- cross-posted to:
- politics@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- politics@lemmy.world
Just because Republicans choose unreality doesn’t mean the media should ignore the facts of January 6.
On January 6, 2021, I watched CNN as thousands of Donald Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol. As someone well-versed in watching tragedy on television, I was struck by just how indisputable the facts were at the time: violent, red-hat-clad MAGA rioters, followed by Republicans in Congress, tried to stop democracy in its tracks. Trump had told his followers that the protest in Washington, DC, “will be wild,” and in the assault that followed his speech, some rioters smeared feces on the walls of the Capitol. Hundreds of them have since been convicted on charges ranging from assault on federal officers to seditious conspiracy. These are stubborn facts, the kind that do not care about your feelings. These facts include the inalienable truth that Trump is the first president in American history to reject the peaceful transfer of power.
It never occurred to me that these facts could somehow be perverted by partisanship. But three years later, we are seeing just that, as Republicans cling to the lie that the 2020 election was “stolen” by Joe Biden and are poised to make Trump their 2024 nominee. And perhaps even more dangerous than the GOP ditching reality is the news media’s inability to cover Trumpism as the threat to democracy that it very much is.
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But the problem is, when all you have is conventional political framing, everything looks like politics as usual. One candidate makes a claim; the other disputes it. Two sides are divided, etc. This framing only works if both parties operate within the frameworks of a shared reality. But Trumpism doesn’t allow for the reality the rest of us inhabit. Trump’s supporters believe their leader’s reality and not, say, the reality the rest of us see with our eyes. As Trump once told a crowd: “Don’t believe the crap you see from these people, the fake news. What you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening.”
Journalists may be well-intentioned in trying to be “objective,” or they’re simply afraid of being labeled partisan. Either way, coverage of January 6 that gives equal weight to both sides—one based in reality, one not—is helping pave the road for authoritarianism.
If we want to win, we need to appeal to people who disagree with your support for genocide, no matter how much you hate them.
So your solution is to make it easier for Trump to win? You know that would make things even worse?
If only there was a democratic process to choose the Democratic nomination for president… Man, that would be such a great idea. I wonder why no one thought of it?
THE SOLUTION WOULD BE TO HAVE A FUCKING PRIMARY, and not, you know un-democratically ban other candidates for the nomination in 10% of the states, so far.
You’re the ones with a genocidal candidate you want everyone else to vote for. It’s your job to find a solution to get people to vote for him, if you don’t want to have a contest to decide who people would vote for as the democratic nomination.
The only thing that is making it easier for Trump to win is Biden’s unwavering support for the genocide centrists have evidently always wanted.
Do you realize that the war won’t stop with the orangeoutan right?
You misspelled ‘genocide’ as ‘war’
For the love of fuck, how many times do I have to tell you genocide supporters that I don’t support Trump?
Lol, I never said that you were, second, why do you think that I support war?
Then there was no reason to bring him up.
I didn’t say you support war. I said you support genocide. Your insistence on downplaying it by calling it “war” pretty much cements it.
Removed by mod
I don’t support Trump.
I never said that.
If you’re saying it because you refuse to call the genocide you live to support a genocide because Biden supports it, YES.
I didn’t mention Democrats apart from genocidal centrists’ torchbearer Biden. I resent having all opposition to genocide immediately framed in bad faith as support for Trump by people who won’t even call it a genocide.
It’s like watching Republicans call January 6 a “protest.”
Nobody hates you, we’re just sick of idealists in a time when we need pragmatists.
Well said.
If you actually believed that, and weren’t an idealist centrism and genocide yourself, you would pragmatically demand a primary to choose a candidate who could win and not try and demand unearned votes through shaming.
You’re as pragmatic as a college kid carrying around a dog-eared copy of ‘Atlas Shrugged’
I’m sick of genocide
Do you think any person elected to the presidency wouldn’t continue supporting Israel? To cut off funding and weapons to Israel would be absolute political suicide in this country. Don’t care if it’s Biden, Trump, Desantis, doesn’t matter. Israel will continue to get $Billions and weapons. It’s just the way it is.
cornel west and jill stein would.
But neither of them will win. So they’re both irrelevant.
where did you get your crystal ball?
I admire your optimism, but I think the black socialist professor and intersectional activist might find it difficult to sway enough votes on either side. It’s a shame you don’t have a better voting system where you can rank your preferred candidates - would avoid much of these stupid games.
voting sucks in pretty much every system.
And neither of them have the slightest hope of winning
well not with that attitude
Those pesky idealists… being opposed to checks notes literal fucking genocide.
I’m voting for Biden and you don’t care. You just want unquestioning support for the genocide you support.
Very true. Notice that they still downvote you even if though you said you’ll vote for Biden. Despite what they say, it has nothing to do with harm reduction, and everything to do with kissing the ring.