Republicans and Fascism

[fishonjazz]

I think this is spot on. I have had some conversations with some republicans I know who are staunch Trump supporters about such things and they tend to view it as trivial as long as the elected leaders are championing the causes they find important, which among other things includes stuff like reigning in woke culture (first and foremost right now), as an extension limiting the "gay" influence, making sure they aren't paying more taxes - which are viewed as inherently evil for some reason, even while a few of my friends rely on public support, and it boils down to they have no clue where that support comes from (you know, from taxes) - and firming up the abortion bans to stop murdering babies. These things matter far more than a fully functioning government and taking care of people with lesser means, and providing equality for everyone. In most of their minds I would imagine the mantra of "everyone is created equal, but some are more equal than others" would ring true.

Again, I have said this before, but I think a lot of this is a symptom of rampant prosperity. There is really no existential threat any more. The cold war ended. We have largely resolved things like widespread hunger and access to basic utilities like electricity and water (let's not get into the "medical care should be a utility" debate right now), we all have fancy high-powered computers in our pockets and for the vast majority of Americans the biggest worry is if their sports team will perform like they want them to, and if they have at least as much, or preferably more, than the Jones'es. Humans are basic animals, and in the absence of an existential threat we elevate any slight to the status of an existential threat, because we can only be fulfilled if we are fighting for our lives. So attempts to promote any kind of equality, that can be perceived as diminishing someone else's power, influence, or simply status, is met with the same forceful response we used to reserve for legitimate threats, like lack of food and shelter, or imminent world-destroying war.

In fact, imho the increase in things like depression and anxiety among the population are partly from the isolation bred by the nature of the internet, as well as the lack of any real threats to focus our attention. Boredom is a killer, literally and figuratively. And we are becoming a population that is governed by our need to not be bored. This plays into the idle hands are the devil's workshop. That old trope is not too far from the truth.

I think the band AJR has tapped into the current generation in a way that transcends generation gaps, as I feel they have their finger on the pulse of society in general and several of their songs are very very prescient. This one leaps to mind.

The Entertainment's Here



I highlighted a couple of sections but man does this encapsulate society in a big way right now. And as a result we end up with leaders like we have in congress right now, people who have no idea how to govern, but they know what buttons to push to keep their base mad at the world, railing against their manufactured existential threats, and therefore they stay in power. No wonder Trump won't go away, he is the poster child for manufactured existential threats.

You really have to wonder how far we are from a Rome-esque collapse of the empire. Their fall came about at about a similar juncture, when their technology and prosperity were at all-time highs, some feel even better for their average citizens than we have it now. Are we facing a similar future, being doomed to repeat history?

Man I hate feeling this way, but I have been feeling a lot more fatalistic lately. Maybe it is my general nihilistic nature, but all the signs point to bad bad **** on the horizon.

Really good post. One of the best I have seen in a long time.

 

[The Thriller]

“wHy ArE wE sO dIvIdEd?”

Or maybe that one political party has embraced reactionary authoritarianism aka fascism?


View: https://twitter.com/radiofreetom/status/1616214821124591617?s=46&t=xjCJmAQn9WtfOmhuWmKz4A

 

[Al-O-Meter]

It appears the Republicans are doing their fascism again. The GOP has their ANTIFA shock troops, seen below with a GOP fascism symbol clearly visible on the helmet of the leftmost flag holder, out in the democrat stronghold of Atlanta to assassinate police and anyone who supports the police tonight.

A member of the Georgia State Patrol returned fire after being shot at by one of the ANTIFA fascists and the ANTIFA member died. Now ANTIFA is calling out to all fascists to join ANTIFA to kill police in what ANTIFA is justifying by terming it "reciprocal violence".

 

[LogGrad98]

It appears the Republicans are doing their fascism again. The GOP has their ANTIFA shock troops, seen below with a GOP fascism symbol clearly visible on the helmet of the leftmost flag holder, out in the democrat stronghold of Atlanta to assassinate police and anyone who supports the police tonight.

A member of the Georgia State Patrol returned fire after being shot at by one of the ANTIFA fascists and the ANTIFA member died. Now ANTIFA is calling out to all fascists to join ANTIFA to kill police in what ANTIFA is justifying by terming it "reciprocal violence".

So what do the counter-protestors in Portland have to do with Atlanta? That is the top most picture.

Right-wing protesters and opponents clash in Portland | Pictures | Reuters

A counter-protester throws a smoke canister back towards police during a rally by the Patriot Prayer group in Portland, Oregon, August 4, 2018. REUTERS/Bob Strong

www.reuters.com

And where is the connection to antifa? Only right-wing news sites say anything about that.

For sure this is ridiculous in the extreme and anyone who espouses this needs to be locked up for a long time. But hey, we have seen the precedent with an outright attack on our capital ending up with some minor hand-slapping and no real punishments handed down, so who knows any more?

 

[Red]

So what do the counter-protestors in Portland have to do with Atlanta? That is the top most picture.

Right-wing protesters and opponents clash in Portland | Pictures | Reuters

A counter-protester throws a smoke canister back towards police during a rally by the Patriot Prayer group in Portland, Oregon, August 4, 2018. REUTERS/Bob Strong

www.reuters.com

And where is the connection to antifa? Only right-wing news sites say anything about that.

For sure this is ridiculous in the extreme and anyone who espouses this needs to be locked up for a long time. But hey, we have seen the precedent with an outright attack on our capital ending up with some minor hand-slapping and no real punishments handed down, so who knows any more?

The Daily Mail calls them Antifa. They seem to be calling themselves “forest defenders”. Probably labeled “Antifa” just for the hell of it….

Antifa protesters are calling for 'Night of Rage' after fatal shooting

Activists are now calling for a 'Night of Rage' and bloodshed against the police following the shooting - threatening to enact 'reciprocal violence' against the authorities.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[One Brow]

A left-wing take on the Atlanta forest issue:

Police kill Atlanta forest defender

I’ve been trying to follow events surrounding the effort to stop Cop City in Atlanta, GA. Today, police killed one forest defender during a raid: Today the police shot and killed a protester …

freethoughtblogs.com

 

[Red]

Activists Demand Independent Investigation After Cops Kill Protester in Atlanta

The protester was shot and killed on Wednesday during a chaotic raid of the “Stop Cop City” forest defense camp.

truthout.org

And last month, for some background:

APD official reveals 12 arrested in protest raids, describes use of terrorism charges

A total of 12 protesters were arrested in raids at Atlanta’s public safety training center site and adjacent forest that were previously publicized for five terrorism charges, a top Atlanta Police Department (APD) official has revealed while commenting on their tactics.

saportareport.com

“The use of domestic terrorism charges is just the start, Tyus said. “Going forward that is one of the charges we will be using. Because that’s exactly what they are,” he said.

However, he then presented a definition of that crime relating to the alleged out-of-state residency and subjective political interests of those charged, which are not elements of the crime as described in Georgia law.

“None of those people live here,” he said. “They do not have a vested interest in this property, and we show that time and time again. Why is an individual from Los Angeles, California, concerned about a training facility being built in the state of Georgia? And that is why we consider that domestic terrorism.”

In a previous raid in May, six of the seven people arrested were identified as out-of-staters. The national level of interest in the training center protests has been presented by police and political leaders as minimizing opposition as the work of “outside agitators,” while protesters say it shows the context of the systemic policing and climate issues involved. Earlier this year, 64 organizations and businesses – both local and non-local – signed onto a “Decree of Nonsupport” intended to be filed by Atlanta City Council members as a peaceful protest, though that has not emerged. Many other local groups also opposed the training center’s site and process before the City Council vote as part of public comments that appeared to have a majority against it.”

 

[Red]

More informative background. In the form of a news video that provides that background. Basically, the forest defenders did not want Atlanta’s largest surviving tract of forest razed.

Activists against 'Cop City' hold vigil for protester who was shot, killed after shooting a state trooper

Close to 200 activists came out to Little Five Points on a rainy Wednesday night after a protester was shot and killed after shooting a state trooper.

www.11alive.com

Digging deeper, we see broad support from prominent environmental groups for preservation of the site and other uses, and that we won’t know much, or be as informed otherwise, absent an appreciation for the details of the issue underlying the protests. Apart from the shooting, which I can’t judge at this stage. Just wanted to see how this came to be. “Antifa!” never was intended to be a nuanced interpretation, as used by the Right.

“The Forest Defenders have been in and out of the area protesting over the last two years. And on Wednesday night, the activists 11Alive spoke to said, "This is not over." (Maybe someone can dig deeper into that group specifically).

Public safety training center plan heads to City Council with chorus of opposition

The controversial plan to build a public safety training center at the former Atlanta Prison Farm site is heading to City Council for consideration Aug. 16 in a downsized version that is still opposed by a coalition of community and activist groups. The council’s Finance/Executive Committee on...

saportareport.com

“The Georgia chapter of The Nature Conservancy, which is taking the lead on the South River Forest planning, also is calling for the entire Prison Farm site to remain green space. “When realized, the South River Forest, a transformative 3,500-acre public green space, will provide tremendous environmental, economic and quality of life benefits to a part of Atlanta too often ignored,” wrote Executive Director Deron Davis in a letter to the Finance/Executive Committee. “The Prison Farm is the centerpiece of South River Forest.”

 

[Al-O-Meter]

Digging deeper, we see broad support from prominent environmental groups for preservation of the site

It sounds an awful lot like you think that is a justification for calling for the murder of police and anyone who supports law enforcement.

 

[One Brow]

I find it hard to believe there are no already-developed, unused spaces in Atlanta, that they need to cut down forest for this training facility.

 

[Red]

An in depth look at the South River Forest. Must read, IMHO, to really dig deep…the individual identified as Tortuguita in this piece is the man who was killed. As noted: Editor’s Note: This story, which appears in Atlanta magazine’s February 2023 issue, went to the printer at the end of December 2022. On the morning of January 18, 2023, police raided the forest again, shooting and killing one protester: the person referred to in this piece as Tortuguita, who was identified after their death as Manuel Teran, and who was remembered at a candlelight vigil in Little Five Points later that day. A state trooper was also shot and in intensive care following surgery; police say they were fired on first, though few details about the raid have emerged, and activists are calling for the release of body cam footage. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has said no such footage exists.

"The birds stopped singing": Inside the battle for Atlanta’s South River Forest

Over the centuries, the South River Forest has been many things: Indigenous land, a prison farm, a dumping ground—and the keystone of an ambitious proposal to incorporate nature into Atlanta’s growth. But in 2021, people living nearby were surprised to learn that the city had different plans for...

www.atlantamagazine.com

“Some defenders and their allies have been implicated in several dozen acts of violence or vandalism, both within the South River Forest and elsewhere. These actions include burning a truck that belonged to Ryan Millsap, who made a deal with DeKalb County to swap 40 acres of Intrenchment Creek Park land for another parcel when he was owner of Blackhall film studios. Millsap has since sold the company, and a lawsuit has been filed to prevent the land exchange. There’s also been vandalism and civil disobedience at several companies associated with the training center plans. In a July 19, 2022, email, Atlanta City Council member Dustin Hillis asked Dave Wilkinson, the CEO of the Atlanta Police Foundation: “Any progress from FBI/GBI/AG Office on hauling these terrorists in?”

Several weeks later, on August 3, spokesperson Baskin wrote Bryan Thomas, Mayor Dickens’s director of communications: “We’ve ceded the narrative to our opponents—who at best represent a persistent group of environmentalists and ‘defund the police’ extremists, whose principal strategy is to embrace violence.” (Both documents were shared with me by a community group that had obtained them through an open records request.) The actions of the forest defenders have also been condemned by some who have opposed building the training center in South River Forest: Nancy Clair McInaney, the board chair of the Nature Conservancy’s Georgia chapter, told me her organization “abhors violence.

But several environmental historians noted that these types of scenarios—tree-sitting and other direct actions against development projects, met by vilification from media, law enforcement, and the local political power structure—aren’t new: They’ve characterized a type of environmental protest since the 1980s, when activists battled loggers in the Pacific Northwest. Two differences in Atlanta: the urban, Southern setting, and the confluence of environmental and social justice issues in the South River Forest.

“This case brings together old-style environmental activism and newer issues in an urban setting,” said Keith Woodhouse, professor of history at Northwestern University and author of The Ecocentrists: A History of Radical Environmentalism. “They’re certainly concerned about the protection of the ecosystem, but they’re thinking about the urban tree canopy, greenhouse gases, environmental justice issues, and then of course the claim the forest will be sacrificed for greater militarization of the police force. It’s a sophisticated view of what greenspace in an urban area might mean.”

 

[LogGrad98]

I'm not as concerned about cutting down trees as to what they are planning to do there. There is a lot about "militarization" of the police but in reading about this I got the impression the intention is to provide deeper training for handling difficult situations. If that's even remotely true I say cut down as many trees as you need to if it means more comprehensive training for police in almost any regard besides shooting more people.