While aggregating threads/articles for a book project, I came across a 9/30/19 thread responding to Trump retweeting "pastor" @robertjeffress stating there would be "civil war like fracture" if Trump was held accountable for high crimes & misdemeanors. 1/vox.com/policy-and-pol…
The thread pointed out that Trump had made cryptic insinuations about "civil war" six months earlier in a March interview with Breitbart....2/
The relevant Trump quote:
"I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of Bikers for Trump. I have the tough people, but they don’t play it tough...until they go to a certain point, & then it would be very bad, very bad". 3/
thehill.com/homenews/admin…
For years, Trump was undoubtedly told by Bannon/Stephen Miller/etc, that the "tough people"...the military, law enforcement, & the majority of gun owners had Trump's back.
All they needed was a catalyst to cause them to "go to a certain point...& it would be very, very bad". 3/
That catalyst was the "Big Lie".
The lie was the incitement that caused the insurrection.
Every other comment made on January 6th by Trump, Rudy ("Trial by Combat"), etc., was made in support of the initial incitement:
Repeatedly lying about the 2020 election being stolen. 4/
If duty-bound, and duty-driven people (military/law enforcement) are told that the election was stolen enough times........eventually even rational/decent people will start to question reality.....with some eventually acting upon those lies. 5/
If a superior officer lies to a good (wo)man enough times, it will eventually result in the misapplication of their values, and the mis-performance of their duties.
Basically, this can result in good people doing the wrong thing for what they believe are the "right" reasons. 6/
This can often be a basis, or part of the process, for radicalization.
The Right is well aware of this, and actively exploits the situation.....as analyzed in this thread about General Milley's congressional testimony, and Trump's subsequent speech. 7/
....7/.....
......8/.....
.....9/....
Two relevant tweets from the 2019 thread: 10/
....11/.....
Portions of a recent thread/events: 19/
....20/....
2018:
2019:
2019:
2020:
2021:
Thread analyzing tribalization, confirmation bias, conspiracy theories, etc.:
Just rewrote this morning's thread (about Trump tipping his hand to the insurrection in a 2019 speech) as an article here (no paywall):patreon.com/posts/53339045
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.