One of the latest gambits from the Rethuglican playbook: convince their base--the uber-violent militia types, especially--that our protests and demonstrations are violent mob scenes. They'll start using the words "riots" and "rioting" very soon.
This is not a PR ploy. It would be way over-the-top even if it was. But that's not the end game.
Portraying our constitutionally-protected protests as out-of-control mob action is a pretext to start their own violent actions.
Trump may not be doing this consciously but the Reich Wing is full of folks who fetishize the 2nd amendment, and believe progressives--or anyone who doesn't share their hateful, extreme views--to be traitors and are itching to start "the culling".
We ignore this at our own peril.
The irony of this situation is that the Tea Party types stockpiled guns and ammo for eight years while Obama was President, even though he did nothing--not one thing--that could have been objectively seen as moving the USA towards tyranny, towards authoritarian rule.
And then, when a hateful demagogue who has repeatedly professed admiration--or love, in the case of Kim Jong Un--for actual despots says and does things which are clearly designed to move the country towards authoritarian rule, the right wing loves him, hangs on his every hateful word, votes for him and throws wads of cash at him.
The right wing is itching to start the shooting. If you don't see this, you're not paying attention.
"Bulldog Ben" Basile
© 2018 Ben Lawrence Basile
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