Hundreds of armed Trump supporters, ostensibly holding a rally for a fringe Republican senatorial candidate, Joey Gibson, marched through the streets of Portland Oregon today, attacking people of color, reports say some victims appeared to be antifa, and some appeared to simply be regular Americans just passing by, but of the wrong color.
Gibson calls his group “Patriot Prayer,” but the actions taken and views appear to be anything but patriotic or prayerful. They urged Trump to jail Hillary Clinton and other political opponents, apparently because that’s real America, jailing political opponents is what made America great, I guess. But the real threat these people pose is their “promise” of violent retribution against anyone threatening their right to free speech or armed self-defense.
I suspect it was under this guise of “protecting themselves and their right to free speech,” that they swarmed through the streets singling out – exclusively – people of color to fight. Portland police made four arrests.
The Southern Poverty Law Center has known of this group and its potential for some time and issued warnings that today’s gathering could become another Charlottesville, but fortunately, no one was killed, perhaps due to good police work as much as anything. According to The Daily Beast, Joey Gibson had previously told supporters over Facebook:
“Only when they antagonize do we react. Stand your ground,” Gibson told supporters in a promotional Facebook video. “This is a brotherhood, a sisterhood. To bleed together, that’s what’s important. To bleed together.”
His supporters flocked from around the West Coast and the country, a contingent of Proud Boys, “Three Percenter” militia members, Trump-supporting bikers, fundamentalist Christians, and college Republicans. Gibson had insinuated that his supporters would bring guns into the city and many apparently did, although to comply with local ordinances, the weapons stayed stowed in backpacks.
The Daily Beast did some of the best journalism of the day in printing portions of their interview with a supporter named Graeme Whitmeyer. Whitmeyer gave a chilling assessment of our nation and where we stand as polarized Americans- some of it undoubtedly fanned by the flames of bots and Russia, since these divisions were specifically the type that Russia targets to antagonize and inflame – and it is really ugly:
“This is like a civil war of ideas,” he said. “This is the cold civil war, right here. This is the epitome of it, in America, right here. I had to jump in and be a part of it—be on the right side of history.”
If he wanted a real war of ideas, I would call him a brother and love to debate the better path for the country, but as he got more specific, he really isn’t wanting to debate or determine ideas, he has a truth he wants imposed, whether I like it or not: The Daily Beast asked what could reconcile people like himself and people on the left he said:
“Only the exposing of the crimes of the evil leftists that are brainwashing those crowds over there. The media has twisted them to think that we’re Nazis. So once the people that are controlling the media are taken down in the courts of law, and arrested or whatever has to be done to them, you know—all of these globalists—you won’t see them [show up].
“It’s not a reconciliation between sides. They need to wake up,” he went on. “What they are, are zombies that were created. Minions that were created. They’re not thinking for themselves.”
So, there’s no “reconciliation” to be done. The only thing to be done is for “us” non-three percenters, or whatever, is to fall in line with them, since we don’t see reality.
I don’t know how many times I’ve written over the last couple months how the goal of propaganda is to overwhelm a society with so much information that the idea of a “real truth” seems naive – that is the end goal with respect to the more nuanced or analytical type. Mr. Whitmeyer swims in shallower depths. He simply believes what he’s told by Trump or Gibson, even when the story changes, and that is the end of it. But, it does demonstrate just how perniciously the Kremlin has manipulated the U.S. Right Wing media machine, because this man is correct, there is no reconciling his view with any of “us,” it will depend upon one of us “waking up.”
If you listen to what Whitmeyer demands, he is a patriot, demanding that the U.S. Constitution be set aside so that the 35-40% who even remotely agree with him, can take over with dictatorial power. He wants Trump’s political opponents, presumably Hillary Clinton and Obama, first, thrown in jail. I am positive that Trump and Sessions have no trouble at all with prosecuting either Clinton or Obama, the trouble is that under the U.S. Constitution, Trump and Sessions must prove that Clinton or Obama have committed a crime. The fringe Right has plenty of theories as to “crimes” committed by Hillary and Obama, and I wonder if they ever wonder why Trump has not arrested either of them? Does it make them question their sources? Second, Whitmeyer calls for control of the media, this “patriot” wants the First Amendment thrown out (except HIS right to free speech) and to have an official media, approved by Trump, presumably, instituted, so that “we” only hear his “truth.”
I have written that the means to transition from a democratic republic to a fascist dictatorial system is a well-studied science, and we see the Kremlin’s effectiveness pouring out in Whitmeyer’s answer. THIS is the difference between real conservatives and a cult following. Real conservatives are not afraid of media that reports news that is not in their sides’ favor. Real conservatives want all ideas out there. Real conservatives abhor the idea of jailing someone for being a political opponent (and, of course, to be somewhat fair, Trump has not in any way acted as if he is going to jail to either Hillary or Obama, but he loves to rile the crowds up with the taunt.). Real conservatives fear losing the democratic character of a representative democracy. A real conservative would rather have a Democrat as president, if the alternative is a conservative autocrat who suspends or ignores parts of the constitution.
But, we’re not dealing with real conservatism, at least not with respect to this man’s views (as representative of the group in Portland, I am not putting his views upon all people who voted for Trump). We are dealing with a cult crying out for fascism. No one is threatening his right to defend himself, no one is threatening his right to free speech (he got published in a major media site!). I will stand beside him and fight for his right to those claims. It is his demands upon me and us that are the problem. He wants politicians I supported, jailed. He wants media I read shut down, all to force me to wake up.
I ask only that he not hurt anyone or break any laws, he can believe what he wants, and I don’t want his politicians jailed – unless someone proves in front of a court that they broke a law.
One thing he and I can agree upon. He described the situation perfectly in calling it the Cold Civil War. That is what is happening, and I fear it really hasn’t heated up yet, relative to what might come. I have never once viewed a conservative as an “enemy” – ever. But, if a cult proposes to shut down the First and 14th Amendment, in order to jail political opponents, then the “patriot” in me would have no choice but to defend the country.
God this is all just so awful.
You want civil war, you’ll get it buddy. CA WA OR are going to get a wall. and if you don’t like it prove it. with a gun.