And now... A word from Uncle Chad about things to come.
From "Warriors" to "Pardon-less Wonders": Trump’s Riotous Rhetoric & His Devoted Jan 6er's
The World of Trump — the man who should probably come with his own warning label: "Caution: Side effects may include severe whiplash from double standards and eye rolls so intense you'll sprain your optic nerve.”
So, imagine this: Donald Trump, with his hair that defies gravity and logic, just crowned the Jan. 6 Capitol "Rioters" as "Warriors", yeah, actual Warriors! As if they were off fighting dragons instead of, you know, baton-twirling their way through the Capitol like it's a small-town parade gone rogue.
Let's rewind to that fateful day in 2021. Picture it: Thousands of Trump supporters storming the U.S. Capitol, many of them armed with the kind of DIY weaponry that could only come from wannabe Jr. MacGyver's — pistols, knives, baseball bats, stun guns, some even used poles holding The American Flag, and yes, even deadly Bear spray. Because sure, why not assault police officers like they're camping in Yellowstone and you just can't handle their s'mores.
Fast forward three years of legal wrangling, and over 1,400 of these folks have been charged. We're talking some serious heavy-hitters here, like Daniel Rodriguez, who thought zapping a police officer in the neck with a taser was a solid life choice. He’s now got 12 long years to rethink that. Or Peter Schwartz, who figured pepper-spraying and folding chair-wielding was just another day at the office. Surprise, Peter: 14 years in the slammer, especially since those 38 prior criminal convictions didn't exactly scream "model citizen."
But hey, Trump, who apparently thinks of himself as a modern day Vincent Van Gogh, (maybe his later years of Insanity), he continues to paint them not as criminals, but as misunderstood "Heroes" and now as "Warriors". Like something out of a twisted Marvel movie where the villains think they're the misunderstood antiheroes.
What about Trump's loyalty? you might ask. Oh, that’s a one-way street as narrow as Trump’s definition of the word “loyalty.” Did he pardon any of his beloved "warriors"? Ha! Not a Snowballs Chance in Melania's Mar-A-Lago Hell! Instead, Donnie reserved those sweet, sweet pardons for his wealthy pals — the ones with deep pockets or deep voices that could sink his ship faster than you can say "subpoena."
For Trump, loyalty is less about "mutual respect" and more about "blind, unquestioning devotion". You're only as useful as the campaign donations you bring in or the legal skeletons you can keep buried in the golden closet. Need proof? Just ask any of the sorry saps still cooling their heels in federal housing over the Jan. 6 shenanigans.
Now, back to the former Prez and his recent rhetoric, which has all the subtlety of a bullhorn at a library. Remember his hot-take on the rioters? They weren't just "hostages” or “political prisoners.” Nope, they
were “warriors.” You know, because attacking police officers with bear spray is evidently the kind of heroic valor that earns you a gold star in Trump’s book of alternate history.
And then there's the icing on this upside-down cake: Trump's promise of future pardons for these so-called warriors if, God forbid, he's back in the White House. (AGAIN, Not a Snowballs Chance in Melania's Mar-A-Lago Hell). Nothing says "I stand for law and order" like telling extremists, "Hey, go nuts — there’s a presidential get-out-of-jail-free card in it for ya." It's a message so loud, even Fido, two American towns over, can hear the dog whistle.
Trump has also ramped up his rhetoric, calling his opponents "vermin" and suggesting that migrants are "poisoning our blood." You'd think we were in a time warp to the bad old days of segregationists and Nazis. All this while planning his "revenge" on Biden, the DOJ, AG Garland, Jack Smith, FBI Agents etc..., literally anyone standing in his way of the White House for allegedly "rigging" his numerous felony convictions. (To be exact, 34 Felonies with 54 additional felonies coming soon to a courtroom near you. Oh, and Spoiler: there's zero evidence of "rigging" his trial with 12 random Jurors , that he had a hand in picking, the 16-25 randomly selected Grand Jury Panelists who INDICTED him or the President & the DOJ having anything to do with his "STATE" courtroom dramas.)
Experts and scholars are practically tripping over themselves with concern. Jon Lewis from George Washington University said Trump’s language is like "rolling out the red carpet for violence". And Jacob Ware of the Council on Foreign Relations warns Trump's blabbering is basically an "open invite for extremists to come in and wreck the joint".
The DHS even chimed in with an annual threat assessment that’s practically shouting at us: Election season is the tremor before the domestic terrorism earthquake. And Trump’s rhetoric? It’s a megaphone for the Proud Boys and their ilk, who’ve slithered back to Trump rallies looking to swell their numbers.
Federal law enforcement is on high alert, but trying to keep it on the down-low. The thinking is to avoid riling up conspiracy theorists convinced that any action against them is part of some grand "deep state" ninja moves. Experts like Jacob Ware think it might do more good for state and local governments, plus NGOs, to lead the way in cooling things down.
Key battleground states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania will focus hard on protecting vote-counting sites, because counting votes should not feel like defusing a bomb. We need to take this seriously.
Trump’s conjuring up chaos, and this isn’t just Trump being Trump. He’ll scramble the law and order omelet if it means grabbing power. And he’s spelling it out right there in broad, glaring daylight.
Until next time, keep your irony detectors switched on, and remember: in Trump’s delusional world, loyalty is a one-way ticket — and you're the only one paying fare.
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Almost time for me to pack the bags.