Calling the attempted takeover what it is

Sam Smith – In my 84 years, I have never been part of a crisis like this, one that is not only unprecedented since the Civil War but which the media has failed to describe its true dimensions.

I have been among the guilty journalists verbally underrating the crisis and so would like to say openly  that what is happening, while not the definition of a civil war, is driven by a similar goal: the violent and totally undemocratic takeover of a country.  

In fact, one could argue that what the Trumpocrats are doing is more disastrous than the efforts of the Dixiecrats – which was to secede from the republic, not take it over. If the South had won, the North would have remained in power of its own territory but if Trump wins, America will be gone. We will have moved from a democracy to a dictatorship.

If this seems exaggerated, consider that the Trump rebellion has already resulted in an armed invasion of the Capitol aimed at overturning the government and the proposed murder of a former vice president for failing to assist. Trump, it has lately been revealed, was aware that the rioters had weapons and was involved in endorsing and/or organizing their efforts. A Trump lawyer has recently even argued that the 2020 election could still be overturned should the midterm turn the Congress Republican.  

In other words, we have for the first time in our history experienced not just a proposed secession from the union but a violent and illegal seizure of the whole government. This is treason such as we have never seen before.

While there is no apparent immediate cure, we should, at least, stop underrating the evil that has occurred, support the congressional committee in its stunningly valid investigation, and encourage the young to rise up against the Trumpocratic efforts to ruin their future.

And we each need to drop our politely reserved language and directly face the rebellion that is now defining our lives