According to reporting from the Anti-Defamation League, “Traditionally, militias have largely eschewed engaging with civic institutions on an organizational level. However, in some ways, the Oath Keepers’ tactics presaged a shift across the far right. The group places a focus on seeking institutional power by specifically targeting current and former law enforcement, military, and emergency services personnel with their messaging and recruitment in the hopes that they will be able to utilize these unique skillsets to advance their cause and that the presence of group members in these institutions will obstruct any order, law, or action that the organization deems unconstitutional. A review of these membership lists revealed that while there are many members of law enforcement, military, and first responders in the membership rolls, there are also elected officials, government employees, teachers, religious figures, and businessmen, among others. … [T]he range of individuals represented in the Oath Keepers leak shows the extent to which this extremist ideology has gained acceptance [emphasis added].” Therein lies the problem in the last part of the excerpt.
Now, many will claim there have always been radicals everywhere in society, so identifying fascists in positions of power and elsewhere is nothing new. True, but everything changed after traitor trump and the insurrectionists’ attack on the Capitol. Nothing can be compared in the light of “there has always been” anymore, for there has never been, until now, a growing acceptance and willingness to end America’s democracy, coupled with a relentless swath of apathy among the citizenry. Authoritarians are taking hold not so much because people want it but because people are not paying attention and don’t care. Additionally, dumbass Democrats are completely feckless and unaware of the growing problem. Oh, sure, now they may realize the potential threat since January 6, but where were they over the last decade when RepubliKKKlans and evil evangelicals took over state and local governments? Democrats were clueless, and all those same Christo-fascist factions are still entrenched (and more so) today in government and positions of power. The disease is well beyond curing and soon beyond treatment. Welcome to stupid America!