To help people drive around and shout "Freedom!" and fight for freedom
February 2, 2024 1:06 PM Subscribe
Ron Filipkowski at the Meidas Touch Network provides an update on the latest Trucker Convoy which the Take Our Border Back press release claimed would arrive at the Texas frontier tomorrow.... but the destination has been changed.
More info at Wired, the 'Take Our Border Back' Convoy is already a Complete Mess. Last line:
(Post title is a quote from a disgruntled participant, from one of the tweets embedded in the MTN article.)
More info at Wired, the 'Take Our Border Back' Convoy is already a Complete Mess. Last line:
On Tuesday morning, the convoy departed Jacksonville for Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with a few more vehicles joining the group - but still no trucks.archive link
(Post title is a quote from a disgruntled participant, from one of the tweets embedded in the MTN article.)
Well, at least diesel is cheap enough to make this an option.
“ An urgent plea for reinforcements from the Border Trucker Convoy: “We need keyboard warriors””. And so the 21st century struggle of Dvorak vs. qwerty came to a head.
posted by TedW at 1:18 PM on February 2 [18 favorites]
“ An urgent plea for reinforcements from the Border Trucker Convoy: “We need keyboard warriors””. And so the 21st century struggle of Dvorak vs. qwerty came to a head.
posted by TedW at 1:18 PM on February 2 [18 favorites]
Who needs Taylor Swift when your convoy can summon the star power of Sarah Palin and Ted Nugent?
posted by box at 1:22 PM on February 2 [9 favorites]
posted by box at 1:22 PM on February 2 [9 favorites]
From the Wired article:” Even trying to meet up at a gas station was difficult: Due to the size of a Buc-ee’s in South Carolina, convoy members couldn’t locate each other.”
As scary as these guys are, it is hard not to laugh at them. To paraphrase Walter Sobchak, “Say what you will about the tenets of national socialism, at least they invented ICBMs.”
posted by TedW at 1:25 PM on February 2 [5 favorites]
As scary as these guys are, it is hard not to laugh at them. To paraphrase Walter Sobchak, “Say what you will about the tenets of national socialism, at least they invented ICBMs.”
posted by TedW at 1:25 PM on February 2 [5 favorites]
Full blown Rimsky-Korsakov and Judas Priest
posted by clavdivs at 1:26 PM on February 2 [1 favorite]
posted by clavdivs at 1:26 PM on February 2 [1 favorite]
Not to be a buzzkill, but the 'aren't these people hilariously stupid' tone of the article would go down better if we weren't within a hair's breadth of losing the entire country to them. If they're a bumbling, pants-shitting embarrassment, and we can't get ahead of them in the polls by substantially more than a statistical margin of error... I don't know, it seems unlike something to crow about.
posted by Sing Or Swim at 1:33 PM on February 2 [87 favorites]
posted by Sing Or Swim at 1:33 PM on February 2 [87 favorites]
Who pays for this? Atlas, Heritage, 'Free Speech Union' et al. I suppose - same as here in NZ. We have the same idiot mentality here with 'farmer' protests but whole thing here looks like astroturf with fake farmers and hired tractors - like a recent protest drive (which took 'farmers' out of region for a month) was at the same time as calving, lambing and seeding, so obviously real farmers not participating.
Who can afford to drive an artic truck from nothern states to Mexico border just for funs?
posted by unearthed at 1:33 PM on February 2 [19 favorites]
Who can afford to drive an artic truck from nothern states to Mexico border just for funs?
posted by unearthed at 1:33 PM on February 2 [19 favorites]
As scary as these guys are, it is hard not to laugh at them.
As much as I appreciate the Fyre festival vibes, I am genuinely alarmed by the speed with which the online everts into the physical world. It makes me consider the organization behind these events, and who's encouraging it. It makes me wonder whose names and addresses are being collected and mined, and for what purposes. It worries me to consider these efforts as trial runs, and permission structures for something worse.
posted by MonkeyToes at 1:35 PM on February 2 [27 favorites]
As much as I appreciate the Fyre festival vibes, I am genuinely alarmed by the speed with which the online everts into the physical world. It makes me consider the organization behind these events, and who's encouraging it. It makes me wonder whose names and addresses are being collected and mined, and for what purposes. It worries me to consider these efforts as trial runs, and permission structures for something worse.
posted by MonkeyToes at 1:35 PM on February 2 [27 favorites]
It worries me to consider these efforts as trial runs, and permission structures for something worse.
The actually worrisome part of all this, to me, is that Abbott is actively defying the orders of the Federal Government with matters involving the Border, and it's leading to something that might become a real Constitutional Crisis similar to what went on with South Carolina back in the mid-1800s.
That there could have also been a giant convoy of people from outside that state making a very public march to help Abbott out with his possible Civil War? That felt really foreboding.
posted by hippybear at 1:39 PM on February 2 [16 favorites]
The actually worrisome part of all this, to me, is that Abbott is actively defying the orders of the Federal Government with matters involving the Border, and it's leading to something that might become a real Constitutional Crisis similar to what went on with South Carolina back in the mid-1800s.
That there could have also been a giant convoy of people from outside that state making a very public march to help Abbott out with his possible Civil War? That felt really foreboding.
posted by hippybear at 1:39 PM on February 2 [16 favorites]
The good things about genuine extremists are that (a) they're generally few in number and (b) they're generally not stable enough to pull off anything complicated and effective.
Yes, the polls are close. They are close not because 48% of Americans are full-blown QAnon gun-twirling wackaloons ready to march at a moment's notice to form a standing army and Reclaim America, but because of millions of Americans who don't march and don't protest and don't storm the Capital building and don't want to drive to Texas and put themselves in the literal line of fire, but DO vote reflexively Republican no matter who the candidate may be.
So when the certified dingbats have delusions of grandeur and decide to START THE REVOLUTION, only to turn out to be a small car pool that could barely fill a Burger King parking lot, that even its participants think may be a government honeypot to trap them, and that appears to be nothing but grifting money from people who ought to know better?
Yes, laugh. Laugh loudly. We're allowed. Deplorables stepping on rakes repeatedly is always fun to watch.
posted by delfin at 1:54 PM on February 2 [31 favorites]
Yes, the polls are close. They are close not because 48% of Americans are full-blown QAnon gun-twirling wackaloons ready to march at a moment's notice to form a standing army and Reclaim America, but because of millions of Americans who don't march and don't protest and don't storm the Capital building and don't want to drive to Texas and put themselves in the literal line of fire, but DO vote reflexively Republican no matter who the candidate may be.
So when the certified dingbats have delusions of grandeur and decide to START THE REVOLUTION, only to turn out to be a small car pool that could barely fill a Burger King parking lot, that even its participants think may be a government honeypot to trap them, and that appears to be nothing but grifting money from people who ought to know better?
Yes, laugh. Laugh loudly. We're allowed. Deplorables stepping on rakes repeatedly is always fun to watch.
posted by delfin at 1:54 PM on February 2 [31 favorites]
Even trying to meet up at a gas station was difficult: Due to the size of a Buc-ee’s in South Carolina, convoy members couldn’t locate each other
???
Every Buc-ee's that I have been to that were large enough for Semi's have signs at the entrances saying they are not allowed.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 2:02 PM on February 2 [4 favorites]
???
Every Buc-ee's that I have been to that were large enough for Semi's have signs at the entrances saying they are not allowed.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 2:02 PM on February 2 [4 favorites]
Not positive how long the link will work, but this video of a disappointed true believer is quite the thing.
posted by Devils Rancher at 2:07 PM on February 2 [13 favorites]
posted by Devils Rancher at 2:07 PM on February 2 [13 favorites]
When you realize you are the mark Devils Rancher
posted by Windopaene at 2:19 PM on February 2 [3 favorites]
posted by Windopaene at 2:19 PM on February 2 [3 favorites]
They tried to go to a Buc-ee's? The one on I-95 in Florence from the sound of it? Fuck, no wonder their convoy fell apart. There's probably a couple of them still trying to get through the traffic snarl around that place.
posted by Naberius at 2:22 PM on February 2 [5 favorites]
posted by Naberius at 2:22 PM on February 2 [5 favorites]
Well, a non mouse, no semis are actually in the "convoy", so not an issue...
posted by Windopaene at 2:30 PM on February 2 [3 favorites]
posted by Windopaene at 2:30 PM on February 2 [3 favorites]
Not positive how long the link will work, but this video of a disappointed true believer is quite the thing.
MetafilterGOP: Grifting, motherfucking livestreamers who wanted to make money.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 2:36 PM on February 2 [6 favorites]
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 2:36 PM on February 2 [6 favorites]
She's so close to figuring it out. The whole thing is a grift, and the grifter-in-chief is who she's still going to vote for in November.
posted by bgrebs at 2:40 PM on February 2 [6 favorites]
posted by bgrebs at 2:40 PM on February 2 [6 favorites]
this video of a disappointed true believer is quite the thing.
... whew. But, maybe out of this disillusionment, this person might...MIGHT begin to see cracks in the facade?
Of course for every one of her, there's maybe two who still think they just Struck A Blow For Freedom anyway.
posted by Artful Codger at 2:40 PM on February 2
... whew. But, maybe out of this disillusionment, this person might...MIGHT begin to see cracks in the facade?
Of course for every one of her, there's maybe two who still think they just Struck A Blow For Freedom anyway.
posted by Artful Codger at 2:40 PM on February 2
I just juxtapose the words freedom convoy and Jimmy Swaggart and it sort of works.
posted by clavdivs at 2:48 PM on February 2 [3 favorites]
posted by clavdivs at 2:48 PM on February 2 [3 favorites]
Yes, the polls are close. They are close not because 48% of Americans are full-blown QAnon gun-twirling wackaloons ready to march at a moment's notice to form a standing army and Reclaim America, but because of millions of Americans who don't march and don't protest and don't storm the Capital building and don't want to drive to Texas and put themselves in the literal line of fire, but DO vote reflexively Republican no matter who the candidate may be.
At the risk of seemingly incredibly melodramatic, there's an old joke(?) that's basically "you know, they had a word for people who joined the Nazis not because they hated Jewish people or any of the other targeted groups but because they were economically anxious or concerned about the direction society was heading or just did what everyone else was doing. The word is 'Nazi', no one gives a fuck what their motives were." We're in danger from these people whether or not they're foaming at the mouth bigots.
posted by an octopus IRL at 2:55 PM on February 2 [60 favorites]
At the risk of seemingly incredibly melodramatic, there's an old joke(?) that's basically "you know, they had a word for people who joined the Nazis not because they hated Jewish people or any of the other targeted groups but because they were economically anxious or concerned about the direction society was heading or just did what everyone else was doing. The word is 'Nazi', no one gives a fuck what their motives were." We're in danger from these people whether or not they're foaming at the mouth bigots.
posted by an octopus IRL at 2:55 PM on February 2 [60 favorites]
I haven't been to the US, but my impression is that it's mostly folding chairs, insane people and parking areas.
posted by pipeski at 3:02 PM on February 2 [45 favorites]
posted by pipeski at 3:02 PM on February 2 [45 favorites]
I suspect that among the reasons that the upcoming election might be lost, people taking a few minutes out of their day to laugh at a flock of idiots stuck in a Buc-ee's is probably low down the list, if not off of it entirely.
posted by AdamCSnider at 3:14 PM on February 2 [11 favorites]
posted by AdamCSnider at 3:14 PM on February 2 [11 favorites]
I haven't been to the US, but my impression is that it's mostly folding chairs, insane people and parking areas.
Throw in a few Walmarts, and you've described it accurately.
posted by hippybear at 3:14 PM on February 2 [14 favorites]
Throw in a few Walmarts, and you've described it accurately.
posted by hippybear at 3:14 PM on February 2 [14 favorites]
If they're going to start a revolution, they need to get their logistics figured out. Anyone can fight on the first day, but to keep it up takes logistics much more complicated than meeting up at a Buc-ees.
posted by ctmf at 3:17 PM on February 2 [4 favorites]
posted by ctmf at 3:17 PM on February 2 [4 favorites]
Much like space, Texas is really unimaginably big. Just fucking huge. Driving from up north all the way to the border while staying together was always going to be an organizational challenge. And that doesn't seem like anyone's strong suit here.
posted by emjaybee at 3:20 PM on February 2 [1 favorite]
posted by emjaybee at 3:20 PM on February 2 [1 favorite]
they need to get their logistics figured out
We all know the Saving Private Ryan image of storming the beaches of Normandy, but what was built afterward as a supply port is the truly remarkable part of that invasion.
posted by hippybear at 3:20 PM on February 2 [11 favorites]
We all know the Saving Private Ryan image of storming the beaches of Normandy, but what was built afterward as a supply port is the truly remarkable part of that invasion.
posted by hippybear at 3:20 PM on February 2 [11 favorites]
Much like space, Texas is really unimaginably big. Just fucking huge.
Amarillo to Brownsville is 12 hours on a good day.
posted by hippybear at 3:22 PM on February 2 [3 favorites]
Amarillo to Brownsville is 12 hours on a good day.
posted by hippybear at 3:22 PM on February 2 [3 favorites]
So, somebody at homeland security, or the FBI , or ATF or whatever is taking down the licence numbers for these clowns, right? and putting names on domestic terrorist watchlists, right?
So we now have a few hundred less people to actually worry about in terms of their future ability to organize or even be a part of the next insurrection.
It's morons all the way down.
posted by OHenryPacey at 3:26 PM on February 2 [5 favorites]
So we now have a few hundred less people to actually worry about in terms of their future ability to organize or even be a part of the next insurrection.
It's morons all the way down.
posted by OHenryPacey at 3:26 PM on February 2 [5 favorites]
nice snark
I hear snark is the real election winning strategy.. everyone just up their snark game, we're good
posted by elkevelvet at 3:34 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
I hear snark is the real election winning strategy.. everyone just up their snark game, we're good
posted by elkevelvet at 3:34 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
I have to say, as someone who is planning to vote for Biden even though I genuinely believe he is abetting genocide, it's really unpleasant to have people keep mocking my ambivalence.
posted by an octopus IRL at 4:01 PM on February 2 [31 favorites]
posted by an octopus IRL at 4:01 PM on February 2 [31 favorites]
Burger King: government honeypots
posted by Jacen at 4:09 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
posted by Jacen at 4:09 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
Well, pipeski all you mentioned, yes, and hippybear's walmarts, yes...
But we also have some amazing spaces. Thank you for the National Park system! Yellowstone, Arches, all the expanses of the Great Plains. Hawaii and Alaska, and all the blue places...
We are a land of contrasts.
posted by Windopaene at 4:10 PM on February 2 [5 favorites]
But we also have some amazing spaces. Thank you for the National Park system! Yellowstone, Arches, all the expanses of the Great Plains. Hawaii and Alaska, and all the blue places...
We are a land of contrasts.
posted by Windopaene at 4:10 PM on February 2 [5 favorites]
I read that as a “Tucker Convoy” and imagined Tucker Carlson leading a group of cars full of Tucker Carlson cosplayers to Texas, to either join or ritually eat Alex Jones.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:12 PM on February 2 [10 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:12 PM on February 2 [10 favorites]
I haven't been to the US, but my impression is that it's mostly folding chairs, insane people and parking areas.
I mean, we have, or have had, variously grand, charming, bucolic, bustling, and homely places. But we’ve had seventy years’ habitual replacing them with parking lots and plastic chairs.
posted by clew at 4:15 PM on February 2 [12 favorites]
I mean, we have, or have had, variously grand, charming, bucolic, bustling, and homely places. But we’ve had seventy years’ habitual replacing them with parking lots and plastic chairs.
posted by clew at 4:15 PM on February 2 [12 favorites]
Driving from up north all the way to the border while staying together was always going to be an organizational challenge.
No trucks. There were no trucks.
Driving Over-the-Road in the late 1970s and early '80s, I managed to go from the San Joaquin Valley in California to points in Southern Manhatten, the Carolinas, Georgia, Chicago, as well as a dozen other places without GPS, just a road Atlas, and an up-to-date "Low Bridge" directory for when I had to go into Chicago. I used the CB radio for information about certain specific surface routes, not to mention Smokey alerts and Brake-Check issues that came up now and then.
The difficulties the drivers in DC had notwithstanding, a rendezvous and coordinated convergence wasn't their problem. Also, driving across Texas is a two-shift issue. These guys in the latest "Freedom Convoy" clearly were not organized beyond whatever grift was collected.
Okay, I admit that I haven't been behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler in nearly forty years. Maybe times have changed. Maybe these guys decided not to drive their big trucks to this event. But I can barely conceive of a trucker who wouldn't have a CB unit and a bird-dog installed in their autos. The CB chatter would have been relayed up and down and east and west to dozens of counties in any direction. Interested truckers would have swarmed in like flies to a ripe carcass.
BTW--here in New Mexico, diesel fuel is a dollar more than regular gasoline, so there's that. I know the family SUV gets three times a big truck's mileage. I'm just sayin'.
I'm so sorry the Sarah and Teddy Show had such a poor turnout. On the bright side, it made holding hands at the prayer circle more intimate.
posted by mule98J at 4:30 PM on February 2 [13 favorites]
No trucks. There were no trucks.
Driving Over-the-Road in the late 1970s and early '80s, I managed to go from the San Joaquin Valley in California to points in Southern Manhatten, the Carolinas, Georgia, Chicago, as well as a dozen other places without GPS, just a road Atlas, and an up-to-date "Low Bridge" directory for when I had to go into Chicago. I used the CB radio for information about certain specific surface routes, not to mention Smokey alerts and Brake-Check issues that came up now and then.
The difficulties the drivers in DC had notwithstanding, a rendezvous and coordinated convergence wasn't their problem. Also, driving across Texas is a two-shift issue. These guys in the latest "Freedom Convoy" clearly were not organized beyond whatever grift was collected.
Okay, I admit that I haven't been behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler in nearly forty years. Maybe times have changed. Maybe these guys decided not to drive their big trucks to this event. But I can barely conceive of a trucker who wouldn't have a CB unit and a bird-dog installed in their autos. The CB chatter would have been relayed up and down and east and west to dozens of counties in any direction. Interested truckers would have swarmed in like flies to a ripe carcass.
BTW--here in New Mexico, diesel fuel is a dollar more than regular gasoline, so there's that. I know the family SUV gets three times a big truck's mileage. I'm just sayin'.
I'm so sorry the Sarah and Teddy Show had such a poor turnout. On the bright side, it made holding hands at the prayer circle more intimate.
posted by mule98J at 4:30 PM on February 2 [13 favorites]
Also, driving across Texas is a two-shift issue.
I misread this as a ding on how flat Texas is (so you only need to shift gears to get going, and when you stop) but on rereading I get it.
BTW--here in New Mexico, diesel fuel is a dollar more than regular gasoline, so there's that.
Diesel used to always be cheaper. Then years ago I bought a used diesel pickup, and the same month I bought it diesel jumped up above gasoline and stayed there the whole time I owned that truck.
posted by Dip Flash at 4:41 PM on February 2 [6 favorites]
I misread this as a ding on how flat Texas is (so you only need to shift gears to get going, and when you stop) but on rereading I get it.
BTW--here in New Mexico, diesel fuel is a dollar more than regular gasoline, so there's that.
Diesel used to always be cheaper. Then years ago I bought a used diesel pickup, and the same month I bought it diesel jumped up above gasoline and stayed there the whole time I owned that truck.
posted by Dip Flash at 4:41 PM on February 2 [6 favorites]
Seems like it would be easier to fly in to Texas and just rent a truck. Cheaper too, most likely.
posted by SPrintF at 4:44 PM on February 2 [4 favorites]
posted by SPrintF at 4:44 PM on February 2 [4 favorites]
it's really unpleasant to have people keep mocking my ambivalence.
It's not your ambivalence, it's everyone's. Any enthusiasm you see is purely a put-on for the normies that don't pay attention.
At least on me-fi, pretty much all of us get it. None of us like him or are even really voting for him. I mean, the last vote I cast for someone was the guy that knocked on my door running for city council that had been the director of the parks and rec dept of the city. I told him he was basically Leslie Knope and he said that character was his inspiration.
There have been some pretty decent state house and senate members but anything Federal is ambivalence at best.
posted by VTX at 5:12 PM on February 2 [5 favorites]
It's not your ambivalence, it's everyone's. Any enthusiasm you see is purely a put-on for the normies that don't pay attention.
At least on me-fi, pretty much all of us get it. None of us like him or are even really voting for him. I mean, the last vote I cast for someone was the guy that knocked on my door running for city council that had been the director of the parks and rec dept of the city. I told him he was basically Leslie Knope and he said that character was his inspiration.
There have been some pretty decent state house and senate members but anything Federal is ambivalence at best.
posted by VTX at 5:12 PM on February 2 [5 favorites]
I haven't been to the US, but my impression is that it's mostly folding chairs, insane people and parking areas.
And that's just the tailgating at a Buffalo Bills game. I'd say an indie wrestling show, but those don't have much parking.
At the risk of seemingly incredibly melodramatic, there's an old joke(?) that's basically "you know, they had a word for people who joined the Nazis not because they hated Jewish people or any of the other targeted groups but because they were economically anxious or concerned about the direction society was heading or just did what everyone else was doing. The word is 'Nazi', no one gives a fuck what their motives were." We're in danger from these people whether or not they're foaming at the mouth bigots.
And those millions of Good Germans, so to speak, are an active threat, indeed. They are going to try to get Trump elected in November. They are going to largely ignore the primaries, yawn their way through the lack-of-debate season, and fill in the straight-R bubble or pull the straight-R lever because they believe what they see on TV or hear on the radio, because they're terrified of being murdered in their beds by killer Antifa migrant BLM terrorists, or because they just want tax cuts and to feel superior to those they perceive to be inferior. They reject reality and substitute their own, and they are legion.
All of which has nothing to do with a bunch of freedom muppets camping out at a Texas children's ranch and listening to Wang Dang Sweet Poontang in the name of DEFENDING FREEDOOOOOOM, and succeeding at nothing but making themselves look like horse's asses.
I have posted about my worries about civilian vigilantism along the border, gun-toting yahoos DEFENDING 'MURICA from the Great Biden Invasion. I remain worried, but not from these particular numbnuts. The people running this convoy are exercising the first two great tenets of Trumpism -- "let's you and him fight" and "give me your money." It's the ones that aren't press-releasing their bold march to (somewhere vaguely near) the border, the loners that you won't see coming, that are the real danger there.
posted by delfin at 5:24 PM on February 2 [10 favorites]
And that's just the tailgating at a Buffalo Bills game. I'd say an indie wrestling show, but those don't have much parking.
At the risk of seemingly incredibly melodramatic, there's an old joke(?) that's basically "you know, they had a word for people who joined the Nazis not because they hated Jewish people or any of the other targeted groups but because they were economically anxious or concerned about the direction society was heading or just did what everyone else was doing. The word is 'Nazi', no one gives a fuck what their motives were." We're in danger from these people whether or not they're foaming at the mouth bigots.
And those millions of Good Germans, so to speak, are an active threat, indeed. They are going to try to get Trump elected in November. They are going to largely ignore the primaries, yawn their way through the lack-of-debate season, and fill in the straight-R bubble or pull the straight-R lever because they believe what they see on TV or hear on the radio, because they're terrified of being murdered in their beds by killer Antifa migrant BLM terrorists, or because they just want tax cuts and to feel superior to those they perceive to be inferior. They reject reality and substitute their own, and they are legion.
All of which has nothing to do with a bunch of freedom muppets camping out at a Texas children's ranch and listening to Wang Dang Sweet Poontang in the name of DEFENDING FREEDOOOOOOM, and succeeding at nothing but making themselves look like horse's asses.
I have posted about my worries about civilian vigilantism along the border, gun-toting yahoos DEFENDING 'MURICA from the Great Biden Invasion. I remain worried, but not from these particular numbnuts. The people running this convoy are exercising the first two great tenets of Trumpism -- "let's you and him fight" and "give me your money." It's the ones that aren't press-releasing their bold march to (somewhere vaguely near) the border, the loners that you won't see coming, that are the real danger there.
posted by delfin at 5:24 PM on February 2 [10 favorites]
"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
I grew up in an Eisenhower version of this. And I believed it. And now? shrugs?
it is hard to seeing what I was taught, to see where we have become.
Come here be free! Or not if you are from elsewhere...
posted by Windopaene at 5:42 PM on February 2 [23 favorites]
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
I grew up in an Eisenhower version of this. And I believed it. And now? shrugs?
it is hard to seeing what I was taught, to see where we have become.
Come here be free! Or not if you are from elsewhere...
posted by Windopaene at 5:42 PM on February 2 [23 favorites]
It's not your ambivalence, it's everyone's. Any enthusiasm you see is purely a put-on for the normies that don't pay attention.
At least on me-fi, pretty much all of us get it. None of us like him or are even really voting for him. I mean, the last vote I cast for someone was the guy that knocked on my door running for city council that had been the director of the parks and rec dept of the city. I told him he was basically Leslie Knope and he said that character was his inspiration.
There have been some pretty decent state house and senate members but anything Federal is ambivalence at best.
Biden runs the show to the left more than any president in my adult life (I'm 57). And he's been pretty successful at it, too. Yet, "None of us like him or are even really voting for him." And can't figure out why all the ambivalence is met with snark and mockery. The progressive who will not recognize when progress happens is a serious problem for progressivism. Not to mention the progressive who seeks an inspirational leader.
I've been finding myself more enthusiastic about Biden than any other I've ever had the chance to be enthusiastic for. He's getting it closer to good than any other. Despite his missteps and the disagreements I have with his policy. This choice a much better than a no brainer, or a vote against Trump.
posted by 2N2222 at 5:47 PM on February 2 [58 favorites]
At least on me-fi, pretty much all of us get it. None of us like him or are even really voting for him. I mean, the last vote I cast for someone was the guy that knocked on my door running for city council that had been the director of the parks and rec dept of the city. I told him he was basically Leslie Knope and he said that character was his inspiration.
There have been some pretty decent state house and senate members but anything Federal is ambivalence at best.
Biden runs the show to the left more than any president in my adult life (I'm 57). And he's been pretty successful at it, too. Yet, "None of us like him or are even really voting for him." And can't figure out why all the ambivalence is met with snark and mockery. The progressive who will not recognize when progress happens is a serious problem for progressivism. Not to mention the progressive who seeks an inspirational leader.
I've been finding myself more enthusiastic about Biden than any other I've ever had the chance to be enthusiastic for. He's getting it closer to good than any other. Despite his missteps and the disagreements I have with his policy. This choice a much better than a no brainer, or a vote against Trump.
posted by 2N2222 at 5:47 PM on February 2 [58 favorites]
Out of curiosity, do Mefites happen to know that this convoy thing is/was inspired by a far more successful and disruptive "trucker convoy" protest petulant stunt in Canada? It was a pretty big deal in Canada but I'm not sure if people elsewhere heard about it (aside from, of course, the right-wingers who have been trying to replicate it in the US).
posted by mhum at 5:53 PM on February 2 [7 favorites]
posted by mhum at 5:53 PM on February 2 [7 favorites]
If you look at the article, you'll see it was inspired by the DC trucker convoy stunt in the US which was modeled on Canada trucker convoy stunt.
posted by hippybear at 5:58 PM on February 2 [3 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 5:58 PM on February 2 [3 favorites]
> hippybear: "If you look at the article, you'll see it was inspired by the DC trucker convoy stunt in the US which was modeled on Canada trucker convoy stunt."
I did observe that one of the articles mentioned the earlier DC attempt that but also observed that it didn't mention the original Canada stunt. I was uncertain if the lack of mention was because it was: 1) irrelevant, 2) unknown to the article writer, or 3) so well-known as to go without saying. I'd also point out that that article called the the DC attempt the "original incarnation of a protest led by truckers".
posted by mhum at 6:11 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
I did observe that one of the articles mentioned the earlier DC attempt that but also observed that it didn't mention the original Canada stunt. I was uncertain if the lack of mention was because it was: 1) irrelevant, 2) unknown to the article writer, or 3) so well-known as to go without saying. I'd also point out that that article called the the DC attempt the "original incarnation of a protest led by truckers".
posted by mhum at 6:11 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
Failure of journalistic research then, because Canada preceded DC by a few weeks.
posted by hippybear at 6:15 PM on February 2 [3 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 6:15 PM on February 2 [3 favorites]
I shouldn't further this derail, but I like Biden. So there.
posted by Wretch729 at 6:16 PM on February 2 [17 favorites]
posted by Wretch729 at 6:16 PM on February 2 [17 favorites]
'After Teamsters meeting, Trump says of possible union endorsement, 'Stranger things have happened''
'Teamster members expressed their strong opposition to the DMV modifying AV regulation at a workshop it hosted on January 27.
“Moving too quickly to convert our fleets to autonomous trucking is very short-sighted and could result in a severe shortage of trained and capable workers as we investigate what the transition looks like,”
I am so f****** paranoid.
posted by clavdivs at 6:25 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
'Teamster members expressed their strong opposition to the DMV modifying AV regulation at a workshop it hosted on January 27.
“Moving too quickly to convert our fleets to autonomous trucking is very short-sighted and could result in a severe shortage of trained and capable workers as we investigate what the transition looks like,”
I am so f****** paranoid.
posted by clavdivs at 6:25 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
Like, nobody is making autonomous trucking fleets anytime within the next decade at least, but that's stupid because that law is to protect trucking jobs, stating that humans need to be present even within autonomous vehicles.
And the article about Trump meeting with Teamsters doesn't actually say the Teamsters are supporting them, and the quote you have there is not from that article, it's from the second article, which isn't about Trump.
Please be more clear about the information you're sharing.
posted by hippybear at 6:39 PM on February 2 [7 favorites]
And the article about Trump meeting with Teamsters doesn't actually say the Teamsters are supporting them, and the quote you have there is not from that article, it's from the second article, which isn't about Trump.
Please be more clear about the information you're sharing.
posted by hippybear at 6:39 PM on February 2 [7 favorites]
I shouldn't further this derail, but I like Biden.
Me too, and I consider myself a Socialist. Also a train/rail-fan and a bicyclist, and unlike any other Presidential candidate during my lifetime, there's where Joe and I are on the same wavelength. However, Marianne Williamson will get my vote in the primary.
posted by Rash at 6:48 PM on February 2 [6 favorites]
Me too, and I consider myself a Socialist. Also a train/rail-fan and a bicyclist, and unlike any other Presidential candidate during my lifetime, there's where Joe and I are on the same wavelength. However, Marianne Williamson will get my vote in the primary.
posted by Rash at 6:48 PM on February 2 [6 favorites]
So when the certified dingbats have delusions of grandeur and decide to START THE REVOLUTION, only to turn out to be a small car pool that could barely fill a Burger King parking lot, that even its participants think may be a government honeypot to trap them, and that appears to be nothing but grifting money from people who ought to know better?
Yes, laugh. Laugh loudly. We're allowed. Deplorables stepping on rakes repeatedly is always fun to watch.
delfin
"Did you read about that pathetic so-called "Beer Hall Putsch"? What a bunch of losers, those clowns are never going anywhere."
posted by star gentle uterus at 7:26 PM on February 2 [9 favorites]
Yes, laugh. Laugh loudly. We're allowed. Deplorables stepping on rakes repeatedly is always fun to watch.
delfin
"Did you read about that pathetic so-called "Beer Hall Putsch"? What a bunch of losers, those clowns are never going anywhere."
posted by star gentle uterus at 7:26 PM on February 2 [9 favorites]
Marianne Williamson will get my vote in the primary
Orb Mom’s back?! That is one tiny glimmer of fun in this God forsaken year, and I am so here for it.
posted by not just everyday big moggies at 7:29 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
Orb Mom’s back?! That is one tiny glimmer of fun in this God forsaken year, and I am so here for it.
posted by not just everyday big moggies at 7:29 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
do Mefites happen to know that this convoy thing is/was inspired by a far more successful and disruptive "trucker convoy" protest petulant stunt in Canada?
...oh yeah. (Canadian). And like the DC one, its original raisons d'etre (COVID cross-border restrictions) were also pretty much on their way out by the time the truckers got into it. But its timing was such that it caught and grew on pent-up COVID-mitigation fatigue and vaccination resistance.
The lead organizers were from the fringe right. Various unsavoury conspiracy and extreme-right-wing types climbed aboard, of course. They initially had a manifesto which was basically a soft overthrow of federal government.
(I was deeply disappointed by our PM Trudeau for refusing to publicly get out in front of this. He basically hid as underlings and law enforcement tried to deal with it.)
Whenever I pass a pickup truck with a Canadian flag and/or a F#@k Trudeau flag tied to a hockey stick, I still cringe a bit.
posted by Artful Codger at 7:49 PM on February 2 [8 favorites]
...oh yeah. (Canadian). And like the DC one, its original raisons d'etre (COVID cross-border restrictions) were also pretty much on their way out by the time the truckers got into it. But its timing was such that it caught and grew on pent-up COVID-mitigation fatigue and vaccination resistance.
The lead organizers were from the fringe right. Various unsavoury conspiracy and extreme-right-wing types climbed aboard, of course. They initially had a manifesto which was basically a soft overthrow of federal government.
(I was deeply disappointed by our PM Trudeau for refusing to publicly get out in front of this. He basically hid as underlings and law enforcement tried to deal with it.)
Whenever I pass a pickup truck with a Canadian flag and/or a F#@k Trudeau flag tied to a hockey stick, I still cringe a bit.
posted by Artful Codger at 7:49 PM on February 2 [8 favorites]
The interesting thing about the "trucker convoy" protest petulant stunt in Canada? is that all levels of government in Canada rolled over and pissed themselves rather than dealing with it in an intelligent manner. It seemed to me at that time like a refection of the ongiong breakdown of civilization in the Western world.
posted by ovvl at 7:52 PM on February 2 [10 favorites]
posted by ovvl at 7:52 PM on February 2 [10 favorites]
The ”interesting thing” …fuck that. There was Kreepy elements of Kanadian Kulture and its Konnections to the rank and file of the law enforcement workforce. The upper levels of government might have tried to address it in the same way they would've treated ANY sort of protest but that's not not failure of government - it's a measured response.
posted by brachiopod at 8:11 PM on February 2 [4 favorites]
posted by brachiopod at 8:11 PM on February 2 [4 favorites]
Technically, one level of government spent three weeks pissing itself "planning", one decided that they weren't going to enforce the law and go snowmobiling, and the last, backed into a corner, used a law they probably shouldn't have used, essentially a limited martial law, but did anyway. And after a bit of breast-beating, the country has mostly forgiven them for that, but I doubt would a second time.
The Canadian experience was really one of what does the final level of government do when the local levels of government, who have all the power on paper, can't or won't use it?
posted by bonehead at 8:37 PM on February 2 [13 favorites]
The Canadian experience was really one of what does the final level of government do when the local levels of government, who have all the power on paper, can't or won't use it?
posted by bonehead at 8:37 PM on February 2 [13 favorites]
At the end of this bullshit, we all got to see the RCMP in western Canada “hugging it out” with convoy blockaders at the border. There’s a lot of levels to this. I could keep throwing “K”s into cultural and commercial support that sustained this but to focus entirely of the failure of local government to foresee the threat and to respond forcefully at the outset is ignoring something important.
posted by brachiopod at 8:58 PM on February 2 [5 favorites]
posted by brachiopod at 8:58 PM on February 2 [5 favorites]
We all know the Saving Private Ryan image of storming the beaches of Normandy, but what was built afterward as a supply port is the truly remarkable part of that invasion.
Nice work, antifa!
posted by kirkaracha at 9:04 PM on February 2 [4 favorites]
Nice work, antifa!
posted by kirkaracha at 9:04 PM on February 2 [4 favorites]
Nice work, antifa!
I have to admit, the discourse in this thread has degraded to the point that I don't know what this comment means in response to my observation about the need for supply lines to be thought about when it comes to war...
Is this a joke? Is this a 4th dimensional chess observation of events I'm not familiar with?
I'm sorry that I'm unable to discern what kind of discussion is taking place here anymore. I wish that weren't the case, but okay, so.
WTF do you mean by this comment?
posted by hippybear at 9:08 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
I have to admit, the discourse in this thread has degraded to the point that I don't know what this comment means in response to my observation about the need for supply lines to be thought about when it comes to war...
Is this a joke? Is this a 4th dimensional chess observation of events I'm not familiar with?
I'm sorry that I'm unable to discern what kind of discussion is taking place here anymore. I wish that weren't the case, but okay, so.
WTF do you mean by this comment?
posted by hippybear at 9:08 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
>Much like space, Texas is really unimaginably big. Just fucking huge.
Amarillo to Brownsville is 12 hours on a good day.
posted by hippybear
*coughs in Australian*
Five of our seven states and territories are bigger than Texas.
The biggest is nearly four times the size of Texas, and takes several days to drive across on the good quality main highway in good driving weather.
posted by Pouteria at 9:16 PM on February 2 [7 favorites]
Amarillo to Brownsville is 12 hours on a good day.
posted by hippybear
*coughs in Australian*
Five of our seven states and territories are bigger than Texas.
The biggest is nearly four times the size of Texas, and takes several days to drive across on the good quality main highway in good driving weather.
posted by Pouteria at 9:16 PM on February 2 [7 favorites]
And most of Australia is even less pleasant to live in than Texas and that's completely ignoring culture or politics.
But yeah, Australia is huge! We've only one state bigger than Texas, and it's so big we couldn't even attach it to the map of what most people picture as The United States!
posted by hippybear at 9:21 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
But yeah, Australia is huge! We've only one state bigger than Texas, and it's so big we couldn't even attach it to the map of what most people picture as The United States!
posted by hippybear at 9:21 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
I posted on Mastodon something like "so if Texas seceeds from the US, nothing along their border will be a part of the US border problem anymore!"
And someone responded "You're leaving out New Mexico, Arizona, and California".
Because the Texas border problem is those states' border problems, somehow?
posted by hippybear at 9:22 PM on February 2
And someone responded "You're leaving out New Mexico, Arizona, and California".
Because the Texas border problem is those states' border problems, somehow?
posted by hippybear at 9:22 PM on February 2
And most of Australia is even less pleasant to live in than Texas and that's completely ignoring culture or politics.
It is true that most of Australia is desert or semi-arid and not particularly hospitable to humans. Though Texas hardly sounds like a good place to live of late with that combination of heat waves alternating with equally serious cold snaps.
I do think you would find our culture and politics generally far more to your lefty liking. Certainly more so than in Texas. For a start abortion is still legal here, and via our publicly funded healthcare system (Medicare), and there is no sign of that changing.
posted by Pouteria at 9:28 PM on February 2 [7 favorites]
It is true that most of Australia is desert or semi-arid and not particularly hospitable to humans. Though Texas hardly sounds like a good place to live of late with that combination of heat waves alternating with equally serious cold snaps.
I do think you would find our culture and politics generally far more to your lefty liking. Certainly more so than in Texas. For a start abortion is still legal here, and via our publicly funded healthcare system (Medicare), and there is no sign of that changing.
posted by Pouteria at 9:28 PM on February 2 [7 favorites]
"Did you read about that pathetic so-called "Beer Hall Putsch"? What a bunch of losers, those clowns are never going anywhere."
Hey, you know what the result of the Beer Hall Putsch was? Hitler being arrested, tried for high treason and sentenced to imprisonment. The ringleaders were either arrested swiftly and tried, or fled to Austria. While Hitler's trial, his sentence and his early release for good behavior are all quite suspect in hindsight, we WISH that our government would have taken Trump's role in J6 that seriously.
J6 being a far better analogy to the BHP, of course, both events involving thousands of marchers conducting a violent coup attempt directly spurred on by a political leader, rather than (checks notes) "40,000 trucks" turning into about 20 carloads and a slow realization that the organizers seem to have lied about the purpose, the destination, the timeframe and the planned activities for their trip and were simply in it for the money.
Of course, God's Army deciding to roll into Texas to oppose the feds is concerning, and those involved should be under considerable scrutiny. But if they had to come at all, their massive convoy turning out to be disgruntled yahoos listening to Sarah Palin speaking at a ranch? That might be my best-case scenario.
posted by delfin at 9:33 PM on February 2 [9 favorites]
Hey, you know what the result of the Beer Hall Putsch was? Hitler being arrested, tried for high treason and sentenced to imprisonment. The ringleaders were either arrested swiftly and tried, or fled to Austria. While Hitler's trial, his sentence and his early release for good behavior are all quite suspect in hindsight, we WISH that our government would have taken Trump's role in J6 that seriously.
J6 being a far better analogy to the BHP, of course, both events involving thousands of marchers conducting a violent coup attempt directly spurred on by a political leader, rather than (checks notes) "40,000 trucks" turning into about 20 carloads and a slow realization that the organizers seem to have lied about the purpose, the destination, the timeframe and the planned activities for their trip and were simply in it for the money.
Of course, God's Army deciding to roll into Texas to oppose the feds is concerning, and those involved should be under considerable scrutiny. But if they had to come at all, their massive convoy turning out to be disgruntled yahoos listening to Sarah Palin speaking at a ranch? That might be my best-case scenario.
posted by delfin at 9:33 PM on February 2 [9 favorites]
Please be more clear about the information you're sharing.
hey, I gave a CW.
"Did you read about that pathetic so-called "Beer Hall Putsch"? What a bunch of losers, those clowns are never going anywhere."
The shot heard around the corner my teacher would say. People went to jail, people were killed. Those people were monsters. The Kapp Putsch is in line with general strikes/occupation. Ludendorf is key because he walked with Hitler during Beer hall. He wrote Total War. Lesson being the military is key to any coup in as much as having few key popular military figures can exert and sway the politics of a country. General MacArthur might be another example. He wanted to use nuclear weapons against the Chinese and Koreans. it's no irony that William Manchester' biography on MacArthur was named American Caesar
.
posted by clavdivs at 9:33 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
hey, I gave a CW.
"Did you read about that pathetic so-called "Beer Hall Putsch"? What a bunch of losers, those clowns are never going anywhere."
The shot heard around the corner my teacher would say. People went to jail, people were killed. Those people were monsters. The Kapp Putsch is in line with general strikes/occupation. Ludendorf is key because he walked with Hitler during Beer hall. He wrote Total War. Lesson being the military is key to any coup in as much as having few key popular military figures can exert and sway the politics of a country. General MacArthur might be another example. He wanted to use nuclear weapons against the Chinese and Koreans. it's no irony that William Manchester' biography on MacArthur was named American Caesar
.
posted by clavdivs at 9:33 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
Technically, one level of government spent three weeks pissing itself "planning", one decided that they weren't going to enforce the law and go snowmobiling, and the last, backed into a corner, used a law they probably shouldn't have used, essentially a limited martial law, but did anyway.
A longtime friend of mine/ federal government lawyer/ inactive mefite pointed out to me that this all happened just after police in Ottawa had had their budget renewed with less of an increase to funding than they asked for.
My friend’s summary was that the police response to requests for enforcement was essentially, “Oh, we are SO sorry for not getting around to this but you know, we only got 99.7% of the budget we planned for. We’ve had to really tighten our belts but we’ll get there just as soon as we can, buh-bye!”
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:34 PM on February 2 [8 favorites]
A longtime friend of mine/ federal government lawyer/ inactive mefite pointed out to me that this all happened just after police in Ottawa had had their budget renewed with less of an increase to funding than they asked for.
My friend’s summary was that the police response to requests for enforcement was essentially, “Oh, we are SO sorry for not getting around to this but you know, we only got 99.7% of the budget we planned for. We’ve had to really tighten our belts but we’ll get there just as soon as we can, buh-bye!”
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:34 PM on February 2 [8 favorites]
WTF do you mean by this comment?
I'm not kirkaracha, but to me it's a clear reference to the WW2 Allied forces being frequently memed as being the original Antifa, dedicated anti-fascist warriors that got shit DONE.
It's a pretty common response to chuds fuming about Antifa being behind innumerable ills in American society.
posted by delfin at 9:37 PM on February 2 [21 favorites]
I'm not kirkaracha, but to me it's a clear reference to the WW2 Allied forces being frequently memed as being the original Antifa, dedicated anti-fascist warriors that got shit DONE.
It's a pretty common response to chuds fuming about Antifa being behind innumerable ills in American society.
posted by delfin at 9:37 PM on February 2 [21 favorites]
edit:
What a bunch of losers, those clowns are never going anywhere."
I really think that's key, the germ of the whole racket. even historically. go back to the French revolution,, Danton. "audacity, audacity, even more audacity.".
but Danton was fighting a two front war during a revolution and all that entailed.
The clown entertaining dulls.
Charlie Chaplin stopped working
Comedy killed, in the media, the literature, the movies and on the streets.
I was blessed at University to have three professors who attended the University of chicago. my favorite was my sociology teacher, he had many arcane facts to entertain while we're all sitting down. anyways, he said during revolutions generally the side of the right will go after sociologists first, comedians second and thirdly, the traitors and everyone must watch.
I believe this is one of the core reasons of why many people fear clowns. I mean, I'll point to Mike Cockrill, I won't link but CW: clown murder/ graphic images.
So, Roy Cohn, a fucking rule breaking machine, a mouthpiece, a clown, his Rolodex read like the monster manual.
posted by clavdivs at 10:09 PM on February 2 [6 favorites]
What a bunch of losers, those clowns are never going anywhere."
I really think that's key, the germ of the whole racket. even historically. go back to the French revolution,, Danton. "audacity, audacity, even more audacity.".
but Danton was fighting a two front war during a revolution and all that entailed.
The clown entertaining dulls.
Charlie Chaplin stopped working
Comedy killed, in the media, the literature, the movies and on the streets.
I was blessed at University to have three professors who attended the University of chicago. my favorite was my sociology teacher, he had many arcane facts to entertain while we're all sitting down. anyways, he said during revolutions generally the side of the right will go after sociologists first, comedians second and thirdly, the traitors and everyone must watch.
I believe this is one of the core reasons of why many people fear clowns. I mean, I'll point to Mike Cockrill, I won't link but CW: clown murder/ graphic images.
So, Roy Cohn, a fucking rule breaking machine, a mouthpiece, a clown, his Rolodex read like the monster manual.
posted by clavdivs at 10:09 PM on February 2 [6 favorites]
So, somebody at homeland security, or the FBI , or ATF or whatever is taking down the licence numbers for these clowns, right? and putting names on domestic terrorist watchlists, right?
I for one would rather the FBI didn't write down anyone's plate numbers for participating in their iron-clad Constitutionally protected activities.
Ineffectively Getting Mad on the Internet and then half-ass trying to do something about whatever you are mad about is not a crime, otherwise this entire website would be in prison.
posted by Back At It Again At Krispy Kreme at 10:52 PM on February 2
I for one would rather the FBI didn't write down anyone's plate numbers for participating in their iron-clad Constitutionally protected activities.
Ineffectively Getting Mad on the Internet and then half-ass trying to do something about whatever you are mad about is not a crime, otherwise this entire website would be in prison.
posted by Back At It Again At Krispy Kreme at 10:52 PM on February 2
I read that as a “Tucker Convoy”
A Tucker Convoy would actually be pretty fucking cool, if inherently limited in size by the fact that only about fifty of them ever existed.
posted by wierdo at 12:19 AM on February 3 [8 favorites]
A Tucker Convoy would actually be pretty fucking cool, if inherently limited in size by the fact that only about fifty of them ever existed.
posted by wierdo at 12:19 AM on February 3 [8 favorites]
Mod note: A couple from earlier deleted. If you are popping in just to pick a fight with other members, your comment will be removed. If you've previously received a temp-ban for this sort of participation, there is a good chance you will receive a permanent ban if it continues. Generally, all, please do not derail / disrupt every thread that has a political component with "leftist/liberal" infight ranting.
posted by taz (staff) at 12:27 AM on February 3 [11 favorites]
posted by taz (staff) at 12:27 AM on February 3 [11 favorites]
I for one would rather the FBI didn't write down anyone's plate numbers for participating in their iron-clad Constitutionally protected activities.
I've got some bad news.
posted by The Manwich Horror at 3:45 AM on February 3 [4 favorites]
I've got some bad news.
posted by The Manwich Horror at 3:45 AM on February 3 [4 favorites]
Much like space, Texas is really unimaginably big. Just fucking huge.
I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the Walmart, but that's just peanuts to Texas.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:36 AM on February 3 [8 favorites]
I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the Walmart, but that's just peanuts to Texas.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:36 AM on February 3 [8 favorites]
A Tucker Convoy would actually be pretty fucking cool
A tuk tuk convoy would be even better.
posted by Paul Slade at 5:17 AM on February 3 [4 favorites]
A tuk tuk convoy would be even better.
posted by Paul Slade at 5:17 AM on February 3 [4 favorites]
My sister lives in Jacksonville. She has no knowledge about this.
posted by Pyrogenesis at 6:27 AM on February 3
posted by Pyrogenesis at 6:27 AM on February 3
I personally can’t get over the fact that they printed up a banner for the event that read “FEBRUARY 3TH ~ 2024”
posted by caution live frogs at 6:45 AM on February 3 [6 favorites]
posted by caution live frogs at 6:45 AM on February 3 [6 favorites]
Maybe these guys decided not to drive their big trucks to this event.
They don’t have commercial trucks to bring. Much like the Canadian “trucker’s” convoys, they aren’t truckers, and don’t have commercial driver’s licenses.
posted by eviemath at 6:51 AM on February 3 [2 favorites]
They don’t have commercial trucks to bring. Much like the Canadian “trucker’s” convoys, they aren’t truckers, and don’t have commercial driver’s licenses.
posted by eviemath at 6:51 AM on February 3 [2 favorites]
And then they decided to meet up in a rather Blue county (Hays) that went for Biden and the Dem senate choice. They weren't welcomed there.
posted by Wetterschneider at 7:03 AM on February 3
posted by Wetterschneider at 7:03 AM on February 3
My friend’s summary was that the [Ottawa] police response to requests for enforcement was essentially, “Oh, we are SO sorry for not getting around to this but you know, we only got 99.7% of the budget we planned for. We’ve had to really tighten our belts but we’ll get there just as soon as we can, buh-bye!”
Interesting. I'm still more concerned that this sort of large, extraordinary, nationally-significant protest was plopped into the lap of a municipal police force, like the trucker occupation was just a big parking problem. Ottawa is a capital city of a million; their municipal police get the mundane jobs while national police/security forces protect the federal government. I remain disappointed that our federal and provincial leaders weren't involved from the start, speaking directly to the protesters to both acknowledge them, and to tell them to pack up and leave. Unfortunately, Canadians dislike messy. We don't do hard stuff til it's unavoidable.
/Ottawa trucker protest derail
posted by Artful Codger at 7:56 AM on February 3
Interesting. I'm still more concerned that this sort of large, extraordinary, nationally-significant protest was plopped into the lap of a municipal police force, like the trucker occupation was just a big parking problem. Ottawa is a capital city of a million; their municipal police get the mundane jobs while national police/security forces protect the federal government. I remain disappointed that our federal and provincial leaders weren't involved from the start, speaking directly to the protesters to both acknowledge them, and to tell them to pack up and leave. Unfortunately, Canadians dislike messy. We don't do hard stuff til it's unavoidable.
/Ottawa trucker protest derail
posted by Artful Codger at 7:56 AM on February 3
Can we please stop misspelling MeFites? It's MeFites. MeFites.
Okay. I'm done.
posted by mule98J at 8:14 AM on February 3 [4 favorites]
Okay. I'm done.
posted by mule98J at 8:14 AM on February 3 [4 favorites]
Can we please stop misspelling MeFites? It's MeFites. MeFites.
Or on crankier days, MeFights.
posted by Dip Flash at 8:31 AM on February 3 [7 favorites]
Or on crankier days, MeFights.
posted by Dip Flash at 8:31 AM on February 3 [7 favorites]
I remain disappointed that our federal and provincial leaders weren't involved from the start, speaking directly to the protesters to both acknowledge them
This is a thing is is almost never, ever done as a point of policy, at least for protests on the Canadian federal parliament. It's fine for individual MPs, sometimes even the PM to come out and meet protesters and do photoops. However, the government (and it hasn't until now mattered who is in power) doesn't allow protest leaders an opportunity to directly lobby or negotiate because of the act of protesting.
The idea is that you can't expect to meet the PM and cabinet simply by honking horns, blockading streets and taking a city hostage. There is and should not be any "reward" for that, in my view. Breaking the law and going past peaceful protest should especially not be rewarded. There are other mechanisms to get the attention of the government anyway.
That's why that demand from the Ottawa occupiers was a non starter.
The same thing was attempted in a number of other cities, including Toronto and Vancouver. In all those cases, the police did not allow the vehicles to stop and park. The OPS allowed it, thinking the vehicles would move on. Of course, they did not. But the gameplan for how to manage this kind of protest was already known. The OPS blew it within the first few minutes however, and everything went sideways.
posted by bonehead at 8:50 AM on February 3 [5 favorites]
This is a thing is is almost never, ever done as a point of policy, at least for protests on the Canadian federal parliament. It's fine for individual MPs, sometimes even the PM to come out and meet protesters and do photoops. However, the government (and it hasn't until now mattered who is in power) doesn't allow protest leaders an opportunity to directly lobby or negotiate because of the act of protesting.
The idea is that you can't expect to meet the PM and cabinet simply by honking horns, blockading streets and taking a city hostage. There is and should not be any "reward" for that, in my view. Breaking the law and going past peaceful protest should especially not be rewarded. There are other mechanisms to get the attention of the government anyway.
That's why that demand from the Ottawa occupiers was a non starter.
The same thing was attempted in a number of other cities, including Toronto and Vancouver. In all those cases, the police did not allow the vehicles to stop and park. The OPS allowed it, thinking the vehicles would move on. Of course, they did not. But the gameplan for how to manage this kind of protest was already known. The OPS blew it within the first few minutes however, and everything went sideways.
posted by bonehead at 8:50 AM on February 3 [5 favorites]
I believe this is one of the core reasons of why many people fear clowns... CW: clown murder/ graphic images.
I really appreciate your use of the Clown Warning here, clowns are truly terrifying to some.
posted by grog at 9:22 AM on February 3 [2 favorites]
I really appreciate your use of the Clown Warning here, clowns are truly terrifying to some.
posted by grog at 9:22 AM on February 3 [2 favorites]
The idea is that you can't expect to meet the PM and cabinet simply by honking horns, blockading streets and taking a city hostage. There is and should not be any "reward" for that, in my view.
That's fair. I'm not saying a direct public meeting or negotiating was deserved or required, it was more the case that Justin seemed AWOL period, and made almost no public comments or acknowledgements of the protest. Like it wasn't happening, or significant. Ditto for the PM of Ontario. And that national or provincial forces (ie RCMP, OPP) weren't more involved, sooner. It was an extraordinary thing to just leave to the municipal police force of a medium-sized city.
posted by Artful Codger at 9:29 AM on February 3
That's fair. I'm not saying a direct public meeting or negotiating was deserved or required, it was more the case that Justin seemed AWOL period, and made almost no public comments or acknowledgements of the protest. Like it wasn't happening, or significant. Ditto for the PM of Ontario. And that national or provincial forces (ie RCMP, OPP) weren't more involved, sooner. It was an extraordinary thing to just leave to the municipal police force of a medium-sized city.
posted by Artful Codger at 9:29 AM on February 3
I was deeply disappointed by our PM Trudeau for refusing to publicly get out in front of this. He basically hid as underlings and law enforcement tried to deal with it.
... and...
I remain disappointed that our federal and provincial leaders weren't involved from the start, speaking directly to the protesters to both acknowledge them
Oh fuck no. When you have a bunch of bozos coming in waiving around 'Fuck' flags and pretending they're going to topple the democratically elected government, you don't go out to meet them. The only thing that would have appeased them is Trudeau seppukuing himself on parliament hill. There was nothing to talk about because these people where not there to talk.
Won't let anybody retcon the Flu Trux Klan, fuck no.
The Ottawa police was critically inept at dealing with this, first by letting the cunts stop and nest in the streets, and then they failed to take any other useful action and were way too lenient with those fuckers, letting them resupply and do whatever the fuck they wanted.
To top it, that sleazy greaseball moron that Ontario elected as a PM was just way too happy to do fuck all and put no pressure on the OPP and the OPS to deal with it, just to score political points with people who don't live in Ottawa (cause they don't vote for him) and force Trudeau to play the only card he had the 'Emergency Measures Act'.
Yes it was like using a fucking bazooka to kill a fly, but when everybody who should be dealing with it is completely inept you have to step in at some point. I should also add, that I don't like Trudeau (hate his father also) but I'm 100% with him on that.
At least we got the Ottawa balcony guy video out of it. Which for those who haven't been keeping up with the news, the National Post has 'outed' this week, giving his name and making a big deal of the fact he's a Liberal staffer, which really is a nothing burger because everybody who's not a partisan hack agrees with him.
For those in the US, sorry for the derail and the salty language, that whole subjects triggers me.
posted by WaterAndPixels at 11:21 AM on February 3 [9 favorites]
... and...
I remain disappointed that our federal and provincial leaders weren't involved from the start, speaking directly to the protesters to both acknowledge them
Oh fuck no. When you have a bunch of bozos coming in waiving around 'Fuck
Won't let anybody retcon the Flu Trux Klan, fuck no.
The Ottawa police was critically inept at dealing with this, first by letting the cunts stop and nest in the streets, and then they failed to take any other useful action and were way too lenient with those fuckers, letting them resupply and do whatever the fuck they wanted.
To top it, that sleazy greaseball moron that Ontario elected as a PM was just way too happy to do fuck all and put no pressure on the OPP and the OPS to deal with it, just to score political points with people who don't live in Ottawa (cause they don't vote for him) and force Trudeau to play the only card he had the 'Emergency Measures Act'.
Yes it was like using a fucking bazooka to kill a fly, but when everybody who should be dealing with it is completely inept you have to step in at some point. I should also add, that I don't like Trudeau (hate his father also) but I'm 100% with him on that.
At least we got the Ottawa balcony guy video out of it. Which for those who haven't been keeping up with the news, the National Post has 'outed' this week, giving his name and making a big deal of the fact he's a Liberal staffer, which really is a nothing burger because everybody who's not a partisan hack agrees with him.
For those in the US, sorry for the derail and the salty language, that whole subjects triggers me.
posted by WaterAndPixels at 11:21 AM on February 3 [9 favorites]
/Nice work, antifa!
I have to admit, the discourse in this thread has degraded to the point that I don't know what this comment means in response to my observation about the need for supply lines to be thought about when it comes to war...
I believe it's referring to the Allied invasion of France/Germany as "antifa" because they were fighting fascists.
posted by straight at 11:57 AM on February 3
I have to admit, the discourse in this thread has degraded to the point that I don't know what this comment means in response to my observation about the need for supply lines to be thought about when it comes to war...
I believe it's referring to the Allied invasion of France/Germany as "antifa" because they were fighting fascists.
posted by straight at 11:57 AM on February 3
Oh fuck no. When you have a bunch of bozos coming in waiving around 'Fuck ' flags and pretending they're going to topple the democratically elected government, you don't go out to meet them.
Sorry... to be clear, "going out to meet them" (like Poilievre did, btw) is not what I wanted or expected. I just wanted the PM to acknowledge the fact of the protest, in scrums or in the House. To have seen real leadership from the PM on countering the protest allegations, and leading in calls for them to disperse, instead of ducking it and leaving it to others.
You seem to agree that it was all dumped on the Ottawa police, and that the OPP didn't get involved soon enough. It might be argued that once the convoy was permitted to enter Ottawa unimpeded, it was already too late for the local police to manage. I agree that the 'Emergency Measures Act' was the only tool left to bring the occupation to an end.
posted by Artful Codger at 11:59 AM on February 3
Sorry... to be clear, "going out to meet them" (like Poilievre did, btw) is not what I wanted or expected. I just wanted the PM to acknowledge the fact of the protest, in scrums or in the House. To have seen real leadership from the PM on countering the protest allegations, and leading in calls for them to disperse, instead of ducking it and leaving it to others.
You seem to agree that it was all dumped on the Ottawa police, and that the OPP didn't get involved soon enough. It might be argued that once the convoy was permitted to enter Ottawa unimpeded, it was already too late for the local police to manage. I agree that the 'Emergency Measures Act' was the only tool left to bring the occupation to an end.
posted by Artful Codger at 11:59 AM on February 3
Amanda Moore is in Texas covering the rally (bluesky link although she uses her twitter account more). She had previously gone undercover during the pandemic covering the MAGA crowd.
Ron Filipkowski was a never-Trumper Republican who found a left-leaning audience by non-stop posting clips of right-wing supporters doing stuff on twitter but would sometimes get in trouble for blatantly taking others' videos and not attributing them, only acknowledging it when he got sufficient push-back. So yeah, I'm not surprised people might be put off by the tone of the first article.
posted by LostInUbe at 6:05 PM on February 3 [3 favorites]
Ron Filipkowski was a never-Trumper Republican who found a left-leaning audience by non-stop posting clips of right-wing supporters doing stuff on twitter but would sometimes get in trouble for blatantly taking others' videos and not attributing them, only acknowledging it when he got sufficient push-back. So yeah, I'm not surprised people might be put off by the tone of the first article.
posted by LostInUbe at 6:05 PM on February 3 [3 favorites]
Yup the Trucker Carlson convoy in Ottawa was a hard experience. I lived couple blocks away from the occupying trucks in downtown. Their zone was fouled by all the exhaust fumes from trucks and generators. Leave it to the Canadian 'F*** Trudeau" types to be the first fascists to gas themselves. The part that has stayed with me was the complete collapse of civil order. The police were letting the occupiers get away with everything. Including piles of Jerry cans of gasoline gathered in dense downtown residential streets for the trucks and generators. We all carried on as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. It's just that when you were doing the groceries with the kids, a mob of louts roamed around the shelves waving obscene flags, screaming at people to remove their masks and bullying any who engaged with them. So I for one appreciate all the commenters here who point out that we cannot underestimate the stakes of these situations.
posted by SnowRottie at 9:38 PM on February 3 [12 favorites]
posted by SnowRottie at 9:38 PM on February 3 [12 favorites]
“dipshit vigilante truckers reach the border, shocked to find there’s no immigrant invasion,” Jeff Tiedrich, everyone is entitled to my own opinion, 04 February 2024
a bunch of easily-conned dopes got playedposted by ob1quixote at 3:58 PM on February 5 [5 favorites]
“The MAGA Migrant Delusion,” Jay Kuo, The Status Kuo, 06 February 2024
Extremist Republicans are about to sink the very bill they asked for but blame Biden for that somehow.posted by ob1quixote at 8:51 AM on February 6 [2 favorites]
“Republicans Killing Republican Immigration Bill Because They Don't Actually Care About Immigration And Trump Barked At Them And,” Evan Hurst, The Wonkette, 06 February 2024
Is the bill the Great Replacement Theory? Sure why not.posted by ob1quixote at 2:16 PM on February 6 [4 favorites]
« Older Time for a Drink | Yoyoka covers Tool, Forty Six & 2 (SLYT) Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
"The Deplorables!"
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 1:18 PM on February 2 [24 favorites]