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Movements don’t sustain themselves on passion alone. They need organizing materials to recruit participants, literature to spread their message, cards to encourage leaders, and infrastructure to channel support.

Freedom Corner accumulated all of this over three years—flyers explaining when and where to show up, children’s books reframing January 6th for the next generation, handwritten notes offering biblical encouragement to organizers, promotional materials for allied organizations, and media enterprises amplifying the “political prisoner” narrative.

These materials document how Freedom Corner functioned as an organizing hub, how it connected to a broader network of January 6th support groups, how it framed its cause in religious terms, and how it worked to normalize its version of events—even creating children’s literature to teach the next generation that January 6th defendants were heroes, not criminals.

“When They Came”: A Modern Call to Resistance

A flyer titled “A Modern Update of a Classic – When They Did Something By Jeremy Brown” adapts Pastor Martin Niemöller’s famous Holocaust poem (“First they came for…”) for the Trump era. Written by Jeremy Brown, identified as “Inmate #1875858, US Army Special Forces Master Sergeant (RET.),” the text lists contemporary grievances:

“When THEY came to seek the seats of power, I did nothing because I do not seek power.”

“When THEY burned businesses in hundreds of cities without consequence, I did nothing because I don’t own a business.”

“When THEY came for ‘PROUD BOYS,’ I did nothing because I don’t attend ‘rallies’ and never needed the group’s protection.”

“When THEY came for the ‘OATH KEEPERS,’ I did nothing because I never swore that Oath or buried friends who have.”

“When THEY came for parents protecting their children against Marxist teachings by Government Schools, I did nothing because I didn’t have children in that school district.”

“When for the FIRST TIME in American history a former President was raided by his rival’s Executive Branch, I did nothing because a Judge signed a ‘warrant.'”

The litany continues through election fraud claims, COVID policies, transgender athletes, whistleblower prosecutions, and social media deplatforming. It culminates: “When things got so crazy that I started asking questions and searched for answers on Google, Facebook, Twitter and TIKTOK, THEY came for me.”

The conclusion: “IF THEY haven’t or aren’t coming for YOU, then YOU are doing NOTHING! Don’t do NOTHING! This IS the Tyranny our Founders warned us about in 1776.” It ends with “De Oppressor Liber” (the Special Forces motto: “To Free the Oppressed”) and directs readers to “Take Action at: MAGAmouse.com.”

This document does several things simultaneously. It appropriates Holocaust remembrance rhetoric to frame January 6th prosecutions as equivalent to Nazi persecution. It positions inaction as complicity—if you’re not being targeted, you’re not doing enough. It creates a litany of grievances that mixes real controversies (FBI raids) with conspiracy theories (election fraud) and culture war complaints (transgender athletes, “Marxist” schools), presenting them as equivalent threats. And it transforms a January 6 defendant—someone convicted of crimes related to the Capitol breach—into a political philosopher and resistance leader.

That this was written from inside federal prison and distributed at Freedom Corner shows how the vigil functioned as a distribution point for defendant messaging. Brown’s military credentials (Special Forces, retired) lend authority. His prisoner status makes him a martyr. His call to action frames Freedom Corner participation as moral duty.

MAGA Mouse: Indoctrinating the Next Generation

Perhaps the most startling materials are components of a children’s book: “MAGA Mouse To The Rescue” by Katelyn Mervar, with the tagline “(Inspired by a true story!)” The cover shows a cheerful cartoon mouse wearing a red MAGA hat, carrying a Bible bag, standing in front of the Capitol with rays of patriotic light behind him. A rat cowers below at a crossroads sign pointing to “Liberty” and “Communism.”

The back cover synopsis explains: “MAGA Mouse follows President Trump on his campaign to make America great again and on November 8, 2016 they win! Now MAGA Mouse joins the President in running for a second term so they can keep making America great. They work hard to win big but while the MICE RALLY VOTES, THE RATS CHEAT AND PLAY. So, on January 6, 2021 MAGA Mouse and his friends show up to peacefully assemble and protest a stolen election. Things quickly turn from bad to worse as the rats seek to rid themselves of MAGA Mouse and his friends once and for all. What will become of MAGA Mouse and his friends? Read along to find out!”

Promotional materials show MAGA Mouse asking for help spreading his story because “the ‘fake news media’ along with those rats will try to keep my story from getting out.” A cutout of MAGA Mouse and religious tract materials about justice accompany the book. One tract asks “When Will Justice Prevail?” and discusses biblical judgment day, the Ten Commandments, and salvation through Jesus—mixing religious evangelism with January 6th advocacy.

This children’s book does ideological work that adult materials cannot. It teaches young children that:

• Trump supporters are cute, heroic mice
• Trump opponents are sneaky, cheating rats
• The 2020 election was stolen (“rats cheat”)
• January 6 was peaceful assembly that got sabotaged
• January 6 defendants are innocent victims
• This is a simple good-vs-evil story with clear heroes and villains

By framing complex political events as a children’s fable, the book normalizes the January 6th narrative for a new generation. Kids who read this won’t see footage of violence at the Capitol and think “those people committed crimes.” They’ll think “those are the MAGA mice who got unfairly attacked by rats.”

The religious materials accompanying the book show how Freedom Corner mixed Christian evangelism with political activism. Justice isn’t just a legal concept—it’s divine. Supporting January 6th defendants isn’t just politics—it’s spiritual warfare.

Organizing Infrastructure: How to Show Up and Support

Multiple flyers explain Freedom Corner’s operations and connect it to broader organizational networks. One invitation shows photos of vigils and lists times: “Nightly at 7 pm concluding with singing the National Anthem at 9 pm with the J6 Political Prisoners.” It provides the address (19th & E St, Washington, DC, behind the jail, beside Congressional Cemetery) with a map.

Yellow ribbon graphics reference POW/MIA imagery. Partner organization logos line the bottom: American Patriot Relief, J.6 Pardon Project.com, Stop the Hate USA, The Real J6, Stand in the Gap Foundation, 4Ashli.com, and POW J6 (with “You Are Not Forgotten” tagline). This shows Freedom Corner wasn’t isolated but part of an ecosystem of January 6th support organizations.

Another card, “HOW TO SUPPORT THE J6ERS,” lists three main organizations:

TheRealJ6.com: “Operation Love Wins is reuniting the individuals with their family and friends by funding a trip for visitation. We want to make it as affordable and easy for everyone to see their loved ones.”

4Ashli.com: “The 4Ashli movement works to honor the life of Air Force Veteran Ashli Babbitt by raising awareness about the January 6th Political Prisoners and igniting hope for the persecuted souls who’ve been affected in the aftermath of this tragedy.”

StandInTheGap.Foundation: “Stand in the Gap is a non-profit foundation dedicated to advocating for change. Through our programs, partnerships, and advocacy efforts, we strive to make a lasting impact on the lives of those in need and promote systemic change.”

These organizations provide practical support (travel funds for family visits), memorial/awareness work (honoring Babbitt), and advocacy (systemic change through nonprofit infrastructure). Together they create a comprehensive support system addressing defendants’ material, emotional, and political needs.

Detailed explanation flyers describe the nightly routine: Prayer vigil from 7:30-9pm, then at 9pm everyone stops to sing the National Anthem together—supporters outside waving flags, prisoners inside flashing their lights. “For 2 minutes each day, we are one.” This ritual created powerful emotional bonds between inside and outside, reminding prisoners they weren’t forgotten and giving supporters a tangible way to connect.

Personal Encouragement: Letters to “Mama Micki”

Handwritten cards and notes addressed to “Mama Micki” (Witthoeft) feature the people sustaining Freedom Corner. One card, dated August 2024, reads:

“Mama Micki, You are not alone as you STAND and make your voice known on our patriots’ behalf. May the LORD Jesus continue to go before you in this battle for TRUTH. Keep your armor on dear mama and tell all our friends at freedom’s corner MAGA Mouse thinks they’re cool, And …with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26”

The card has “FREEDOM CORNER” printed on the borders in orange and blue. This wasn’t a commercial sympathy card—it was custom-made for this movement, for this recipient, for this cause.

Another handwritten note shares religious encouragement with Bible verse references (Phil 4:13, Isaiah 41:13, John 16:33, Phil 4:6-8), ending with: “May God set the captives free—God Bless!” It’s addressed to supporters sending Bibles into prisons: “For your faithful Stand on the fromtlines!”

A June 2024 note to “Dear Micki” expresses sympathy about Ashli: “Your daughter’s legacy & Memory will always be with us. Thankful to her service to our country—which continues on through you & remembrace of J6th—She is the face of ‘We the People’—Appreciate her service & her sacrifice more than should have been given—may Justice be Served!!!”

Small inspirational cards offer encouragement:

“Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.”

“I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the Darkness at Bay…. Small acts of Kindness and Love. —Gandalf”

These personal touches mattered. Witthoeft spent three years maintaining a nightly vigil, enduring arrests, facing mockery, living away from home. These cards reminded her she wasn’t alone, that people appreciated her sacrifice, that her work had meaning.

The religious framing is consistent across all cards: biblical verses about God freeing captives, Jesus defeating unjust scales, persecution as blessing. One card features a fish symbol (ancient Christian symbol of persecution) with Matthew 5:11-12: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad! because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

This positions Freedom Corner participants as persecuted prophets, their critics as modern Pharisees, and their struggle as continuation of biblical resistance to unjust authority. It transforms political activism into religious calling.

Media Enterprises: Amplifying the Message

A business card for Sarah McAbee, “Director of Public Affairs” for “The Real J6,” identifies her as “J6 Political Prisoner Wife • Advocate • Patriot.” The card promises to “GET THE OUTSIDE SCOOP ON WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE INSIDE OF THE DC GULAG.” McAbee’s husband was a January 6 defendant, and she built a media presence around advocating for him and other “political prisoners.”

This shows how Freedom Corner connected to broader media strategies. Families of defendants became spokespeople, content creators, and media personalities. “The DC Gulag” framing—comparing the D.C. jail to Soviet forced labor camps—became standard terminology. These weren’t defendants awaiting trial; they were political prisoners in a gulag.

A photo collage poster documents Freedom Corner’s visual history: crowds gathering at night, flags waving, speakers addressing small groups, memorial displays, maps showing the location, promotional materials, and crucially—a graphic claiming “Ashli Babbitt Kevin Greeson Rosanne Boyland Benjamin Phillips” were “MURDERED DATE OF DEATH: JANUARY 6 2021 BY: CAPITOL & METRO POLICE RESPONSIBLE: US GOVERNMENT.” The poster mixes celebratory vigil photos with this murder accusation, presenting both as equally factual.

What These Materials Reveal About Movement Building

These organizing materials, books, cards, and media enterprises show Freedom Corner wasn’t just a vigil—it was an organizing hub for a movement with:

• Children’s literature normalizing January 6th for the next generation
• Religious framing positioning participants as persecuted prophets
• Network infrastructure connecting multiple support organizations
• Ritual practices (nightly anthem singing) creating emotional bonds
• Personal encouragement sustaining leaders through long campaigns
• Media strategies amplifying the “political prisoner” narrative
• Practical support (family visits, legal funds, commissary money)
• Symbolic vocabulary (gulag, political prisoners, murder) reframing prosecution as persecution

The children’s book is perhaps most revealing. Movements that create literature for kids are playing a long game. They’re not just trying to free current prisoners—they’re teaching the next generation that these prisoners were heroes. MAGA Mouse frames January 6th not as a cautionary tale but as an adventure story where the good guys got betrayed by rats.

The religious materials show how Freedom Corner wasn’t secular political organizing but spiritual warfare. The Bible verses about persecution, the prayers for captives to be freed, the framing of defendants as prophets—all of this elevated the cause beyond mere criminal justice reform into cosmic battle between good and evil.

The organizational infrastructure—multiple nonprofits, fundraising channels, media enterprises, custom-printed materials—demonstrates sophistication beyond spontaneous protest. This was professionalized activism with branding, messaging strategies, and sustainable revenue models.

And the personal notes to Micki Witthoeft show how movements sustain their leaders. Three years is a long time to maintain a nightly vigil. The encouragement cards, the Gandalf quotes, the “you are not alone” messages—these small gestures kept organizers going through years of waiting.

When Trump pardoned everyone in January 2025, all of this infrastructure—the children’s books, the nonprofit foundations, the media enterprises, the organizing networks—didn’t disappear. It became the blueprint for how future movements might sustain themselves through long periods when political and legal institutions reject them. Wait long enough, build enough infrastructure, maintain enough pressure, create enough alternative narratives, and maybe eventually political conditions change.

These simple materials—flyers and books and cards—document not just a vigil but a successful model for sustained resistance: organize nightly rituals, build financial infrastructure, frame everything religiously, create children’s literature, support your leaders, and wait for power to shift. The model worked.

Special thanks to the USC Digital Imaging Lab for their support in digitizing these items.