Lunatic Fringe.

Five Miles Downrange :

Hello Dear Readers !

What is there to say for this week ? The chaos that has reigned down upon the Capital is, for most, disheartening. Legal experts from both sides of the aisle will be damning acts of this “insurrection” - and they should.

I’m using quotes here because more erudite writers and politicians call this alternatively a protest, "violence," "protest," "mob" and "riot” or some combination among these words - Pres-Elect Biden coined the “insurrection” phrase according to Newsy. Why softer terms , the Newsy article explains that the use of the softer terms was upsetting to some, as “ one expert explained to Quartz it's because the word "gives this veneer of a legitimate form of participation in the democratic process." And who wouldn’t want to distance themselves from this? As if anything legitimate could be said about the Mad-Max wannabees roaming about the hallways.

Undoubtedly, much like some other false narratives out there- the memes will be rolling in saying Mad Max took place in 2021 (it was actually supposed to be the mid-’80’s as the Independent points out). For the next several months of 2021, talking heads will be speculating about who knew what and when, mixing the narrative with speculation and factiods to make your head spin. The Left will attempt to try and/or Impeach Trump for Sedition (as several experts were reported as saying in the Times , Politico , Rolling Stone, etc.). Just noting here that the Sedition Act of 1918 was repealed in 1920, it was ruled by the Supreme Court in Brandenburg v Ohio (1969) that government cannot constitutionally punish abstract advocacy of force or law violation. This had been tried against Vietnam Protesters back in the ‘60’s and more recently the DOJ wanted to use this against protesters post George Floyd; and this failed as the burden would be to prove they wanted to overthrow the government. Perhaps the laws may judge the Lunatic Fringe that the FBI and law enforcement have captured thus far, but I doubt it would stick further - although I expect to hear arguments from all quarters on this, and it will be interesting to hear how the letter of the law works.

The irony isn’t lost on me that like the talking heads, TWITTER users, and FB (fiction) authors in today’s flat world of electronic opinion- I have just as much credibility (if not less).

This week alone, I was told that this was the first time since the War of 1812 that the Capital was violently “taken” or violence has erupted there. What I find is probably the same level of “disturbing” actions in retrospect … (from History Channel).

• In 1856, pro-slavery Representative Preston Brooks beat anti-slavery Senator Charles Sumner nearly unconscious with a cane on the Senate floor.

• n 1858, a fistfight between about 30 congressmen broke out in the House of Representatives at 2:00 a.m. when a southerner grabbed a northerner by the throat.

• In 1860, pro-slavery congressmen threatened an anti-slavery congressmen with pistols and canes while he spoke against slavery on the House floor.

• In 1915, a former German professor at Harvard, Erich Muenter, planted a package containing three sticks of dynamite in the Capitol near the Senate Reception room. T-he had planted the explosives to protest U.S. wartime aid to Britain and said he hoped the detonation would "make enough noise to be heard above the voices that clamor for war.

• In 1954, four Puerto Rican Americans fired guns in the House of Representatives, injuring five congressmen - to demand independence for the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. President Jimmy Carter commuted one of their sentences in 1977, and granted clemency to the other three in 1979.

• In 1971, a bomb exploded in the Capitol building. The Weather Underground claimed to be behind the bombing and said it was in protest of the ongoing U.S.-supported bombing of Laos.

• In 1983, a bomb tore through the second floor of the Senate wing of the Capitol.The Armed Resistance Unit later claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was in retaliation for military actions in Grenada and Lebanon. Seven people were eventually arrested in connection with the attack.

In my last post, I asked that with all the post-holiday drama, and the upcoming Electoral Certification (pointed out by Crenshaw to be ceremonial, if anything - its not like Congress could have stopped the ball rolling, Constitutionally) to take a step back and breathe. Please, continue to do so - and with that look at what is being put forward to you and your kids (see this article published by PBS) and ask yourself if we really understand the intent of what’s going on when our leaders make their statements , the intent of those creating disturbance, if our reaction is one of logic and independence - not one of immediate emotion and attributed bias, and knowing that we don’t see the full picture … can we really judge what is happening ? Educate yourself. Take time to heal. The answers aren’t going to come quickly even in the digital age.

We are all just on the fringe. The question is whether we are going to act like Lunatics.

My thoughts and prayers to those who have passed during these events this week.

-S

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Image for this post is by artist Ken Crook .