My Mission Is To Let Freedom Ring
My name is Jauneil Brooks, an 18-year-old American patriot born and raised in Southern California. My dad was an Air Force veteran, which helped me become an American patriot at a young age. Growing up, I loved the idea of serving my country either as a first responder or in the Military. I learned to value our flag and our freedoms.
After the December 2, 2015, mass shooting in San Bernardino, I grew a solid passion for showing support to my local first responders and law-enforcement agencies. I started doing the first responder runs, giving out donuts, and I pledged to shake every law-enforcement officer’s hand to thank them.
Two major life-changing incidents happened in which I grew a stronger heart for law enforcement. After my dad passed, a sheriff deputy from Highland Police Department gave my family and me a long bear hug. I could only imagine what was going through his head; I still do. Tragically my mom passed; thankfully, law enforcement brought my mom’s killer to justice.
Growing up, I learned to love and respect our American history. I grew attached to learning about laws and our rights, and what is right and wrong. I was pushed down for my Patriotism throughout middle school and high school, even by my own family.
After my father’s passing, I entered foster care, and within two years of being with my first foster family, they would later kick me to the curb. My foster mother told me we would never see eye to eye. I entered a group home in Moreno Valley, California, where I was at my lowest. They called the sheriff on me for flying the American flag on 9/11. This Christmas, I ran away to a military cemetery called ‘March Air Force.’ I walked with a giant American flag to the cemetery, and I said thank you to those who can’t be with us this Christmas; freedom is never free.
A lady from Redlands, California, invited me to tagalong to Arizona to cover and document ‘The Peoples Convoy.’ I packed a bag with one pair of jeans, two shirts, and one hoodie. I picked up my camera, and I fell in love with the movement. I fell in love with the Patriotism, the journey, and the pride in our country. A gentleman asked me if I would like to ride with him to DC. I checked my bank account at $3000 and said yes! I have never felt more welcome, even after getting rejected earlier to ride shotgun with a different trucker from California to DC.
Little did I know my life would be forever changed by covering the Convoy on TikTok. I drew 8000 followers within a week of coverage. I eventually got banned from TikTok. I started to make more friends and memories along the way with the Convoy, but then I met my second buddy, with whom I also started hitchhiking.
While getting fuel at a gas station, watching the national guard load up, a gentleman came up to me and said, “Can you come to sit with us in the US Capitol to meet with the Senators tomorrow morning?” I said, “yes.”
I missed the bus the following day, but a good Samaritan from the Convoy helped me catch up to the bus; He said, “go show them who’s boss. “
An hour later, I’m sitting next to Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Johnson in the US Capitol. Moments later, I was handed a flag carried by an American soldier while on his tour in Afghanistan. I passed the flag to the co-founder of the People’s Convoy. Little did I know, after I told my story, he would hand the flag back to me.
A few minutes later, a liberal news reporter tried to make the People’s Convoy sound far from what it was really about. As I sat listening to him for about 10 minutes, I finally stood up and told him you have the word PRESS written on your shirt; that is covered in the Constitution, the first amendment. He tried cutting me off multiple times, but I stood my ground and told him to be quiet and listen. All we’re doing is practicing the same, the freedom of speech every day. We look out for each other big or small, so let us be who we are and protest peacefully.
Hundreds and thousands of Americans were crying while they watched at that point. Little did I know, there were hundreds and thousands of people watching. I didn’t think I would become a voice for people worldwide.
The next day I flew into New York on a layover flight. I took a picture with the captain, who enjoyed my hoodie on my first flight. It read, ‘fuck Biden and fuck you for voting for him,’ but a passenger came up to me arguing about my hoodie on my second flight from New York to Los Angeles.
I told him, “Sir, the same freedom that allows you to speak on behalf of my hoodie is the same freedom allowing me to wear my hoodie.”
Minutes later, I took my seat, and a flight attendant came to me and said, “Sir, you need to remove your hoodie.”
I refused to remove it, saying “No.”
I started to record the situation as it unfolded and uploaded the videos to TikTok. By the following day, I was breaking headlines on social media. I did not know the incidence would skyrocket, and two days later, I was sitting on the Gregg and Kelly show.
My mission is to let freedom ring! I am fighting for the freedom of minorities in America, the Patriots in general. We shouldn’t feel trapped about spreading Patriotism. We should be Free Americans no matter where we live.
@jauneilbrooks brooksthepatriot.com
