The MAGA Insurrection in All its Stupidity

“Who’s the more foolish, the fool or the fool that follows him?” When that Kenobi question involves the outgoing President, it becomes impossible to answer. Trump is without a doubt the dumbest person to hold the highest office, and his loyal MAGA followers whose attempted insurrection failed spectacularly are a perfect reflection of that idiocy.

In a sense, the dumbing down of America over the years is responsible for what occurred on that already infamous day in both its start and end. The MAGA insurrectionists and rioters weren’t necessarily short on education so much as information.

The attempted coup was influenced by the President and far-right media companies like Fox, OAN, and Newsmax, working in tandem with the help of social media. The misinformation keeps the ratings and profits high, it keeps politicians from telling the truth and propels them to higher standing. It also gives their viewers and followers a sense of belonging and importance. Everybody wins.

At the same time, the country loses as demonstrated by the events on the 6th of January. The MAGA insurrection will be remembered for the violence that left five people dead and dozens injured. However, it will also be remembered for just how disorganized and stupid the whole thing was.

The contrast couldn’t be clearer. In one photo you have agents protecting lawmakers with guns drawn on the mob and on another you have Jacob Anthony Chansley, the shirtless, QAnon, white supremacist man carrying the American flag on a spear. Adorned with red, white and blue face paint and horned helmet, he looked like he was on his way to an NFL football game. Whether he wants it or not, the recently arrested Chansley will likely become the face of the failed insurrection.

Some of you by now must have seen the video of Elizabeth from Tennessee who admitted to storming the capital only to get maced in the face. The stunned insurrectionist told the cameraman that “We’re storming the Capital, it’s a revolution!” Someone needs to tell the whimpering Elizabeth that getting maced is hardly the worst outcome for attempted treason.

Elizabeth wasn’t alone of course, there were thousands there with the same intentions, but what exactly were they thinking? Although violence was present, the insurrection was tame. For all the right-wing militias and their talk of using their Second Amendment rights to fight “tyranny,” guns were not used thankfully.

THE SECOND AMENDMENT AND THE RIGHT TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT

But what did they expect exactly? Did they really think that taking over the Capital Building with a few hundred QAnon influenced MAGA people would allow Trump to keep his presidency? Believe it or not, that’s possible.

According to reports, the crowd was angered by Vice President Mike Pence not doing anything to stop the largely ceremonial electoral collage certification process in congress. By law there was nothing Pence could do, but the crowd was chanting to have him hanged anyway. Reason is completely lost on MAGA followers, always has been, and thank goodness.

Imagine what kind of damage could have been done if this mob had been smart, organized and dedicated. Well, if they were smart, they wouldn’t have been there in the first place, but on the other hand, there could have been massive casualties, kidnappings, hostage taking and property damage to one of the biggest American institutions.

Instead, you have one Trump Supporter getting shot by police, two Trump supporters dying of a heart attack, and one Trump supporter apparently falling to his death attempting to scale a wall. At the other end, one capital police officer died after being struck in the head with a fire extinguisher and dozens more had bumps and bruises.

As time moves on, we’ll undoubtedly hear more stories of just how inept and dumb protestors were during this so-called insurrection. It will certainly happen again just as sure as an idiot can put his feet up on the desk of the House Speaker. Neither Trump nor his supporters are smart enough to learn from their mistakes.

The seriousness of what did and what may still happen isn’t lost on anyone. That being said, citizens in the rest of the world are laughing at the sheer stupidity of the MAGA/QAnon phenomenon and their leaders in Washington.

America has indeed become a joke over the last few years and it’s not about to change with the Presidency. Biden may bring some dignity back to the White House, but I have little hope that he’ll be able to repair the damage that’s been done. In effect, he may make it worse in the process of fixing it.