This was supposed to be a post about miniatures. Really. But, well…that was some fucked-up shit yesterday, wasn’t it?
Several years ago, I watched a movie starring Gerard Butler called “Olympus Has Fallen.” The plot is simple: North Korean terrorists take control of the White House, hold the President and his Cabinet hostage, and threaten the world with America’s nuclear weapons. Gerard Butler is a secret service agent who single-handedly saves the President and restores order to the world. The first ten minutes of the movie show how the terrorists get control of the White House: they basically crash a plane into it, and drive vans up onto the lawn and storm the front door. All the secret service agents who are not Gerard Butler try to stop them; but they’re only armed with 9mm pistols, so it doesn’t go their way, and the North Koreans soon have complete control of the United States government and its nuclear arsenal.
I remember laughing so hard I started tearing up at the sheer absurdity of this premise; but believe it or not, it wasn’t the stupidest part of the movie. That would come later, when President Aaron Eckhardt freely surrenders the nuclear launch codes because he doesn’t want to see the VP or Secretary of State get shot. (I forget which one, but she was female, of course, and therefore needed to be saved.)
Then yesterday happened, and I wasn’t laughing, because I realized that things get a lot easier for terrorists (in this case: white supremacist fascists, not North Koreans) when “security” opens the fucking door for them and waves them in. then lets them just fucking leave after they’ve trashed the place.
As an American, I am humiliated and more than a little concerned. I’d say this isn’t who we are, but it sure seems like it IS who we are now, at least a disturbing percentage of us.
Yesterday was the first time in our country’s history that the Confederate flag flew in the Capitol building. (The Confederate flag is recognized by everyone who isn’t an unrepentant or ignorant racist as a symbol of unrepentant and ignorant racism.) The people responsible for yesterday’s attack on their own country are either easily-led, racist homophobic morons who are too fucking stupid to understand they’re attempting to destroy Democracy and install an idiot king in its place, which is frightening; or they’re not stupid at all, this is exactly what they want, which is much more frightening. What is crystal clear is that they were incited by an unhinged egomaniac who has been enabled by his own party for the last four years; a party all too willing to either ignore or tacitly endorse his racist, misogynistic, nationalistic, deplorable and often blatantly criminal conduct in order to remain in power at all costs, and who now is desperately trying to backpedal and deflect blame.
But make no mistake: we are here because of you fucking assholes. What happened yesterday is humiliating, but sadly, it’s not surprising. This has been coming for a long time. And isn’t it always convenient that it’s “time to move on; no need to assign blame” when you’re clearly the fucking one to blame? Fuck you.
Anyone, Democrat or Republican (but let’s be honest, it won’t be a Democrat) who does not think this is a reason to invoke the 25th Amendment should be publicly condemned. The president should be removed from office immediately. Although there have been many (literally thousands) of instances over the last four years (and over the course of his life prior to that) that demonstrate his unfitness for office, none is more glaring than this. This was an insurrection attempt by a sitting president. There need to be consequences.
Every security officer and official who stood by, who took selfies, who opened barricades, who willfully understaffed Capitol security knowing this could happen; every asshole who is on video breaking a window and was too stupid to wear a mask to hide his/her face; every shithead who broke into the offices of elected officials and subverted the Democratic process; every prick who vandalized public property and who is now bragging about it on social media…should be charged with domestic terrorism. Their actions disrupted the Democratic process and were undertaken with that specific goal. They are not patriots, and not (merely) vandals. They are terrorists and should be charged as such.
They won’t be, of course. And he’ll stay in office for another two weeks.
Because that’s who we are now. Or a disturbing percentage of us, anyway.
I am continually dismayed by my own countries ineptitude but was shocked when I saw what was going on over there, it seems we live in a time where if you have money, you can do what you like and get away with it, and if your in a position of power just call it “doing what’s best for the people !”
It’s about time we the people had a real voice, and held these individuals accountable !
This has been a party political broadcast by the monster raving looney party ! LOL
I just never imagined it would get this bad, or that people who I know to be intelligent and good can continually buy the bullshit and make excuses for this kind of thing. In some cases they are people I love who seem perfectly content to turn a blind eye to everything that’s been happening in the last four years. Just let out country swirl down the shitter.
Sadly I’ve written this before and I guess I will carry on, as things just seem to be getting worse.
“The older I get the more I realise that people are stupid!”.
I can also add “Racist, Homophobic, and just plain self centred” Politicians are worse as you can add Deceitful Ego maniacs with their heads firmly up their arses, to that list! I think the problem with Trump is the same as Boris over here, that they both got elected when the alternative wasn’t really much better, but they both said what people wanted to hear, because people are generally….(add my rational above).
Cheers Roger.
Seriously: how can rational people buy into this bullshit? People I know are intelligent. People I know are good people. In some cases, people I personally love. What the fuck happened to common sense and decency?
How can some people in my life continue to support this fucking national disaster of leadership and moral repugnance, when all my life they’ve taught me to be the exact opposite of everything he stands for?
I’m just tired of looking around and thinking I must be in a dream, Roger. I never seriously considered leaving my country to live anywhere else, and I lived here throughout the Bush/Cheney administration. I never thought in a million years I would long for those days.
Sadly, Ireland is pretty much the only country I’d pack up and move to, and they’ve made it clear they won’t have me. They say it’s because I offer no skills that cannot be performed by an existing Irish citizen, but I think it’s because of the bagpipes. My reputation precedes me, and they play ’em with their armpits over there…
Excellent post, mate. I was horrified — but not surprised — by the events at the Capitol. This is what that tangerine twat has been trying to ferment for the past four years, and he finally got it. Unfortunately for him and the morons who cling to his shit-stained coattails, it’s gonna end in jail terms, which can’t come soon enough. Every single one of these motherfuckers along with Trump and the GOP members who still support him are at best seditionists and at worst outright traitors.
I’ve lived in the US since 2004, I’m still on my green card (going for citizenship this year) and I hold the rule of law, the democratic process and the Constitution in higher regard than these so-called patriots.
Sorry that things have changed so much for the worse since 2004, Matt.
Let’s hope it does end in jail terms. Serious ones, not for bullshit like “illegal entry.” You disrupted Democracy, assholes. Now pay the price.
It’s looking more and more like this was planned on multiple levels. Finding those responsible should be priority one, because they’re not going away. Some of these fuckheads had zip ties and pipe bombs. This wasn’t a peaceful demonstration, and anyone who says so is part of the fucking problem.
While we’re at it, lets find that asshole who rammed into Biden’s campaign caravan. He probably thinks he got off scot-free. It’s not like Trump was going to investigate, that’s for sure. He probably thinks the guy was “special.”