This past weekend, Trump, citing easily disproved disinformation, called for the National Guard to be sent to Los Angeles over the objections of the Governor of California. This would be a good time to remember the last time a President called in the National Guard over the objections of its Governor. It was also a very divisive time in America, in so many ways much more divisive than today, but in other ways not nearly as fragile. The difference is that we had leadership in Washington that was willing to expand the promise of America. And a population that largely still believed in that promise, so much so that they were willing to fight for it.
In 1965, months after the passage of the 1964 Voting Rights Act, a group of over 600 activists, marching to demand that federal laws be recognized, were viciously attacked by state troopers, local police, and a posse of thugs, in Selma, Alabama. The brutality of it shocked the nation, and it became known as Bloody Sunday. LBJ called for George Wallace, the Governor of Alabama, to use the National Guard to allow peaceful demonstrations to continue. After first agreeing, Wallace then balked, and LBJ sent in the National Guard himself to restore order. Effectively using federalized troops to keep local and state police—and armed gangs sanctioned by the police—from violating the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens.
That’s the rule of law. That’s what upholding the promise of America looks like, in defiance of the forces who have forever wanted to destroy it. And that’s what we’re up against today. Imagine if, in 1965, LBJ had instead called in federal troops to quash the civil rights movement. If Trump were President back then, that’s exactly what he would have done. And that’s exactly what he’s trying to do today. He’s trying to sow chaos in order to create a reason to declare Martial Law. He’s been talking about it for years, and I don’t think that it’s a stretch to say that now he is surrounded by sycophants who are chomping at the bit to follow through on that order.
But besides our leadership being very different, our national media was different in LBJ’s time; the civil rights era prompted cultural change that was beginning to be reflected in mass media. Local media, especially radio, was, of course, filled with vitriol, but imagine if counter to the fact-based national news, there was also a FOX News, a blogosphere of right-wing zealots, and all the disinformation on the level we have today, drowning it all out. Under that scenario, would the nation have been shocked seeing the footage from Selma? Or, like today, would millions more than would have otherwise believe that it never even happened or that the police were right to put down an angry rebellion brought out by violent anti-white militias? That’s effectively what Trump is claiming now.
So that’s where were at. We’re in an upside-down and backward version of the world we’ve been living in since the civil rights movement. Now, instead of the Federal government protecting our rights against racist local governments and armed thugs, it is now local municipalities, governors, mayors, and people taking to the streets that are standing up to our now fascist and lawless federal government. A fascist and lawless regime armed with a vast propaganda machine, ready to foment violence and twist reality. So much so that small scattered protests in LA can be misconstrued as an insurrection by the President and then amplified across the right-wing ecosystem until millions of people can’t tell what’s real anymore. Or choose to believe what best aligns with their feelings, because that is now an option.
As Gore Vidal famously quipped, “We are the United States of Amnesia, we learn nothing because we remember nothing.” And that may never have been more true than it is today. It’s amazing how we have more information at our disposal than ever, yet so many people can’t discern reality anymore. So much so that many in our population have lost their vision of America entirely. Even before the last election, in interview after interview, Americans were caught on tape in focus groups saying in one way or another that there is no rule of law in America, that government doesn’t matter, or that basically, they’re on their own. For many, the idea that there is capable leadership had vanished. And the notion of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness was no longer a government guarantee, but instead up to each man, woman and child to try to achieve on their own, against impossible odds.
The United States of Amnesia had transformed into a state of cynicism. And now, that self-fulfilling fantasy has come true. There is no rule of law, government is dismantling itself, and indeed, we are now on our own. There is no federal power coming to save us, it’s been captured by illiberal actors who have no interest in Democracy anymore. Just to be clear these actors include, the Republican Party et al., the Silicon Valley investor class, the Heritage Foundation types, a huge swath of evangelical Christians, right wing militia groups, the fossil fuel industry, and the majority of our corporations are either fine with it or just don’t want to rock the boat. Yeah, it’s not good, and it’s gonna get worse before it can possibly get better; there’s likely no easy way out of this.
So yesterday, Trump called for the National Guard to quash what have largely been called peaceful protests in Los Angeles. But more so, if you saw the footage, it was a really small number of people against hundreds of police in tactical gear. Governor Newsom, who Trump regularly calls Newscum and millions of people accept this coming from the mouth of our President, called the order “purposely inflammatory,” which, of course, it is. Just as the tactics of ICE have been purposely inflammatory and clearly illegal. Through a series of dubious executive orders that are being challenged in multiple courts, the Trump administration has tried to change our immigration laws to turn legal asylum seekers into criminals. While these orders are being litigated, masked ICE agents have been raiding workplaces, stalking courthouses, baiting asylum seekers with text messages, and then whisking them away in unmarked vans to undisclosed locations. Their tactics have rightly been compared to the Gestapo.
And that brings me back to our business leaders, you’d think, the CEO’s at Lowes, or Home Depot, would be at least somewhat concerned that many of their customers are being terrorized. Wouldn’t you? I don’t know if you’ve been to a Home Depot lately, but there’s a reason why the signs are in both English and Spanish. I don’t have time to get into how our economy works because I need to stay focused on State Terrorism at the moment. But you can read all about it in my previous piece: The Immigration Disinformation That’s Sweeping the Nation.
So, of course, people are going to protest. And of course, Trump will use that as an excuse to call these protests illegal or a rebellion or whatever he wants, because hey, the rule of law is out the window. Just like so many had already believed, except it wasn’t actually true–until now. Most of us recognize that, but the 80 million people who voted for Trump, and the other tens of millions who are so disillusioned with America that they didn’t bother voting, they clearly don’t (or they do and it’s just what they prefer), and that’s all the cover that Trump and his cabal need to be as lawless as they want.
So that’s where were at. We’re in an upside-down and backward version of the world we’ve been living in since the civil rights movement. Don’t get me wrong, this is where the Civil Rights Movement was at in the early days, the Labor Movement, the Women’s Rights Movement, but right now were seeing the same forces that tried to quash all of that progress rear it’s ugly head in a way we haven’t had to confront in over half a century. The Democracy experiment was always fragile, but maybe never as fragile as it is today. Not just because of the forces endlessly trying to take it down, but because too many have lost sight of its promise.
All I can say is that now is not a good time to join their ranks. Good luck out there.