If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever.
I think Orwell was wrong, or at least this is certainly not what is playing out in the United States today.
Since Trump’s election in 2016 – and even before he took office – it has been clear that virtually all democrats and most republicans have been out to take him down; certainly, the administrative apparatus has the same desire.
Just a quick survey: Russiagate, Ukrainegate, impeachment, the corona, tanking the economy, voting (shall we say) irregularities.
Now, after yesterday’s debacle at the capitol – as if 13 days is too long to wait – we have this:
Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, and incoming Senate majority leader after the Dems victory in the Georgia runoffs, called for Donald Trump to be immediately removed from office, saying that the outgoing president was directly responsible for Wednesday's riot in the Capitol.
In a statement, Schumer said Vice President Mike Pence should invoke the Constitution’s 25th amendment, using support of the cabinet to take over in the Oval Office until Joe Biden is inaugurated on January 20.
“If the vice president and the Cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress should reconvene to impeach the president,” Schumer added.
Facebook has booted Trump, as has Spotify and Twitter.
This has nothing to do with stomping on a human face forever. It is something quite different. The target isn’t Trump; goodness, Trump has done many wonderful things for the establishment: deficit spending without end, total support for Israel, increased military spending, rapid vaccinations.
No, the target isn’t Trump. The target is those who have supported him.
What is happening (and has happened over the last four years, culminating in Schumer’s statements or potentially the reality that Trump is removed before January 20) is an overwhelming demonstration with just one objective. That objective can be best understood as follows:
Beaten into submission: To put forth great effort so that someone learns or remembers something, especially through repetition.
Teach someone a lesson: to punish someone for doing something bad so that they do not do it again.
Show (one) who's boss: To demonstrate authority or dominance over one so that it is clearly recognized, especially by means of defeat or some form of subjugation; make it clear to somebody that you have more power and authority than they have.
No matter what, you will lose. We are going to beat this so far into you that you will never forget it. Even when you win, you will lose; even when you are peaceful (or especially because we count on you being peaceful), you will lose.
That’s what is happening.
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Once out of office, imagine what will happen to the social media world if Trump signs up with various alternative platforms, alternatives to Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Or online, alternative, news outlets. I suspect any such platforms will instantly gain tens of millions of subscribers.
There will be many of his enemies who would have rather they allowed Trump to win the election. Then again, I guess the various ISPs and browsers could block such content….
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This will, of course, only fuel the tension more. Not that it isn’t going to increase in any case. I am reminded of some wise words from Angelo Codevilla, written even before Trump won in 2016:
We have stepped over the threshold of a revolution. It is difficult to imagine how we might step back, and futile to speculate where it will end. Our ruling class’s malfeasance, combined with insult, brought it about. Donald Trump did not cause it and is by no means its ultimate manifestation. Regardless of who wins in 2016, this revolution’s sentiments will grow in volume and intensity, and are sure to empower politicians likely to make Americans nostalgic for Donald Trump’s moderation.
If the deplorables don’t get what they want with Trump, just wait who they elect (or what they will do) next.
You see the entire ruling class essentially rejecting the Constitution, the American way, rejecting the legitimacy of elections. There can be no mild response to that, and there isn’t one. Trump’s voters want certain results and they don’t particularly care how they get them. The ruling class wants its power and doesn’t particularly care how it holds on to it.
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That boot isn’t going to be stomping on a human face forever. While one side has been doing a lot of stomping in order to show who is boss, the real action will begin once the other side fully internalizes the fact that no one is playing fair.
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I am reminded of a novel I read regarding the Spanish Civil War. A friend from Spain recommended this novel to me as the most accurate and best description of the realities of life during that horrendous period. I have written one or two posts on this novel. A couple of my comments from that post seems worth reproducing here:
Throughout the novel, even five years before the beginning of hostilities, one has a sense of the coming conflict. The building of factions is developing. There are episodes of strikes, countered by martial law and arrests. These episodes are somewhat limited in scope and duration.
They then unleash terror in the city – burning and looting the churches, killing members of opposing parties by the hundreds through the first few nights of complete terror.
Merely owning a firearm, if one was a member of the wrong side, was enough to warrant execution – not only disarmament, but execution.
By the dozens, the so-called enemies of the people are jailed by day or taken from their homes in the night, subsequently marched out at night to face their fate.
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I don’t think we are going to get a Gorbachev.
This kind of stuff is part of sinful humanity and happens regardless of time and geography. But it eery to me that current event after current event is predicted or explained in some way by this book I am reading. I know this isn't the first time that I have linked to something I have written in this comments section. I want to be careful about doing that. But I think there is so much alignment between deplorables storming the Capital and the prevailing world view of Western elites. We are living in the world they have wrought.
ReplyDeleteInsanity, emotion, irrationality, despair, isolation, savagery, power, pleasure. The elites of the world believe in these things and lead us to do the same. These deplorable Trumpers don't have any other outlet but shows of force. It is all they are allowed. I do fear for my country. Not because I love the US government, but because I do want to be in a country that is peaceful and hopeful.
I blame every man named in the article I have linked and all of the modern day Rousseau's who divine the "general will" and force everyone to abide by it.
I don't condone the violence or destruction that occurred yesterday. But I don't hold the Capital building as sacred. It wasn't desecrated by the protesters. I don't feel sorry for the policemen. One of them murdered a citizen. Several were beaten fighting against the protesters. Maybe I am deplorable I enjoyed the pictures of commoners showing their sovereignty over the Capitol building. Most of theme were funny.
https://thecrosssectionrmb.blogspot.com/2021/01/how-should-we-then-live-chapter-8.html
RMB, I am glad that you link your posts here. I encourage others to take a look at his work.
DeleteAs to the protestors yesterday being made up of (solely) deplorables, it seems the jury is still out on that one.
I did read the blog post and found this bucket of 'fools gold' from Rousseau:
Delete"...whoever refuses to obey the general will shall be compelled to do so by the whole body. This means nothing less than that he will be forced to be free."
And this nugget of pure gold from RMB:
"Sounds like garbage to me."
I quite agree. You are free to do as you are told. Nothing more, nothing less. Slavery is freedom. Is this where Orwell learned about Newspeak?
BM, I was using deplorables sarcastically and i know there might have been some Leftist plants. Trying to keep it simple.
DeleteI know, RMB. I use it as a badge of honor! (But, yes; also sarcastically)
Delete
DeleteRMB,
I have just referenced your blog post in one of my own. See it here.
https://poorrogersalmanac.com/2021/01/09/america-2021-division-destruction-and-salvation/
Awesome!
DeleteGorbachev? As I recall, at the time he presided over the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the time was ripe for a man like him. It had gotten so bad that everyone recognized that there was no chance the system could be "fixed". There was nothing else to do except to turn the various republics loose and relinquish the central control in as peaceful and non-violent manner as possible, which Gorbachev achieved with some degree of success.
ReplyDeleteThe United States is nowhere near that point. In fact, my impression is that our current condition more resembles 1916 Tsarist Russia than it does 1989 Soviet Russia. So many different factions fighting with each other trying to gain control. Violence spiking. Society imploding. Huge and growing disparities between the rulers and the ruled. Etc., etc.
What will it take before America reaches its own Gorbachev moment? How long will it be before we get there? We hate to think about such things, but it is imperative if we have any chance of surviving the coming chaos.
I do agree with you, though, on the boot stomping. It will not last forever. This too shall pass. God help us in the meantime.
One feature of the former Soviet Republics: many were quite uni-religious, ethnic, etc. (the Baltics, Armenia, Georgia, for example). So as these broke away, there was commonality that held the new, smaller republics together. We have red and blue counties, and not so contiguous.
DeleteThose republics that did not have this common tradition (Azerbaijan, Ukraine) required a strongman. It is more likely that the US goes this route, as there are no natural or even state borders that divide us culturally.
State lines obscure the nation boundaries in the US but they exist. There is a book, American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America which details the subject well.
DeleteRMB, I have seen maps based on this book or similar ideas. The difficulty...even in the bluest states (and even bluest counties), one can find communities of red.
DeleteA state like Washington: the eastern half is quite different from the western half - or, perhaps the northwestern corner surrounding Seattle. Yet even in the east, you have Spokane - not so cut and dry, I think.
I drive through areas around my county. I see Trump flags being safely flown in some parts of the county that would get an owner shot if they were flown in other parts of the county.
I think Roger is right - this is more like 1916 Russia than 1989 Soviet Union.
Yeah, it isn't clean. There would be some displacement or acquiescance.
DeleteOne theoretical possibility which is not even considered is that the situation deteriorates to the point that the entire society becomes so exhausted, spent, and broken that it is willing to listen to these words, "Love your neighbor as yourself.", and adopts them in a wholehearted manner. This would be the absolute best, most desired outcome.
DeleteWhat will it take to get there? IF individuals must be trained in this through experience (school of hard knocks) AND if society is composed of individuals, THEN it is apparent that society must also undergo the pain and suffering brought about by that education. Since people are hard-headed, stubborn, and determined to have their own way, it is conceivable that God simply allows things to happen (patiently waits) until we are ready to accept the invitation to "Follow me."
As a society, we are not there yet. We are not even close. This is looking far, far into the future. Some will see it as unattainable and pollyannish, but if we take the Word of God seriously, then this is also the inevitable end.
"I will build my Church AND the gates of Hell will not prevail against it." -- Jesus Christ
As believers, nothing can be more certain than that and in the struggle,
"Ours not to reason why. Ours but to do and die." -- Alfred, Lord Tennyson, from the Charge of the Light Brigade
The question then shifts from "What is going to happen to us?" to "How shall we live while it is happening?"
It is going to happen. How shall we then live?
The rest of our lives will be spent answering that.
"What will it take to get there?"
DeleteChristian churches which teach that we must love those who are on the fringes of society which also teach that there are some behaviors practiced by those on the fringes that are not acceptable.
The Sermon on the Mount and the Ten Commandments were both given by God.
We have some churches teaching one of these messages and other churches which teach the other of these messages. How many teach (and live) both?
But I am with you: if / when your theoretical possibility becomes an actuality, it is very far in the future.
I am re-reading "American Nations". Bionic is correct (do I have to state the obvious!); there are both enclaves within those nations (Atlanta as demonstrated just last week), and really no natural borders between these nations. Therefore, the best hope is a mix of city-states/Hanseatic League for those enclaves/city-states and maybe larger areas broken down by these cultural nations. But it would take churches leading as well.
DeleteEric, at the end of the book the author shows voting patterns show clearly where the national borders are. There are enclaves. People will either have to move somewhere else or will have to go along to get along. The key will be secession along state lines and national lines. Then equilibrium will have to reset as people move (maybe forced out) or decide to live as a minority within their new state.
DeleteIt isn't perfect but it can be practical. New entities will have to coalesce once everyone knows which geography stands for what political/cultural stance.
Priority for me will be to live somewhere that contains and defends oil fields.
I'm honing in on word "natural", where mountain or river clearly defines the difference. This would be a good start as well, though not fully natural or cultural:
Deletehttps://www.civilized.life/articles/heres-what-the-united-states-would-look-like-if-borders-were-redrawn-based-on-economic/
That large unnamed area toward the upper left looks the most appealing....
DeleteI think this is the area that "flyover country" calls "flyover country."
Ha! Some great skiing there as well. Jackson Hole, Big Sky, Sun Valley, and maybe even Bachelor, Oregon, and Mammoth, California.
DeleteMontana is considered flyover country. A popular bumper sticker reads, "Montana's full. I've heard North Dakota is nice." When I first moved here, I rephrased that to read, "I'm here. NOW Montana's full."
DeleteThis state is a good example of the discussion above. Kalispell, on the western side of Glacier National Park is red. Browning, on the eastern side, is blue. Butte and Missoula are deep blue. Billings and Bozeman light blue. Ravalli County is deep red while Missoula County which is adjacent to it is bright blue. Most of the empty spaces between these are red, but there are small pockets of blue. This is probably typical of most states.
The situation reminds me of the statue which Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about. It had feet which were partly clay and partly iron--weak in some areas, strong in others, but the two would not mix with or adhere to each other.
With respect to this particular issue, the only thing which will keep this country, or any part thereof, from exploding is freedom of movement. If people can leave an area where they don't fit and move to another more to their liking, we will be able to live peaceably and get along with others we may not agree with. If free movement is restricted or banned, the pressure between conflicting "isms" will build to the point of explosion, with uncontrollable chaos and violence erupting. For example, people who don't like destructive riots in the streets can leave Portland and move to Boise. If Oregon, however, instituted a "travel ban" and locked down the state so that no one could leave it, all the people who wanted to leave would either have to succumb to the "way things are" or deliberately rebel to "let off steam", resulting in violence, havoc, and death.
In eastern Europe under the Soviet regimes, people either knuckled under or were exported to the Gulag. They had little opportunity to move to another part of the world. We still do. Will that last? I do not know.
Travel bans? This is the US of A. It can't happen here! Can it?
Deletehttps://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Travel-Advisory.aspx#.X_c5CZSUvME.twitter
Call it an advisory if you want to, but how long will it be before this becomes something more concrete than good advice? California is already the preeminent leader in "soft" totalitarianism. Why should we be surprised that it is driving its citizens down the road of intensely restrictive activity? All to keep us safe, of course.
Question #1: How did they decide that it is permissible to drive 120 miles, but not 121?
Question #2: California has achieved near 100% compliance with the "mask" issue. If these are supposed to stop the spread (at least slow it down and protect people), then how is it possible that California is experiencing a high volume of new "cases"? Shouldn't the opposite be true?
> as if 13 days is too long to wait
ReplyDelete1. "Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." Even at this late date, there are fears that if certain evil deeds become widely known it will cost people their power.
2. "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." Also, "who is able to stand before envy?" Winning won't be enough for them; Trump must be destroyed.
None of this is news to me. In 1968 as a bad loser second grade George Wallace backer I saw dispelt my dream Wallace as president would a la latin American military dictatorships punish Nixon & Humphrey ex post facto for opposing him. I then spent the 1970s explicitly idolizing demagogs, authoritarians, usurpers & other mountebanks over humaner figures to ensure I was taken seriously given my youth & that execution of my sort of law & order & anti-communism would actually cut crime & end the cold war in total victory.
ReplyDeleteMy point is there is just as much intensity on the right & can be provoked in far better circumstances than obtain now. To an 8 year old 1968 was a harrowing year but was the last full calendar year of the fastest, highest, stablest & most continuous net real rise in working class & lower middle class affluence ever but plenty of people far older than me were about as grieved. That living standards fell & crime rose no matter what earnest people did proves they were rightly grieved.
In the 1980s & 90s I noted with alarm ever bolder & more pervasive united front activity.
Immediately the lunacy of 2020 crystalized I knew what it was: a spartacist operation a la Munich just after the world war armistice with many Luxembergs & Liebknechts. I knew also that what would solve the problem would be unforthcoming because the blood of too many Americans has fatally thinned since lax immigration policy in 1965.
Since before 9/11 I have believed our main hope lay in accelerationism, a process being intensified for us. Soon we will be constrained to earn God's help by helping ourselves. Frankly I say About time.