four years. Between the years of 1776 and 1861, slavery was upheld by the United States of America, not the Confederacy. In the years following the war, Jim Crow, segregation, and the extreme expansion of the prison industrial complex were all upheld by the United States of America, not the Confederacy. And now, in the 21st century, foreign wars are fought in our name for capitalist imperialist interests, while at home, systemic racism is alive and well.

Despite this, many people are rather offended by our decision to burn the American flag. We find it a sign of the times that people can care so much about a piece of cloth, while at the same time be so quiet about black churches being burned all over the country. Perhaps this is the great difference between us and the so-called “patriots”. While they express their loyalty to symbols, we express our loyalty to the lives of the oppressed.

We do not believe the ideals of America are anything to be revered. We are building something that will be much better than America. While the so-called patriots yell that we should just leave, we instead choose to dream. We dream of what real freedom looks like: freedom from paramilitaries occupying our communities, beating and killing our sons and daughters; freedom from our communities being destroyed by the speculative capital of gentrification; freedom from mass surveillance; and freedom from systemic racism.

So, we will burn the American flag, a symbol of oppression and genocide, and in the same action, dismantle our stunted, cynical expectations of what is possible in the world. The current trajectory of history is unsustainable. It is completely unrealistic to desire things stay as they are, and more unrealistic, even abominable, to desire to “go back to our roots”. We, the dreamers, are the true realists. We know things can’t continue this way, so we commit to building a better world. A world better than America.

Disarm NYPD plans to host another one of their “Burn the American Flags” events at Brooklyn’s Fort Greene Park tonight at 7:30pm to “set fire to this symbol of oppression.” according to The Blaze. Yep…I heard it and felt it….the Face Palm that occurred all across America right now. Unless, of course you are in their camp, that is. Then, (I know how it goes as it’s not my first rodeo), you’re calling me a ridiculous, stupid redneck who “supports” cop killers and white supremacy (with the emphasis on “stooooopid” because I know you all are rocket scientists with degrees in physics who just happen to work at the local pizza delivery joint and demand a hike in your minimum wage to pay for said degree hanging on your wall.)