This is the first thing that popped into my head when I read your piece....
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
Step outta line, the man come and take you away
You better STOP children
What's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin' down
---For What It's Worth, Buffalo Springfield 1966 fer Chrissakes!
Did we learn nothing from Vietnam and American authoritarianism? January 6th was just a crime, no different than breaking into my house except that I don't have the Capitol police, I only have me and a 12 ga shotgun, to defend the house. The hyperbole (I hate using that word but, sadly, it fits) surrounding this is what's going to kill us. No, it was not an attempt to overthrow the government, or rather, if it was, it was beyond inept. A small handful of delusional fascists, even ones armed with a few firearms and a handful of pipe bombs, wouldn't stand a chance against the might of the DC police department, never mind the combat brigades at Fort Belvoir.
But never fear! We'll get our PATRIOT Act II and a lot worse anyway. We will, as usual, respond with a sledgehammer when a flyswatter is needed and the consequences will be roughly the same. I highly recommend listening to all of For What It's Worth. It's as relevant today as it was 55 years ago.
Good analysis if it didn't miss the significance of Jan 6th completely! Sure looked like a protest, but please explain to me how a complete security breach by armed terrorists can also be called a "protest". This was a sophisticated attempt at mass political violence. And while the USCP leadership is complicit, this is hardly an isolated to their actions-- intel was suppressed and withheld and the national guard response was deliberately obstructed. Would highly recommend taking this down, reviewing for accuracy before you lose all credibility.
Good comment, if you hadn't engaged in hyperbole and parroted a partisan establishment narrative. Neither of which advances an understanding of what happened and why, or what the consequences of waging a new "domestic war on terror" will mean: increased militarization of our public spaces, eroded civil liberties, the funneling of millions (if not billions) of dollars away from where it is truly needed. Your comment perfectly illustrates what happens to the capacity for clear thinking when a person is under the combined influence of fear and propaganda. Been there, done that. It's no good my friend. Cheers!
Cara, I agree that there is no need to beef up anti-terror apparatus. Anyone who thinks that erecting a fence around the Capitol is a good idea(along with another Patriot act) has serious delusions of what happened and how. Your inference of my media consumption is off the mark, though. I was also unimpressed with media narratives precisely because they missed the omitted info on obstruction of the response. I live three blocks from the capitol and my partner was able to arrive to our home after a 40 minute commute at the of the workday before ANY helicopters or national guard arrived. That was no less than four hours after I heard the first grenades and booms down the street.
This is the first thing that popped into my head when I read your piece....
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
Step outta line, the man come and take you away
You better STOP children
What's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin' down
---For What It's Worth, Buffalo Springfield 1966 fer Chrissakes!
Did we learn nothing from Vietnam and American authoritarianism? January 6th was just a crime, no different than breaking into my house except that I don't have the Capitol police, I only have me and a 12 ga shotgun, to defend the house. The hyperbole (I hate using that word but, sadly, it fits) surrounding this is what's going to kill us. No, it was not an attempt to overthrow the government, or rather, if it was, it was beyond inept. A small handful of delusional fascists, even ones armed with a few firearms and a handful of pipe bombs, wouldn't stand a chance against the might of the DC police department, never mind the combat brigades at Fort Belvoir.
But never fear! We'll get our PATRIOT Act II and a lot worse anyway. We will, as usual, respond with a sledgehammer when a flyswatter is needed and the consequences will be roughly the same. I highly recommend listening to all of For What It's Worth. It's as relevant today as it was 55 years ago.
Good analysis if it didn't miss the significance of Jan 6th completely! Sure looked like a protest, but please explain to me how a complete security breach by armed terrorists can also be called a "protest". This was a sophisticated attempt at mass political violence. And while the USCP leadership is complicit, this is hardly an isolated to their actions-- intel was suppressed and withheld and the national guard response was deliberately obstructed. Would highly recommend taking this down, reviewing for accuracy before you lose all credibility.
https://imagez.tmz.com/image/90/16by9/2021/01/10/90d0b0dd6d9044f3bbf25304c18fadd2_xl.jpg
Good comment, if you hadn't engaged in hyperbole and parroted a partisan establishment narrative. Neither of which advances an understanding of what happened and why, or what the consequences of waging a new "domestic war on terror" will mean: increased militarization of our public spaces, eroded civil liberties, the funneling of millions (if not billions) of dollars away from where it is truly needed. Your comment perfectly illustrates what happens to the capacity for clear thinking when a person is under the combined influence of fear and propaganda. Been there, done that. It's no good my friend. Cheers!
Cara, I agree that there is no need to beef up anti-terror apparatus. Anyone who thinks that erecting a fence around the Capitol is a good idea(along with another Patriot act) has serious delusions of what happened and how. Your inference of my media consumption is off the mark, though. I was also unimpressed with media narratives precisely because they missed the omitted info on obstruction of the response. I live three blocks from the capitol and my partner was able to arrive to our home after a 40 minute commute at the of the workday before ANY helicopters or national guard arrived. That was no less than four hours after I heard the first grenades and booms down the street.