It has come to the Clown’s attention that on January 6, 2021, a large crowd of angry patriots, spurred on by Donald Trump and Company, attempted to show the U.S. Congress and the Constitution just who’s boss around these parts. If not for a bit of luck, some poor post-attack planning, lost opportunities while taking selfies and the bravery of several Capitol Police officers, it might have worked or, at least, been waaaaaay more deadly.
Some of the patriots wanted to “hang Mike Pence”, who, up until that very day, had been Trump’s most loyal lickspittle. As with the first French Revolution, it doesn’t take long for the tiger to eat those who are riding on his back.
Now, such leaders as House Minority Leader, and the Clown uses that term quite loosely, Kevin McCarthy, wants the country to “move on” and to, you know, “heal”. According to many, including Angus King, Independent Senator from Maine, “We need to understand where the anger comes from and talk with them and address their grievances.”
In that spirit of healing and understanding, the Clown reviewed a video taken prior to and during the assault on the Capitol. The video, taken by Barry Rubin, lets a number of the patriots openly address the camera and explain why they are so angry and why they are there. The Clown’s goal was to hear their grievances and form a strategy for how to reach out and communicate with them and to start the healing.
HERE IS THE VIDEO, IT’S REMARKABLE
If you are video averse, here are some quotes.
There was one man, wearing a surplus Army helmet liner who was angry and said, “I’m here to make sure that the Chinese Communist Party does not take over this country through Joe Biden.”
One of the more chatty patriots, wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt that read, Freedom is my 2nd favorite F-word made several claims and observations including, “If the congress does certify this election today, we’ll do everything you’re seeing right now. We’ll take this house, we’re going to take Chicago, New York, every city.” He went on and ended with, “Biden is not going to be elected, we won’t allow it. The time to act is now. We know the military is on our side and these people here are ready to mount up. We’ll do it for Trump, for God and for our country.”
Another man in an American flag sweatshirt said, “They (politicians) just don’t get it. They a swore an oath to protect the people, to protect the Constitution. They didn’t take an oath to protect some building. They don’t give two shits about the people so if they go in to protect the building, we’re coming after them. This is our house, we paid for it.”
A young man, standing with a guy trying to don a gas mask but not quite figuring how, said, “We want everyone to know, we’re not going to fuckin’ stop until we take our country back. And all you treasonous cops up here, you’re fuckin’ traitors and you will go to jail for this. We are armed at home and we are not going to stop.”
A young woman carrying an American flag said, “If congress certifies the election there will be military tribunals because the votes were obviously fraudulent and it’s treasonous. When the military takes over because the courts systems have failed, the judges have failed so the military takes care of it.”
A man fashionably dressed with an American flag do-rag and a Trump banner worn as a cape said, ” This election was cheated right out from under him, so what do you think the three percenters and the militias are going to do?”
Another young woman said, “All I say is that Donald Trump will be inaugurated on January 21st.” (She’s going to miss the fun by a day, poor thing.)
A middle-aged couple offered opinions. Wife: “How can you have a president like Biden? You do know that Ukraine has put out an arrest warrant for him and if he goes to Europe he will be arrested.” Husband: “Interpol will pick him up anywhere in Europe.”
Another patriot had this to say,“I believe that who stole this election was the Chinese Communist Party. They have influence over so many of our elected officials it’s unreal. Diane Feinstein’s driver was found to be a communist spy for 30 years.”
“I believe the democratic party stole the election. I think that forces outside like George Soros and the money people behind him were involved,” offered a man wearing a mountain hat from The North Face.
A man with a strong northeastern accent and a MAGA hat said, “Well, I can’t name them specifically, but I know that the democrat party is involved because the democrat party refuses to audit election results.”
Perhaps the most arresting and telling scene from the video is a large contingent on the capitol steps chanting, “I can’t breath, I can’t breath” and pointing up to the black Capitol Police standing at the top of the wall.
Well, Senator King, exactly where would one of good faith start a constructive conversation with any of these patriots, to better understand their anger? They make it very clear, without probing, from whence their anger comes. It’s not from policy disagreements, it’s from believing a big lie by the president and his many enablers, including other republican senior politicians and the broad swath of Internet bile sources.
These patriots have been led into an alternate universe of Orwellian misinformation by a man (and his posse) so clearly unfit to lead that many, including the Clown, foresaw, in 2016, that Trump’s presidency would not end well. Many said then that we were alarmists, cucks, panty-waists and worse. While we could be some of those, we weren’t wrong. And, as long as the leaders of the republican party allow the big lie to live on, it will fester into something that can’t be treated with five tabs of an antibiotic.
So, Senator King, rather than waste his time talking with any of these poor deluded and dangerous souls, the Clown would prefer to debate those who believe that ancient aliens built Stone Henge. The future of our democratic republic does not rely on winning that argument.
Observoid of the Day: A post-truth electorate is a pre-fascist country.
It is amazing how knowledgeable these people think they are. Makes you think their only source of information is social media.