Killing shows Trump losing control of fans triggered by violent rhetoric: analysis

[NJCher]

Story by Kathleen Culliton • 2h Feb. 1

snip

Donald Trump is losing control over the unstable MAGA base his violent rhetoric pushes past the brink of sanity, and the proof is a decapitated federal worker’s head, a new analysis contends.

Salon’s Amanda Marcotte Thursday took a hard look at the disturbing news to come out of Pennsylvania Tuesday night when Justin Mohn, 33, posted YouTube video demanding violence against the government with his dead father’s head in full view. (Note: excerpt below, along with link.)

Marcotte acknowledges Mohn’s mental health problems, but argues there’s a bigger issue to blame.

“The people who spread hateful and violent rhetoric, starting with Donald Trump, know full well that unstable people are listening and will take this rhetoric as an excuse to act,” writes Marcotte. “In many cases, the loudmouths are counting on it.”

snip

More at link.

-------------------

Salon story, referred to above:

Right-wing violence hasn't disappeared, it's just gone local
A gruesome murder in Pennsylvania reminds us of the dangers of movements like MAGA and QAnon on a personal level
By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer

snip

If it wasn't for the head of his murdered father's body, a video posted on YouTube by Justin Mohn Tuesday night would be indistinguishable from much of what passes for "content" in the world of far-right social media. In the video titled "Call to Arms for American Patriots," the 33-year-old resident of suburban Pennsylvania raved about "the traitorous Biden regime" and claimed a "fifth column army of illegal immigrants infiltrates our border" and that "far left, woke mobs rampage our once prosperous cities." He repeatedly called on viewers to attack federal employees and accused his deceased father, whose head he put on display, of being a "traitor" for working for the federal government. The only thing missing from the rant was accusations that the NFL was fixing the Super Bowl for Taylor Swift and President Joe Biden, but likely only because Mohn's alleged crime was committed before that conspiracy theory had fully flowered online.

Mohn has been arrested and charged with murdering his father and abusing the corpse. Police say he killed his father and decapitated him with a machete, putting the head in a cooking pot to show on camera. It appeared Mohn was reading from a script as he encouraged violence against government officials, police added. YouTube removed his 14-minute-long video, but not before it was viewed 5,000 times.

It's easy to recite the typical deflections from right-wing media and influencers in the wake of yet another far-right crime: They're not to blame. This is about mental health. And look over here while we spread even more conspiracy theories calling the killer a psyop and a deep state plant.

No doubt Mohn is a deeply disturbed person, as evidenced by his repeated attempts to sue the federal government, claiming he cannot get a job due to discrimination against "an overeducated white man." (Mohn has a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness management from Penn State University.) But it's missing the point, albeit deliberately so, to say that mental health factors mean the political motivations behind violence don't matter. On the contrary, our nation's mental health crisis is one reason that the relentless drumbeat of right-wing conspiracy theories and insinuations of violence are so dangerous. The people who spread hateful and violent rhetoric, starting with Donald Trump, know full well that unstable people are listening and will take this rhetoric as an excuse to act. In many cases, the loudmouths are counting on it.

snip

More at link.

[stopdiggin]

1. Not 'losing control' - (on something they never intended to 'control' in the first place)

" .. know full well that unstable people are listening and will take this rhetoric as an excuse to act,” writes Marcotte. “In many cases, the loudmouths are counting on it.”

[The Unmitigated Gall]

2. Score one for the ACTUAL terrorists in this country...

The far right, Their media, and their fearless leader, Donald J Rapist.

Bachelor's degree "over-educated"? Yeah...except no.

Justin, you gave your life for one of the very worst people alive on the planet today. But don't worry, they'll have work for you in prison, where you'll spend the rest of your life.

[UpInArms]

3. It's not a bug

It’s a feature

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Narcissism is abuse and these weak MAGAt minds have been abused massively

They've been gaslit, lied to, stonewalled to prevent defections, fed distorted baloney for years and they believe every part of the spoon feeding with absolute certainty. That is why no one can reason with them. They are a sealed propaganda unit.

[Midnight Writer]

5. "All I know is that he always said very nice things about me."-Future statement by TFG

[peppertree]

11. And that he was "treated very unfairly"

"Like your favorite president."

[lindysalsagal]

6. Misleading headline. This is a feature, not evidence of failure.

If anything, these individual acts aren't as well organized as the gqp would prefer.

[The Roux Comes First]

7. Or Does That Just Come as Part of the Deniability Package?

[Kid Berwyn]

8. Stochastic Terrorism

Terror with plausible deniability.

[central scrutinizer]

9. Not much new here

Just the latest example of stochastic terrorism. It stands out because it’s so gruesome. Many of the mass shooters have a similar profile. It’s easy to pull a trigger, but beheading your father with a machete takes some concerted effort.

[NJCher]

10. Actually, I posted it because

It's an example with what's wrong with our press. The very idea that trump's followers are "out of control" is ludicrous. It was out of control on Day One and continues to be so.

However, despite your subject line, you've convinced me there is something new: beheadings. Haven't had those yet.

Whether we'll hit a new low is unclear (what's worse than beheading your own father for being a responsible federal employee?), especially since the courts, particularly Aileen Campbell, seem perfectly fine with the leisurely, meandering approach. Yes, I know that the legal MSNBC commentators think they are pursuing their work with a modicum of urgency, but I don't.

[Caliman73]

12. Article is poorly framed.

As others have said, this isn't Trump "losing control" of his fans. Trump knows exactly what his actions are doing. He WANTS to wield the power of the angry mob against his opponents while having enough distance to escape responsibility. Trump fashions himself a "Mob Boss" saying, "Nicky the Fish needs to go on a trip" and having his henchmen know it means that Nicky the Fish needs to be murdered. He is a stupid, ignorant man, but he understands about intimidation and plausible deniability.

I agree with Marcotte's much better analysis. This is exactly what Trump wants. Authoritarians thrive on the spectacle and specter of violence. They use terror for control but still try to keep their own hands clean because at the end of the day, authoritarians are sadistic, but they are also cowards.

[et tu]

13. " but they are also cowards."

and that is why they respond to a group mentality.
and 45 has happily provided this.

[durablend]

14. Assusming he's heard about it, he's THRILLED

[Hermit-The-Prog]

15. See every dictator's rise to power, it requires chaos, violence, and 24/7 propaganda.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

16. Every Repug commentator that mentions "the deep state" is to blame.

They know there is no such thing, but they repeat the lie everyday.

[sakabatou]

17. TFG has been using violent and hateful rhetoric for YEARS

What else did people expect? Love and peace?