Coup in the USA?

[Cristiano]

This is an important Tweet thread:

 

[bubblesort]

Another video of the violence... one thing I find interesting is the flags they are waiving in this video. It's not just American and Trump and confederate flags. They have Canadian, French, Korean, and even Scottish flags. Like, WTF? I mean, I always thought they liked the American flag and standing for it at sports ball games because of the patriotism they feel for America, but no... it's not about the American flag, specifically. They just categorically like all flags. ALL FLAGS MATTER! LOL

 

[Innula Zenovka]

I’ve been saying the same since it started. The last attack on Canadian parliament resulted in the assailant shot 31 times, including by the Sargent at Arms in full ceremonial robes. Some say it’s different when it’s a mob, and maybe so, but I feel like it indicates something else that’s fundamentally different about Americans and their relationship with their government than exists in other countries? I’m just not sure what.

Edit to add, I’ve had to visit the provincial Legislature several times for work, and couldn’t imagine a mob getting through security even when the premier isn’t in the building, let alone the extra security when they are in session.

I'm pretty sure I recall reading somewhere that when they came to choose a design for the new Palace of Westminster after the old one was destroyed by a fire in 1834, during a period of considerable economic and political upheaval and the Chartist Movement agitating for a broadened suffrage, making the new buildings readily defensible against mobs and demonstrators was an important consideration (it's said to be why one wall is over the river, so it can't be surrounded and so, in an emergency, members can be evacuated by water).

 

[Pancake]

Another video of the violence... one thing I find interesting is the flags they are waiving in this video. It's not just American and Trump and confederate flags. They have Canadian, French, Korean, and even Scottish flags. Like, WTF? I mean, I always thought they liked the American flag and standing for it at sports ball games because of the patriotism they feel for America, but no... it's not about the American flag, specifically. They just categorically like all flags. ALL FLAGS MATTER! LOL

I would not be surprised if there were Canadians there. Several pro Trump rallies protesting certifying the US election were held across Canada AT THE SAME TIME as the insurrection at the Capitol. One just two hours away from me. Ironically they were broken up and charged with violating public health orders on social gatherings during a pandemic.
My cousin is frothing on Facebook about how we’ve all been duped and Antifa plotted the whole thing.
Whatever this sickness is, it’s definitely not an American thing. We are usually a year or two behind you so many Canadians are watching closely and thinking maybe dismissing or ignoring the fringe isn’t the best solution after all.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

More consequences

 

[Essence Lumin]

Any predictions on whether there will be an adequate police presence at the inauguration?

 

[bubblesort]

I would not be surprised if there were Canadians there. Several pro Trump rallies protesting certifying the US election were held across Canada AT THE SAME TIME as the insurrection at the Capitol. One just two hours away from me. Ironically they were broken up and charged with violating public health orders on social gatherings during a pandemic.
My cousin is frothing on Facebook about how we’ve all been duped and Antifa plotted the whole thing.
Whatever this sickness is, it’s definitely not an American thing. We are usually a year or two behind you so many Canadians are watching closely and thinking maybe dismissing or ignoring the fringe isn’t the best solution after all.

That's so weird. I don't understand Trump's appeal in other countries. I hear he has a big following in Poland. Do foreigners not understand what, "America first!" means? I guess nationalism to a specific country is kind of a fluid thing to people of a certain ideological bent. I mean, we have American nazis, even though nazis were German nationalists, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It just makes me scratch my head.

The people saying the terrorism at the capitol was antifa are seriously unhinged right now. Here's one example of how deep that goes...

 

[Pancake]

Trump bumper stickers are not uncommon where I live, although they do call Alberta little Texas. We already have socialized health care, ridiculous taxes and gun control so that’s not their issue. It’s a combination of thinking Biden will kill our oil industry and part the steady diet of American media we get.
Confederate flags are quite popular, from stand ins for curtains in mobile homes to tattoos to flown as protest at environmental rallies. If you think it’s embarrassing there, imagine not even being in the US.

Edit to add Some truly just believe democracy has been threatened and the election was fraudulent so they want to support their neighbours, as they would any country with a crooked election

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

That's so weird. I don't understand Trump's appeal in other countries. I hear he has a big following in Poland. Do foreigners not understand what, "America first!" means? I guess nationalism to a specific country is kind of a fluid thing to people of a certain ideological bent. I mean, we have American nazis, even though nazis were German nationalists, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It just makes me scratch my head.

I don't think it's American nationalism that has struck a chord with other people around the world, particularly in Europe. Trump may have used the words "America First", but in actuality, that was a dogwhistle for white supremacy - for it's not ALL of America that comes first for him and his ilk, but WHITE America. And that resonates with other white supremacists around the world.

 

[Isabeau]

I don't think it's American nationalism that has struck a chord with other people around the world, particularly in Europe. Trump may have used the words "America First", but in actuality, that was a dogwhistle for white supremacy - for it's not ALL of America that comes first for him and his ilk, but WHITE America. And that resonates with other white supremacists around the world.

They like what he stands for, what he represents, and want the same type of governance for their own country. But just like many of trump supporters in the US, many are Q nutters, supremacists, conspiracy believers, ultra-conservatives, anti immigration... AND stupid which is why some wear Make America Great Again hats and wave Another country’s flag.

That kind of Q insanity isn’t found only in your country. US politics is constantly in the news elsewhere, even before this administration, but it’s now a constant, day in/day out trump trump trump every where all the time. Fucking insane. Enough to brainwash the most susceptible.

Having said that, there are also other politicians/parties in other countries that have wacko (and dangerous) followers but you may not know them because you don’t hear about them in your news (I’m guessing).

TL;DR

The MAGA hats and trump love is just a way to show that what’s happening in the US is what they also want. It’s like a universal language that everyone understands right away since it’s on the news so much. There are different languages and names for different parties across Europe but everyone understands MAGA/Trump.

As for Canada, there have always been a subset here who envy US might - who prefer to identify with the brute than with weak pinko “sorry, eh?” effeminate Canada.

We have them in Quebec, too, especially since we have always been more republican here (small r, la république, less centralized power, etc. so Pro USA.)

Anyway, thats my take.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

According to this tweet thread, the skeleton crew of cops at the Capitol during this event was alarmingly unusual not only compared to BLM protests. He says it's always much, much larger, for every planned gathering he's ever seen - including smaller all-white, completely a-political events where there was zero chance of crowd violence.

 

[Essence Lumin]

As for Canada, there have always been a subset here who envy US might - who prefer to identify with the brute than with weak pinko “sorry, eh?” effeminate Canada.

Alberta has a reputation.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

 

[Free]

First ones to look at: Those calling for unity.

 

[Cindy Claveau]

That's the bit I don't get -- why are people in the American midwest, for example, so scared of socialists when they've probably never met one in their lives, and they tend to agree with socialist policies anyway, if they hear the policy described without being told whose it is?

It's been a puzzler here in my state for decades. There's even a book about it, "What's the Matter with Kansas". My state is among the poorest in the country, being mostly rural and sparsely populated. But the backlash to the post-war Communist threat has completely immersed our brains in this weird fantasy that we're the ones who are right, we all have the chance to be fabulously rich, and those other guys worship Satan and eat babies.

Most of my discussions with people on the topic involve pointless "whataboutism" involving Stalin's purges and Mao's agrarian reforms. Because, as we're all so painfully aware, those are absolutely the only examples of socialist democracy commies in the history of ever.

 

[bubblesort]

LOL, Elizabeth from Knoxville is a trip. She held a cut onion in that towel.

 

[Free]

 

[Isabeau]

Alberta has a reputation.

I know we dump on Alberta a lot because of their more conservative politics but to be fair, you will find the same sorts all across Canada. Just more divided and less concentrated, with less (past) oil/US money pumping them up. Thank heavens for all the Pancake, read sane, people who still live there.

 

[Isabeau]

It's been a puzzler here in my state for decades. There's even a book about it, "What's the Matter with Kansas". My state is among the poorest in the country, being mostly rural and sparsely populated. But the backlash to the post-war Communist threat has completely immersed our brains in this weird fantasy that we're the ones who are right, we all have the chance to be fabulously rich, and those other guys worship Satan and eat babies.

Most of my discussions with people on the topic involve pointless "whataboutism" involving Stalin's purges and Mao's agrarian reforms. Because, as we're all so painfully aware, those are absolutely the only examples of socialist democracy commies in the history of ever.

Imagine if instead of using Socialism at every turn during and after the war, they would have used the words fascism and dictatorship more. I wonder if that would have made a difference.

 

[Pancake]

I know we dump on Alberta a lot because of their more conservative politics but to be fair, you will find the same sorts all across Canada. Just more divided and less concentrated, with less (past) oil/US money pumping them up. Thank heavens for all the Pancake, read sane, people who still live there.

Isabeau is correct, every province has its own brand of crazy. Alberta is just the most vocal and proud of it, and it’s the most American like and recognizable.
Quebec had mafia and BC traffics in child brides with Utah, but Alberta still takes the cake for Trump fans.