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naraburns  nihil supernum  2yr ago (text post)   29925 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of February 6, 2023

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This is not a deep dive or an analysis - though I suspect in future this topic will generate many.

Instead it is a placemarker. I see that there is a brouhaha of some sort unfolding at the Oklahoma state capitol today. Right-wing media sources characterize it as an invasion of the capitol building to keep the state legislature from voting on legislation which would outlaw medical gender transition for minors.

Other sources, including Fox News, characterize it as a protest inside the capitol rotunda during the governor's state of the state address, opposing several bills which have been introduced during the legislative session, and which the governor supports.

There is obvious incentive, from the Trumpy/populist right, to draw as many parallels with the January 6th event as possible.

There has previously been discussion at the old stomping ground about whether liberal protester/rioters were prosecuted to the same degree as conservatives.

I will be trying to watch this as best I can (not being in or from Oklahoma), as it seems it may present another datapoint for discussion. It will also be a demonstration of the degree to which the institutional right is willing to push culture war topics, and authorize the exercise of political power over dissenting minorities to force through right-favored results.

Oh, joy.

Given my time spent in the state I feel obligated to keep an eye on this. I can only hope that it remains somewhat sane.

Demonstrators were let in by Oklahoma State Troopers and Capitol security staff. Each person walked through a metal detector…

Capitol security staff was in contact with the leaders of the protest and on multiple occasions, the leaders were giving direction to the crowd about where they could stand (how close to the House chamber door) and even telling the group to be quiet once the State of the State began.

By the time Governor Stitt concluded, the crowd had dispersed and gone home.

Huh. Looks like everything was aboveboard, perhaps even legal. I don’t see how this can be spun as particularly dangerous or militant. Consider me pleasantly surprised.

Sounds like some of the security staff were in on the insurrection.

I almost included a crack about the deep state in action.

In all seriousness, there are two ways I can see this spun. The first is painting cooperation as collaboration, suggesting that allowing them into the building was an unfair bit of favoritism. I don’t think that’ll hold up.

The second would be more of an aesthetic argument, a sort of point-and-laugh at what I’m sure are not the most sympathetic protestors. Compare the Satanist interviews televised when the OK Capitol was in the news for religious liberty: look hard enough, and you’ll find some people willing to make fools of themselves.

Am I missing something? Weren't the J6 protesters also let in by the Capitol police? Didn't we also have media takes about how the police is in on it?

Uh…no?

12:53 p.m.: Rioters overwhelm police along the outer perimeter west of the Capitol building, pushing aside temporary fencing. Some protesters immediately follow, while others, at least initially, remain behind and admonish the others: "Don't do it. You're breaking the law." By 1:03 p.m., a vanguard of rioters have overrun three layers of barricades and have forced police officers to the base of the west Capitol steps.

1:50 p.m.: D.C. Metropolitan Police on-scene incident commander Robert Glover declares a riot.

2:00 p.m.: The mob removes the last barrier protecting the east side of the Capitol.

2:12 p.m.: The first rioter enters the Capitol through the broken window in the Senate wing of the building, opening a door for others.

2:14 p.m.: Rioters chase a lone Capitol Police officer up northwest stairs, where there are doors to the Senate chamber in both directions, as police inside the chamber attempt to lock doors.

2:15 p.m.: Rioters use a hammer to break and open a door.

From wikipedia. Do these sound like police cooperation to you?

I do remember accusations that heavier responses were withheld for political reasons. Mostly about the National Guard, not the Capitol or DC police. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were claims that the police sandbagged, too. They don’t look well supported.

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