Once upon a time in these here United States, people in leadership positions knew there were unstable people in the population of the country. People who weren't keenly acquainted with reality, who could be set off (or even triggered) by intemperate comments and actions by folks in leadership. Those leaders used to know that they had to be circumspect and temperate in their speech. Some might call it self-censorship, and I won't quibble with those who so call it. But people in leadership or role model positions used to know that their words and actions were monitored, sometimes by people without much of a filter between their id and their public actions.
The Trump administration may or may not understand or appreciate that. They've decided that the times call for "Fuck it, let your freak flag fly!" A lot of the administration's supporters have been slavering for that nod or wink to give them permission to act out their dark fantasies. Well, the administration has dispensed with such subtleties as its popularity erodes, and they're calling for all-out war against what used to be called the loyal opposition. There is no longer any tacit understanding that we are all Americans, or that the opposition to the Trump administration is also loyal to the country. We are in a Manichaean end times rock 'em sock 'em apocalypse to their way of thinking. Everyone is fair game to these nutjobs, and the Trump administration knows it and is stoking their deadly anger. Kyle Rittenhouse is just the latest in a very long line of folks who have gone off their nut, thanks to Trump and the epistemically closed environments. He won't be the last. We have another 10 weeks until election day. Prepare yourself mentally and psychologically for the onslaught of the crazy.
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