COVID Update January 8: Words I have learned to never say again: "It can never happen in this country."

It can if we let it. 1/

A devastating public health emergency-- never.
An racist, nationalist, fascist president-- not us.
A coup attempt-- not in the US.
Indifference at the death of hundreds of thousands-- not here. 2/

Viruses are for Africa and Asia; nationalist candidates are in France; Coup attempts South America. You know, only the shithole countries. 3/

Not only can it happen here-- which I will come back to-- but we have a uniquely American version.

Only here is the coup attempt where once inside, they make off with a podium giggling like school children, shocking selfie-taking security because they are well, white. 4/

Only here does a deadly virus seem to be met by more than fatigue but complete disbelief, conspiracy theory, a cultish need to laugh at public health precautions & a fable that deaths aren't real and if they are then they aren't preventable anyway. 5/

Yes the same things that can happen in the rest of the world don't spare the U.S. And not only that, but when they do, we invite it right in and ask it to slowdance which we take a selfie. 6/

And let's make sure we say this-- not only CAN Hitler happen here, we ALREADY HAVE created internment camps, treated immigrants as sub-human, & enslaved people for 100s of years.

And we should admit that many in this country to this day see nothing wrong with any of it. 7/

This isn't an anti-American screed. I love this country. And most of the world has been dealing with these realities for a long time.

This is an anti-"we're better" screed and a warning I feel dearly. 8/

The warning I feel is what will it look like when the democracy and society ends?

Anti-science, pro-conspiracy, high inequality, pro-strongman, high-rumor societies don't usually end well. And they don't self-correct. 9/

I have a character trait I am aware is a problem. I tend to believe that the effort to win everyone over, to listen to them, is worth making.

While true for most people, I've suckered myself into not seeing how much evil is in our own country. 10/

I've bought this American exceptionalism brand too in my own way.

But I know better. Racists aren't "misguided" or "poorly raised." They're evil.
Corruption isn't "power gone bad." It's evil. 11/

It is a natural mistake to think of the people in the Capitol Wednesday as a joke. But these events often condition us to reduce the shock value, just like school shootings did.

First one horrible, second one bad, fifth one doesn't even make the news. 12/

We've conditioned ourselves to get used to a lot of things-- 4000 dying each day. Kids in cages. School shootings. Attempts to kidnap the governor.

So what if they're morons who can't make a plan. What if they could? 13/

It would be a nicer world if others' ignorance only impacted them, wouldn't it?

But a rapidly evolving virus & a public which chooses not to take the vaccine in high percentages-- well, that's kind of a recipe for a special kind of clash, isn't it? 14/

In the "news it would have been nice to hear years ago category," letting large splits occur in society might come back to bite you.

Low taxes, selfishness & no good safety net turns out to be a problem. Who could have predicted that. 15/

Even after Wednesday 70 million Americans would still vote for him. 60 million might vote for someone named Q they've never met. 16/

And with that mindset, they see Wednesday as a complete victory. Remember there is no greater plan than getting more attention & chaos. It hasn't been thought out beyond a game of capture the podium. 17/

So the maskless set and the "stand back, stand by set" think they're just getting started. They fantasize they will be in exile with their dear leader. They have the sense they have gotten away with something. 18/

They believe the message of defiance to public health experts & their perceived enemies, whoever they are, is working. 19/

Empires are all built on sand. And I'm imagining now that the moment that has been forgotten is the moment they are actually beginning to crumble. 20/

But as an optimist, I still see the upside in all of this. The more evil makes itself plain to more people, the easier the response & the less the nuance.

If it breaks the law, bring it to justice.
If it rears its head, defeat it.

Oh, and never let it tweet again.

/end