Extremism experts: The media is overhyping potential violence at tomorrow's "Justice for J6" rally.

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
Ali Breland
@alibreland
new: some extremism researchers frustrated by coverage of the sept 18 dc right wing rallies reflects the nuance of what will likely happen this weekend and jan. they're not seeing the voluminous calls for violence some outlets are reporting about

Extremism experts: The media is overhyping potential violence at tomorrow's "Justice for J6" rally.
Missing nuance can be exploited by the far-right.
motherjones.com
5:37 PM · Sep 17, 2021

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/09/extremism-j6-capitol-media-researchers/

Depending on your news habits, you might think that we’re on the precipice of another January 6th-style insurrection. “Capitol Police memo warns of potential for violence during September 18 rally,” reads one CNN headline about Saturday’s “Justice for J6” right-wing rally, which is being organized by a former Trump 2016 campaign staffer. “The Capitol Will Face Its Biggest Security Test Since Jan. 6 On Saturday,” reads another from NPR.

After being severely underprepared for January 6, law enforcement is taking a much more risk-averse approach this time around. But some extremism researchers are frustrated with what they see as exaggerated coverage of potential violence. “Not every far-right rally in DC is going to be a repeat of J6 and constantly invoking those comparisons does not make anyone safer or help anyone understand the dire issues at hand,” tweeted Jared Holt, a research fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, which tracks far-right activity online.

Several days earlier, Holt wrote a piece airing his qualms with mainstream coverage. “It feels they have learned nothing about covering this space,” he wrote. “This is not to say that the event will not carry an inherent risk of attracting extreme believers, or even some with a violent disposition… But suggestions that organized extremist groups are mobilizing at any major scale around this event are unsupported by current analysis.”

“Editorial decisions like these and the repeated bad framing I’ve seen all week give me the impression that outlets, even those who have consulted experts for stories and on-air segments, haven’t actually been listening to what experts are telling them,” Holt elaborated over text message.

*snip*

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. Sounds a bit extremist himself. Can he guarantee no violence at The Capitol?

Nope. Especially when you think about modern communication technologies and call trees. RW anarchists take note, you aren't doing another 1/6 in DC.

[jimfields33]

2. I'll be surprised if a hundred show.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

3. I think there's a clever government psy-ops in play here

Wingnuts started the idea, but then government agents planted seeds online that convinced the wingnuts that the whole thing was actually just a government setup to round them all up.

Really the government just doesn't want them there, doesn't want to deal with them, risk violence, or to waste a ton of money.

Seems to be working as there's nothing the wingnut brigade loves them more than a big gubmint conspiracy involving them getting 'rounded up'.

Sounds like they're mostly afraid to show up now.

Mission Accomplished.

[Cartoonist]

5. Don't misunderestimate these guys

As has been pointed out, they see this as a loss of white privilege. These are their last stands.

[SergeStorms]

6. Ratings.

They want asses planted in front of TV sets tomorrow, not outside enjoying the waning days of summer.

As for myself, I don't really give a shit about these losers. There's enough firepower in Washington to blow them all to hell 100 X over this time.

I'll be at my grandson's soccer game, not watching Trump's troglodytes throw hissy fits about Dog knows what.

[blogslug]

7. The Capitol is prepared this time and I think that has discouraged a lot of them from coming

My concern is with smaller violent incidents popping up all over the country. I don't want the media and law enforcement to assume this crap is all over.