It’s always amazing how no matter how much the right lectures everyone else on respecting their freedom of speech, when it comes to ours, they will come up with excuses galore to violate ours, often with violence. Our subject today is one of those clowns, and the community is teaching him some manners.

“Calling All Units” Reporting Back from the Wastelands of So-Called Wisconsin

Strong communities make the police obsolete. A community can never be strong when it is filled with division and hate. Hate has no place in any community that we live in. Together, and only together, can we destroy these pillars of hate that stand in our way and keep us divided. We need to lift each other up, not tear each other down. We need to come together and turn the places that we live into the dream of a utopia for all.

What was it that brought the community of Fond du Lac to this point? In the wake of the murder of George Floyd by the hands of the police, like communities all across the nation, Fond du Lac joined the call to stand against police violence, killings, and authority misuse. A peaceful First Amendment gathering took place on May 31st in this city’s downtown. A crowd that was estimated to be more than 300 people gathered and took six lanes of the city’s busiest street for more than three hours. The gathering was diverse and consisted of all ages, races, and gender identities…it also consisted of racist trolls. 

One of these trolls was Darynn S Shipton, a local business owner of My Custom Shop Inc, located at 317 N Main St Fond du Lac WI, phone number (920) 602-2376. Shipton did a Facebook live video as he followed the community in his truck and joked with two of his friends while also making threats of violence to the members of the community. Together, they made threats to run over the peace walkers with his truck. The group who he threatened consisted of toddlers and young children with their mothers, teenagers, men and women, and even the police. Shipton’s group was also seen with a taser while making these threats and were also mocking Jewish people. 

Again, the members of the Fond du Lac community responded. On June 4th they gathered in front of Shipton’s local business in an act of protest. The gathering was peaceful and again consisted of a very diverse crowd of about 35 people. The police were called in to lurk across the street. In attendance were some of our Spearheads and leaders of our black community, elder leaders, and even three city council members who attended in one form or another. After the majority of the protesters left and the police were called away, Shipton finally found his weak style of strength and courage. He verbally assaulted a mother, who was with her two toddlers, with ethnic and gender slurs…it became apparent that Shipton’s business would have to be visited again.

On Monday, June 8th, My Custom Shop was visited again by a diverse group from our community. This group again consisted of leaders from our black community, elders, women, and children. Darryn Shipton’s response was to spray them with a hose for using their 1A rights to peacefully assemble. The news took over our local social media like a tidal wave of fury. Within an hour more than 100 people gathered at My Custom Shop Inc and the situation became extremely intense. 

The police were forced to call in all units, including any and all available county sheriff units. More than 30 law enforcement officers and 20 squads were called in to attempt to quell the uprising of Shipton’s doing. The city of Fond du Lac went without police services for more than three hours. Domestic calls went unanswered, theft calls were left unanswered because it took all units to protect Shipton and his business from the rage of a community. It is estimated that Shipton cost the city of Fond du Lac more than $5000.00 in community resources. 

The Fond du Lac City Council, their inaction is deafening. They in-part hold the keys to this city and they were given the honor to hold them. The city council is Police Chief William Lamb’s boss and they should act like it. The Fond du Lac City Council also hands out business licences and they should remember that just the same.

Our community has definitely come together by this hateful experience with Shipton. The community of Fond du Lac answered the call to stand against hate. It is very obvious that the efforts of our community have grown within multiple groups. Ideas on how to make Fond du Lac stronger and safer as a result continue to come forth. We all know that people like Darryn Shipton are not the only wolves amongst us. With recent reports regarding the extremist tactics used by groups such as the Wisconsin Three Percent Militia, we know that they are everywhere. They are in our places of work, they are our neighbors. These extremists have also been proven to be in our schools and in our various law enforcement agencies, yes, the very ones who swore to serve and protect our communities and to uphold our constitution. 

Fond du Lac has a long way to go in regards to becoming a strong community. Divide and conquer has been at the forefront of WI politics at a state level for a decade. We are now seeing the same divide and conquer tactics being used against us at a federal level for the past 4 plus years. These tactics have been brought forth by our elected leaders that have divided our communities from coast to coast. Divide and conquer has torn apart the fabric that has brought us together in the past. This exact divide most likely goes back to when the US elected its first black president. The result of that election has created new far-right militia groups and other hate groups. The founding of many of these groups were the result of fear. Fear of losing our Second Amendment rights, fear of the old world ending, and a brighter new world beginning, fear of change to put it very simply. Their fear will not stop us from coming together, and in fact, it has shown that it will cause the very opposite effect. Their days and how they know them are numbered, their world is coming to a very rapid end.

Shipton will have to choose for himself if the protest will continue at his business. If his hate continues, if his threats to members of our community continues, then he will cause the same reaction all by himself. Our community will rage again at the location of his business, the ball lays in his court. The same can be said for members of the Fond du Lac Police. When top ranking detectives such as Bill Ledger are sent to My Custom Shop to protect Shipton’s hateful rhetoric, we see. Our community remembers Ledger’s own word of hate and division that he has typed on social media. His words of Anti-AntiFa, his words of crazy libtards…get a job…take a bath. This divide and conquer is also in the hands of Fond du Lac Chief Bill Lamb and the officers that are under his control. We see this, and we will respond for the betterment and strength of our community. When people like Ledger mocks victims of domestic abuse and claims that his actions were a joke, then we know that Fond du Lac has a long way to go in becoming a strong community. All of our so-called leaders will be held accountable, this is our ultimate goal. To see if we will ever reach our goal has yet to be seen, but please remember, we are watching the watchmen. We are watching very closely every day and we will continue to watch and respond.