collapse of the old society @slrpnk.net cerement @slrpnk.net 4mo ago

[CrimethInc] Trump campaign aims to use today's shooting as a sort of Reichstag fire to incite his supporters to step up street violence

https://todon.eu/@CrimethInc/112782702007709408

The Trump campaign aims to use today's shooting as a sort of Reichstag fire to incite his supporters to step up street violence while calling for more state repression targeting his enemies of choice.

The Biden campaign has already paused all outbound communications and withdrawn their television advertisements, ceding the entire field of narrative to Donald Trump, who will have no compunction about using his status as a victim to advance his efforts to victimize others.

One of the classic mechanics of totalitarianism is that protecting the safety of the leader becomes a justification for violence against large swathes of the population.

As centrists join the far right in paving the way for totalitarian rule under Trump, we have to organize to defend our communities. If you have been in denial about the challenges ahead of us, this should be a wake-up call to find each other and prepare for them.

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~~Beer Hall Putsch~~ Jan 6? ✔

~~Enabling Act of 1933~~ Trump immunity SCOTUS ruling? ✔

~~Reichstag Fire~~ Failed assassination attempt? ✔

Night of the Long Knives coming up next, and soon.
- I am soooooo glad someone else is seeing the similarities. “Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it.” Well someone studied it and said “well damn, I can do it better”
  
  Those who do study history are doomed to watch as those who don't study it, repeat it.
- Don't know if I should feel vindicated after years of warning people about this and being mocked and derided and banned, or if I'm just sad that we're allowing this to happen.
  
  It's some bizarre mixture of the two, but sadness definitely makes up the bulk.
- We speedrunning now.
The Biden campaign has already paused all outbound communications and withdrawn their television advertisements, ceding the entire field of narrative to Donald Trump, who will have no compunction about using his status as a victim to advance his efforts to victimize others.

This is why we can't have nice things. Fucking feckless Democrat leadership being timid in the face of a fascist takeover 🤦
- Knowing psychology, almost any PR advisor will advise to temporarily cease media attacks against a person who's been shot.
  
  As a minimum, messages may need to be reworded, because Trump is likely to change his messaging after his narrow escape.
  
  I see what you mean, but to go completely incommunicado is just shooting themselves in the foot and tacitly admitting that "Trump is even worse" is their ONLY strategy to avert what's by now looking like almost inevitable defeat.
  
  OK, but this isn't PR for a big budget film, this may decide whether we have a future as a republic or not.
  
  Definitely re-worded, but to just stop altogether is foolish and so short-sighted.
  
  Why wouldn't it be smart to go full-on anti gun ownership as a PR response from the Democrats now?
- Republicans have no principles. Democrats have no spine - Professor Alan Lichtman.
  
  Yeah, pretty much spot on.
- ceding the entire field of narrative to Donald Trump
  
  Does anyone else see a great money grift coming on? MAGAs will be sending their entire paycheck.
This was my literal second thought after I heard what happened.
This is so bloody unreal. The main suspect was even a registered Republican. All of this according to the FBI.

There was some evidence that the Reichstag was torched by the Nazis as well. I can really do without the irony.
Some notes:

almost no doubt: this will have a mobilizing effect for Trump supporters ("our great leader is being attacked", etc)

possibly: this will improve Trump's ratings among voters with no clear political preference (a big story where he's not the villain is what he needs)

pattern: historically, surviving an assassination attempt has improved a candidate's chances of getting elected; in the most recent example, Slovakia's prime minister Fico enjoyed a boost in ratings while in hospital after being seriously wounded

I don't blame Democrats for temporarily ceasing campaign advertisement. Two principles dictate this: "you don't kick a person who is already down" (Trump was incredibly lucky and isn't) and "you don't attack someone who has martyrdom effect". Generally, you wait until the dust settles. Democrats too will wait until the dust settles. They will also check the popularity ratings and decide how to proceed.

In my opinion, Democrats would strongly benefit from a younger candidate. I would advise getting someone under 55 to run. Among the wider population, not enough people understand that, as things are, the Democratic candidate is Kamala Harris, her name is just currently Joe Biden. :o

Overall, it seems that Trump has considerable chances of getting elected president. Preventing that will require exceptional effort and considerable luck. Only if the Democrats manage to paint a clear picture of what a Trump presidential term would bring about, and only if that picture causes their voters to show up and vote nearly without exception - only then will things turn out differently.

My personal view from Eastern Europe - contingency plans for a Trump presidency ceasing aid to Ukraine have a very high probability of occurrence now (estimated time: early 2025). Over here, everyone and their cat will researching cheap weapons systems to replace things that only the US can provide. I think that group will now include myself.
Well, duh! That shooting gave him everything he could have ever dreamed of, including an absolutely perfect photo op.
The Biden campaign has already paused all outbound communications and withdrawn their television advertisements, ceding the entire field of narrative to Donald Trump, who will have no compunction about using his status as a victim to advance his efforts to victimize others.

Classic liberals.
And to think I had people downvoting and screaming at me in other threads when I pointed out that this would happen.
This really sucks. If you aren't armed already. The violence ahead will be bad.
- Meh
In an abundance of caution the Biden administration should keep Trump somewhere safe until the election is over.
- There's a spot just a short boat ride southeast of Mar-a-lago...
The Party of "law and order," folks.
Without a doubt they will. And when he wins the election, he will ban guns and take them away. Can’t have a chance of something like this happening again.
Oh good, because the reichstag fire was also perpetuated by the party in question.
Yeah called this last night too. I guess America was nice well it lasted. I mean I'm still going to fucking vote, but I don't have high expectations.
Lame and totally expected.
This picture reminds me of the "Sniper Elite" game I played as a kid.
I ain't scared of some rascal riding MAGA supporter.
- Ever heard about firearms? Turns out you don't have to be in shape to fire them and one shot can be enough to kill. Maybe want to read up on that.
  
  Right, that's why so many wars have been won by obese elderly people.
- Keep beating the drum that they're all fat losers. You have no idea how wrong you are.
  
  You are fringe minority of a minority. You will absolutely wilt at any real fighting just like you did with the BLM riots. You're only good at coopting the government to do your dirty work.
  
  Only liberals are afraid of these people and it's because they're deeply sympathetic to them.
  
  And yes most of you are overweight aging Boomers.
Against who though? People grocery shopping?
- Anyone who's not white, straight or Christian.
  
  You wrote "or" but really it's "and". Anyone not like them is the enemy in their eyes.
  
  As someone privileged enough to be the first two of those things, and grew up in a very Christian household, I have been considering for a while now what I would do if it came down to: keeping my head down, blending in and pretending to be a Christian so as to survive and hopefully live out the rest of my life, or stand up for what I believe in and go down fighting.
  
  This comment will probably be read at the hearing that will determine this (if there is one), so I guess I've made my choice already. To the camps!
- Deals on ham?
  
  BLAM!
Okay so we are going to go with the "rhetoric from politicians and pundits causes people to do things". Cool, so then you guys with all of your rhetoric about orange hitler caused this guy to shoot trump.

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