this post was submitted on 23 Oct 2023
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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (3 children)

“So, we have to be careful. You got to get out there and watch those voters,” Trump said, adding, “You don’t have to vote, don’t worry about voting. The voting, we got plenty of votes.”

He's saying that he's going to win by force. And he probably will. It's over.

[–] [email protected] 48 points 1 year ago

It isn’t over until it’s over. If I have to face armed gunmen to vote I will. People in other countries are brave enough to do it, I can be too.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They've been doubling down on voter suppression and various other legislative bullshit.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

People are going to die at the polls.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah, I'm a bit concerned about that myself. I live in a red state, but a blue city that is 43% black. They have arcane voting laws that force you to stand in line for hours. I can definitely imagine a scenario where long voting lines in the city are attacked by white nationalist gunmen, and all the law-abiding unarmed voters are defenseless. This won't stop me from voting or having my long gun in the truck, but it is something I've been concerned about.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Keep your eyes peeled for cars targeting the line. That's a popular method.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Very true. There are many vectors an attack could come from.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

What is over exactly?

Why do you say "he probably will" as if it was a done deal?

Are you a trump shill?

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

@spaceghoti hit the high points. The presumptive nominee for President of the United States for one of two major parties is openly fascist, with exactly zero consequences. He has a lot of people on his side, many of whom are already in positions of power in government, in all three branches, and in the press.

There have been plenty of opportunities for consequences to be laid upon these people who are still working to overthrow the foundations of democracy. None have been laid. None. I have zero faith in the ability of a democratic government to be able to put down this fascism.

Are you a trump shill?

You are free to browse my comment history to make your own judgment on that. Or go fuck yourself, your choice.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

"Go fuck yourself"

Ok, I deserve that for insulting you.

But moving on, I disagree with you. If he couldn't overturn the elections while being president, he won't be able to do shit now.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

You forgot the "or ... your choice" part.

We will disagree until at least powerful fascists see real consequences. This very post is about Trump telling his followers to go strongarm polling places, voters, and election workers. And they will. They've already made life hell for some election workers. They've already been threatening House members over the Speaker votes.

It's getting worse, not better. It will continue to get worse. A lot worse. More people will die, and as yet, the people who are fomenting terrorism with their speech are not being held accountable at all.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There is no reason why good cannot triumph as often as evil. The triumph of anything is a matter of organization. If there are such things as angels, I hope that they are organized along the lines of the Mafia.

  • Kurt Vonnegut, The Sirens of Titan

Let's not throw in the towel, as dire as things look. It's not over yet. Organize.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Good plays by rules, evil doesn't. Good only wins by having overwhelming numbers. Just a majority won't do it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's sort of the strength of rules which is the advantage of good, though. The advantage of evil, short term gains, is great. In the short term. The thing about fascists is that they really actually can't make the trains run on time, or sustain any level of state for any extended period of time, because they're incapable of actual coalition building without self-sabotage. It's why they keep having to move to beating on the most extremely marginalized in society. After trans people, I have no idea what the hell they'll scapegoat, because they're already scraping at the bottom of the barrel there. It was incredibly unpopular to overturn abortion, it will be the same with pretty much any other healthcare, or really anything that's actually core to what they want to do once they get power. None of this is to say that they shouldn't be feared, but we didn't stay in the great depression, and we didn't stay in the company towns, you know? People faced with nothing left to lose have every reason to fight establishment power, and fascists and fascism does nothing if not create people with nothing left to lose.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

I think you're not getting what I'm saying.

When Side A plays by rules, and Side B doesn't, then an overwhelming majority in Side A is required to hold Side B accountable. Side B doesn't need a majority - they can be a "moderately strong minority" - as long as they're willing to break the rules, refuse to comply, and act with enough threat of or actual violence, Side B wins.

There has already been actual violence, but the threat of more and greater violence is larger. Side A has to hold Side B accountable, for real, no matter what threats are made.

There's been no accountability, Side B is continuing to break the rules, with impunity.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I disagree with you. It's not getting worse. The peak was Jan 6.

And a lot of supporters have realized that Trump abandoned the Jan 6 constitutional traitors.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You're a fucking fool if you think the peak was Jan 6. Are you familiar with the Beer Hall Putsch?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

No. Enlighten me without resorting to name calling, then.

Edit: it's a nazi era event. You win Godwin's Award of the day.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Lol "Godwin" that means I can ignore everything you say!

If you say so. Or you could, you know, learn something.

These people are literally open fascists. Comparing their actions to that of the Nazis is completely fucking appropriate.

The Nazis didn't take power their first try. Their first insurrection (the Beer Hall Putsch) failed, and Hitler and his fascist buddies got slaps on the wrist.

Then they did it again and that time they didn't fail. With something like only ~30% popular support.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Thanks for the info. Now was that fucking difficult?

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

If you're gonna go through life relying on random people to explain things to you, especially when the Internet exists, you should be more polite about it

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

No, I do fucking not.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They're saying democracy in the US is over. The slow walk of prosecutions against the Jan. 6th insurgents, particularly its organizers, has given the fascists the confidence to do it again at a national level. We'll either have to fight back with equal violence, flee, or submit to their dictatorship.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

The slow walk of prosecutions against the Jan. 6th insurgents

A sane legal system takes time. While I agree the organizers have mostly gotten off scott-free, it's because they know how to keep themselves in the grey area even knowing full-well how the uneducated, violent people will react to their messages. The rubes have gotten hard time and I feel potential rubes have taken some notice. They'll still play the victim all day, but they seem less hesitant to join calls to action.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It didn't help that America's top cop (AG Merrick Garland) deliberately held back on the investigations. It's not just my opinion. Multiple observers came to the same conclusion.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Merrick+garland+slow+walk+January+6+investigations

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

And if the fuckers hadn't obstructed in the first place, Garland would be a Supreme Court Justice, and someone else would be AG.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I can't believe how many people are trying to paper over that by strawmanning "you wanted Garland to indict immediately?"

No, i wanted him not to BLOCK ALL INVESTIGATIONS FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. But insiders gonna inside, Garland wants those country club memberships and speaking engagements.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

... INCESTIGATIONS ...

Stepbrother, no ...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Ah, the nicest way to point out I'm an idiot. 😄

Fixed.

Thanks.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I saw "a typo" more than once, but typos get a pass. I think on the third time reading it: "OHHHhhhh."

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

they seem less hesitant to join calls to action.

I'm hoping you mean "more hesitant".