Well, well, four of the Oath Keepers have been convicted of seditious conspiracy for their part in trump’s January 6th coup attempt the cons pretend didn’t happen. (We’re sure paying a lot to keep these morons in prison for something that cons insist never happened…) This is after their useless leader, Stewart Rhodes, was convicted of the same thing a few weeks ago. As a “defense,” they kept whining that the courts were prosecuting them and not their “inspiration,” the 45th so-called “President.”

Listen, they have a point. The former guy should be prosecuted. But that doesn’t mean the Oath Keepers shouldn’t be prosecuted. It means former guy should be prosecuted along with them. He still might be, but I’m not holding my breath. This country, despite her rhetoric, does not operate on the rule of law for all any more, if it ever did. There’s one set of rules for rich and/or well connected people, another, rougher set of rules for the rest of us. So far, several of the attackers have tried to defend themselves by blaming the former guy. “We just did what he told us to do.” Uh-huh. Guess what? You’re responsible for your actions. Someone tells you to do something illegal. You do it. YOU are guilty. Period.

I’ll tell you this: I hear these guys face up to twenty years. I hope they have to do every day of it…

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I really don’t know what the hell is wrong with people. Five cops beat a man to death. The dead man is black, of course. The thing is, so are all five of the cops. Hard to call it a racist thing when everybody involved is the same race. The victim is a man named Tyre Nichols. The cops are all fired, now, and charged with second degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct, and official oppression. Body camera footage of the murder has been released. It’s a tough watch.

From the moment these asshole cops first confront Mr. Nichols, they’re shouting at him complete with the kind of expletives we expect from the bad guys in movies when they’re doing their crimes. From the way the cops are acting, I would have guessed Mr. Nichols was suspected of killing a cop, or a baby, or some other, particularly heinous crime. They force him to the ground, then keep telling him to get on the ground. He tells them straight up he’s not resisting. They threaten to tase him anyway and continue to assault him. (That’s not even the tough part.) At some point, Mr Nichols must have begun to feel like these guys were out to hurt him. He got scared – of the cops. He managed to get up and run. The killer cops give chase. As Nichols runs away, another cops says, “I hope they stomp his ass!” He says it twice. He gets his wish, too.

The cops catch up to him. In his last, few moments, he starts calling to his mother. Apparently, his house was only about 80 yards away. At no time did Mr. Nichols fight back or appear to resist. In fact, he tells the cops, over and over, that he’s complying. He DOES ask why they’re after him. He honestly doesn’t understand what’s happening or why, since he hasn’t done anything wrong. I’m sure the cons will “defend” the cops by pointing to the fact that Nichols got up and ran but it wasn’t defiance. By that time, I’m sure it was terror. He was being physically abused by the cops and had no idea why. But if it’s the cops doing the beating, who does one call for help?

Fortunately for my psyche, the public video goes dark as the worst of the beatings ensue and the version I saw resorts to descriptions. The video doesn’t resume until an ambulance is on scene to take him to the hospital. But, apparently, nobody even called for help for another 20 minutes after the beating. Mr. Nichols died of his injuries three days later.

The thing I find most chilling about the video is that the victim was trying to protect himself by pointing out to the cops that he was complying. He pointed out that they were “doing a lot,” meaning they were being FAR more aggressive than they needed to be. They told him to get on the ground as they pushed him to the ground, then told him to get on the ground again. He answered that he was on the ground. In short, he tried to reason with them. But those cops?

Those cops were in full-on pack mentality. I suspect that, in the moment, they never even heard the words that we coming out of Mr. Nichols’ mouth. They didn’t care that he complied. They didn’t care that he hadn’t done anything. They were not fully present, anymore. Their focus was on bringing down their prey. Mr. Nichols never even knew what he was being murdered for, that is, what the cops THINK he may have done. (The Memphis police said the initial stop was for reckless driving, clearly a death penalty offense…)

From time to time, human beings can be reduced to their most basic, animal instincts and pack mentality is one of them. These cops didn’t like being defied – even though they weren’t defied. Their good old boys club created the pack and the moment inflamed it. History is replete with other examples of such brutal pack mentality. But the history isn’t the part I find most chilling.

I’ll tell you this: These days, you can hear cons out there making the case that this is the exact kind of violence this country needs to put it back on “the right track.” The cons are not the deepest thinkers in the crowd. It isn’t their idea. They’re being led to it. The animal portion of the human animal instinct is being nurtured. The con media bubble is creating the pack and at some point, they might well be released by the conservative bubble to go forth and destroy. (Think January 6th.) When they are released, no amount of reason, no amount of calm, no fact or aspect will be relevant or able to stop them. The pack will just…attack…

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There’s a book out called ‘Myth America: Historians Take on the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past.’ Purportedly, it supposes to address all the conservative stories out there and debunk them, once and for all. I plan to read it, though I already know the cons lie about everything, all the time. They’ve built up a mythos that gives them permission to do all the horrible things they do that goes all the way back to the landings on Plymouth Rock and how the white settlers got to start off with a “blank slate” because there was nobody here. (The First Nations would beg to differ, having met the settlers onshore as they clambered out of their boats.)

The thing is, I like history so I read a lot of history and I’m very much looking forward to this book, despite the fact that I might very well know all of the information contained inside. I’m sure there will be details and events with which I’m not familiar. I don’t mean to paint myself as some kind of walking History Oracle. That’s why I keep reading. I just keep learning. Still, I don’t expect any grand surprises – to me. I expect that many on the left who pick up this book will nod in agreement. “Yeah, I remember learning that.” “Oh, yeah, I knew that, too.” It will be helpful and beneficial. Sadly, not to the cons who need it most.

Cons don’t read anything longer than street signs. I mean, I guess they can, they just don’t. Worse, even if a con DID pick up a copy and start thumbing through, they would set it aside again at near light speed. The last thing in the world a con wants is to be exposed to facts. Sad…

***

Since the topic of the moment, here, is books, I’m currently reading one called ‘Walking the Nile’ by a guy named Levison Wood. Truth be told, I was not too excited to pick it up. What, after all, could it be about?
Page one: “I put my right foot forward, then shifted my weight over it. Then I put forth my left foot and, again, shifted my weight forward. Then, in an unexpected development, I moved my right foot forward and shifted my weight again.”
Page 322: “Having left my right foot behind me on the last step, I once again brought it forth and shifted my weight to it, taking yet another step – a step into the Mediterranean Sea. What a satisfying expedition.”

Fortunately, it is MUCH better than that. I borrowed the book from a friend who had recommended it. (Thanks, Joe!) As he handed it over, he told me, “I learned that Africa is a seriously messed up place!” The book really is about a guy attempting to walk along the Nile River from one of it’s headwaters to the Mediterranean Sea but there’s absolutely NO “left foot, right foot.” Instead, he explores the people and places he meets along the way and covers much history of the continent where the river passes. It’s a fascinating book and I heartily recommend it if you’re looking for something to read but I came away with the same feeling as my friend. Africa is a seriously messed up place…