Thread by @JYSexton

Tucker Carlson, the GOP, and the worldwide authoritarian movement aren't just dismantling democracy.

They're legitimizing it all by relying on fascist conspiracy theories that spread the lie that they're merely defending themselves and have no choice

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jaredyatessexton.substack.com/p/this-is-goin…

A lot of people were shocked and disgusted by Tucker Carlson claiming Democrats need to "tone down" their rhetoric before people get hurt.

And for good reason. It's a transference of guilt over political violence and a means of legitimizing it all.

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https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1528892955322241024

The truth is that Carlson, the GOP, and authoritarians like Viktor Orban are telling a story to their supporters that the "Left" is plotting to destroy them and that any means are necessary to protect themselves.

It's the same story that fascists have told for years.

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The oldest trick in the Right Wing reactionary playbook is to warn of an insidious "plot" that hides in the shadows and plans to destroy the nation and its people.

This has been used time and again to legitimize violence and antidemocratic actions.

It's happening again.

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This current iteration involves White Replacement Theory, which recently inspired a white supremacist to murder 10 people in Buffalo.

Instead of stepping back, Carlson and the Right are telling a story that the "Left" created the environment for the tragedy.

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Tucker has been the main conduit by which the white supremacist Replacement Theory conspiracy has been spread to American culture.

What he has claimed, in so many words, is that Democrats want to literally replace white Americans with "compliant" immigrants.

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Replacement Theory is a pillar of the authoritarian movement. It legitimizes a war against immigrants and people of color.

It also creates an environment where the leader should enjoy emergency powers in order to handle the "emergency" of the moment.

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In all of this, Tucker and Viktor Orban and Vladimir Putin and other Right Wing authoritarians continually blame George Soros for Replacement Theory.

It is a reiteration of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories that have been used as cover for violence for generations.

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Of course, the GOP and Right are inundated with conspiracy theories that claim these "cabals" have taken over politics, the economy, and culture.

Once more, it's anti-Semitic conspiracy theories that prepare the need for violence and coups as a "last resort."

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It's necessary to point out the complete lie of the Right Wing's narrative.

The Democratic Party isn't "Left" and it isn't "all-powerful." In fact, what Buffalo made depressingly obvious, is that there are no solutions for any of this. Just ritual and mourning.

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Even as Alex Jones and other conspiracy theorists claim Buffalo and other shootings are false flags to take people's guns...nothing happens.

In fact, we've moved beyond EVEN TALKING ABOUT GUN REFORM. It's just dead in the water. A non-starter.

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Many thought after the tragedy at Sandy Hook where kindergarteners were slain that gun reform would have to happen.

But it was stopped completely, leaving the Democratic Party and Americans to largely believe any change or even slight reform was impossible.

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Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has remained home for "centrists," conservatives, and neoliberals who have no interest in carrying out "woke" policies or a "Leftist" agenda.

The idea that the Democratic Party is a "leftist institution" with "insidious plans" is laughable.

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In the case of massive existential problems and societal issues, the Democratic Party has largely been relegated to saying the right thing or performing rituals of mourning.

There is no "Leftist" project. No socialism. No wokeness. It's a fever dream that's used as a weapon

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It's telling that GOP talking points continually refer to "defunding the police" and crime rising as a result.

Even though the police WEREN'T defunded. Nothing came from the protest movement that could even be likened to what they continually refer to.

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In fact, Joe Biden, their progressive bogeyman, has instructed leftover COVID relief to be used to FURTHER FUND the police.

Biden, it should be noted, has a long history of supporting advancing law enforcement. The idea that he's a leftist is beyond absurd.

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But the usage of white supremacist conspiracy theories as a means of legitimizing political violence and coups has a long history.

And that's because it works. It prepares a political movement to take any actions necessary and explains the casualties and tragedies.

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America has a long history of this. Slavery was protected by these same conspiracy theories.

Civil Rights was discredited as a communist plot.

White supremacists have continually relied on this fearmongering to promote the actions necessary to protect their power.

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By portraying protesters and reformers as "enemy combatants" and part of a conspiracy to destroy America, the Right Wing has taken abuse of neighbors, family members, and fellow Americans and turned it into a necessary "defense" against "outside forces."

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There is no difference between past white supremacist, fascistic conspiracy theories and what authoritarians like Viktor Orbán peddle.

They are the same story.

The same lies.

The same means of legitimizing violence and oppression.

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And what's more, Orban, Tucker Carlson, the GOP, and other Right Wing reactionaries are working together to tell these same lies and conspiracy theories.

It's an increasingly coordinated authoritarian movement. And what's worse, it's working.

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The rollbacks we're seeing in the Supreme Court are legitimized by this same set of conspiracy theories and fearmongering.

The complete destruction of the progress of the 20th century will be predicated on these same lies.

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And what's most insidious is that, as rights are being destroyed, elections rigged, and as bloodshed and violence are used to make it all happen, people like Tucker Carlson tells us it's *our* fault.

That we *made them* do it.

This is what we're watching now.

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Tucker, Orban, the GOP, and the Right will continue to weaponize these same white supremacist, fascist conspiracy theories

They'll continue to attack made up "Leftists" and "Marxists," saying it's all a defense against an evil plot

History shows us exactly how this works

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