I Lived Through A Stupid Coup. America Is Having One Now

[LiberalArkie]

You’ve already lost. This is what Americans need to understand


wo years ago, I lived through a coup in Sri Lanka. It was stupid. The minority party threw chili powder at everyone in Parliament and took over by farce. Math, however, requires a majority and the courts kicked them out. They gave in. We’d been protesting for weeks and yay, we won.

No.

I didn’t know it at the time, but we had already lost. No one knew — but oh my God, what we lost. The legitimate government came back but it was divided and weak. We were divided and weak. We were vulnerable.

Four months later, on Easter Sunday, some assholes attacked multiple churches and hotels, killing 269 of us. My wife and kids were at church, I had to frantically call them back. Our nation was shattered. Mobs began attacking innocent Muslims. It was out of control. The coup broke our government, and four months later, that broke us.

Snip

https://medium.com/indica/i-lived-through-a-coup-america-is-having-one-now-437934b1dac3

[Hortensis]

1. This is not the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

Their long history of conflicts resulting in a generations-long civil war, ending only in this century, followed by a series of unstable governments and putsches is not ours.

In spite of everything, and with a lot of help from China apparently, they're presently doing pretty well considering. Human rights abuses and terrorism are apparently currently down, lifespans up, and let's wish them more of the same.

[LizBeth]

2. This is why we cannot just move forward as if none of this happened. Why repercussions have to be

had. Boundaries and lines have to be drawn.

[jrthin]

3. +100

[Hortensis]

4. They were already drawn and smashed. But fyi, Democrats

in both the house and senate have passed big new reform bills plugging holes and instituting controls never needed before.

This might be the time to shelve demands for repercussions to volunteer to GOTV in GA. If we get control of the senate, even marginally, they will be possible AND our bills hardening up new lines and boundaries will be passed immediately. The large house bill (For the People Act) was initially called H.R. 1 for a reason.

If we don't, no point in demanding the impossible. time to retrench to Plan B. I was enormously relieved to find we still had a functioning democracy this month, but plain old citizens are always its greatest weakness, not the crazy-evil voters.

[LizBeth]

5. I pretty much get all that, thanks.

[Hortensis]

6. Yeah, I'm also hoping for years of repercussions hitting at all levels.

I don't know if you're old enough to remember Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Their campaign turned a society routinely indulgent toward friends and neighbors who waved bye and drove home drunk to one that, for the most part, saw drunk drivers as potentially dangerous criminals who should be fired and excluded from guest lists. Most of that change of attitude came from routinely prosecuting "nice" drunk drivers as criminals. Relabeling, end to tolerance.

So besides establishing the principle of one justice for all, I agree it's hugely important to charge, convict and incarcerate criminal "public servants" -- with the largest goal of putting an end to society's collusion and acceptance. And hit 'em hard, proportional to the great damage and betrayal they do. And, of course, also because they really SHOULD be afraid to cross us, our fault they don't.

It's just, of course, that we have to have the power to do it.

[LizBeth]

7. +1. My son, going to law school and I were discussing this yesterday. Even the laws we have aren't

used or have any teeth any more for these people like the Hatch Act. We were discussing how we need to bring Fairness Act back, but why? Not enforced and when tried, ignored. We really have to get to the basics. I told him, all of us have our areas. His is the young lawyers coming out unite in voice and get to work! Dammit!! Lol.

I hear you. Thanks.

[Hortensis]

8. How great to have a son in law school to discuss

these things with. Congrats! As you say, it's about getting to work.

[LizBeth]

9. It is very cool and he is in U of Minnesota and has some great law professors that are known

and vocal. I cannot remember the names, but the conversations are interesting.

My other is going into Urban planning I canno0t wait to start learning that field. Learning never stops, hopefully. Even old.

[Hortensis]

10. Oh, man! I was seriously interested in going into urban

planning, even took a couple classes in that division at UCLA; and in another lifetime I may still, though it could also be something with a cultural geography orientation. We were surprised with our first child too early, UCLA was too far, my husband's job too far the other way, our baby in need of a mother, and back then a less disrupting Cal State masters would have gotten me a nice job planning strip mall ingresses and egresses, not exactly exploring new frontiers at a think tank. You should get a lot of enjoyment out of that. Maybe post an idea now and then.

[LizBeth]

11. Totally cool, you know what you are talking about urban. This is fun. I think it will be interesting

listening to this one, I think it has the possibility to be fascinating in that we are looking at a new world, I have two very conscious, Democratic sons. My oldest is passionate and loud about climate change and has already addressed the Gov of Minnesota about oil pipes. Lol. All the hard work we did for those two decades raising them, now to watch them soar is a blast. Yes, to what you are saying about your whole time in Cali. I was in Calif late 70's, 80's in my early twenties. That was a long long time ago. The world looks totally different. Right now I am having conversation on FB pertaining to this article. This is more my passion and what I am addressing, we all have our part...

Historian: German denazification has lessons on how to deal with post-Trump America

Talking to my Republican the important of repercussion, because with repercussions comes consequences which all us to learn from and move on. It is very much needed. I raised their generation and they have heard me have this conversation WITH THEM! Lol. They ahve already heard it from me. I am also posting songs by Morrison, CSNY, Country Joe, Dylan, lol. So been dancing too. Thank you so much for the conversation. It feels like a bit of grounding in normality and th4e mess we have had forced on us could sure use tome grounding/normality/realty.