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Just like this comment is a failed attempt at writing a novel. Ascribing intent to the actions of a third-party is silly, especially when it comes to controvers

Just like this comment is a failed attempt at writing a novel. Ascribing intent to the actions of a third-party is silly, especially when it comes to controversial topics or when referring to the actions of a small fraction (it's estimated that 500K people were there to peacefully hold up signs).

ashtonkem 6y ago
There is no real need to ascribe intent to that group, because they are very excited to tell you what they intende (much to the glee of prosecutors I’m sure). Half the time getting them to shut up about it is the real challenge. If you’re not aware that they were there to intimidate and/or force congress to reinstall trump for another (illegal) term, that’s on you. Yes, a lot of them wanted to go protest. But it’s a clear straw man to say “not everyone there was in on the coup attempt”. Sure, a bunch of idiots wanted to stand around and hold up dumb signs because they got conned into the Q nonsense, but a lot of them also wanted to push their way in and lynch Mike Pence in order to get what they wanted. They even built gallows, which is not something you do if you’re just there to protest. Again, this was all planned out in the open. The told each other to bring zip ties and maps of the capital building. They talked about blowing the building up with a Ryder van like the Turner Diaries (someone did plant pipe bombs), and discussed how they were going to kill congress members to get their way. They even printed “MAGA Civil War” shirts. And even though they behaved like an unruly mob, they did manage to overrun the capital and came within feet of grabbing members of congress; the lady who was shot had breached the final barrier to where members of congress were holed up. What was clearly missing here was not intent or will, but coordination. And that sure is scary. (As an aside, plenty of historical coups have been accomplished by coordinating a mob just enough to take over the legislature by force. Ask the French). And that’s before we get into the really awkward questions, like “why did the pentagon repeatedly deny Larry Hogan authorization to send in the guard after the building had been overrun?” Why was the initial protest organized by republican AGs? Why wasn’t the capital police prepared for a protest that had been announced by the president himself? Perhaps some of that was more opportunistic, trump doesn’t really seem like the planning type to me, but it sure is awkward if your basic premise is that this was just a protest gone awry.

ashtonkem 6y ago

There is no real need to ascribe intent to that group, because they are very excited to tell you what they intende (much to the glee of prosecutors I’m sure). Half the time getting them to shut up about it is the real challenge. If you’re not aware that they were there to intimidate and/or force congress to reinstall trump for another (illegal) term, that’s on you. Yes, a lot of them wanted to go protest. But it’s a clear straw man to say “not everyone there was in on the coup attempt”. Sure, a bunch of idiots wanted to stand around and hold up dumb signs because they got conned into the Q nonsense, but a lot of them also wanted to push their way in and lynch Mike Pence in order to get what they wanted. They even built gallows, which is not something you do if you’re just there to protest. Again, this was all planned out in the open. The told each other to bring zip ties and maps of the capital building. They talked about blowing the building up with a Ryder van like the Turner Diaries (someone did plant pipe bombs), and discussed how they were going to kill congress members to get their way. They even printed “MAGA Civil War” shirts. And even though they behaved like an unruly mob, they did manage to overrun the capital and came within feet of grabbing members of congress; the lady who was shot had breached the final barrier to where members of congress were holed up. What was clearly missing here was not intent or will, but coordination. And that sure is scary. (As an aside, plenty of historical coups have been accomplished by coordinating a mob just enough to take over the legislature by force. Ask the French). And that’s before we get into the really awkward questions, like “why did the pentagon repeatedly deny Larry Hogan authorization to send in the guard after the building had been overrun?” Why was the initial protest organized by republican AGs? Why wasn’t the capital police prepared for a protest that had been announced by the president himself? Perhaps some of that was more opportunistic, trump doesn’t really seem like the planning type to me, but it sure is awkward if your basic premise is that this was just a protest gone awry.