Taylor had a podcast before his entanglement with the Federal Government. This is episode 207 of that podcast. To donate or send a message to our family you can go to: https://www.givesendgo.com/johnatakisfamilyhelp To follow our family's experience go to: https://peasantsperspective.com/ Taylor was asked to write a letter to the press- these are his thoughts, looking back: My name is Taylor James Johnatakis. That’s the name you will see on court documents and in the media. But that is not who is being punished by my incarceration, it’s my family. My beautiful wife and five children, ages 17, 14,11,6 and 4, are the ones who are really being punished, and they are as innocent as can be. I grew up in a wonderful loving family. I make no claim to perfection, or being close to it, but dedicated myself to trying to live a “good life”. I grew up an air force brat. My first memory was holding my fathers hand crossing the street to go to a carnival on the Yokota Air Force base, in Japan. Later my father got into the computer industry and we moved all over the west, with stops in Utah, California, Oregon and Colorado. Eventually my family settled in Meridian Idaho, near Boise. I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brazil. While there I had a chance encounter with the woman who would eventually become my wife upon my return to the Boise area, nearly 20 years ago. Since we reunited in Boise, we have been together everyday, with only a handful of separations that lasted no more than one week. We started a family while still in college. We have 5 children, although we have had 6. We lost one child, when while on a cruise, my wife went into early labor. Disembarking in Puerto Rico, we spent a few weeks there while my wife and newborn fought for their lives. My son Destin (short for destiny) passed away after 8 days of mostly breathing on his own…he had finally succumbed to his struggle. Even through this struggle with J6, losing a child was the hardest thing I have ever gone through. I remember the night my wife was released from the ICU, we prayed that God’s will be done. The next day Destin passed away. Looking back now, I recognize that experience gave us strength to endure the many more challenges life would bring our way, including the J6 prosecutions, where we have also prayed that God’s will be done. We have always tried, and for the most part have, lived good lives. We have remained married, and brought 6 children to the world. I have always worked hard, most recently designing and installing septic systems in the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsula regions in Washington state (yes I know…it’s a crappy business). I did this so that my wife could be a stay out home mother and homeschool our 5 children, which she has done. Our home is a home where we have sought to make a place of peace and harmony. It’s a place where we could live and act out our core beliefs of God, family and country. In college, I earned a degree in Political Science. I viewed politics as the ultimate WWE sport …much of what happens is for show, BUT, there is a direct line from the president’s desk to my dinner table. Government policy and regulations affect everything from the price of food to the cost of gas. I did not think Trump in 2016 would be any different. Sure he gave Trump speeches and appealed to the working man, but we had been through this many times with ”Mr. Hope and Change” himself. Donald Trump won me over after 4 years in office, when he did his best to keep his promises. When Trump was in office the price of diesel fuel, which I bought by the thousand of gallons for dump trucks and excavators, was affordable. My business partner once said, “when Trump got elected, it was like someone flipped a light switch and we started making a profit”. Fast forward to January 6, 2021. I came on a whim, invited by an in-law on a whirlwind trip. I made the 2,000 mile journey from Washington state to Washington, DC. I was under no illusion that Trump would likely not win the electoral college count, given the conditions at the time…but remember I viewed politics like WWE. In the summer of 2020, like many Americans, I was disgusted by COVID and the political insanity that followed. I started a podcast called “The Peasant’s Perspective, New Commentary for the Common Man”. The premise of the podcast was that no matter what the government does, we peasants have to stay focused on our families, and in many cases, survive day to day. January 6th for me, was an opportunity to get “content” for experiential storytelling, to see a major moment in history, win or lose. I was NOT incited by Trump. Before I set foot on capitol grounds I knew Mike Pence had denied the challengers to the election. I did not know a “riot” or “property damage’ or a pipe bomb had been placed at the DNC and RNC headquarters. But, rather I thought the overwhelming voice of the people ...
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