Summary
The article discusses how some Republican leaders are framing protests and dissent as un-American or even dangerous. It looks at historical uses of fear tactics in America to suppress protests and the shift towards using bureaucratic methods to manage dissent.
Key Facts
- Speaker Mike Johnson labeled a protest called “No Kings” as a "hate America rally."
- House Majority Whip Tom Emmer called the event part of the “terrorist wing” of the Democratic Party.
- Senator Roger Marshall suggested the National Guard might be needed for the protest.
- Historically, figures like Senator Joseph McCarthy used fear tactics, accusing people of disloyalty without evidence.
- The FBI's COINTELPRO program targeted civil rights groups, labeling them as threats.
- A whistleblower in 2020 claimed Trump-era officials exaggerated threats from "left-wing extremism."
- Past government actions have included mass arrests and surveillance in the name of national security.
- These tactics often start with labeling protests as dangerous, making it easier to suppress them through legal and bureaucratic means.
