Arrested Capitol rioters had guns and bombs, everyday careers and Olympic medals

[J Town]

7 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

That's what some of the news hosts are saying.  Not sure whether he intended it to become violent, but just enough to cause chaos.  Perhaps to scare Pence into talking illegal action?

Well, as deep a thinker as 45 is, I doubt he thought it through. He just wanted his shiny toy to stay in his hands. Guess what loser-in-chief: This is the last weekend you will ever be president. Ever. If you have any thoughts of 2024, rest assured that your cloak of invisibility is being removed and your sins are about to see the light of day. This will keep you in infamy forever. I post this on behalf of the thousands of ruined lives and dead who can't speak for themselves.

[grab crotch and drop microphone]

 

 

Edited January 16, 2021 by J Town
speling [sic]

[Jeffr2]

1 minute ago, J Town said:

Well, as deep a thinker as 45 is, I doubt he thought it through. He just wanted his shiny toy to stay in his hands. Guess what loser-in-chief: This is the last weekend you will ever be president. Ever. If you have any thoughts of 2024, rest assured that your cloak of invisibility is being removed and your sins are about to see the light of day. This will keep you in infamy forever. I post this on behalf of the thousands of ruined lives and dead who can't speak for themselves.

[grab crotch and drop microphone]

 

 

He's going out with a full military display.  21 gun salute, etc.  Just before Biden's inauguration.  What a jerk.

 

He'll leave DC before noon, on a private plane.  And now, they have to have 2 nuclear footballs.  One will be given to Biden at noon, then Trump's codes will be removed.

 

He should have to pay for all this...

[spidermike007]

Many have been trying to figure out, with all of the advance intelligence available ahead of time, and knowing the nature of some of his extremist supporters, the Capital was not better protected. When the BLM marches were near the Capital, it was ringed with the National Guard. They could not even get close to the building. Was law enforcement partial to the Trump supporters?

 

Compared to other protests, where people who came close to government buildings were treated quite harshly, this reeks of favoritism toward the white Trump crowd. How can the capital building, with a joint session congress happening, not be considered a far greater security threat, than a nearly empty government building, or a retail store? Something smells fishy here. No doubt the capital police failed miserably. But, was it a deliberate failure? And if so, should they be charged with a crime? As far as the women who was killed, she breached the window of the capital building. If anything, the police should have treated the protestors in a harsher manner, and not allowed a single individual to enter the building, stopping them by force, if needed. There have to be limits on behavior. Otherwise, are we truly a civilized nation? 

 

“Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass,” said Brooks, R-Ala. “Are you willing to do what it takes to fight for America? Louder! Will you fight for America?”

 

Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado, first-term lawmakers who ran as outspoken defenders of Trump, referred to the day as Republicans’ “1776 moment.”

 

“Be ready to defend the Constitution and the White House,” Gosar wrote in an op-ed titled “Are We Witnessing a Coup d’État?”

 

https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/ct-nw-nyt-capitol-riot-republicans-20210112-td6dq5bvgvgkvbwhlnm66do6iy-story.html

 

“I think Donald Trump probably should be brought up on treason for something like this,” Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., told reporters. “This is how a coup is started. And this is how democracy dies.”

 

https://www.chicagotribune.com/election-2020/ct-nw-trump-electoral-college-protests-20210106-mv4gtnvkpvgublb3vgvz765lje-story.html

 

And Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), a Navy SEAL who was wounded in Afghanistan, told the Houston Chronicle: "All of the members who called for everyone to come and fight and make their last stand, all of those members were scattered like cowards while the Capitol Police had to do the fighting."

 

There is no  question that this uber cowards would soil their pants, if ever faced with real danger, yet they have no problem getting the extremists to do the dirty work for them. 

 

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/09/mccarthy-scalise-backlash-capitol-riot-456777

 

 

 

Edited January 16, 2021 by spidermike007

[mtls2005]

Texas Real Estate Agent Who Took Private Jet to Capitol Riot Is Arrested

 

A Texas real estate agent who took a private jet to the Capitol last week and called it “one best days of my life” was charged Friday for participating in the violent insurrection.

 

Jenna Ryan, a Frisco, Texas real estate broker and life coach, has been charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building without lawful authority and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds after documenting her two-day excursion to D.C. on social media.

Ryan went on a PR offensive after the riot, telling Spectrum News that she “answered the call of my president” and proudly stormed the Capitol because the election was rigged. “It’s not necessarily about taking over the Capitol, it’s about, ‘We the people own this building,’” she said.

 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/jenna-ryan-texas-real-estate-agent-who-flew-to-dc-on-private-jet-arrested-in-capitol-riots

 

 

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

<snip>

 

He should have to pay for all this...

In advance, no credit.

[watthong]

On 1/15/2021 at 11:29 AM, Orton Rd said:

So the media were lying for the past few years, they always said Trump supporters were red necked knuckle dragging deplorables, yet they were decent Americans with careers, service records and Olympic medals who just happened to be republicans.

 

Many adjectives I can heap on these folks but "decent" is definitely not one of them. Having "careers, service records and Olympic medals" and last but not least, "just happened to be republicans" - or I might add - "being POTUS" in no way shape or form guarantee decency, as we have now witnessed (and long endured.) Decency is a quality born out of education and a respect for human values, just a couple of elements that seem to be missing among the rioters/insurgents/insurrectionists/ or just plain misguided folks with tendencies toward violence and mayhem who rejoiced on storming the Capitol.
 

[J Town]

1 hour ago, watthong said:

On 1/15/2021 at 11:29 AM, Orton Rd said:

So the media were lying for the past few years, they always said Trump supporters were red necked knuckle dragging deplorables, yet they were decent Americans with careers, service records and Olympic medals who just happened to be republicans.

 

Many adjectives I can heap on these folks but "decent" is definitely not one of them. Having "careers, service records and Olympic medals" and last but not least, "just happened to be republicans" - or I might add - "being POTUS" in no way shape or form guarantee decency, as we have now witnessed (and long endured.) Decency is a quality born out of education and a respect for human values, just a couple of elements that seem to be missing among the rioters/insurgents/insurrectionists/ or just plain misguided folks with tendencies toward violence and mayhem who rejoiced on storming the Capitol.

Let's start with the premise that today's media cannot be trusted completely. I've seen CNN/MSNBC slant their views, and FOX/Newsmax/OAN are clearly out of their minds. 90% of all media is owned by six outlets that want to sway your mind to think their way. Their goal is to divide us, and as I see it, they've achieved that goal.

 

OK, critical thinking is becoming rare. Too many have become indoctrinated to think "Red is bad, only blue is good." "NO! Blue good, Red bad!"

 

Dr. Seuss wrote a book "The Sneetches" which SO reflects our world today. For pity's sake, we all want the same thing - a good job, a warm home, decent schools for our children, and comfort in our old age. This can be, we just have to work together to get there.

 

What will it take to get there?

[RocketDog]

"Arrested Capitol rioters had guns and bombs, everyday careers and Olympic medals." 

 

What they didn't have was sense enough not to be hornswoggled (for over 4 years!) by an obvious con man. 

 

No sympathy from me.

 

I've quit reading about all the arrests. Why should I care about their backstory or their struggles to go forward now into a messy future as total losers? 

[RocketDog]

46 minutes ago, J Town said:

Let's start with the premise that today's media cannot be trusted completely. I've seen CNN/MSNBC slant their views, and FOX/Newsmax/OAN are clearly out of their minds. 90% of all media is owned by six outlets that want to sway your mind to think their way. Their goal is to divide us, and as I see it, they've achieved that goal.

 

OK, critical thinking is becoming rare. Too many have become indoctrinated to think "Red is bad, only blue is good." "NO! Blue good, Red bad!"

 

Dr. Seuss wrote a book "The Sneetches" which SO reflects our world today. For pity's sake, we all want the same thing - a good job, a warm home, decent schools for our children, and comfort in our old age. This can be, we just have to work together to get there.

 

What will it take to get there?

Agreed. But what makes you think we will ever "get there"? 

[scorecard]

15 hours ago, Proboscis said:

Clearly you have not spent time with people with certain kinds of mental illness or those who are easily led.

 

Dealing with the mentally ill first: people who have a proclivity to get hyped up over nothing, perhaps having some mental issues with reality that happen to fall into the Facebook charm of keep feeding you the stuff that you keep liking. Start off by liking the wrong stuff and before you know it that is all you will see.

 

The gulible are also in the same boat. If they are around people they admire or like or people they see on Facebook or social media who they see as their peer group - while that might not be you or me, there are plenty of people who are inclined like that. I have a brother who has a PhD in a rather technical subject. Very intelligent guy. But he believes that covid-19 was manufactured in a lab by the Chinese. His issue is that once he has made his mind up, he never changes it. He read something convincing somewhere and now he wont change.

 

Finally, America is beginning to realise that while you may not be able to fool all of the people all of the time, you can fool some of the people some of the time, if you are diligent and never let up. This is what we are looking at now.

"Easily lead" Yep that's the family of Thai sons in laws. 

The things they believe are mind boggling:

- No danger of catching Covid if your visiting family in other locations because gov't doesn't allow the virus to spread inside a family.

- If you drink at home you don't get drunk, so if you need to drive a longer distance, drink at home before you go, not at a pub etc.

- If someone in the family is a gov't employee (any part of the gov't), then you have 3 extra seconds to go through traffic lights that have already turned red.

...

[J Town]

1 hour ago, RocketDog said:

Agreed. But what makes you think we will ever "get there"? 

Hope springs eternal. We have the power to wipe out ALL life many times over yet haven't done so. I must have hope, otherwise it is all nihilism.  A true nihilist would believe in nothing, have no loyalties, and no purpose other than, perhaps, an impulse to destroy.

[spidermike007]

6 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Texas Real Estate Agent Who Took Private Jet to Capitol Riot Is Arrested

 

A Texas real estate agent who took a private jet to the Capitol last week and called it “one best days of my life” was charged Friday for participating in the violent insurrection.

 

Jenna Ryan, a Frisco, Texas real estate broker and life coach, has been charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building without lawful authority and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds after documenting her two-day excursion to D.C. on social media.

Ryan went on a PR offensive after the riot, telling Spectrum News that she “answered the call of my president” and proudly stormed the Capitol because the election was rigged. “It’s not necessarily about taking over the Capitol, it’s about, ‘We the people own this building,’” she said.

 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/jenna-ryan-texas-real-estate-agent-who-flew-to-dc-on-private-jet-arrested-in-capitol-riots

 

 

 

She is a life coach. Amusing. Perhaps if she is sentenced to time in prison, in addition to losing her broker's license, she may lose her liberty. Might give her some time to reflect on the real meaning of life, rather than her delusion about owning the capital building, and obeying a despot. 

[choff56]

13 hours ago, J Town said:

In the spirit of returning "The Fairness Doctrine," Watter's World is equally as disturbing. Stupid knows no political boundaries. Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have a monopoly on idiocy.

You are probably right, but currently the republicans own Broadway.

[Bluespunk]

trump followers about to find out how little trump cares about them. 
 

lock them all up

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/16/us-capitol-rioters-donald-trump-pardons?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

[Scott]

A post violating Fair Use Policy has been removed along with reply.

 

4) You will not post any copyrighted material except as fair use laws apply (as in the case of news articles). Please only post a link, the headline and the first three sentences.

https://forum.thaivisa.com/terms/

 

That's THREE (3) SENTENCES and a LINK.

[ballpoint]

21 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Texas Real Estate Agent Who Took Private Jet to Capitol Riot Is Arrested

 

A Texas real estate agent who took a private jet to the Capitol last week and called it “one best days of my life” was charged Friday for participating in the violent insurrection.

 

Jenna Ryan, a Frisco, Texas real estate broker and life coach, has been charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building without lawful authority and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds after documenting her two-day excursion to D.C. on social media.

Ryan went on a PR offensive after the riot, telling Spectrum News that she “answered the call of my president” and proudly stormed the Capitol because the election was rigged. “It’s not necessarily about taking over the Capitol, it’s about, ‘We the people own this building,’” she said.

 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/jenna-ryan-texas-real-estate-agent-who-flew-to-dc-on-private-jet-arrested-in-capitol-riots

 

 

And now she's crying about it, begging for a pardon from Trump:

 

"He (Trump) asked us to fly there, he asked us to be there," Ryan told CBS11.

"I was doing what he asked us to do - Do I feel like a criminal? No."

Ryan says she does not "feel like she did anything wrong" and being at the Capitol riots felt "noble" and is something she's proud of.

"I feel very persecuted and very misjudged."

 

'We all deserve a pardon': US Capitol rioters make emotional pleas to Donald Trump (msn.com)

 

It's pathetic how these people can't even take responsibility for their own actions, and even more so that some on here would have them as heroes.

 

 

 

[spidermike007]

Jenna Ryan, a Texas real estate broker who took a private jet to Washington to join the attack on the US Capitol, has pleaded with Donald Trump to pardon her after she was arrested by federal authorities. After surrendering to the FBI on Friday, Ryan said: “We all deserve a pardon.” “I’m facing a prison sentence,” she told CBS11 at her home. “I think I do not deserve that.” Ryan said she had been “displaying my patriotism”, adding: “I listen to my president who told me to go to the Capitol.”

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/16/us-capitol-rioters-donald-trump-pardons?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

 

She felt it was ok to join the protests, which turned into riots. She was quoted as saying this is life or death, and she would give her life for this. Yet, she is not willing to make a minor sacrifice of losing her brokers license, giving up her livelihood, and spending a few years in the pen? What did she think would happen? Did she think she would be presented with an award or a citation for her bravery?

 

During a live Facebook video at the scene of the incursion, Ryan stated: “We are going to f+++++ go in here. Life or death, it doesn’t matter. Here we go.”

[J Town]

5 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

<snip>

During a live Facebook video at the scene of the incursion, Ryan stated: “We are going to f+++++ go in here. Life or death, it doesn’t matter. Here we go.”

Facebook - a prosecutor's best friend.

[Jeffr2]

15 minutes ago, J Town said:

Facebook - a prosecutor's best friend.

Yeah, from what I've read, the FBI is saying to expect the arrests to be in the hundreds.  Love it!

[Opl]

33 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

And now she's crying about it, begging for a pardon from Trump:

 

"He (Trump) asked us to fly there, he asked us to be there," Ryan told CBS11.

"I was doing what he asked us to do - Do I feel like a criminal? No."

Ryan says she does not "feel like she did anything wrong" and being at the Capitol riots felt "noble" and is something she's proud of.

"I feel very persecuted and very misjudged."

 

'We all deserve a pardon': US Capitol rioters make emotional pleas to Donald Trump (msn.com)

 

It's pathetic how these people can't even take responsibility for their own actions, and even more so that some on here would have them as heroes.

 

 

 

It's exactly what Trump wants them to think, he has weaponized them and turned them into martyrs 

How Ashli Babbitt Is Being Used As a Far-Right Recruiting Tool | Time

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, J Town said:

Facebook - a prosecutor's best friend.

 

Alot of people just do not understand social media. It is a law enforcement wet dream. Especially with something as open and notorious as these riots, where dumb participants were bragging about their participation and posting this stuff. What can one say? I guess Darwin wins again. Granted, there is a percentage of his base that is not particularly intellectual, but this raises the level of "not very smart" to a new level. 

 

So, what were these people thinking? And when it rose to a level where it was well beyond a peaceful protest, did they not consider that there might be ramifications for storming the US Capital building? Where is the common sense and reasoning? I have heard a few of the police comment on what it was like to be there. There is no other way to describe this other than a failed coup attempt. And in most other nations, the president would be in jail right now.

 

"That was one of the three times that day where I thought: Well, this might be it," Hodges, a patrol officer in the 4th District, told WJLA. "This might be the end for me." "We were battling, you know, tooth and nail for our lives," he said. "We held the line there in that doorway, and I guess I got pinned through the small back-and-forth we had fighting for, you know, every inch. And I had my arms pinned at that point, I wasn't able to defend myself."

 

https://abcnews.go.com/US/dc-police-officers-speak-us-capitol-siege-thought/story?id=75270773

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2021 by spidermike007

[rudi49jr]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Granted, there is a percentage of his base that is not particularly intellectual, but this raises the level of "not very smart" to a new level.

It just goes to show how stupid/ignorant/gullible most of these people really are, and also gutless whiners, when it comes down to it. Not to mention the double standard that they have: BLM should not even be allowed to protest, but when “their president” calls on them to storm the Capitol and basically stage a coup, they answer that call in droves because that’s all fine and dandy and not at all questionable or illegal. And they have the gall to call themselves patriots!
Years and years of lies, hate and indoctrination by (far) right wing media have done a lot of damage, and four years of Trump incessantly spreading lies, conspiracy theories and divisiveness even more so. Biden has his work cut out for him, but I have no idea how the USA can recover from this, when dozens of millions of people are totally convinced that Democrats eat babies, the Donald is their messiah and savior and the election was stolen from him, even though there isn’t a single shred of evidence to support that claim. 

[Opl]

21 minutes ago, rudi49jr said:

It just goes to show how stupid/ignorant/gullible most of these people really are, and also gutless whiners, when it comes down to it. Not to mention the double standard that they have: BLM should not even be allowed to protest, but when “their president” calls on them to storm the Capitol and basically stage a coup, they answer that call in droves because that’s all fine and dandy and not at all questionable or illegal. And they have the gall to call themselves patriots!
Years and years of lies, hate and indoctrination by (far) right wing media have done a lot of damage, and four years of Trump incessantly spreading lies, conspiracy theories and divisiveness even more so. Biden has his work cut out for him, but I have no idea how the USA can recover from this, when dozens of millions of people are totally convinced that Democrats eat babies, the Donald is their messiah and savior and the election was stolen from him, even though there isn’t a single shred of evidence to support that claim. 

and It's not exclusive to the U.S, 

"The QAnon movement is spreading around the world, turning an outlandish conspiracy theory revolving around President Trump into one of the nation’s most dangerous exports. Another way that the pandemic has contributed to the international spread of QAnon is by isolating people and leaving them with little to do but go online.  Social media has been the biggest vector for QAnon’s international growth."

QAnon spreads across globe, shadowing COVID-19 | TheHill 

Edited January 17, 2021 by Opl

[Virt]

21 hours ago, RocketDog said:

"Arrested Capitol rioters had guns and bombs, everyday careers and Olympic medals." 

 

What they didn't have was sense enough not to be hornswoggled (for over 4 years!) by an obvious con man. 

 

No sympathy from me.

 

I've quit reading about all the arrests. Why should I care about their backstory or their struggles to go forward now into a messy future as total losers? 

 

I think it's interesting to read about their backgrounds because it shows it could had been your best friends or family that were attending that chaos. 

 

A lot of people don't discuss politics with their friends or families because it leads to heated discussions so they just don't talk about it. 

 

Personally I love a good discussion with my friends where some are totally the opposite when it comes to politics and my GF also votes the opposite of what I do. 

 

I think it's important to discuss politics no matter how much you disagree with people, because if you can do that in a civil manner, it should be possible to find good things in both camps. 

 

It sounds to me that US are pretty much divided when it comes to politics and that it's black or white, and no so much in between. 

Either you are Trump supporter or you're an enemy and vice versa. 

 

Or is that to simplify things? 

 

 

[Walker88]

These terrorists are pathetic and deserve no mercy. They seem to have caught three things from 45:

 

1) Narcissism: many of them took selfies or otherwise posted on their Facebook pages, making it easy for the FBI to round them up. Pretty lame.

2) "I take no responsibility"; they want to find someone else to blame: "I'm just following my POTUSs orders"

3) They are whiny little children; everything is 'so unfair' to them, like being arrested for trying to overthrow the govt

 

They willingly entered a building without authorization, some smashing through windows and attacking police. And they expect to get off scot free? Sounds like white privilege or some other sort of entitlement, like the TX RE broker, perhaps thinking because she came to DC on a private jet, she is somehow above the law.

 

I saw one woman who was trampled as she tried to smash through the locked doors. Her friend started pleading with a cop for help.

 

Essentially what the friend is saying is: "We came here to overthrow the govt and assassinate elected officials, but please help my friend here so we can continue our putsch".

 

Ah.....No.

 

She died.

 

 

[candide]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Jenna Ryan, a Texas real estate broker who took a private jet to Washington to join the attack on the US Capitol, has pleaded with Donald Trump to pardon her after she was arrested by federal authorities. After surrendering to the FBI on Friday, Ryan said: “We all deserve a pardon.” “I’m facing a prison sentence,” she told CBS11 at her home. “I think I do not deserve that.” Ryan said she had been “displaying my patriotism”, adding: “I listen to my president who told me to go to the Capitol.”

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/16/us-capitol-rioters-donald-trump-pardons?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

 

She felt it was ok to join the protests, which turned into riots. She was quoted as saying this is life or death, and she would give her life for this. Yet, she is not willing to make a minor sacrifice of losing her brokers license, giving up her livelihood, and spending a few years in the pen? What did she think would happen? Did she think she would be presented with an award or a citation for her bravery?

 

During a live Facebook video at the scene of the incursion, Ryan stated: “We are going to f+++++ go in here. Life or death, it doesn’t matter. Here we go.”

One could feel sorry for such gullible nutters, except that they usually think there is a race which is inferior to theirs. When they don't, they obviously don't feel annoyed to be in the same lot as white supremacists.

[simple1]

1 hour ago, Walker88 said:

I saw one woman who was trampled as she tried to smash through the locked doors. Her friend started pleading with a cop for help.

 

Were police able to assist?

[polpott]

57 minutes ago, candide said:

When they don't, they obviously don't feel annoyed to be in the same lot as white supremacists.

That's because they are white supremacists. You don't have to be a member of a group to earn that label, its a state of mind, one which many millions of Americans have.

[Opl]

12 minutes ago, polpott said:

That's because they are white supremacists. You don't have to be a member of a group to earn that label, its a state of mind, one which many millions of Americans have.

as well as many White Evangelicals,

 

 

[RocketDog]

2 hours ago, Virt said:

 

I think it's interesting to read about their backgrounds because it shows it could had been your best friends or family that were attending that chaos. 

 

A lot of people don't discuss politics with their friends or families because it leads to heated discussions so they just don't talk about it. 

 

Personally I love a good discussion with my friends where some are totally the opposite when it comes to politics and my GF also votes the opposite of what I do. 

 

I think it's important to discuss politics no matter how much you disagree with people, because if you can do that in a civil manner, it should be possible to find good things in both camps. 

 

It sounds to me that US are pretty much divided when it comes to politics and that it's black or white, and no so much in between. 

Either you are Trump supporter or you're an enemy and vice versa. 

 

Or is that to simplify things? 

 

 

My attitude, and the attitude that most Americans were raised with is simple: we can have differing opinions on politics and still be friends. It has been that way most of my 70 year life. It's practically an American tradition that goes along with our precepts of governance and a pluralistic society. 

 

However,  government and society has changed over the last decade. Imbalance of wealth/prosperity along with a revolution in technology has left some Americans feeling neglected. 

 

As history has demonstrated repeatedly this is a recipe for the rise of demagogues who offer to right all these wrongs. Enter Donald Trump. 

 

Like a flash flood trump rolled over his political party, government, and society leaving destruction in his wake. I don't understand why he was so effective at this, but he sowed hated, bigotry, and social division to a part of society that was ripe for it. His supporters coalesced into a rigid closed group that chose to commit their minds, efforts, spirits, and even their lives to him without reserve. Statistically it is a fact that a majority of his supporters come from lower socioeconomic and educational levels of society. So great was their need for a leader that they wholly embraced his rhetoric and closed their minds to any dissenting opinion of his politics or personality. All of us have had ample opportunity to see friends and family morph into unrecognizable trump zombies. 

 

The rest of us were left confused and bewildered by the seemingly rapid schizophrenic transformation of friends and family and co-workers. While we were shocked to find him elected we were horrified to see the religious fervor his followers embraced. In my opinion the ensuing division in society was one-sided. It's like half of our country lost their minds. 

 

So in the end we had a choice of accepting the almost universally destructive agenda he engendered or we reject it. His followers demand complete capitulation to his ideas and behavior. 

 

Most of us had endless conversations attempting to unravel the changes and find some middle ground. We have thus suffered four years of increasingly misguided policy, rhetoric, and destruction of our ideals.

 

The final straw came on January 6. I have personally abandoned any hope of understanding his followers, and have determined to no longer tolerate it from any associates. I am not alone.

 

Essentially we have ended any personal relationships with our terminally toxic friends or family, and they with us. It is simply not true that a compromise can always be found. That is true only when both parties are nominally reasonable and open to discussion. Trumpers are neither. 

 

So yes, they are the enemy to our system of governing, our society's ideals, our freedom, and our unity of purpose. Their agenda is to embrace a mentally ill autocrat who desires to tear down everything that America stands for. It's important to understand that his zealous followers are not dedicated are driven by ideals. They are in the thrall of and worship an individual who is deeply flawed. That cannot easily be undone. 

 

In some ways you are right; it is simple. At the same time it is also a problem with no apparent solution. Clearly our nation is essentially evenly divided between sanity and insanity.

Without radical change I see no hope of healing. 

 

That's why I say that I'm not interested in the personal stories of the rioters. I've met too many of them and their ideas and behavior is scripted and unoriginal. To me this is as useful as pondering roadkill and wondering what they were thinking when the truck hit. 

 

For you these issues may be academic but for Americans they are existential dilemmas.