What If They Held A Riot And Nobody Came?

NEW -- Trump has been on trial for a month now and the world did not end.

No rioting. No violence. Not even the hint of civil war.

This despite Trump's dire warnings of civil unrest and worse, should prosecutors dare charge Trump with a crime.https://t.co/Yvo1ntxFpR

— S.V. Dáte (@svdate) May 20, 2024

“People are now aware that there is a cost for showing up for him,” said Heather Cox Richardson, a historian at Boston College who in recent years has been warning about a Trump-centered autocratic movement. “They’re not willing to put themselves on the line for him.”

Or, without organized groups like Proud Boys or Oath Keepers, nobody gives a shit. Besides: show up on a street in Manhattan and do what? Pay $20 for a hot dog?🌭 (No, I know; but the perception of non-NYC residents is what matters).

There’s just not a lot of incentive to show up in NYC and… shout at a building?

Date goes on to draw the ubiquitous comparison to J6. As the committee proved (but no one seems to remember, because it’s not the narrative!), J6 was an extensively planned event (hence, too, the conspiracy convictions on sedition), not the spontaneous overflow of powerful emotions because Trump showed up to give a speech, or sent out one tweet promising: “Will be wild!” But it’s a telling comparison (not that Date notices). Mob action in response to the murder of George Floyd is one thing (and most of the violence came from right-wing cranks). Mob action for Trump requires coordination and planning. Even his rallies are advertised well in advance so people will actually come. Trump is not drawing mobs for the same reason Trump is not a fundamental threat to the Republic.

He’s not in a position of power.

God forbid he ever is again, but just by existing he does not threaten the American Experiment. What Date says (in the tweet) about MAGA’s predictions not coming true, applies equally to all the Cassandras who insisted Trump’s every public utterance was another sledgehammer blow at the foundations of Constitutional government and the American legal system.

Those people stand with Michael Cohen, trying to make themselves famous (or just noticed) by being connected to Trump. I discard them all.

My favorite part is watching Jason Miller flee once he realizes one of his staged events is a total disaster. https://t.co/rK3VFEX3w8

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) May 20, 2024

Concluding example. And where are the 40 House MAGA who were coming to court this week?