1) After posting this short thread, I was curious as to where MAGA is going with this. And it isn’t good. I searched for “defund national cathedral” and they’re already calling for it. Let me show you what I found. Let’s begin⬇️
2) Here are two examples calling for removing tax-exempt status because of political speech. Now, MAGA evangelical churches regularly do exactly that and they never call for those churches to lose tax-exempt status. Let’s continue⬇️
3) This one is especially troubling. This one calls for a purge of all clergy and staff. That’s actually a violation of the 1st Amendment for the government to do that to a church. Even more so for Republicans to do it to force the church to say what GOP wants said. And also⬇️
4) Here’s one calling for it to be defunded. Which would be the same type of economic warfare done against hostile nations through sanctions and embargoes. Except done to a church by the government in violation of the 1st Amendment. Let’s continue⬇️
5) You’ll see these from “Episcopalians”. What they won’t tell you is there’s a breakaway church that left the Episcopal Church and created their own conservative version. And they call themselves Episcopalians but they’re not in the actual Episcopal Church. Let’s continue⬇️
6) Another idea they have is to switch to a different church. The tearing down or delegitimization of existing institutions and creating new ones is something authoritarian regimes usually do. Let’s continue⬇️
7) Here’s one that just popped up from one of the bigger MAGA influencer accounts. Again, removing tax-exempt status because of Trump not liking the sermon. Also an insult to call the bishop a “bishopess” because Episcopal Church ordains women clergy. Let’s continue⬇️
8) We must understand where we are here right now with this. History tells us exactly where we are. And history will judge us, along with the world itself. Because we’ve seen this before. And we know better than this. This is the beginning of a nightmare. And so⬇️
9) I leave you with the words of Pastor Niemoller passed down to us as a lesson we ought to remember. Don’t be silent. When a system is unjust, dissent is a civic duty. And it’s also the duty we owe to humanity itself.
10) ADDENDUM: They’re now targeting the Episcopal Church for harassment on X.
11) A United States Congressman calling for a US citizen to be deported. Another thing the Nazis did. Stalin, too.
12) Churches lose sanctuary status. And a lot worse.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
1) There’s an ugliness in America that has always existed. The reason it has always existed to the present is some people wanted to deny it existed. But, in fact, it has always been here. Somewhat dormant at times, but always present. Always ready for resurgence. And⬇️
2) You see that this has now become acceptable for politicians to engage in again. Everyone who is not like them is hated and treated like they don’t belong here. And this turns the alleged ideals of America into a very cruel lie and begs this question: Do those ideals exist?⬇️
3) America has yet to prove that highlighted phrase to be true. Due to Republican backsliding, we are farther from manifesting that than ever before. And why? Because America knows better, but chooses the path of hatred and intolerance instead. Thus, making the phrase a lie.⬇️
1) You’ve seen this being repeated by GOP politicians? The fact is, this is a strange causal loop between Homeland Security and Breitbart “News”. See that circled link from the DHS article citing “new statistics”? I’ll show you where that link takes you when you click on it.⬇️
2) It takes you here and tells you that you’re headed to Breitbart. So if you click on YES, it takes you to⬇️
3) And so Homeland Security directs you here. And where are the “new statistics”? Let’s see that next⬇️
1) Since Trump and GOP will brag about destroying Iran’s nuclear program, let me say this: President Jimmy Carter is the one who made it possible. Yes, the Jimmy Carter who Trump disrespected by ordering flags returned to full staff after Carter died. Let’s continue⬇️
2) Those Tomahawk cruise missiles? That was also President Jimmy Carter. Did Trump say thank you for having the B-2 bomber and the Tomahawk cruise missiles? Let’s continue⬇️
3) That bomb that was used? That was President Obama. Did Trump say thank you? He still can, you know. He needs to pick up the phone, call Obama, and say thank you. Let’s continue⬇️
1) Now I will prove that the racist policies of the US government are what led up to the “illegal aliens” the racist Trump govt is whining about. What created the need for labor imported from Mexico? The racist internment of Japanese Americans did. Let’s continue⬇️
2) What was the Bracero Program? Well, it was necessary for the war effort in World War Two, for one thing. The US govt put Japanese agricultural laborers into concentration camps. But what it did was establish Mexican labor as the predominant agricultural labor force. And⬇️
3) What led up to Japanese agricultural labor? Well, another racist law by the US government did: The Chinese Exclusion Act. That law created a labor shortage. So, as you see, racist US laws do nothing but create problems. Because the laws are hatched in ignorance. And⬇️
1) In this thread, I am going to use American history to show you what can happen if the National Guard provokes large-scale protests into violence. This is the 1877 Great Railroad Strike. Not many people are aware of it. But it’s important to understand it. So let’s begin⬇️
2) You see, National Guard (and any militarized force used against Americans, really) never do confess to their culpability in provoking avoidance violence. Neither does government admit to it. But it’s human nature that human beings can be provoked to violence. Let’s continue⬇️
3) Yes, and in 1877, large numbers of Americans were provoked by the National Guard, and those Americans went on to do this. This didn’t just happen in one city, it happened in a number of states. Let’s continue⬇️