I've been seeing a lot of discussion about the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923, in which the Nazi party staged a similar coup attempt to what we saw in Washington yesterday. A few thoughts from a rhetorician and history nerd: (1/6)

I believe we must pay close attention to the legal action (or inaction) that results from these events. We must also push for legal action from the government to protect attacks to the election process... (2/6)

After the Beer Hall Putsch (where Hitler was arrested, and during that jail time he authored Mein Kampf which inspired much of the Nazi propaganda machine), the Nazis focused on legal action and propaganda as opposed to force to overtake the government. (3/6)

The fact that this insurrection resulted in the wake of the legal system in the United States actually doing its job (throwing out falsified claims with no evidence, certifying the votes cast, etc.) is a glimmer of hope BUT we should not be lulled into complacency. (4/6)

It means that we ALL must be ever vigilant about identifying and reporting misinformation online.

The impact social media, and the rapid disemination of information, and the lack of credibility from many media outlets is directly contributing to this crisis. (5/6)

I am working on an educational stream mini-series that will try to educate/inform folks about how to identify, report, and maintain accountability for hate speech and misinformation.

If any other scholars want to chat about this, please reach out. (6/6)