Madison Square Garden
let's not repeat the past in the present
The seven minutes of archival footage from the Madison Square Garden event from 1939 is horrific. I have read about the event. I have listened to Rachel Maddow’s incredible podcast Ultra about the America First movement and how it infiltrated the US society and government. I even watched the fictional movie “Amsterdam” whose ending was inspired by this event. Today, my father sent me the link to watch the archival footage at anightatthegarden.com. Seeing the real footage from 1939 and watching a man get beat down and everyone (including the children on stage) enjoy it turns my stomach. But it important to face the past, face the hate, fully denounce it, and not let it repeat itself.
The fear - rightful fear - many people have about fascism truly unfolding in the USA plays into the fascists’ hands as people and oligarchs “obey in advance”. Do not obey. Do not let any of this abhorrent behavior be normalized. Nothing about this is normal.
I watched the hecklers at the Harris Rally this weekend get shamed and told they were at the wrong rally. They were shamed but they were not beaten.
People who live in “Red States” are afraid to have Harris posters up on their front lawns, or wear paraphernalia supporting the Harris/Walz ticket. People that do wear shirts, hats, bracelets, etc. report that Harris supporters will come up to them conspiratorially and tell them how brave they are for being out and proud and loud about their support of the Democratic ticket in this election. That seeing them be so brave gives them hope. The threat of violence is all too real. It has happened and is happening now. Thankfully, others are calling idiots on their shenanigans, tracking their stolen signage and pressing charges. Watch the linked video on Reddit - it’s quite something.
Reading Heather Cox Richardson’s latest Letters from an American about the instructions to US citizens about fascism - literally what they were dying for in the fighting in WWII - brought it all horribly home. I am cautiously optimistic that the citizens of the United States of America will kick ass and a huge blue wave will engulf the land - from sea to shining sea. But “it” also could happen here. I still have too much PTSD from 2016 to fully trust that the US isn’t too sexist nor too racist to do the right thing.
As TFG prepares to have a rally at MSG this Sunday Oct 27, I am preparing for it to be a full on hate fest. Given how they seem to have reused fascist designs in previous conservative rallies, I will not be surprised if they pull out all the fascist stops. Remember the CPAC2021 stage shaped like the Odal Rune?
Please, keep the pedal to the metal this next week and afterwards. Ignore the polls, get out and vote, bring three friends, donate to important down ticket races and Vote Blue all the way down ballot. We are all in for a bumpy ride no matter the outcome.
💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙 🗳️