Before you dismiss the People's Convoy as a joke, read Terry Bouton's Twitter thread

[CBHagman]

Some of us have been joking about the People's Convoy, but it would be a mistake to move on and not pay attention to what was happening on the ground. To make a long story short, this was, among other things, a recruiting and mainstreaming effort. People join in causes, no matter how odious, for a sense of community and purpose. We need to be thinking about how that works, how to counter attempts to soften the image of the right wing, and especially how we proceed to bring people together for the protection of voting rights and democracy itself.

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[walkingman]

1. It's not a joke - they are white nutjobs who have lost their mind.

[CBHagman]

5. They are (1) people who are (2) trying to control what happens in this country...

...and for those reasons we have to learn about them, counter what they do, and, most important, reach people who are confused about what's going on and those who aren't confused at all but are uninvolved.

[Blues Heron]

9. I think we know all we need to know about these fucking Karens over the last 2 years

Spare us the concern

[CaptainTruth]

34. "counter what they do" & "reach people" means effective Democratic messaging.

They end up this way because of Reich-wing messaging, propaganda.

The only way to change that is to "deprogram" them with effective counter-messaging.

[CBHagman]

81. Yes, Murdoch et al. laid a lot of the groundwork.

For the midterms and beyond we are going to need to reach as many people as possible and get them fired up.

[Justice matters.]

44. They are a fringe minority amongst the 74 million who voted for

the orange "Capone" terrorist who hides in Marde-Largo.

No need to "counter" what they do. They are losers like him.

[Caliman73]

72. The Nazi Party was a fringe movement, until it wasn't.

They were around before Hitler "joined". In the 20's. They never won any elections.

Even at the height of their power, before they took over, they never represented more than a 3rd of the actual electorate.

They got their power when mainstream conservative parties, pushed the agenda in hopes of regaining power after the Liberal Democratic parties gained power in the Weimar Republic.

While I would not put them at that level yet, they are a small part of a larger extreme right wing movement, that already saw a person sympathetic to their ideas, elected president.

They are funded by wealthy people who are patient enough to play a long game to achieve their goals.

We absolutely need to counter their ideas. We need to be out there showing how progressive ideas actually help everyone.

[llashram]

62. these jerks know

what resides in their racist wicked hearts. We have been fighting their attempts to turn our democracy into trump-putin's fascist state. More than likely a majority tried to OVERTHROW our form of government to install a dictator on 1-6-21. They are domestic terrorists. They hate Middle Easterners, Mexicans and any non-white skin from that central and S. American area and they hate and FEAR African-Americans. They are not"confused" they are hateful wretches. If any RW country would have those who voted for trump let them leave if they don't like it here. TO HELL WITH THEM!!!

[CBHagman]

79. Some people who voted for President Obama then turned around and voted for Trump.

I'm not defending what they did or saying it makes sense. I am saying we need to reach people.

[llashram]

83. keep reaching

and some people 60 million who voted for the idiot child in '16. Maybe just maybe you will reach the few who switched parties after President Obama, but they are far and few between in those 60millions jerks who want a return to total white supremacy. You know the kind that will be. Demand you, a POC, get off the sidewalk till they pass type people.. Like I say I won't waste my time trying to save the soul of a racist. I damn their souls...

[Demsrule86]

89. BS...same old same old. There is nothing you can do with these folks who are brainwashed...this

is all just a bunch of nonsense...and they are just trying to cause trouble for the rest of us...can't stand them. They don't even know what they are protesting...just wasting gas and making people who live where these losers go lives more difficult. These are selfish people who are completely clueless.

[CBHagman]

2. Following up on the above, two people to follow on Twitter...

Terry Bouton

@TerryBoutonHist

Nicole Cook

@_Noelle_Cook

[mucifer]

3. a few years ago it seemed the repub party was dying off. Now they have a lot of younger people

brainwashed.

Truly frightening

[PortTack]

59. Younger voters overwhelmingly vote for Dems NOT repukes

Younger Americans are less likely to identify as Republican than older Americans, with those under 30 voting for Biden last year by a 24-point margin, according to validated voter data from Pew Research Center, compared with the four-point margin by which those 65 and over preferred President Donald Trump.

More at the link
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/09/23/rights-young-voter-problem/

[mucifer]

61. I'm just noticing lots of young nutbags at the rallies they might not answer surveys

[doc03]

4. It's the start of another astroturf movement even more

dangerous than the Tea Party. We are still suffering from the damage the Tea Party made.

[CBHagman]

6. I remember The Washington Post gave very lavish coverage to the tea party...

...coverage it didn't give to progressives.

Remember the summer of 2009, when people went and disrupted lawmakers' meetings with constituents. The hysteria was about the notion of changing health care laws. They're still using that, though they (and the GOP specifically) have no alternative. We still have to take that seriously.

And yes, we have paid a horrendous price for the tea party.

[doc03]

18. They drove our Congressman out of office. Democrats

controlled that seat and all our local positions for decades. Since then our Congressman and all local offices are controlled by Republicans. We have no elected Democrats in this county. Mostly over NAFTA which the Republicans supported but Clinton got the blame.

[Arazi]

80. Tbh, there's a large anti-Progressive wing of the Dem party

Manifests itself here too on a regular basis.

Republicans never repudiated the Tea Party members - still don’t repudiate even more extreme successors like MTG, Boebert, Cawthorne etc.

Democrats however ferociously attack AOC (for example) if she dares to even meet with progressives in her own district, or advocates for progressive ideas like student loan forgiveness. God forbid she’s invited on tv - then she’s “grandstanding” or “undercutting the Dem message” or some other horseshit attack.

[Cha]

84. Pres Biden Is PROGRESIVE

and I Stand With him on Democratic Underground.. & those who are trying to Actually help America with his Agenda like Passing The Infrastructure Bill.

Like the CBC and Shontel Brown..

Link to tweet

That's Progress!

💙💛

[Demsrule86]

90. Tea bagger had electoral success both in primaries and in general elections...you have to win

elections.

[uponit7771]

15. +1,

[PatSeg]

37. Yes, each incarnation of right-wingers

keeps getting more extreme and their political candidates more outrageous and dangerous. Is this all coming to a head, or is there something far worse waiting in the wings? Truly horrifying.

[Midnight Writer]

56. Exactly. Follow the money. Somebody is paying for this, as well as school board disruptions, etc.

There are some very rich sociopaths who are using sophisticated influencing techniques to target people with particular predispositions.

[MarcA]

64. Truckers Freedom - Tea Party - Ron Paul - Waco - Perot -

Reagan - Wallace - Goldwater - States Rights. It keeps re-inventing
the same anti-democratic,oligarchic policies over and over with a
helping of racism and misogyny.

[Blues Heron]

71. more like a hairball coughed up by antivaxxers that dont know the mandates are over

The last of a dying breed - the American Antivax Karen

[efhmc]

74. As usual, white men getting a pass by calling them "Karens"

Why?

[Blues Heron]

75. Karen is male and female at this point

In case you didn’t know.

[efhmc]

77. People may "understand" what it represents but it is a sexist term.

[Blues Heron]

78. I don't think so

But if it makes you happy I’ll just call them total fucking pieces of shit instead. Lol

[brush]

7. Give us an effin' break. Agrieved, white males who have all the benefits...

the society can offer to any one demographic. The nation has been set up since inception for their benefit, before Blacks, Browns, women et al and if they're too stupid to see that's, it's on them.

Stop complaining, stop copying Canadian truckers, go the fuck home and do your job.

Trucking companies are desperate for drivers.

[PatSeg]

39. Yes, all the constant whining

is really pathetic.

[we can do it]

42. Exactly.

[Justice matters.]

46. They raise money to party all day and all night.

These losers are leaches. No offense to real leaches.

[allegorical oracle]

86. Just what I was thinking. Don't they have jobs? Thought there was a national shortage of

truckers to move that backload of containers sitting at U. S. ports. Maybe they could watch a few hours of coverage about what the Ukraines are going through and be thankful for what they have.

[Blues Heron]

8. Its hard to take anyone seriously that drives to DC only to be afraid to go the last ten miles

because its a trap. And add in that they are protesting non-existent mandates (that saved lives when they were in place)

Total joke

[doc03]

11. This is the Trump Train 2.0. We are going to see

these nationwide this campaign season.

[Blues Heron]

14. They are just well funded Karens - about as effective

Most Karens end up going away in shame, or get busted and hauled away by the cops.

[wnylib]

67. I wouldn't take it that lightly.

This is a RW rally for a RW movement with RW goals.

I remember when people thought the Tea Party was just a joke. Then they took over Congress.

[Blues Heron]

70. Its just so pathetic that's all

These Karens don't even know why they are out there driving - whats to be afraid of- that they might roll coal?

I'd be afraid if I was on a bicycle that they would try to run me over, but that's about it as far as how scary these nasty trolls are.

Anyway your concern is noted.

[Hugin]

10. Dumbing Man is yet another escalation of hate.

As the second to last tweet clearly illustrates.

A bunch of leased trucks in search of a cause. Nobody in attendance paid any significant amount for the show. As always, follow the money to find out what the real agenda is aiming for.

[MarcA]

65. +1000 n/t

[Wicked Blue]

12. Who pays their gas money?

Gas prices are high, and these trucks guzzle gas.

If I might put on my slightly paranoid hat for a moment, I wonder if this convention of nutjobs was indirectly bankrolled by oligarchs. Intended to make a small irritant and distraction to the U.S. during the Ukraine invasion?
Also some kind of smoke and mirrors game to distract from other things they are doing to mess with the mid-term elections?

[Girard442]

21. Yup. Somebody needs to follow the money.

Those truck tractors are very expensive investments that are generating zero revenue while guzzling fuel. The $$$ making this all possible are coming from some very dark sources. Doesn't work to cry "Freedom" while a Putin crony picks up your expenses.

[Maraya1969]

24. I wonder about that too. And it pisses me off that they sit around spouting toxins in the air.

[spanone]

13. More aggrieved white people.

[KS Toronado]

48. When they attacked a reporter because of the color of his skin

they were showing their true colors, you know the ugly ones.

[spanone]

50. Yep.

[RAB910]

16. They are just a bunch of anti-American posers

who don't deserve the attention they are getting

[gab13by13]

19. Exactly, Tea Party 2.0,

I'm not clicking on any more of this trucker nonsense.

[old guy]

47. +1

[rockfordfile]

20. they're un-American pos

[bucolic_frolic]

17. Offer them a rifle and a ticket to Ukraine

Let's see if they pass the freedom and patriotism test

[oldsoftie]

43. They'd walk over to the OTHER side!

[lame54]

73. Then a farmer would steal their truck

[czarjak]

22. Real rich republicans appreciate your support, rubes.

[Freethinker65]

23. Gee, no Twitter unroll thread on the millions of Americans doing their jobs

[ecstatic]

25. A bunch of batshit crazy individuals who are waiting for instructions

They seem to be leaderless and without a specific focus now that the pandemic is fading. Hopefully law enforcement and others are keeping track of the situation, especially monitoring who, if anyone, steps into their leadership void.

[Johonny]

26. All the media ever does is pay attention to this small subsection of society

Win or lose, these people are projected as "real" Americans, and the heart of America. Frankly, it's time to ignore these people and focus on the 70-80 % of us and what we want and think. I know what these people are like already. They've been covered for 60-70 years now.

[MarcA]

68. May not be good for America but it's good for M$M. n/t

[BradBo]

27. The Proud Boys...

… would beat the shit out of every black person there if they had a chance, then tell all the women to go make them a sandwich.
The anti-vaxcers are just ignorant, poorly educated Americans that will never listen to facts.
And the rest are just taking a break from watching NASCAR and yelling “ Lets Go Brandon!”.

[blueinredohio]

28. Who was the country singer?

So we can let sane people know not to buy any of that musiic.

[TimeToGo]

29. Good grief that's stupid

There is either some groups with money behind this or (and/or) there are way too many stupid people in this country.

[Greybnk48]

30. The Ku Klux Klan by any other name.

Fuck all of them. They want the "freedom" to carve out groups of Americans and persecute them, like blacks, Jews, and LGBTQ, and often, women in general. They want the "freedom" to censor and burn books, and ram their twisted, and deformed brand of Christianity down everyone's throats. Force it on us like the Taliban. Fuck them.

They need to be driven back under ground like they have been in the past. They need to be treated like the aberration they are. They're the descendants of traitors, and are themselves traitors to everything this country was created to stand for. They burn the books and alter history in an attempt to hide this fucking fact.

They get a much stronger voice than they should, and always have and are treated with kid gloves it seems. Their cults and compounds and crazy shit has been a part of American life as long as I can remember. Fuck them. We need to stop allowing these fuckheads to divide our country. How? I don't know. But punishing them for breaking the law and vandalism like we would anyone else would be a great start.

How about we treat them like we treat Americans who protest the wars? Clear them out with armed National Guardsmen (Nixon). Lock them up for months (Nixon). Bring in water tankers filled with pepper spray and spray them in the face until they go home (Dubya). Arrest them (Dubya). But DON'T treat them like they have something "important" to say, or concern troll us that "we better listen" to these racist scum. They have nothing important to say.

Rant over.

[FSogol]

32. Truck Klux Klan. n/t

[Nay]

49. Amen. nt

[TheBlackAdder]

31. It takes a special breed of deranged asshole to want to associate with people like that.

[birdographer]

33. "All Democrats are pedophiles, no exceptions"

Wait, I thought we ate babies? Doesn't one cancel out the other, over time? I would say a good 10% of these idiots don't believe that. If only they would consider that it is all bullshit. I wonder if sane truckers are embarrassed by these clowns?

[Aviation Pro]

35. Guess they don't have jobs

And can spend their time practicing their bullshit.

[Hortensis]

36. OTOH. Most of the participants would not recognize themselves in

descriptions here AT ALL and feel grave injustice was being done to them. They'd think those who posted them were delusional and batshit crazy.

We know that most of them are sure they're patriotic Americans who are serving their country by demonstrating for a righteous cause. The civic engagement, and the way most of this group have carried it out so far, are admirable.

Maybe we should be on the overpasses, but yelling warnings. Wrong way!

Yeah, I know. We could drop refrigerators on their heads without making a dent. With all their blessings and education to be filled with grievances and Fox lies, to participate in turning themselves into people who can be fooled all the time and weaponized against their nation...!

But just sayin': Those who aren't honest with themselves are those who can be fooled. Those who can be fooled AND who serve themselves up to social media (!) are at severe risk of being weaponized and turned on themselves.

[L. Coyote]

38. I read it and I'm dismissing them now. Grifters, marks, and nutjobs.

The MAGA crowd is on the wrong side of history and they will not succeed in astroturfing claims to foundational ideals of a free democracy when they tried to overthrow ours and glorify Russia as a white nationalist ideal.

[peggysue2]

40. This is the remnants of the Tea Party, a GOP/Fox News inspired fury

They thought they could control the anger and chaos; they were wrong. Now the hybrid is a mix of Q conspiracy and the Klan. They may make nice at the moment but no one should forget that this is the same contingent that attacked (or sympathized) with the January 6th attack on the Capitol.

When people show you who they are the first time? Believe it.

[BlueIdaho]

41. Putin's People

This is a small minority of Americans that generally fall into the QCrowd. They worship Putin and see him as a white christofascist savior. We should never disregard them, but we should also never give them power they do not possess.

It’s a freak show.

[RainCaster]

45. This was a recruiting party for the KKK, 3% & others

This is how they try to make their hate filled ideology appear "normal". Do not beleive it for a minute. It's all about hate.

[jmowreader]

51. So tell me...

How does this differ from any other right-wing gathering?

“We have to listen to what they want.” No. “What they want” is a Christofascist dictatorship where only white men with extreme right-wing beliefs have any power. “What they want” is in no way acceptable in any civilized society, and that shit needs to be shut down immediately. There’s nowhere on Earth for what they want. Not here, not in Russia, not anywhere.

[Jimvanhise]

52. END PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS? REALLY?!

Within days the US will hit one million people dead from covid19 and they want to end pandemic restrictions and oppose vaccine mandates? Florida has half the population of California but just a few thousand short of the same number of people dead from covid. Why are they opposing restrictions again? The freedom to die in agony?

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

53. I wonder how many of them are actually registered,

and make it to the polls to vote. Or mail in a ballot. And for each and every election, not just once every four years.

[summer_in_TX]

91. Right now the right wing are VERY engaged.

In the earliest primary in the nation, Texas had very good turnout from Dems – more than 2018, but Republicans turned out in much greater numbers.

Trump convinced previous non-voters to start voting.

Now they are trying to overwhelm the ability for Dems to supposedly f*ck with their vote by sheer numbers.

[Baitball Blogger]

54. How are they handling the portapotties?

That's the true proof of organization.

[Emile]

55. Release the Kraken, what the hell does that even mean?

[KS Toronado]

57. The simple fact that there was no mention of Ukraine vs Putler

proves one fact about these idiots.......

THEY CARE ABOUT NOTHING OR ANYBODY ELSE IN THIS WORLD BUT THEIR FREE-DUMBS

[IronLionZion]

58. They should huddle real close together and breathe deep

spread natural immunity to own the libs

[maxsolomon]

60. Its the start of the Midterms

Tea Party 2.0, all based on fossil fuel wasting.

[Mr. Scorpio]

63. Kind of interesting that he dismissed all of the white nationalism out of hand

"Nothing to see here."

[summer_in_TX]

92. He who?

[lonely bird]

66. Humans

We are social creatures that seek to be part of various groups depending upon the situation. When circumstances cause doubt and especially fear many will gravitate to conspiracy theories that make them feel “special” and “excited (actually, imo, depressed)” because only “they know the truth”.

Parke Godwin wrote in Waiting for the Galactic Bus that the U.S. is as susceptible to charlatans as a dog is to fleas.

When you add in what I call the toxic theomythology of this country you can get an extremely combustible mixture.

These people are not kidding around. They are likely either unbalanced or on the verge of being unbalanced. That should not be taken lightly.

When humans are made to feel that their world of which they are the center is careening out of whatever real or imagined control they believe that they have then the possibility for violence escalates exponentially.

[Wingus Dingus]

69. Meh. Same type of crew that caused the insurrection, goes to Trump rallies,

waited in Dallas to see JFK reappear (QNuts) or whatever that was. I do dismiss them. There will always be fringe people and loonies. It's just a matter of whether or not they're violent.

[we can do it]

76. The convoy and its participants are a pathetic joke.

Ignore them.

[Delphinus]

82. This is frightening.

I feel so sorry for the Black reporter - he had to have been scared. What were his bosses thinking?

[FakeNoose]

85. You know what I'm not seeing? There are no Chump flags

Maybe the photos were cherry-picked to exclude the Chumpers, I don't know. But it's very interesting that ChumpHumpers decided to leave their odious banners home. Makes you go ... Hmmmmm ....

[JI7]

87. I agree we should take them seriously in terms of how much influence

or support they could get. But they are largely white people that don't like the countries becoming more diverse.

They want to go back to a certain time.

Their ignorance and stupidity should be highlighted though.

[BadGimp]

88. Great coverage imo

that was still a lot of stupid in one place