I was getting ready to write this long piece about how the last few days’ events have affected me and my beloved. I was sitting down to type on this chilly Sunday afternoon in Texas when I logged in, saw that Chris had already written something so much better than mine I had to redirect my thoughts. As my beloved and I watched events unfold, I said that this is the second-worst day in U.S. history since I was born. The first being 911 in my mind without putting much thought into it. She said to me, “No, this is the worst because with 911, the attack came from outside our country; this attack came from within”. While the death toll of 911 was so much higher than the events of January 6th, the damage to our nation is exponentially worse. As happens at least 51% of the time, she was right.
Before January 6th, I was concerned about what might happen. On January 6th, I was sad and in no way surprised at what happened. I mourned for our country. The fact that so many of our people have latched on to the lie about election fraud and purposely chosen to hide in an information bubble should frighten us all. Only, I do have some understanding of it. I recently read James Clear’s book Atomic Habits, and in it, he describes a study of chimpanzees that looked at a group that had developed a superior method of cracking open nuts. When they removed an individual and moved him to another group of chimps with an inferior method, the chimpanzee adopted the new group’s method. Some may be insulted by my association of humans with chimps, but we are social animals that want to be accepted in our group. I went through the “Compete to Create” training and they talked quite a bit about “FOPO”, the fear of other people’s opinions. Once we have associated with one group, we don’t want to be singled out as different. That is why demonstrations can get out of control and become riots. When the demonstration leader suggests that things will get “wild” and we need to have a trial by “combat,” it is easy for things to quickly get out of hand, which is exactly what happened. It is also why I associated as a Republican for much longer than my heart and conscience were really in it. Chris is right; we need to be prepared to fight against the inevitable rise in violence that is coming from, what is hopefully, the dying gasps of the delusion of white supremacy.
As I have mentioned before, I can no longer associate as a Republican. I have joined the local Democrat group and paid my dues. I guess I was slightly right of center, and now I am slightly left. I guess the stick has moved. I will do what I can to support our democratic form of government. I will do what I can to make sure that the lawmakers that supported the coup attempt are removed from office through any constitutional means. I will not let the lie of election fraud continue, and I will try to ensure that voting rights are upheld for every citizen. I am just one person, and my beloved makes two. I have people in my family on both sides that have died in wars since the revolutionary war. They fought to keep the union and fought against fascism. Now it is our turn. Maybe we all need to take a cue from those who came from the North during the civil rights movement and marched alongside the blacks in the South. If not, they may eventually find a reason to come for us all.
Many people ask why the U.S. Flag is backward on a military uniform. It is because it is always moving forward, always advancing. We must all be like that flag and advance the ideals of liberty for all of us and our democracy, and keep trying to form a more perfect union. May God Bless America and all who are created equal in it.
I think it is time to revisit boycotts of some of the largest supporters of the right wing party. Good example is to talk to anyone you know in procurement or who owns a business who used Uline to purchase supplies to stop. The Uihleins pumped millions into Trump and the party, apparently the 5th largest donors in the US according to Open Secrets?
By the way y’all, if you have one if those Coronavirus tracker apps (like the Coronavirus App, which I recommend), go ahead and look at Ireland.
That’s where the US is heading sometime in the next couple weeks.
(For those that don’t need the visual but want the information, with the new strain loose and holiday travel mixed in, Ireland is seeing peaks about 500% higher than their previous second wave peak… with the trend still accelerating.
Just multiply our current rates and deaths by six, and you get the hint.)
Some consequences:
https://www.thecollegefix.com/harvard-dumps-republican-rep-elise-stefanik-from-political-science-advisory-board/
Stefanik proves their point by whining about the ban, as if lying about election results was a valid political point of view that’s being unfairly suppressed! She is unfit, but she’s the higher hanging fruit.
So, we now know of 3 more planned methods of attack by the fascists.
My question is, what happens if on the morning of 20th, or whatever day the fascists plan their attack for, the tyrant orders the National Guard in DC to stand down?
Assuming the chain of command is intact, I believe he has that power. Or do now know that said chain of command no longer exists, and Pence is the de facto president?
https://www.axios.com/capitol-police-democrats-violently-government-d167843b-fc78-4486-8ace-c272ab6e8b48.html
Given that the tyrant and his regime are actively impeding any moves to thwart these impending attacks, I am really curious who will be defending what capitals, and in what numbers.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/armed-protests-planned-50-state-capitols-fbi-bulletin/story?id=75179771
Your wife nailed it Paul. What Lincoln said about foreign enemies can’t destroy America, but Americans could rings just as true today. This really is the final sort of the sides. If this doesn’t get you to dump Trump, nothing will. I did note that a neighbor who had been stubbornly flying a Trump flag since the election took it down the morning after 1/6. There’s a TX flag in its place now. 74 million was the high point for Trump support. There’s still enough to cause trouble, but this peeled off the last waverers.
“There’s a TX flag in its place now.”
Allergic to the American flag, is your neighbor?
Actually the American flag was always there in a second flag bracket. This particular house is the closest obvious Trumper one to mine, so easy to see, but I had noted Trump flags elsewhere in the neighborhood. Between work and rainy weather I haven’t yet been out to see if those others are still up.
My American flag will come out on 1/20. But I’ll keep my Biden/ Harris sign in the garage.
It will be interesting to see how many of the insurrectionists peel off now that Corporate America is making adjustments to the way they donate to PAC’s based on who supported the Coup attempt. Money is too important for these politicians. We must keep the pressure on the big companies to not support those that would go against our Constitution.
As long as we allow big money in elections they will have all they need.
All Star Trek fans know of the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition. One of them is “War is good for business.” But that’s only when the war isn’t on your doorstep.
The PGA isn’t going to host any more events at Trump golf courses. That might burn worse than the Twitter ban.