The Past is Gone
It happens slowly. It’s not unlike the tale of cooking the frog. See, you can’t put a frog in boiling water. It will hop out immediately. Slowly turn the heat up and the frog will be none the wiser. Sadly, many of us are no more observant or wise than the common frog.
January 6th happened. We all saw it happen live. We all know exactly how we felt while watching it. We remember the combination of fear, horror, and seething anger. What’s more, we saw all of the lawmakers on that day. We saw all of them cowering. We saw the fear and anger in their eyes. In many of them you can still see it.
Yet, for some the effort has already begun. Like the frog, they didn’t completely deny it immediately. No one would have bought that. We’re much too smart for that. It started with simple conflation with a little bit of gaslighting thrown in. Those attacks weren’t any worse than the Antifa attacks on our cities. After all, those “terrorists” caused more property damage and loss of life than the “misguided patriots” that attacked the capital.
Misguided patriots. I’m sure you caught that too. I’m sure your blood boiled just a little when you heard that phrase. Defense attorneys are already working overtime to exonerate those charged with the insurrection. It wasn’t their fault. They were duped. They are America loving patriots that just got sold a lemon by a barking con man. Of course, what gets to happen to the con man? Well, he gets secret service detail and he can look for voter fraud in every sand trap at Mar Lago.
If it stopped there it would be one thing. In the abstract, we all acknowledge that lawyers have to earn a living. Defense attorneys levy ridiculous defenses every day in court. It’s their job. When truth is not on your side you resort to any other means you possibly can. Yet, as we know it didn’t end there. The opposition is slowly turning up the heat on the frog.
Now, they are saying it wasn’t an insurrection at all. It was a normal, average day at the capital. The protesters were simply acting like any group of tourists would. Of course, this theory is pure fiction, so it gets a few variants. One such variant has the MAGA crowd as fine, upstanding citizens just protesting while Antifa operatives sewed discontent and performed most of the violence. Sure. Makes perfect sense until you actually think about it.
Others still acknowledged that something happened and yet want to conflate it with “all of the other violence” going around the country. That’s what happened when most of the GOP caucus opposed a 1/6 commission. They were given their demands. They got equal representation on the commission. Both parties have subpoena power. Still, they think the commission should be investigating Black Lives Matter and Antifa.
A political party that spent millions of tax payers money and hours of precious time investigating Benghazi think that an event with a similar death toll and far more injuries deserves little to no time. Seems just about right. This one was only an attack on our very own government. It was an attack on our very own soil. It was in an attack in a building that hasn’t seen one in its storied history. It was an attack on the very institutions that keep our government humming.
It’s been only a few months. Just wait until a few years have gone by. Just wait until a few decades have gone by. What was the scariest collective moment in many of our lives will become another footnote in history. It will become a mild mannered protest where a few people got hurt. Maybe it will rise to the level of a Kent St. in some people’s minds. Maybe it will completely disappear from others. At least that’s the goal and that is why the opposition must keep the story line going. Nothing as obtrusive as a commission seeking the truth can get in the way of the “truth.”
“It was an attack on our very own soil.”
I first read that as “It was an attack on our very own *soul*.” Both, I think, are accurate.
1We let the Republicans get away with it.
Their voter base believes damage done on the periphery of BLM protests — which was likely done by provocateurs and opposing opportunists — is exactly equal to trying to overthrow the government.
I only hope that the prison terms that will be handed down to the “misguided patriots” will be convincing. The last white-pride/stop-the-steal event totally fizzled.
On the other hand, 60+ unequivocal court decisions had no effect on most of them when it comes to believing election fraud happened. We can’t change their minds. The best we can do is render them apathetic.
2If you listen to those damn satanic socialist liberals, they’ll have you believing the civil war was about slavery.
3Pfff.
this is trivial, 4 poor souls died in benghazi and a bunch of “tourists” visited the capitol , THE OLD SAYING: depends on who’s ox is being gored…..
4McCarthy’s “Pyrrhic victory” brands him a frightened child running away from his oath of office to hide from
ridicule and censure
McGovern Slams McCarthy For ‘Hiding’ From Floor Jan. 6 Commission Vote
May 19, 2021
**************************************
Video of Kevin McCarthy NOT on the floor of the House.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyMXGAR_ks0
5If we let them.
6Frogs actually do better, and the metaphor isn’t instructive.
Washington Post had an interesting article I remembered, searched for, and found — “The data is in. Frogs don’t boil. But we might.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/02/25/data-are-frogs-dont-boil-we-might/
“The metaphor of the boiling frog has long been used to describe this potential risk. If a frog is placed into an already heated pot, the fable goes, it will immediately jump out. If, however, the frog is placed into a cool pot that is slowly heated, the gradually climbing temperature will fool the frog into thinking conditions are not changing, and it will eventually be cooked.
“Science tells us that this story is false, at least for frogs. But might it apply to humans? Along with our co-authors, Flavio Lehner and Patrick Baylis, we recently found evidence that humans may in fact be strikingly similar to the fabled boiling frog.,,,
“We estimate that it takes five years for changes in temperature to become completely unremarkable. In other words, on average, people in the United States are basing their idea of normal weather on what has happened in the last handful of years.”
7Alan #2 took the words out of my mouth. There needs to be an investigation, and the findings, if criminal, need to be turned over to he proper authority. The crime family run by his majesty needs to be outed for what it is and those who’ve aligned with it ousted!
8If I’m running the DNC I’m making a note of every significant bill the House passes that the Senate doesn’t even vote on. I think that’s how you retain Congress and finally get these guys (and gals). You highlight how the stimulus made your life better and how much better it would be if they would just get out of the damn way. I say all that because I don’t think this commission is getting past McConnell and his merry band of jackasses. I don’t see the added security bill gets past them either. Add to that the infrastructure bill and the safeguarding of our democracy and you can see the pattern. That pattern needs to be drilled into the minds of the American people.
9Nick – I did read that if the Jan 6th is filibustered, the House can still proceed with a Select group of
10House members, investigation. In that venue, members of the Senate and even possibly DJT could be subpoenaed to testify.
I don’t know what positive thing moscow mitch ever did legislatively. Obstruction is his only achievement. As for kavein mccarthy, he’s no leader. It’s like mjt is leading him with a nose ring.
11I really hope the house can in fact do a thorough investigation without the senate or kavein’s approval or participation.
Steve from Beaverton @11
Death Star Filibuster
“Pull up…” “No, I can hold it!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFPI54fOWoo
12Nick: “It was in an attack in a building that hasn’t seen one in its storied history.” Wrong.
Apparently you are a tad younger than slipstream hisownself, and you don’t remember British troops burning the US Capitol, the President’s Mansion, and other buildings in Washington DC on August 24, 1814. It’s good that a few geezers like myownself who remember these things are still around to help out you younguns.
13Slipstream@13.
14But that was an attack by a foreign country’s army.
Not an attack by the “citizens”.
Meant kavein mccarthey is being led by mt green. By his nose or other body parts.
15Nick, what you said about drilling the truth into the minds of the American people is absolutely true. What you’ve said before about ending gerrymandering and getting dark money out of politics is true.
16But none of it has much chance of happening as long more and more propaganda networks keep popping up, explaining what Democrats ACTUALLY mean when they try drilling.
All the while claiming to be REAL NEWS.
I know I’ve said it before, but it IMHO just keeps getting more true.
Freedom of speech and the Fourth Estate, which have been one of our greatest strengths, is liable to be our downfall.
Trumpf just trumpfblogged that “all riots matter.” He’s so clever. Well, OK. Let’s start with top one- his presidential riot/insurrection. I think what he was inferring is that they all matter except his. Need to be sure everyone knows who started that one.
17Brennan:& Sean Patrick Maloney – ‘Republicans Understand That The Truth Is Going To Hurt Them’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXPCehre-Lo
18