Trump's Insurrectionists Were Fighting For Fascism, Not Democracy

They have no idea what democracy means or why their actions were so contrary to it.

Photo: John Minchillo, AP

by Bob Cesca

WASHINGTON, DC -- As I watched the shocking video footage presented by the House managers in the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump, I was struck by something that hadn’t really occurred to me before. 

In addition to the crazy-eyed violence of Trump’s insurrectionist mob, I noticed the sporadic chants of, “USA! USA! USA!” repeated by the terrorists themselves. I noticed, too, the perpetrators waving of American flags as if their desecration of the U.S. Capitol was somehow in the name of American patriotism and not merely a pathetic, chaos-addicted mad man. For Trump’s army of violent extremists, patriotism is strictly a matter of brand loyalty rather than an ideal in and of itself. They have no idea what democracy means or why their actions were so contrary to it.

I couldn’t help but be enraged by the video footage being presented by the managers -- scene after scene of anti-democratic thugs who despise American values waving the American flag. The only thing that might be more infuriating is the fact that nearly all Republicans, despite the reality of what happened, will vote to acquit the ring-leader of the invasion anyway. Why? They’ll tell you it’s because they believe in the Constitution and the values enshrined within it -- but in reality, they only seem to give a rip about the Second Amendment, and not much else.

For years now, we’ve watched in horror as Republican campaign ad after campaign ad shows candidates for Congress literally shooting legislation they don’t like. For example, Will Brooke shooting Obamacare or Rand Paul shooting the tax code with, yes, an AR-15, the Sandy Hook weapon….

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