According to Robert Pace, of the University of Chicago, there are 21 million people in this country who believe Joe Biden is an illegitimate president. That same society of delusionals thinks it is perfectly justifiable for true believers, such as themselves, to use violence to remove Uncle Joe and install Donald Trump as the chief executive--presumably for life.
So what sort of evil propaganda sources feed this dangerously demented world view? Well, Pace says polls show 42% of what he calls, "the insurrectionist movement," count on Fox, One America News, and News Max as their primary provider of information. A stunning 32% polled claim they usually watch networks such as CNN and MSNBC. Pace speculates they do so because outlets like CNN profoundly piss them off and they like being pissed off. Only 10% of the wild eyed bunch get most of their, "news," from right wing internet sites.
While that 32% seems high, Brother Pace pointed out a another set of stats which seemingly reinforces the notion the Trumpist mob is more than crazed militia dressed in camo playing with guns on the weekend.
Of the 700 plus rioters arrested for invading the capitol not quite a year ago over half hold down good paying white collar jobs. We are talking about business owners and professionals such as lawyers and doctors. Only 7% of those popped are unemployed and a mere 13% are what you'd call members of terrorist organizations like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.
The one true constant, Pace pointed out, is racism. He described it as, "the driver," behind the violent discontent. He pointed out the majority of those busted came from counties Biden largely carried in 2020--counties containing large cities where the white populations are shrinking and minorities are growing.
To these besieged white folks that whole, "race replacement," shit seems real. Or, to paraphrase a line from a movie, "They're coming to get you, Barbara."
It would be easy to blame all this nonsense on Donald John Trump. In truth, however he is simply the end product of a disease that has infected the nation since day one,
Before he was done Robert Pace described the insurrectionist movement as, "mainstream." Indeed those werewolves howling on the capitol steps aren't being manipulated by a bunch of out there right wing radicals in the media, or anywhere else. They were on those steps because the face of America is changing and they just can't handle the reality of it.
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A very close friend of almost 40 years has very little to do with me anymore, I suspect because of my political views. That saddens me a great deal, but the choice is his. Your comment concerning the hard right-wingers liking to be "pissed off" interests me as well. I have thought for a long time they like to wallow in it, and refuse to be happy about anything even when it goes their way. Well, what I have believed for a long time to be true, is true. You cannot reason with the unreasonable, and as Ray Stevens sang in a popular song, there are none so blind as those that will not see.
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