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Culture War Roundup for the week of November 17, 2025

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Trump is calling for the arrest and trial of six Democrat lawmakers who posted a video telling the intelligence community not to follow unlawful orders,. The video claims that the current administration is threatening democracy and the constitution, and that the military "must refuse illegal orders."

Trump also apparently had another post that just said, "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH."

This is the first time I have genuinely increased the probability of a real civil war breaking out, this is an absolutely terrifying escalation by both sides. While the Democrats were hinting extremely obviously that the military / intelligence community should basically pull off a coup, I also think that Trump hinting back that they should be executed is way beyond the pale.

Hopefully we're still in nothing ever happens land? I for one do not want to live through a civil war.

This is just a somewhat skillfully deployed call for sedition by the people in question. Obviously it would be impossible to prove beyond reasonable doubt in court, but the implication is clear to anyone who is activated by the statements.

Its basically the Jan 6 case against Trump on steroids and I dont like it from either side, but here we are.

Maybe if they were making this appeal to the security detail outside a Trump rally. “I know that everyone here will be marching into that rally to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”

There’s no route where this stupid video causes the “intelligence community” to plot a coup. At worst, you’re going to get a couple partisans refusing to do their jobs. That’s categorically not as bad as gatecrashing a session of Congress. If you don’t think Trump was culpable for that, you shouldn’t think these chucklefucks are somehow worse.

There’s no route where this stupid video causes the “intelligence community” to plot a coup. At worst, you’re going to get a couple partisans refusing to do their jobs. That’s categorically not as bad as gatecrashing a session of Congress.

Employees of the United States government conspiring to suppress accurate press reports by pressuring private companies to do so, and quite likely successfully changing the result of an election, is far worse than some rioters gatecrashing a session of Congress.

As tempting as it is to haggle over price, I suspect we’d just be shouting “nuh uh!” at each other.

So—sure, whatever, fuck those guys. What’s that got to do with the price of semiconductors in China? Do you think Trump’s Jan 6 speech was incitement or not?

Because if you don’t, there’s no way this video rises to that level. It shows motive but not means or opportunity. That makes it shameless posturing.