WHEN---not if---the rabid supporters of Trump start engaging in widespread serious violence to

[Atticus]

"save the nation" and restore the monster to power, how do you think we should respond?

Do I KNOW this will happen? Of course not, but I believe it is likely. With wingnuts like Gaetz and Greene calling us Nazis and encouraging "armed revolution" and numerous Republican opinion leaders STILL insisting that the 2020 election was "stolen", refusing to consider the possibility that these storm trooper wannabes will stomp and/or shoot those of us who believe Trump should die in prison is---"imprudent".

To be clear, I am not talking about simply offensive speech or more slanderous lies. I am talking about Proud Boys and Oath Keepers and Three Percenters and all manner of Qanon whackos who may grab their guns and take to the streets or attack government offices if Trump is indicted or arrested.

"That won't happen"?

"They are too cowardly to take on armed authorities"?

"Get serious---this is America"?

Which of those would not have been a common response if the Capitol insurrection had been predicted on January 5th?

It may be an uncomfortable prospect to consider, but better to think about it now than wait until the "barbarians are at the gate".

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I would be very much surprised if President Biden hadn't already considered this.

I'm pretty sure he has plans to deal with it.

[PortTack]

6. Agree..the FBI has already named the boogaloos and proud boys as domestic terrorists

If they think they can take on the federal government...it will be their blood being spilled

[padfun]

2. We in the Pacific Coast and the New England states look at the rest of the country

And wonder WTF is going on?

[alittlelark]

11. Here in NM we are shouldered in by 2 whacko states

At least CO is mostly sane.

[fwvinson]

17. What the f**k are you talking about.

Oregon and Idaho are the fascist capitols of the world

[padfun]

20. Idaho is not Pacific Coast

And although Oregon does have it's Militia's, it is still a blue state.

[Blaukraut]

21. In no way do I feel safe from them even here in MA.

If they manage to take over the government and we will, effectively, be an autocracy, there is no doubt that this new government will either punish blue states, or bring them to heel. There won't be a safe haven anywhere. That's how authoritarian governments operate.

[moonscape]

25. I'm on the CA Central Coast and

sure, I feel safer not seeing open carry and knowing more folks are like me, but boogaloo Steve Carrillo lived and murdered right here in Ben Lomond last year. Terrorists walk among all of us.

[ShazzieB]

30. Well, please don't look at Illinois that way.

This state is an island of blue surrounded by an ocean of red and reddish purple!

I just wanted to point that out, because the folks on the coasts sometimes seem to forget we're here. 😁

Edited to add: I will admit that this state has red areas (more of them the farther south you go), but up here in the Chicago suburbs, I feel pretty safe from the MAGAts. I know we have Trump voters around here, but they seem to keep a low profile. As I've posted AT DU before, I have never seen even one single solitary MAGA hat wearer in my area, EVER. And I think the violent ones would be more likely to go after the well-known Democratic stronghold of Chicago anyway.

[Treefrog]

36. Really? I live in a state where mass shootings rarely happen, if at all.

Wtf is going on in CA, which leads in mass shootings? And apparently in anti-Asian crime as well. This regional crap on du gets so tiresome.

[elleng]

3. 'Widespread serious violence' responded to by police and military action.

[wnylib]

29. Yes, of course. But some of the police and

military are members of the white supremacist groups themselves.

[elleng]

31. SERIOUSLY bad news.

[wnylib]

33. The makings of a real civil war if violence breaks out on a large scale.

[PortTack]

4. Here's what a seasoned veteran had to say

I hope you open the link...it’s common sense


https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMec9soGb/

[FirstLight]

28. well said!

The real problem is that they are stupid AND dangerous, in fact their stupidity and fantasy makes them even more so.

[guillaumeb]

5. A relative few showed up on January 6, 2021.

I might be overly optimistic, but my view is that there will not be many of these idiots because most people, no matter what they might say on Facebook, will not start a battle in the streets.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. It will be different next time.

1. These groups are being closely monitored.

2. The National Guard will be called to arrest and to defend.

3. People may very well be killed in fighting.

4. There will be trials on the basis of Treason.

5. January 6 will be a one-time only event as far as how many got away with it.

[PortTack]

8. Thank you!! A voice of sanity

[Atticus]

13. I hope you are right. One thing though: "treason" requires an act while we are "at war". nt

[Mr.Bill]

14. I think they are more than monitored.

I think they have been infiltrated. The only reason 1/6 was able to happen is the corrupt Pentagon officials that the CIC had planted there just before the event. The danger is not among us. The danger is a corrupt government. 1/6 wasn't done by the Proud Boys or the Oath keepers. It was done by Donald Trump and some corrupt people in Congress and at the Pentagon.

The Proud Boys and their ilk will not take over the country any more than a bunch of Boy Scouts with first aid merit badges will take over the US medical care system.

[jpak]

9. They would get slaughtered

Yup

[Claire Oh Nette]

10. Be hypervigilant

when you see something, say something.

Avoid them if you can, but politely and firmly call them out on their lies. THat's not true, and a statement of fact. Over and over. There are more of us than there are of them. They know they lost, and they don't know how to walk back their bluff and bluster. When the shooting starts, arrest them for assault, battery, attempted homicide, disturbing the peace, and sedition. Press charges. Put economic pressure on companies you do business with to stop funding anti democracy, anti science, anti reality gop candidates.

Fine them, ban them, shun them, arrest them. jail them.

[vercetti2021]

12. Protect myself and my family

I have guns. I will use them if shit goes south really badly.

[Funtatlaguy]

15. All that needs to happens is for Trump to give another wink or a nod

[Comatose Sphagetti]

16. Take a deep breath, my friend.

All will work out -

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

[Shellback Squid]

18. I'm buying flowers to put in the muzzles of their guns

can't fight hate with hate

[JohnQFunk]

19. Lots of room in Gitmo. and if I am not mistaken the Patriot Act may well apply.

You wanna be a terrorist? You'll love Cuban summers.

[Meowmee]

22. I have no doubt there will be more violence

Hopefully the response will be to flatten it immediately next time. A message of “it is ok”
is being sent when there are so far no serious repercussions as of yet for what happened and no investigation. I always knew this country was full of fascists and feared but never really imagined the past few years would come to pass. I just discovered another trump wacko in our area the other day while taking a different route. An over sized home with a huge flag pole with dump flags etc., what a revolting sight. I am glad we aren’t close enough to see it.

[brooklynite]

23. What do you mean by "we"

There are Federal and State authorities that have dealt with situations like this before and will do so again.

[SunImp]

24. I think many of them are smart enough to know that another Jan 6th won't happen again.

If they were going to do something they would have people go on random mass shootings or plan on smaller scale operations that target vital infrastructures. The Feds are probably on to many of these people too, but there is a vast amount of text aps and other ways to communicate out there that doesn't draw too much attention from the guys in black.

[TFRD]

26. Stay home...

Treat it as the most deadly disease in all of humanity, treat it as highly, highly contagious and wait for the rightful leader to give guidance to the people; we've been preparing for this for some time now.
End
tfrd

[speaknow]

27. Pelosi hit the nail on the head, that the

enemy is within! How far in, looks pretty deep.
Where are these groups getting there funding
from? Govt. needs to find the money supplier.
Those storm troopers that got arrested will loose
their right to vote, and they will get angry about
that too!

[JoeOtterbein]

32. The keyboard warriors are not the problem...

...they are unable to fulfill their fantasies.

It's the ones with real power, including police and military, that already are a really destructive problem.

[Crunchy Frog]

34. They may get him, or some other monster back in power without any violence.

They may be able to achieve it simply with the changes to voting laws in states with R legislatures.

That seems to me like the more serious threat. No way to use force against that, unlike in your scenario.

[calimary]

35. Nothing wrong with considering things like this now.

And NOT, as you so aptly put it, when the “barbarians are at the gate.”

More and more, I find myself thinking “what would the CONS do in a case like this?”

Maybe we need to start thinking like a republi-CON. They are as devious as can be, they are sneaky and slippery and, dammit, they make it work! And look how much they get away with! Why aren’t WE thinking and manipulating and maneuvering like THEY do? Because they gain ground. And we lose. And they keep gaining ground. And they keep playing hardball and sneaky ball and all kinds of slippery shit, and they succeed! And they play us for absolute fools.

And I’m frankly sick and tired of that!