Federal courts don’t usually allow cameras. I suspect that’s part of the reason so many of Donny’s co-conspirators, along with Donny himself, tried to get their state case in Georgia moved up to Federal courts. It’s MUCH easier to lie about what happened in a courtroom – Donny does it every day as he leaves the courtroom in New York – if the world has to rely on second hand reports and, obviously, MAGA gonna lie. But if there are cameras in the room, with a live stream of the process (which MAGA will avoid at all costs), it will be easier to rebut fraudulent claims by lying conservative media in real time.

Several media outlets are formally requesting a waiver to the rule against cameras in the Federal courtroom. Their position? “If ever a trial were to be televised, this one should be, for the benefit of American democracy.” Interestingly, the judge hasn’t dismissed the request outright. Donny’s team has been given the opportunity to argue against the idea, suggesting that the court is open to cameras in this case.

There’s an Act out there that says that victims in Federal crimes have the right to watch the trial of the accused in their case. As it happens, every American who voted is a victim of Donny’s deceptions. I’m going out on a limb, here, but I suspect “every American who voted” won’t fit into the courtroom. Cameras are the ONLY reasonable solution.

I’ll tell you this: I hope cameras are allowed. I’ll whip up some popcorn and, if anyone needs me, you’ll find me glued to the set, watching every moment…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I read this sentence in this morning’s Guardian, in an article by Peter Pomerantsev called, ‘We Can’t Fight The Republican Party’s ‘Big Lie’ with Facts Alone.’ I wish I had written it.
“Agreeing to Trump’s claims about the rigged election is the absurdity you have to pledge allegiance to in order to show you belong to the tribe. It ensures your fealty by making you complicit. For anyone who has lived in authoritarian regimes, it’s a familiar sight.”

I’ve been thinking more seriously about the danger MAGA represents to what’s left of this nation. They are the least educated among the American people. Much of the world just laughs at their antics and lack of understanding about even the most basic things. They are bitter, blaming the world for their own failures. They are pissed off! Basically, we dismiss them for the wool-headed buffoons they are, and they ARE…but they’re also dangerous. These people are blind loyalists. Their leader is on his way to jail. They dismiss evidence against him and maintain their loyalty. One cannot reason with people who didn’t reach their position through reason. There’s a scary historical corollary, here: 1930’s Germany.

“Oh, God, he’s not invoking the Nazis, is he?”
“Yeah, I think he is.”
“Doesn’t he know Godwin’s Law? The first person to mention the Nazis loses?”
“Well, that’s not what Godwin said, so no.”

Okay, so, look. In the early 1930’s the Nazis started to come together in Germany. They were the least educated among the German people. Much of the world just laughed at their antics and lack of understanding about even the most basic things. They were bitter, blaming the world for their own failures. They were pissed off! Basically, the world dismissed them for the wool-headed buffoons they were (and still are). But they were also dangerous. Those people were blind loyalists, too. Their leader even went to jail. They dismissed evidence against him and maintained their loyalty. Sound familiar?

Then, the Nazi’s somehow ascended to power, anyway, and 40-50 million people died.

The people attracted to the Nazis, originally, seem to have been attracted by the feeling of acceptance, like they’d found a home. They were minimally marginalized people who found a community within the party. But then, to STAY in the good graces of the party, one had to toe the party line perfectly. Even the slightest slip and you’re OUT! Likely, ALL the way out, if you know what I mean.

I suspect MAGA is the same – minimally marginalized people who found a community within MAGA. But then, to STAY in the good graces of MAGA, one has to toe the MAGA line perfectly. Even the slightest slip and you’re RINO and you’re OUT! Trying to help a MAGA back to reality with facts and/or evidence alone simply doesn’t work, primarily because in stepping back into the real world, they have to step out of their community. They have to surrender their feeling of belonging to something. Imagine trying to talk a fundamentalist Christian out of their fundamentalist church. Imagine trying to talk one of “Manson’s Children” out of Charlie Manson’s cult. Same result, same reason. They lose their community.

I’ve never been much of a joiner but I DO know the feeling. When I was in basic training, I noticed that all the “slick sleeves” (trainees, aka: me) could talk to each other easily and comfortably because we were ALL in the same boat. Who came from where didn’t much matter. TODAY we’re all “recruits” and nothing more. Community.

I suspect we can only help someone back to reality by making sure they know there’s a place for them with a new community, a better community. A community where you don’t have to toe a specific line or repeat a ridiculous mantra to prove yourself. Hopefully, a community that promotes one’s BEST self and doesn’t prey on people’s worst instincts.

So I recommend maintaining communication with the MAGAs in your world. It’s not easy, but it’s worthwhile. Turning your back on your local, perhaps familial, MAGA only serves to marginalize them more, pressing them harder and harder into their destructive MAGA “community.” Remember, while we’re laughing at their antics, they’re slowly gaining power. Ascending, as Matt Gaetz says.

Back in the 30’s, the Nazis had a more difficult time spreading their message but they still had an advantage: people simply could not believe (or accept) what they were seeing from that group. Today, MAGA spreads their word easily through the internet and a gaggle of MAGA podcasts supporting the fraud. But today? The world knows what it looks like when their kind of message spreads too far and too successfully. In short, we’ve been warned by history. Do we learn? Can we?

I’ll tell you this: if we can’t offer them a welcome into a more uplifting community, they’re going to stay where they are no matter what is asked of them. In the 40’s, 50 million people died trying to squelch the Nazis. Today, we have FAR better weapons. The deaths have already started. If we don’t find a way to stop this process, how many will die? And I suspect community is the best answer…