Confront Radicalization

By: Mark Strella, Garrett County
Published in The Garrett County Republican

Last week’s invasion of the United States Capitol building should stop everyone who loves this country in their tracks. Far-right extremists violently invaded the Capitol building while the vice president, 100 senators, and 435 congresspeople were inside performing a constitutional duty.

You’ve likely seen the videos of rioters chanting “Hang Pence! Hang Pence!” with the noose they setup nearby, or the videos of rioters assaulting members of the press. You may have heard that pipe bombs were planted around the Capitol, or that while inside the Capitol, rioters claiming to be “patriots” killed a police officer by smashing his head with a fire extinguisher. The list goes on; most don’t appreciate how close to an actual massacre it came.

This was the breaking of the dam. What we once nervously waved away as “disaffected conservatives” who post kooky things online has boiled over into an extremist movement convinced of the need to overturn the rule of law and constitutional tenants of American democracy by any means necessary.

These are not patriots. These are deeply unwell individuals. They believe in pure nonsense, promote delusional conspiracy theories, and would jump off of a cliff if Donald Trump told them so, as if they’re in a cult.

But they are also victims. These were American minds that were taken advantage of and hijacked by powerful politicians who realized they could whip up anger and funnel lies and conspiracies to infect these people like a virus invading a cell in order to further their own political ambitions.

Readers may know someone susceptible to this — a loved one, a neighbor or a friend. Now is the time for any and all reality and truth-loving Americans to pull at-risk people back from the ledge. Point out when people spread lies. Encourage consuming objective, balanced media instead of viral propaganda from people trying to grift the minds (and wallets) of susceptible marks. Encourage lowering the emotional temperature of political debates, promote critical-thinking skills and tolerance, and pursuing healthy, non-political hobbies and personal improvement that lead to the betterment of both the individual and community.

And most importantly, aggressively challenge and reject any politician who spews or spreads lies and demands complete and total fealty from their followers.