Slate "A Photographer on the Most Disturbing Thing He Saw at Trump Rallies"

[Hortensis]

43. "People" DO not drive across states and cities to GET in situations like that.

Except a few young "I guess you could call them antifascists" heavily outnumbered by white power troublemakers really hoping they'll show up.

That's what you do. You DO not blow up the numbers, DO not turn the temperatures on high, in other words, DO not give the troublemakers exactly what they come hoping for. And DO need.

And if you're an honest journalist, you do NOT seek out highly abnormal situations and present them as illustrating a new normal.

Fwiw, I've been watching with alarm the increasing authoritarian/fascistic actions on the right, including at the highest levels of government for most of the past two decades. Trump is not the first, just the worst so far. I'm not exactly a denier, and I'm unbelievably relieved that we've had what were clearly mostly successfully monitored elections and suppressed RW domestic terrorism through this election. Very much including the Proud Boys types who went missing in action while Biden was elected by peaceful majorities across the nation.

Wannabe fascists aren't just disappearing, of course, but for now the sick feeling that's been my norm is gone.