Once again, the mass media are calling these “violent protests”, and tacitly giving cover for Trump despite no evidence that the protests have scaled to the point where the National Guard is even necessary. This will do little but embolden Trump to expand the use of these tactics to other cities, especially if he’s going to have majority support from the voting base.
2/3 of the voters are either “not sure” or are actively supporting ICE and the Trump administration. He is literally marching in authoritarianism to thunderous applause. Worse, only 58% of Democrats approve of the protests. Which means 42% are either indifferent or are actively supporting ICE.
The more Trump marches in authoritarianism, the more people on both sides of the aisle seem to be stepping aside and saying “Right this way, sir.”
It’s dumbfounding. But my expectations for people are low - they can be, and are, manipulated. Full stop. I’d love to fix that, but for the moment, this is a media problem. Clicks, views, engagement - all are supercharged by creating a perception of violence.
I’m sure many of these reporters are trying their best, but as you note, the simple recurring editorial adjectival choice of “violent” instead of “peaceful” can move the needle significantly. We’re walking on a razor’s edge and the smallest breeze is all it takes to lose the country - if only the mass media understood this.
2/3 of the voters are either “not sure” or are actively supporting ICE and the Trump administration.
I don’t believe these are the only 2 reasons. Americans are very, very used to their soft comfortable lives, and right now they are desperate to hang on to them. We all know that American life might look a lot different a year from now, with widespread economic depression, hyperinflation, homelessness, joblessness, food shortages, brutal oppression from an authoritarian government, and more, and we are trying to avoid that as long as possible. When the majority of Americans are finally forced to defend themselves from the results of ignorant MAGA policies, it will get extremely ugly, and right now that is more than many Americans want to face.
We are in the Head-In-The-Sand stage right now, but that will change significantly over the next year or so. Things will get a little wild this summer, but next summer, as the MAGA Nazis get desperate in the lead up to the Midterm Elections in the Fall, things will get really crazy.
The media/news organizations haven’t been the fourth estate in thirty years. They are a propagandist arm of the state rather than a check to balance the state.
A few things to note.
Once again, the mass media are calling these “violent protests”, and tacitly giving cover for Trump despite no evidence that the protests have scaled to the point where the National Guard is even necessary. This will do little but embolden Trump to expand the use of these tactics to other cities, especially if he’s going to have majority support from the voting base.
2/3 of the voters are either “not sure” or are actively supporting ICE and the Trump administration. He is literally marching in authoritarianism to thunderous applause. Worse, only 58% of Democrats approve of the protests. Which means 42% are either indifferent or are actively supporting ICE.
The more Trump marches in authoritarianism, the more people on both sides of the aisle seem to be stepping aside and saying “Right this way, sir.”
It’s dumbfounding. But my expectations for people are low - they can be, and are, manipulated. Full stop. I’d love to fix that, but for the moment, this is a media problem. Clicks, views, engagement - all are supercharged by creating a perception of violence.
I’m sure many of these reporters are trying their best, but as you note, the simple recurring editorial adjectival choice of “violent” instead of “peaceful” can move the needle significantly. We’re walking on a razor’s edge and the smallest breeze is all it takes to lose the country - if only the mass media understood this.
Actually, they do understand it. They just don’t care, because they simultaneously profit off of it. CBS openly admitted it.
I don’t believe these are the only 2 reasons. Americans are very, very used to their soft comfortable lives, and right now they are desperate to hang on to them. We all know that American life might look a lot different a year from now, with widespread economic depression, hyperinflation, homelessness, joblessness, food shortages, brutal oppression from an authoritarian government, and more, and we are trying to avoid that as long as possible. When the majority of Americans are finally forced to defend themselves from the results of ignorant MAGA policies, it will get extremely ugly, and right now that is more than many Americans want to face.
We are in the Head-In-The-Sand stage right now, but that will change significantly over the next year or so. Things will get a little wild this summer, but next summer, as the MAGA Nazis get desperate in the lead up to the Midterm Elections in the Fall, things will get really crazy.
The media/news organizations haven’t been the fourth estate in thirty years. They are a propagandist arm of the state rather than a check to balance the state.
It doesn’t really matter the approval rates. How much of global population approves of what any activist does? What matters is what we think.