Thread by @drvolts

Rising right-wing domestic terrorism has driven the Justice Dept. to form a new unit to combat it. Of course that's never stated clearly in the story, which is mostly both-sides coverage highlighting Republican gaslighting & whataboutism. washingtonpost.com/national-secur…

One note on this: read the story & you'll see another example of a very, very familiar reactionary dynamic I've been pointing out repeatedly. In this instance, it goes like this:

1) RW media/elites whip the RW base up into fury at schools & educators based on CRT nonsense.

2) The base reacts as expected, forming thuggish mobs, shouting at school board meetings, & threatening the lives of educators.

3) There are so many threats that it draws FBI attention; the agency starts an investigation & speaks out.

4) RW media/elites claim that the RW base is now the *victim*, being singled out & harassed by the FBI, having their "free speech" threatened.

5) On the basis of this fraudulent victimology, the RW escalates -- more mobs, more threats, more censorious laws in RW states.

I know I keep harping on this, but: look at the pattern. It's always the same pattern. RWers insert themselves in a situation w/ belligerence & threats, prompt a defensive reaction, & use the defensive reaction to justify escalation.

You see it in McConnell's strategy on the filibuster & procedural norms. You saw it from Ahmaud Arbery's killers, from Rittenhouse, from the Jan. 6 insurrectionists. You see it in the RW "cancel culture" nonsense. You see it in past reactionary movements. Same pattern, always.

People like me can't help thinking that if these patterns are made explicit, the culture won't be fooled the next time, won't react the same predictable ways with the same predictable effect. But ask Arendt, Orwell, or Hofstadter if describing these dynamics stops them. 😞