AP: US terrorism alert warns of politically motivated violence.
- Thread starter hanimmal
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Fogdog
Well-Known Member
Your thread may contain the most important political theme for this year.
Trump isn't liberal or conservative, he's by-the-book authoritarian. He's nothing without his followers.
Authoritarian followers are pretty much defined by their willingness to accept as truth what their leader tells them. We've seen it over and over again during the Trump presidency. He says the virus will just go away. Then he says it's a real problem (after the stock market crashed) and shortly thereafter he says it will just go away. When asked about his statement that it was a real problem, he denies saying it. One of his press secretaries told us he used alternate facts. Another told us that what we hear and see isn't true. Their use of gaslighting to hide or deflect attention from a particularly aggregious act or event caused or done by Trump is legion. Trump lied 35,000 times during his presidency, many of those lies contradicting other lies.
Throughout it all, throughout his obstruction of justice during the Mueller investigation. Firing Comey. Firing just about anybody who acted as if they weren't 100% loyal to him (too long a list to enter here). His failure to build that wall, his failure to repeal and replace the ACA, his failure to grow manufacturing in the US, his failure to accomplish reduction in the trade balance with China, Mexico, and other trade partners, his punitive and cruel family separation policy and pictures of kids crying for their parents from the cruel cages in which they are locked. His failure in his response to the epidemic. Throughout it all, his approval ratings were constant, at about 42%. A fraction of those people came to Washington DC on Jan 6 at his bidding. He and others fed them red meat speeches and exhorted them to march down the street to the Capitol Building where Congress was about to certify the election in favor of Joe Biden AND FIGHT. He nearly overturned our election and had his political enemies murdered. This might sound like an over reaction but the news about ongoing investigations show just how close we came to this outcome.
In November, 72 million people voted for him. Opinion polls are interesting but election polls matter. That election poll tells us that slightly less than half of this country are authoritarian followers. Trump hasn't gone away. He is setting up an office in Florida where he will run the Republican Party as if it were his own. Maybe he's right about that too.
Authoritarian followers got a lot of attention from psychologists immediately after WWII. There have been ebbs and flows in the amount of research attention given to them. It's not an easy subject to study because for the most part, authoritarian followers mostly support the status quo, go to church, keep their heads down and aren't much different (on the outside) from those who aren't authoritarian. In the 1980's, Bob Altemeyer began a decades long study about this segment of the population, several books to his name. In late summer of this year, he and John Dean released a book, "Authoritarian Nightmare" that covered Trump's early life, his life as a real estate developer and Trump's presidency. Altemeyer, now retired, reviewed his findings about authoritarian followers from his studies and breaks down common characteristics that differentiate authoriarian followers from those who aren't like them. They are:
It’s been noted that if 25% of the American population is always ready to vote for a dictator, that’s half-way to a majority. If the “right” kind of crisis comes along, it could create enough newly panicked citizens to vote a tyrant into office who would overthrow the Constitution, the rule of law, you name it.
Authoritarian Followers
We know a lot about authoritarian followers, but unfortunately most of what we know indicates it will be almost impossible to change their minds, especially in a few months. Here are some things established by experiments. See if you recognize any of these behaviors in Trump supporters. Compared with most people:
They are highly ethnocentric, highly inclined to see the world as their in-group versus everyone else. Because they are so committed to their in-group, they are very zealous in its cause. They will trust their leaders no matter what they say, and distrust whomever the leader says to distrust.
They are highly fearful of a dangerous world. Their parents taught them, more than parents usually do, that the world is dangerous. They may also be genetically predisposed to experience stronger fear than people skilled at “keeping their heads while others are losing theirs.”
They are highly self-righteous. They believe they are the “good people” and this unlocks a lot of hostile impulses against those they consider bad.
They are aggressive. Given the chance to attack someone with the approval of an authority, they will lower the boom.
They are highly prejudiced against racial and ethnic minorities, non-heterosexuals, and women in general.
They will support their authorities, and even help them, persecute almost any identifiable group in the country.
Their beliefs are a mass of contradictions. They have highly compartmentalized minds, in which opposite beliefs live independent lives in separate boxes. As a result, their thinking is full of double-standards.
They reason poorly. If they like the conclusion of an argument, they don’t pay much attention to whether the evidence is valid or the argument is consistent. They especially have trouble realizing a conclusion is invalid.
They are highly dogmatic. Because they have mainly gotten their beliefs from the authorities in their lives, rather than think things out for themselves, they have no real defense when facts or events indicate they are wrong. So they just dig in their heels and refuse to change.
They are very dependent on social reinforcement of their beliefs. They think they are right because almost everyone they know and listen to tells them they are. That happens because they screen out sources that will suggest that they are wrong.
Because they severely limit their exposure to different people and ideas, they vastly overestimate the extent to which other people agree with them. And thinking they are “the moral majority” supports their attacks on the “evil minorities” they see in the country.
They believe strongly in group cohesiveness, and being loyal. They are highly energized when surrounded by a crowd of fellow-believers because it makes them feel powerful and supports their belief that “all the good people” agree with them.
They are easily duped by manipulators who pretend to espouse their causes when all the con-artists really want is personal gain.
They are largely blind to themselves. They have little self-understanding and insight into why they think and do what they do. They are heavily into denial.
The words used to describe authoritarian followers: Ethnocentric, self righteous, aggressive, prejudiced (against minorities), do not question contradictory beliefs, reason poorly, dogmatic, loyal, blind to themselves.
AOC has good reason to call out Republican leadership for leading their party into Trump's and his authoritarian follower's worst inclinations. The story is not yet written. Whatever happens, they are going to hurt the US this year. All in the name of Trump. Trump's authoritarian followers are prone to violence when their beliefs are challenged and they are loyal to Trump and Trump alone. They are telling us exactly what they intend to do. It is not a secret.
Based on all of this, and their violent rhetoric, it will not be at all surprising if Trump's supporters, Republicans all, turn to assassination of Democratic Party leaders this year.
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DIY-HP-LED
Well-Known Member
Fogdog
Well-Known Member
A conversation on a different thread about religion plays into the same theme as this one. Evangelical Christians are every bit as mean spirited, double standard and opposed to "others" (jews, Blacks, Mexican, people on welfare, LGBTQ, feminists) as any other Trumper. In fact there are more of that kind of authoritarian follower than those who are not religious. It's a common theme among dictators and wannabes to act and talk in ways that draw that crowd.
theconversation.com
We see a similar dynamic in India, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s grip on power relies in large part on his embrace of a version of Hindu nationalism that elevates Hindus as “truly Indian” insiders and singles out Muslims as outsiders.
Like Putin, Modi wraps himself in religious imagery. He makes high-profile visits to remote Hindu temples while electioneering and never wears green because of its association with Islam.
Then-prime minister candidate Narendra Modi visits a shrine on horseback while electioneering in 2014. Strdel/AFP via Getty Images
Modi’s Hindu nationalism cements his popularity among devout Hindus and builds public support for anti-Muslim policies, such as stripping the only majority-Muslim state in India of its autonomy and enacting a controversial new law preventing Muslim migrants from attaining Indian citizenship.
Trump as savior
Trump has stumbled in attempts to portray himself as personally devout, declining to name a favorite passage from the Bible and stating that he has never sought forgiveness from God for his sins.
Nevertheless, public opinion polls have consistently shown that white Christians comprise the core of Trump’s base, although there are recent signs of a dip even among this key group.
And while it is important to note that many white Christians do not support Trump, 29% of evangelicals go so far as to say they believe he is anointed by God.
Where Trump succeeds is in presenting himself as a Christian nationalist, much as Putin and Modi style themselves as the stout defenders of their countries’ dominant religions.
One way Trump achieves this end is by making statements such as this one on the campaign trail earlier this year: “We’re going to win another monumental victory for faith and family, God and country, flag and freedom.”
Trump’s use of religion follows playbook of authoritarian-leaning leaders the world over
In appearing with Bible in hand at the time of crisis, Trump is signaling his position as defender of traditional values, while ‘othering’ detractors. Russia’s Putin and India’s Modi have done similar things.
theconversation.com
We see a similar dynamic in India, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s grip on power relies in large part on his embrace of a version of Hindu nationalism that elevates Hindus as “truly Indian” insiders and singles out Muslims as outsiders.
Like Putin, Modi wraps himself in religious imagery. He makes high-profile visits to remote Hindu temples while electioneering and never wears green because of its association with Islam.
Then-prime minister candidate Narendra Modi visits a shrine on horseback while electioneering in 2014. Strdel/AFP via Getty Images
Modi’s Hindu nationalism cements his popularity among devout Hindus and builds public support for anti-Muslim policies, such as stripping the only majority-Muslim state in India of its autonomy and enacting a controversial new law preventing Muslim migrants from attaining Indian citizenship.
Trump as savior
Trump has stumbled in attempts to portray himself as personally devout, declining to name a favorite passage from the Bible and stating that he has never sought forgiveness from God for his sins.
Nevertheless, public opinion polls have consistently shown that white Christians comprise the core of Trump’s base, although there are recent signs of a dip even among this key group.
And while it is important to note that many white Christians do not support Trump, 29% of evangelicals go so far as to say they believe he is anointed by God.
Where Trump succeeds is in presenting himself as a Christian nationalist, much as Putin and Modi style themselves as the stout defenders of their countries’ dominant religions.
One way Trump achieves this end is by making statements such as this one on the campaign trail earlier this year: “We’re going to win another monumental victory for faith and family, God and country, flag and freedom.”
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hanimmal
Well-Known Member
https://apnews.com/article/georgia-coronavirus-pandemic-shootings-spas-atlanta-f3841a8e0215d3ab3d1f23d489b7af81
ATLANTA (AP) — Shootings at two massage parlors in Atlanta and one in the suburbs Tuesday evening left eight people dead, many of them women of Asian descent, authorities said. A 21-year-old man suspected in the shootings was taken into custody in southwest Georgia hours later after a manhunt, police said.
The attacks began around 5 p.m., when five people were shot at Youngs Asian Massage Parlor in a strip mall near a rural area in Acworth, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Atlanta, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. Jay Baker said. Two people died at the scene and three were transported to a hospital where two of them also died, Baker said.
No one was arrested at the scene.
Around 5:50 p.m., police in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta, responding to a call of a robbery in progress, found three women dead from apparent gunshot wounds at Gold Spa. While they were at that scene, they learned of a call reporting shots fired at another spa across the street, Aromatherapy Spa, and found a woman who appeared to have been shot dead inside the business.
“It appears that they may be Asian,” Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant said.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in statement Wednesday that its diplomats in Atlanta have confirmed from police that four of the victims who died were women of Korean descent. The ministry said the office of its Consulate General in Atlanta is trying to confirm the nationality of the women.
The killings came amid a recent wave of attacks against Asian Americans that coincided with the spread of the coronavirus across the United States.
“Our entire family is praying for the victims of these horrific acts of violence,” Gov. Brian Kemp said Tuesday evening on Twitter.
A man suspected in the Acworth shooting was captured by surveillance video pulling up to the business around 4:50 p.m. Tuesday, minutes before the attack, authorities said. Baker said the suspect, Robert Aaron Long, of Woodstock, was taken into custody in Crisp County, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) south of Atlanta.
Baker said they believe Long is also the suspect in the Atlanta shootings.
Police said video footage showed the suspect’s vehicle in the area of the Atlanta spas about the time of those attacks as well. That, as well as other video evidence, “suggests it is extremely likely our suspect is the same as Cherokee County’s, who is in custody,” Atlanta police said in a statement. Atlanta and Cherokee County authorities were working to confirm the cases are related.
FBI spokesman Kevin Rowson said the agency was assisting Atlanta and Cherokee County authorities in the investigation.
Crisp County Sheriff Billy Hancock said in a video posted on Facebook that his deputies and state troopers were notified around 8 p.m. that a murder suspect out of north Georgia was headed toward their county. Deputies and troopers set up along the interstate and “made contact with the suspect,” who was driving a 2007 black Hyundai Tucson, around 8:30 p.m., he said.
A state trooper performed a PIT, or pursuit intervention technique, maneuver, “which caused the vehicle to spin out of control,” Hancock said. Long was then taken into custody “without incident” and was being held in the Crisp County jail for Cherokee County authorities who were expected to arrive soon to continue their investigation.
Due to the shootings, Atlanta police said they dispatched officers to check nearby similar businesses and increased patrols in the area.
dandyrandy
Well-Known Member
When you listen to gawd nobody else matters......
dandyrandy
Well-Known Member
Pandemic brings more calls for exorcism ministry by Archdiocese of Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A Catholic priest who gets thousands of calls for exorcisms a year around central Indiana says the isolation that the coronavirus pandemic has brought has only made it worse. But, it’s the extra time the pandemic has provided that has given him the time to write a book...
www.wishtv.com
Rob Roy
Well-Known Member
Much of the post this excerpt came from made sense in that it was accurate, good on you for posting it. So accurate that you may have failed to see the irony.
Speaking of irony. Not all violence has political roots. All politics has violent roots though.
hanimmal
Well-Known Member
garybo
Well-Known Member
Interesting thought, though I wonder if it isn't our fault, the voters. Do we vote them into office for the good our the country, or for our own personal gain or the gain of a party?
DIY-HP-LED
Well-Known Member
OLBERMANN VS...THE 4TH OF JULY TRUMPIAN WHITE SUPREMACISTS PARADE IN PHILADELPHIA.
The Purge has begun.
www.cnn.com
is everyone's Purge Insurance up-to-date?
Golf pro Gene Siller killed and 2 others found dead at Georgia golf course | CNN
Police are looking for the person who shot and killed golf professional Gene Siller at a country club north of Atlanta on Saturday.
is everyone's Purge Insurance up-to-date?
i'm not surprised. certain mental illness mimics demonic possession. there's a fine line to it.Pandemic brings more calls for exorcism ministry by Archdiocese of Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A Catholic priest who gets thousands of calls for exorcisms a year around central Indiana says the isolation that the coronavirus pandemic has brought has only made it worse. But, it’s the extra time the pandemic has provided that has given him the time to write a book...
i didn't know that about Islam and green.A conversation on a different thread about religion plays into the same theme as this one. Evangelical Christians are every bit as mean spirited, double standard and opposed to "others" (jews, Blacks, Mexican, people on welfare, LGBTQ, feminists) as any other Trumper. In fact there are more of that kind of authoritarian follower than those who are not religious. It's a common theme among dictators and wannabes to act and talk in ways that draw that crowd.
Trump’s use of religion follows playbook of authoritarian-leaning leaders the world over
In appearing with Bible in hand at the time of crisis, Trump is signaling his position as defender of traditional values, while ‘othering’ detractors. Russia’s Putin and India’s Modi have done similar things.
We see a similar dynamic in India, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s grip on power relies in large part on his embrace of a version of Hindu nationalism that elevates Hindus as “truly Indian” insiders and singles out Muslims as outsiders.
Like Putin, Modi wraps himself in religious imagery. He makes high-profile visits to remote Hindu temples while electioneering and never wears green because of its association with Islam.
Then-prime minister candidate Narendra Modi visits a shrine on horseback while electioneering in 2014. Strdel/AFP via Getty Images
Modi’s Hindu nationalism cements his popularity among devout Hindus and builds public support for anti-Muslim policies, such as stripping the only majority-Muslim state in India of its autonomy and enacting a controversial new law preventing Muslim migrants from attaining Indian citizenship.
Trump as savior
Trump has stumbled in attempts to portray himself as personally devout, declining to name a favorite passage from the Bible and stating that he has never sought forgiveness from God for his sins.
Nevertheless, public opinion polls have consistently shown that white Christians comprise the core of Trump’s base, although there are recent signs of a dip even among this key group.
And while it is important to note that many white Christians do not support Trump, 29% of evangelicals go so far as to say they believe he is anointed by God.
Where Trump succeeds is in presenting himself as a Christian nationalist, much as Putin and Modi style themselves as the stout defenders of their countries’ dominant religions.
One way Trump achieves this end is by making statements such as this one on the campaign trail earlier this year: “We’re going to win another monumental victory for faith and family, God and country, flag and freedom.”
how prophetic.
Fogdog
Well-Known Member
I don't think they can legitimately take over Whidbey Island. Then again, legitimate government is not their goal.
They are not against assassinating leaders of the opposition or media after they gain control of the government in the area.