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    Pulitzer winner believes we are now fighting the Second American Civil War

    David Cay Johnston, DCReport @ RawStory
    January 16, 2021

    Thanks for your support!

    This article was paid for by reader donations to Raw Story Investigates.

    National Guard troops at the U.S. Capitol. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Matt Hecht)

    This article was paid for by Raw Story subscribers. Not a subscriber? Try us and go ad-free for $1. Prefer to give a one-time tip? Click here.

    David Cay Johnston, DCReport @ RawStory

    The second American Civil War has begun.

    No official announced Trump's Civil War. That's the reason our major news organizations dance around the awful truth using obfuscating language.

    But we don't need a press release to recognize that Donald Trump directed his white supremacist followers to attack another branch of our national government on Jan. 6—after years of undermining the judiciary and, in the executive branch, the intelligence, law enforcement and public health agencies.

    Trump apologists will quarrel with the word "directed." Yes, Trump spoke, as he often does, out of four sides of his mouth when he said he would march with them to our Capitol where recordings show people shouting that they were invited by the president, that they were doing his will. It is the message the mob took that matters compounded by his video during the siege expressing his love for the insurrectionists.

    That Trump will not attend the inauguration of Joe Biden should make you shudder. Without him on the outdoor platform rebels hellbent on overthrowing our government could assassinate Biden and Kamala Harris with no risk to their messianic and delusional leader.

    We face danger from more than the lawless Trump mob that attacked our Capitol.

    This is why police and National Guard will flood that zone on Jan. 20. And it explains why Biden and Harris insist on being sworn in outdoors, to signal that fear has no place in the land of the free and home of the brave.

    And it's not just government buildings that now require extra protection from disloyal and self-righteous Americans who love Trump more than our Constitutional liberties. Mosques, synagogues and some churches, especially black churches, will be vulnerable to attack by those who want to make America white again, many of whom claim to be Christians but are in fact the embodiment of evil.

    Trump's mob will not win this war. No matter what buildings they attack, what leaders they assassinate, they cannot win because there are not enough of them to destroy the United States of America in favor of a dictatorship under Trump, his children or anyone else.

    Making America Endure

    Eager and willing as Trump's army is to assassinate Vice President Mike Pence, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, as well as Biden and Kamala Harris, our freedom and continuity of our government does not hinge on any individual. Our nation endures so long as we sustain a broad and deep commitment to the six noble purposes articulated in our Constitution's preamble especially the promise to perfect our union over time.

    If you don't know those six purposes please click here and read the 52 words again and again until you memorize them. And take note as you do that riches are neither mentioned or hinted at in the Preamble, while liberty, the general welfare, and justice are along with their products—peace and tranquility.

    Still, even though the outcome of Trump's Civil War is certain, his band of domestic terrorists can and already have imposed enormous and lasting damage on our society.

    These true believers in Trumpian rule can dissuade many from peaceful and joyful mingling in houses of worship, government buildings, sports arenas and political venues. While Biden and Harris are brave, millions will hold back because of their rational fear of violent attack. Doubt that? How eager are you to visit on vacation or ride a bus in Jerusalem? Kabul? Baghdad?

    Our nation's capital is an armed camp today. So are the downtowns of many of our state capitals. Law enforcement and the intelligence community sift through plots organized on the Internet in the hope of disrupting attacks before they occur. The police and soldiers are backups for the inevitable failures to prevent attacks.

    Among the Attackers

    We also need to recognize that we face danger from more than the lawless Trump mob that attacked our Capitol and have menaced our state capitols.

    We now know that the insurgents attacking our Capitol included active-duty military and police officers. Dozens of people on FBI terrorist watch lists were among the attackers, evidently not being watched at all closely. There are disturbing indications some members of Congress, Republicans all, may have helped the attackers scout the Capitol, pointing out hidden offices of Democratic Party leaders.

    One Republican lawmaker openly encouraged rebellion. Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama, outfitted in camo, riled up the Trumpian mob before its attack. Another, Republican Lauren Boebert of Colorado, tweeted out the location of Speaker Pelosi while she was being hunted with plans, one of them texted, to put a bullet in her head on television. Think about what America would be like today had the insurgents assassinated Pence, Pelosi and others by firing squad or hanging them from the gallows they set up outside the Capitol.

    Brooks and Boebert must be expelled from the House if their vile and disloyal actions are to have consequences. Failure to do this will only give succor to others tempted by traitorous opportunity.

    Even more disturbing, some Democratic lawmakers say that on the day before our Capitol was sacked they observed a few of the most extreme Republicans giving guided tours to people who turned out to be insurgency leaders. Now, they worry that this was a scouting operation supported from within. The coming investigations will tell us the facts, especially if prosecutors are smart about leveraging those who gave such tours in return for lessening the severe sentences they deserve.

    That we may have a Fifth Column in Congress immediately alarmed their unwitting collaborators from the dominant economic force in America, big corporations. From American Express and AT&T to Tyson Foods and United Parcel Service, many big companies stopped, at least for now, aiding and abetting these faithless enemies of our Constitution with campaign contributions.

    We live in strange times when we need help from soulless corporations to defend our liberties. To be sure, they acted out of self-interest. Under a dictatorship, corporate directors and executives would be forced to bend to the will of an unelected and unaccountable autocrat who could eviscerate their privileges and plunder their wealth.

    Disloyalty and oath-breaking by officials also marked the 1860s, when some representatives, senators and federal judges used their office to wage war on the United States. Until they were stopped. Texas lawyer Barbara Radnofsky tells some of this compellingly in her concise book A Citizen's Guide to Impeachment.

    Our Noble Purpose

    The costs of Trump's Army waging war on our government will drain resources from improving America, from perfecting our union.

    To secure our safety, National Guard troops sleep on the cold marble floors of America's Capitol. Fences and walls will become ubiquitous, a twisted outgrowth of Trump's lie that he would build a wall, to fencing and other barriers, metal detectors and other protections against domestic terrorists.

    Trump's Civil War did not begin with the murderous attack on our Capitol. It dates to at least August 2017 when his violent thugs marched in Charlottesville, Va., shouting Nazi slogans. "Jews will not replace us" and "blood and soil," they chanted while marching past a synagogue. The next day one of them drove his car into a crowd, killing Heather Heyer, the first fatality in Trump's Civil War.

    What these rebels heard the next day, what instilled them with bravado, was not Trump's confusing comparison between anti-Semitic racists and the counter-demonstrators, but this line about themselves—"very fine people."

    Don't make the mistake of thinking there is no Second Civil War just because all is peaceful where you are. Six days before rebels bombarded Ft. Sumter on April 12, 1861, The New York Times reported that an attack was imminent. But once the fighting began, there was no battle of Grand Rapids, no skirmish in Rochester, no siege in Cincinnati. In some states, such as Oregon, all regular Army were withdrawn and volunteers maintained military outposts and kept watch on Confederacy sympathizers.

    That is how wars take place. People may be sipping espresso in sidewalk cafes or picnicking beside a stream while soldiers fire on one another within earshot.

    As we prosecute this war on Trump's militias and half-organized renegade insurgents, we must give no quarter in terms of criminal prosecution, especially for seditious conspiracy and murder. Where they fire their arms we must respond with lethal force as the laws of war allow. But we must be better than the attackers.

    We must take care not to give Trump's army a perverse victory by destroying the soul of America, by losing sight of our nation's great purpose. We must not descend into a militarized safety zone. Instead, we must build up the institutions we have damaged with decades of malign neglect—schools, colleges, public health, law enforcement as guardians instead of warriors, and the public furniture from parks to bridges that make life pleasant and commerce efficient. We must make our union more perfect through caring for our citizens, providing the tools for stable and prosperous lives and vigorous debate about the way we want to order our liberty.

    We must keep in our hearts and our politics the fundamental purpose of our government—to ennoble the human spirit with liberty and fraternity so that our people can attain the best that our nature makes possible.

    This article was paid for by Raw Story subscribers. Not a subscriber? Try us and go ad-free for $1. Prefer to give a one-time tip? Click here.

    Enjoy good journalism?

    … then let us make a small request. The COVID crisis has slashed advertising rates, and we need your help. Like you, we here at Raw Story believe in the power of progressive journalism. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and legal efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. And unlike other news outlets, we’ve decided to make our original content free. But we need your support to do what we do.

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    … then let us make a small request. The COVID crisis has slashed advertising rates, and we need your help. Like you, we believe in the power of progressive journalism — and we’re investing in investigative reporting as other publications give it the ax. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. We need your support to do what we do.

    Raw Story is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us in the future. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you.

    Report typos and corrections to: corrections@rawstory.com.
    READ COMMENTS - JOIN THE DISCUSSION

    Do you approve of Biden's presidency so far?

    GOP's Lauren Boebert mocked as 'total dimwit' for asking who runs Biden's White House

    Travis Gettys
    March 01, 2021

    Conspiracy-mongering Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) was roundly mocked for suggesting President Joe Biden wasn't in control of his own White House.

    The newly elected Colorado Republican wondered on her Twitter account who was in charge of the Biden administration, although it's not clear what caused her to question the White House leadership structure.


    It's March 1, 2021 and most of us still have no idea who is actually running the Biden White House.
    — Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) March 1, 2021

    "It's March 1, 2021 and most of us still have no idea who is actually running the Biden White House," Boebert tweeted.

    Other social media users offered explanations or ridicule to the congresswoman.


    most of us = most of total dimwits
    — Mr. Newberger (@jeremynewberger) March 1, 2021


    It's President Biden.

    Happy to help.
    — Alan Wheeler (@__Alan__) March 1, 2021


    In case you haven't noticed, President Biden doesn't micromanage. Please feel free to contact anyone in the picture if you get lost. pic.twitter.com/bC58exd8pn
    — Doc “Sarcasm" Benett (@SaltLifeGA) March 1, 2021


    Biden doesn't have the need to be out in front… Tweeting every day… Being on every News Break… He's in his office, getting vaccinations out to the world, making sure the population is treated equitably,… What are you doing?
    — DCZ (@DeannaZahn) March 1, 2021


    It's March 1, 2021, and we watched a despicable display of shameful lawmakers in Orlando last night praising a guy who was impeached twice, who led an insurrection against our country, whose words injured and killed Capitol police, whose words continue to divide this nation.
    — Sam Kidd (@trumpistan45) March 1, 2021


    President @JoeBiden is the head of our nation's executive branch.@WHCOS Klain is the Chief of Staff.@VP Harris is the Vice President.

    it is quite a shame that you aren't educated.
    — Jean L.P. Jaurès 🌎🔬📚⚖️ (@larsp2740) March 1, 2021


    Lauren is getting confused again.

    No need for alarm. This is pretty much the story of her life.
    — CANCELtheGOP (@CANCELtheGOP) March 1, 2021


    Because he doesn't rage tweet constantly telling us he's the "best POTUS ever"or because he hasn't tried to fire people via social media?
    Believe it or not Qbert, this is how it's supposed to be. #GQP
    — Cyndi Borowski💙🇺🇲 (@BorowskiCyndi) March 1, 2021


    Pretty much the best self owning statement I've seen so far today. Everytime you teeet you reinforce all of the things people say about you.
    — Rhythm&Booze (@booze_rhythm) March 1, 2021


    Everyone is laughing at you.
    — Whatever🔥Heather (@FeistyPK2) March 1, 2021


    It's March 1st, 2021, and Lauren Boebert still doesn't know how to do her job.
    — Keli 😈 (@notadoughnut) March 1, 2021


    Joe Biden won the election by 8 million votes. He runs the White House. He nominates his cabinet (Repubs won't confirm his nominees of color). Biden turning back Trump's horrible EO's. Yeah, we know who's running the White House.
    — Bobby White🌊🌊🌊🗽🗽⚾️ (@BobbyWh52136391) March 1, 2021


    Florida sheriff claims activist is ‘exploiting children’ after he discusses anti-racism protests with students

    Sky Palma
    March 01, 2021

    A Florida community activist says he's considering suing the Baker County Sheriff's Office after a Facebook post from the department accused him of "exploiting and manipulating children," First Coast News reports.

    On Wednesday, Kevin Conner spoke at a meeting for Duval County Public Schools regarding the possible renaming of some schools in the district.

    "It was a group of middle school kids at Baker County High School basically saying they've had it, there so much racism there, and teachers and administration endorse it and they wanted to make a stand," Conner said adding that there's "a long history including MLK and Steve Biko of adults helping students protest, students have a right to protest."

    But according to the Baker County Sheriff's Department's Facebook post, Conner has been encouraging protesting and disrupting school functions. The post even accused him of asking to meet with female minors in private location -- an accusation that Conner says is false, since the children's parents were involved in the meetups.

    "They are seeking to target me and ruin my life and libels, this is no small matter and it has put my family in danger," said Conner, who captured video of a neighbor calling him a pedophile.

    Major Randy Crews of the Baker County Sheriff's Department told First Coast News that they had no intention of slandering Conner.

    "What I'm saying is that he's exploiting kids but I don't have any evidence or anybody accusing him of any improper sexual misconduct, what I have is people accusing him of having inappropriate contact and communication with minors," Crews said.

    Watch First Coast News' report on the story below:


    Republican Kristi Noem was a hit at CPAC 2021 — then she bombed on ‘Face the Nation’

    Alex Henderson, AlterNet
    March 01, 2021

    South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem had a busy weekend, speaking at the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida and talking to host Margaret Brennan for CBS News' "Face the Nation." Noem, a loyal ally of former President Donald Trump, was a hit at CPAC 2021 — where the Republican governor fit right in with the event's Trumpian Culture War themes. But on "Face the Nation," it was obvious that Brennan wasn't going to let her off with the type of softball questions she would get from Sean Hannity or Laura Ingraham at Fox News.

    South Dakota has not fared well during the COVID-19 pandemic, suffering some of the highest infectious rates in the United States — and Brennan pointed out that Noem, in contrast to some governors, has not been aggressive when it comes to social distancing restrictions or encouraging the use of face masks.

    Brennan told Noem, "You have the highest death rate in cumulative COVID deaths per million in the country. The CDC says you have the eighth highest death rate per capita now…. I know you're a conservative and you care about the sanctity of life. So, how can you justify making decisions that put the health of your constituents at risk?"

    Noem gave an answer that was both defense and evasive, telling Brennan, "Those are questions that you should be asking every other governor in this country as well…. Regionally, we have seen the virus hit the country very differently, and it hit the Midwest earlier than it did the South — and now, the East Coast and the West Coast. So, we are still dealing with this virus in this country."


    Pressed on Face the Nation about a Republican governor citing South Dakota as an example of how not to respond to C… https://t.co/GPPYbsrQ4S
    — Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar)1614528370.0


    Brennan brought up the widely criticized Sturgis motorcycle rally, held in South Dakota in August 2020. Full of maskless bikers, the event ignored social distancing recommendations.

    "Listen, what we did was allow people to make decisions for themselves," Noem told Brennan. "We gave them all the information on this virus — how to protect their health — and then, we allowed them to make decisions on what they would do. My question is, if we had mandated that people had to stay home, if we had mandated that businesses had to be closed, would that have made a difference? I would argue that it wouldn't have."



    Asked if she takes personal responsibility for the 2020 Sturgis motorcycle rally being a superspreader event, Noem… https://t.co/VvkeJRQFQA
    — Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar)1614528583.0


    Speaking at CPAC 2021, Noem claimed that South Dakota is a COVID-19 success story — even though it is the exact opposite — and pandered to the crowd by attacking Dr. Anthony Fauci. Noem drew applause from the Trumpistas in attendance when she said, "Dr. Fauci is wrong a lot."


    Gov. Kristi Noem is speaking and pushing the idea that public health regulations in response to a pandemic that has… https://t.co/cphz4B6GEJ
    — Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar)1614459220.0
     
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