16 Comments
User's avatar
Nikki M.'s avatar

"While those fragile man children might appear tough when viewed through a screen, they are not tough in the real world." This hits home. In my blue collar line of work I see this over and over and over. Their on-line presence of hate is not what they show without the screen to hide behind. We will prevail.

Expand full comment
Nacho's avatar

I’ve left my Harris-Walz sign in my office window and will for as long as it’s legible if for no other reason than to demonstrate that I am not responsible for this shitshow

Expand full comment
Scott Berry's avatar

A wonderful story Wes, thanks. I really hope you are going to get a lot more use out of that hat.

Expand full comment
Neal DC's avatar

Thanks for another informative article Wes. Have been a big fan for a few years now. I'm very appreciative of your views on gear, guns, the outdoors, and hunting. Oh yeah, also off-roading. Keep up the great work, especially when confronting the MAGA snowflakes.

Expand full comment
Jim Colbert's avatar

I wore my Harris/Walz hat proudly last fall, and hoped that the voters of this country would see the danger we were in. I also received some compliments on the hat - and some stares. If we had a VP who was a pheasant hunter I don’t think the current public lands disaster would be happening. It’s hard to remain hopeful…

Expand full comment
trib's avatar

More outstanding writing here, Wes. Even here in Australia it resonates, with men on the right and influencers in the "manosphere" trying to model some weird kid of ultramasculine, but incredibly thin-skinned maleness. I don't get it and never will.

Even though I had zero skin in that game, I still wear my Harris-Walz camo cap into town (4500 people, regional town deep in dairy and deer - they're introduced species' here - country) and even get the occasional compliment for it.

Our federal election is in a couple of weeks. It looks like the incumbents (the notionally center-left, but only just, Labor Party) might hold on as their key opposition has as leader a man who thinks that weird masculinity is a good look. What might also happen is an increased group of non-aligned representatives that whoever forms a minority government will need to deal with to get legislation and budgets passed. This is a good thing.

PS I just upgraded to paid.

Expand full comment
Wes Siler's avatar

Thanks for subscribing man. I hope this story also illustrates why I'm trying to achieve independence.

Expand full comment
trib's avatar

Look, big changes afoot at Outside. I'm reading it less and less because their content is hard to get a feed for, so I don't know what's going up. I cancelled my Outside+ sub because I wasn't getting value. Plus, messing with long-term staff is just questioable business in my book. Loyalty counts for a lot.

With your writing, I *know* what I'm getting and it's what I want to read.

Also, where would I send you video I think you'd like to see (you might want to direct message me a place) - fallow deer rut is just winding up here and I have some crazy video from my property.

Expand full comment
Wes Siler's avatar

(my first name)@wessiler.com

I aspire to hunt in Australia someday soon!

Expand full comment
trib's avatar

Happy to be your host on part of your travels.

Expand full comment
S K's avatar

Wes, keep being you. It's inspiring:)

Expand full comment
Scott Bombard's avatar

keep wearing your hat dude. time to get even more political cause you got more of a voice than any of us "normal" people

Expand full comment
Jeff H's avatar

One thing is for sure Wes, you live a unique and very interesting life. Damn fun in fact, congratulations on that!

Expand full comment
Cory Cepelak Sr's avatar

I am glad you mentioned that MAGAzine; somehow I get their emails, I’ll be fixing that immediately.

Expand full comment
Jim Aspinall's avatar

Wes, you sir are a true inspiration. Subscribing was the best thing I have done in a long time. Please keep it up. You provide me and I am sure others, a hope, a direction and a template on how we need to keep moving forward, use our voice and fight to stand for what is right.

Expand full comment
Mike V.'s avatar

This submission hits home as two weeks ago, after riding with the Los Angeles section of the 59 Club motorcycle group for the past 7+ years, I was banned by their local right-wing fragile man child section leader for wearing an anti-nazi Dropkick Murphys t-shirt during a ride in Death Valley National Park.

https://dropkickmurphys.store/products/fighting-nazis-since-96-t-shirt-black

And similarly, though he had two days to address his concerns to me in person, he opted to wait until he was safely behind his screen at home to remove me from the private Facebook group page without any notice/explanation.

Keep fighting the good fight Wes.

---Mike V

Expand full comment