Or, How to Start a Class War In Five Easy To Follow Steps
A little over two weeks ago, much like everyone else in the entire world, I watched a surging mass of militant yahoos, conspiracy zealots, off duty police and military personnel, angry white people, and a heaping helping of trailer park trash assault the US Capitol Building—all broadcasted live and in color on national television.
Sadly in today’s political climate this wholesale assault on “American Democracy” wasn’t that unexpected. The current administration had been openly calling for a second civil war for months. It’s leaders embracing any form of racism, fascism, religion, totalitarianism, and white supremacy that would serve its purpose. They lied and twisted the truth while the president used every opportunity to send a message to his followers. In fact his entire four-year term had been one long recruitment drive for his army of bigots. From day one his message had been loud and clear; from calling white supremacists “very fine people,” to denouncing protests by people of color, to refusing to eradicate the nation of its monuments of hate, to embracing wannabe militants, to his hateful and destructive immigration policies, to seating conservative lapdogs on the Supreme Court, and to openly pardoning racists.
Now some of you are probably thinking, that’s a long way from insurrection! But is it really? Let’s be perfectly transparent here. Trump was able to gain his following of extremists because he was, and still is, openly and outright racist. He didn’t hide it. In fact he flaunted it. It wasn’t religion, or abortion, or guns, or any of the crap the right pretends to care about. The bottom line is that he tapped into the reality that no matter how much the country tries to deny it, America is a racist nation… Well, I guess to be fair one could argue that at the very least 74,222,958 of them are. Even though Biden won with 81,283,098 votes (51%), a massive 46% of American voters decided that a racist running the country was still a good idea.
But then again it’s not like racists haven’t been running things since, well forever. It’s just that with Trump he didn’t even try to pretend he wasn’t a racist. And his people liked that, and Trump like that they liked that, and in turn he like them. But in the end he was especially fond of their perchance for violence. Because if there is one thing American racists have proven is they will get as violent as possible to further their agenda. Hell they’ve firebombed churches, killed babies and children, assassinated leaders, murdered activists, lynched so many it’s impossible to get an exact count, incarcerated millions, started a civil war, and if you want to go even farther back in US history, they fell just short of slaughtered an entire race of people in order to steal their land.
Yup, god blesses America.
As long as you’re white.
So really this last bit of sedation isn’t that far off from what passes as normal government policy. Although the total overthrowing of government is usually reserved for other countries in the name of bringing them “our democracy.” Just ask Viet Nam, Iraq, Central America, Afghanistan, and a slew of other countries that have had the CIA and the State Department meddle in their affairs and appoint their designated leaders. Only now the chickens have come home to roost and America is now using those same tactics on it’s own people. Which pretty much consists of the standard formula of infiltrating the news in order to promote their propaganda. Destabilize the economy. Prop up a de facto ruler. Throw a ton of money around. And promise them everything (even though you know you’re not going to deliver anything).
Hmmm, sound familiar?
But no, that couldn’t happen here in the good ol’ U.S. of A. Right?
However it can, it has, and it still could.
But how?
Well, where the hell do you think those 74,222,958 people are? How about in your police force, military, government, labor, rural, urban, and yeah, living right next door. They’re not just lurking out in the woods of some red state. If 46% of America voted for that racist, then they are everywhere.
But, It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue. Right?
Hardly.
On January 6th while republican elected instigators argued their lies and falsehoods regarding made up voting irregularities inside the Capitol Building, thousands of angry white men and women felt emboldened enough to attack. They came armed, in full combat gear, gasmasks, zip-tie handcuffs, and clubs. With their symbols of hate and flags openly flying they exhibited an entitled sense of empowerment that could only have come from the powers that be giving them the a-okay-white-power hand signal.
Simultaneously, inside the building, certain elected officials texted the angry crowd instructional messages specifically for the intent of helping the insurgents find their intended victims and carry out their plans. Outside cops were filmed letting the rioters walk past them. The few capitol cops that weren’t part of the “storm” or the “boogaloo” held their ground. But were soon vastly over run. A few were seriously hurt. One died.
Meanwhile the Pentagon held off sending in the National Guard (even though there had been documented chatter on the Internet inciting violence and urging them to do exactly what the crowd eventually did).
Once inside the crowd broke through what little defense was left and entered the Senate chambers shouting “Hang Mike Pence.” They called for the death of Nancy Pelosi. They screamed, “This is our house,” and “Stop the steal.” They took selfies with each other and the cops that were sympathizers and participants. They were filmed riffling through desks and taking paperwork, “Ted Cruz would want us to do this.” They defecated, destroyed, ransacked, and defaced everything. But what’s really astonishing is they filmed all of it on their phones (that were also equipped with GPS tracking), posted everything to social media, bragged about what they were doing, and went about the entire attack as if they had impunity (as perhaps that is what they were promised). And in the end, some four hours later, they were allowed to leave.
Ah yes, a job well done. It’s Miller time.
I know, some of you might be saying, “But they’re getting arrested now.” And yes, as well they should be. But how the hell did all this happen? It’s no coincidence that “security” wasn’t even remotely inadequate. There was no National Guard. Or riot police. Or F.B.I. Or…. anyone. Because remember when I said these people are part of our “police force, military, government, labor, rural, urban, and yeah, living right next door.” Well, that’s why there were no swat teams, National Guard, or riot police. People in government wanted this to happen. It was a plan. From the highest office. Down to the boots on the ground.
And yes, yes, I hear you. By all means, let’s go back to the ones that are getting arrested now (very slowly and then for the most part released out on bail). All those unemployed militia men didn’t get to D.C. on food stamps, or their EDD checks, or using their wife’s credit card. There was big behind the scene money involved. Right wing quazi-religious organizations such as Turning Point USA sent a ton of buses filled with “students” to Washington. This is an organization that Ginni Thomas, the wife of ultra conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, sits on the board of (this little news tidbit has been disputed by Thomas and then buried and forgotten by the press – yikes too close to home, maybe?).
Meanwhile conservative websites like Wild Protest were able mass hundreds of thousands of dollars to help finance “Patriot Caravans” that coordinated travel for the majority of these future domestic terrorists across the country to Washington DC. While GiveSendGo, a Christian crowd-funding platform, allowed financing of numerous right wing groups that supported the “insurgents.” And there are even reports of dark money originating from “Europe” and directly paid to organizations such as the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Boogaloo Bois, and The Three Percenters.
So yeah, this was not a spontaneous event. This was planned and the people in power thought it had a more than adequate chance of working (or they wouldn’t have tried it). Only it didn’t work and a disturbing number of Americans are either upset that it didn’t or pretending that it never happened. Yet what’s even more disturbing is that those “people in power” are still in power, sitting in our government imploring the world to just forget what happened and to not hold those (them) who are responsible to account.
Hey, can’t we just let January 6th go? So okay, we told Trump’s minions to march to the capitol building and “fight like hell,” and they did, but that’s in the past. It’s time to unify!
Nowhere else in the entire history of failed coups have the losers been allowed to stay in power. Most times they’ve been taken out back and shot. But usually they are jailed and silenced. So why is America allowing them to still be here and to retain their political positions? Is it because we’re better then that?
Um… no.
All one has to do is ask why the South has been allowed to worship its dead losers and continue to fly that hateful racist flag. And the answer is that nothing has really changed. This awkward mutual embrace of our racist past and present is some kind of twisted American tradition.
Now some will whine and say, “Hey, its part of our heritage.”
But actually, um, no.
It’s part of the inbred American racist self.
So shut the hell up.
Really this phenomenon has happened because America is so racist that it can only partially admit it. But never bring itself to change.
Need more proof?
Then ask yourself…
Why isn’t every politician that continued to spout Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen being held accountable? They lied. They mislead the public. They knowingly put people’s lives in jeopardy. They committed treason.
Yet they are still here.
Why isn’t every cop, National Guard, US Armed forces, F.B.I., D.O.J…. any and all that supported and continue to be part of this right wing agenda, paramilitary, KKK-loving, pro-gun rallying, NRA hate mongers—being investigated, fired, arrested, or imprisoned?
Yet they are still here.
Why isn’t every company, organization, church, action committee, and fake non-profit that bankrolled this insurrection and terrorists being held accountable, disassembled, their leaders arrested, and fined, and stopped?
Yet they are still here.
Why isn’t every Billionaire trying to dismantle democracy for their profit being fined and prosecuted?
Yet they are still here.
Now will any of that happen? Probably not. The way it is now prosecuting those lame ass thugs that actually entered the Capitol Building will be about as far up as this goes. Trump will not be held accountable. The politicians who continue to spout his rhetoric will be allowed to continue. Police will not be defunded. And no one in the armed forces will be kicked out.
America will go on like nothing happened unless it is forced to take action, and forced to do it now (the public’s attentions span is about 3 seconds). Unless the actual criminals are held responsible the systematic racism that is “as American as apple pie” will stay pristinely untouched. Yet this work has to be done and we shouldn’t have to hear the excuse that it’s just too “painful” for America to face itself. It’s time for a complete overhaul. Left as it is, systematic racism is here to stay, no matter what figurehead you stick in the oval office, and America is always going to be stuck hiding its past and pretending that everything is good.
But by all means, lets talk unity. Lets negotiate with the leaders of the terrorists. Lets act civil and shake hands. Let’s turn a blind eye to the truth.
Meanwhile cops are still shooting unarmed black men. White supremacists are going about their business as usual. A few hundred will be arrested. Almost all will get bail. The majority will get nothing but a formality conviction (hey, they’re white). Government will continue to bulldoze over all of us in the name of profits. The poor will stay poor. Those bad Trump tax laws against the working class will remain in place. Legislation will be difficult to enact because of that darn bipartisan, “we need to be fair and work together” thing. Just like they were when… um…
Well, you know what I mean.
A group hug may be in order.
Then a collective sigh.
Thoughts and prayers, baby.