At what point does one become complicit in theatre of fascism? I think of the YEARS that @refusefascism was calling for people to be out in peaceful protest and actions. I think of what difference it would have made had journos done some type of collective action. Even a press conference in front of WH, interviewed by foreign press corps. It would have created more freedom for others to come forward, yes? We're on a world stage. The Whole World Was Watching.
I have much respect for Acosta. Tom R. raises good points. I would say that there was more than one occasion that reporters could have walked out en masse. I'm thinking of WH credentials being pulled as one such case. If press are being called criminals, fake news, that's high alert for fascism & Estate being in mortal danger. Better proactive than reactive. I suggest @mattnegrin interview on Cam Meekin show. Why he went from being journalist to comedian. Expressing what MANY journos must be going through. Good stuff begins an hour into interview: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=matt+negrin&docid=608041187356984854&mid=1FA24176973DFB56FA921FA24176973DFB56FA92&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
I wonder if journalists colluded with Trump by attending rallies in which they were the active targets of hate and threats by he and his followers. Perhaps, they should have absented themselves from situations where they were at risk, and reported from a distance at the abberant, hateful nature of the rallies. By being targeted in real time, and staying through it, they became a sad part of the story which they were supposed to cover.
There was an argument for that, but it would also have been a defeat for the press to have been intimidated out of the arena of history in the making. Reporters also likely felt it was important that the public see how they were treated. Being there is part of the job.
I appreciate Jim Acosta's comments and I do think he pushed back on Trump's excessive lying, to the point where he was temporarily banned access. I wish more of the WH press would have done the same. Some did but a good majority did not. IMO, there's still too much bothsiderism reporting being done in terms of the on-going obstructionism from Republicans whose idea of bipartisanship is my way or the highway while screeching that President Biden and Democrats are the problem.
There is a major difference between the two parties now: the Republicans have made a hard turn towards autocratic rule. This has nothing to do with the pros and cons of liberal vs conservative. A growing swath of Republicans are not conservative; they're increasingly anti-democratic. Donald Trump's attacks on the press has expanded, morphed into further degradation of basic American rights: voter suppression legislation and now most recently state laws prohibiting public protests, the right to assemble. The excesses in our militarized police departments is the tip of the spear.
We've seen this picture show before. We know how it ends. The hundreds of state-led actions by Republican legislators can neither be dismissed nor normalized.
It's an ugly wake-up call, as is the reintroduction of replacement theory being batted around on alt-right channels.
So, I would disagree with Mr. Acosta about needing 'time to recover' from the Trump era. We do not have the luxury of time because the battle is not over. In fact, I'd argue it's only just begun. Every attempt to dilute basic American principles is an assault the body politic.
We must be vigilant. We must be ready to pushback with words and action. We must ready to deny ourselves the comforting thought that everything will automatically right itself now that Trump is gone.
It won't. In fact, I suspect the fever-pitch and threat to worsen before it gets better.
Because if we do settle back on our couches breathing sighs of relief? We will be buried.
The Republicans are not just anti-democratic, they show many traits of fascism. I consider them to be proto-fascist. Trump's brain (Steve Bannon) admires Mussolini and longs for a return of the 1930's when fascism roared. Trump's fear and anger generating propaganda is right out of Hitler's playbook. The anti-academia push is classic fascism. Our media should have been putting out red flags in 2015, warning voters about the danger of what Trump was doing. There was a book that warned about the dangers of fascism by Madeleine Albright but it was not widely read.
Excellent interview. The Republican Party has embraced a destructive charismatic leader who preys on those with FPP (fantasy prone personality) and uses them, via propaganda to carry out his marching orders. In Psychology, this is known as narcissistic triangulation. Jan 6th was an example of this.
Your the very best in the news sphere, I applaud you Jim..
At what point does one become complicit in theatre of fascism? I think of the YEARS that @refusefascism was calling for people to be out in peaceful protest and actions. I think of what difference it would have made had journos done some type of collective action. Even a press conference in front of WH, interviewed by foreign press corps. It would have created more freedom for others to come forward, yes? We're on a world stage. The Whole World Was Watching.
I have much respect for Acosta. Tom R. raises good points. I would say that there was more than one occasion that reporters could have walked out en masse. I'm thinking of WH credentials being pulled as one such case. If press are being called criminals, fake news, that's high alert for fascism & Estate being in mortal danger. Better proactive than reactive. I suggest @mattnegrin interview on Cam Meekin show. Why he went from being journalist to comedian. Expressing what MANY journos must be going through. Good stuff begins an hour into interview: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=matt+negrin&docid=608041187356984854&mid=1FA24176973DFB56FA921FA24176973DFB56FA92&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
I wonder if journalists colluded with Trump by attending rallies in which they were the active targets of hate and threats by he and his followers. Perhaps, they should have absented themselves from situations where they were at risk, and reported from a distance at the abberant, hateful nature of the rallies. By being targeted in real time, and staying through it, they became a sad part of the story which they were supposed to cover.
There was an argument for that, but it would also have been a defeat for the press to have been intimidated out of the arena of history in the making. Reporters also likely felt it was important that the public see how they were treated. Being there is part of the job.
I wish the vermin in the press had more tears for Julian Assange.
I appreciate Jim Acosta's comments and I do think he pushed back on Trump's excessive lying, to the point where he was temporarily banned access. I wish more of the WH press would have done the same. Some did but a good majority did not. IMO, there's still too much bothsiderism reporting being done in terms of the on-going obstructionism from Republicans whose idea of bipartisanship is my way or the highway while screeching that President Biden and Democrats are the problem.
There is a major difference between the two parties now: the Republicans have made a hard turn towards autocratic rule. This has nothing to do with the pros and cons of liberal vs conservative. A growing swath of Republicans are not conservative; they're increasingly anti-democratic. Donald Trump's attacks on the press has expanded, morphed into further degradation of basic American rights: voter suppression legislation and now most recently state laws prohibiting public protests, the right to assemble. The excesses in our militarized police departments is the tip of the spear.
We've seen this picture show before. We know how it ends. The hundreds of state-led actions by Republican legislators can neither be dismissed nor normalized.
It's an ugly wake-up call, as is the reintroduction of replacement theory being batted around on alt-right channels.
So, I would disagree with Mr. Acosta about needing 'time to recover' from the Trump era. We do not have the luxury of time because the battle is not over. In fact, I'd argue it's only just begun. Every attempt to dilute basic American principles is an assault the body politic.
We must be vigilant. We must be ready to pushback with words and action. We must ready to deny ourselves the comforting thought that everything will automatically right itself now that Trump is gone.
It won't. In fact, I suspect the fever-pitch and threat to worsen before it gets better.
Because if we do settle back on our couches breathing sighs of relief? We will be buried.
The Republicans are not just anti-democratic, they show many traits of fascism. I consider them to be proto-fascist. Trump's brain (Steve Bannon) admires Mussolini and longs for a return of the 1930's when fascism roared. Trump's fear and anger generating propaganda is right out of Hitler's playbook. The anti-academia push is classic fascism. Our media should have been putting out red flags in 2015, warning voters about the danger of what Trump was doing. There was a book that warned about the dangers of fascism by Madeleine Albright but it was not widely read.
Absolutely agree, Steve. I hope I'm wrong about all this. I fear I am not.
Excellent interview. The Republican Party has embraced a destructive charismatic leader who preys on those with FPP (fantasy prone personality) and uses them, via propaganda to carry out his marching orders. In Psychology, this is known as narcissistic triangulation. Jan 6th was an example of this.