After yesterday there can be a headstone placed on Capital Hill. It can read- Here lies the Republican Party (or at least The Party of Lincoln). It died from the exhaustive and prolonged labor in the birth of the Trumplican Party.
This party was born yesterday, but it’s birth began generations ago during the Civil Rights Movement. At the time in which nationalism, populism, authoritarianism, and let’s face it racism took hold of the Republican Party. As it slowly rooted deeper in these ideologies it moved closer to what it is today. Today it is no longer “The Party of Lincoln.” That moniker died with treasonous seditionists flying the Confederate Flag in The Halls of Congress. Read that again – The Party of Lincoln flew the Confederate Flag in The Halls of Congress during an insurrection called for by THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! And with that call the Republican Party that once was, died, and will never be affiliated with Lincoln moving forward. From now on it will be trump’s party, the Trumplican Party.
As these acts unfolded, his supporters, enablers, and sycophants had a choice to make. And, they made it! Some chose to continue their objection to a free and fair election. Some chose to continue pushing their representatives who aren’t “trump enough.” Some chose to immediately cast the blame to the other side, spreading conspiracy theories about who was involved. But, few retreated, knowing that their political capital is tied to this insidious base. I know people who used yesterday’s events as an example for why their senators need to listen to the will of the people. I’m sorry, but I thought the will of the people was tied to an election that your guy fairly LOST!
As I drove today I saw the same farms with the trump flags flying. Some of which still flew below the U.S. Flag, but yesterday showed- that can stop. trump’s supporters and this riotous mob showed their only allegiance is to one man (after his distancing video tonight, it will be interesting to see if that allegiance holds). I listened to conservative echo chamber media discuss the betrayal of the senators who abandoned them in their finest hour. You read that correct, they feel abandoned by the people who didn’t continue their objections. This isn’t surprising given how quickly the Republican Party cannibalizes itself when someone steps out of line with trump. I scrolled through posts from people I know comparing the destruction of a Target store to the attempted murder of a living thing (America’s Democracy). I flipped to Conservative Christian radio that insisted the only violence of the day was carried out by the government- “No police or congress people died, so who was actually attacked, them or us?”
I saw posts looking for the identity of offenders in these acts? I may not have known the name of those people, but I know the [person] who it was. I have had friends, I have family members, and I have people I have crossed paths with, who I could see in those pictures defacing the symbol of United States Democracy. I promised myself in the past that I would never move away from someone (friend or family) who I politically disagree with. Many have made that choice for me, but I have done my best to stay within that promise. After yesterday, that choice has changed. This group cannot be reasoned with, and only hopes to do harm. This political motivation for harm is the definition of terrorism, and I will no longer call it anything other than that. It is terrorism.
Naivety allowed me to believe discussion could change the hearts and minds of these people. The very people, who the majority of, believe will have to take the law into their own hands in their lifetime. Yesterday showed they not only believe this, but they cheer for it and invite it. They no longer want their leaders to speak for them, they only want for their leaders to be the same as them. They want hate, fear, anger to be the only topics from their side.
With this shift also comes the possibility that this is the beginning and not the end. It may be the end of a chapter in the Republican Party book, but it is most likely the beginning of the Trumplican Party book. They will learn from the last four years. They will learn from yesterday. And, they will continue to attack until they can place their demagogue at the top of the throne (even if it isn’t trump).
As much as I wanted to post yesterday while this was happening, I was relieved to have a day so busy that I couldn’t stop. All that I would have typed yesterday would have been a raging, cuss-laden rant. Today allowed me to focus what I wanted to say, but didn’t ease my mind.
Changed So Much! 