See Marcus’s post about Caesar for an example of what courage looks like. Courage is a virtue, in the sense that “virtue” originally meant manly qualities, and while it can sometimes be good, it can also be decidedly evil. From the time those American nazis entered the Capitol Building, all it would take to snuff out the already miserable vestiges of US democracy would be a rich person exercising evil courage.
I say a rich person rather than a politician because they’re the ones with all the levers. If a Koch grew a pair and took a risk, they could grab Trump’s ear, tell him all the right things to say, grease the right palms, pull the right levers. Trump has very little control over his messaging because he’s an impulsive dipshit with a paper-thin concept of reality. But if the right rich person sidled up like the serpent and told him what he had to gain from following a script? He could be far more dangerous than he is now. He could actually be effective, instead of just being a half-assed stochastic terrorist.
But late capitalism is all about playing it safe. Don’t take risks, even the bare minimum ones necessary to maintain control. Just keep ratfucking everyone in sight and hide when you get spotted. Cowardice. They know they own Biden, that he’s the safety, the security, so while they’ll boost the Trumpism that lets them run riot over the natural resources and slaughter-me sheep of red states, they won’t help keep Trump himself in power.
Nothing good will come of today, but the worst case scenario will not either, and for that I’d like to thank our country’s rich for being more Antoinette than Machiavelli. Stay down, cowards.
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evidently, many of America’s uber-riche are purchasing boltholes here in NZ. bunkers included. no, really.
I’m seriously thinking about figuring out how we can steal all their stuff.
Yeah, it was obvious that none of these boogaloo bois had the foggiest inklings of a plan. You could almost see the hamster wheels turning inside their skulls: “Holy shit, we just occupied the United States Capitol! What do we do now? Uhhhhh…I know! Selfies!”
Icthyic – I saw Intransitive’s bit on those weirdos. When the world goes Mad Max, I hope the Maori take up cannibalism again.
Bruce – As much as I don’t love the government, I was relieved to hear the woman who got killed was part of the maga nazi crowd – ie, someone who was asking for it, and not a bureaucrat or intern trying to get through their day.
I am inclined to give that fash funboy crowd one iota of mercy / mitigating factor: They were just literally following the president’s marching orders. Don’t know what that mitigation should look like, but whatever.
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This strikes a nerve with me. Whenever I see this, I must push back with: We must remind everyone that “I was just following orders” is never an excuse. Part of me knows that you’re right, but another part of me wants no (excessive) mercy shown to anyone who tries to use that decidedly Nazi excuse.
Gerrard – Quite sensible and from where I’m sitting over a month later, I’m inclined to agree.
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