Men In Costumes
by digby
I had some trouble hearing Maddow, so I kind of blew a couple of the questions. To be clear:
— What I expect at the April 19 militia march on Washington is, essentially, a smaller Tea Party with guns.
— The main threat posed by the militias is not to average citizens but to law-enforcement personnel, who inevitably are the first people to have contact with these extremists that provokes violence. Inevitably, innocent bystanders will be involved as well, as they were on April 19, 1995. And the truth is, your average American is far more likely to be harmed by a right-wing domestic terrorist than an international terrorist.
But the chief reason to fear violent militiamen is the threat they pose to our law-enforcement officers, and from a broader perspective, the toxic effect their acts have on our society and the ability of average citizens to feel safe.
In some ways it’s just an extension of the 101st Keyboarder phenomenon in the early post 9/11 years — lots of macho posturing and delusions of heroism and bravery among immature men who want to play at soldier. Considering how many wars we have going, you’d think they’d join up. I’m sure the military could use some people who have a knowledge of weaponry and a desire to swear oaths to the constitution.
Of course, real soldiers don’t get to take off their uniforms at the end of the day and go home to their nice comfortable houses and sit in front of the TV to eat freedom fries and watch Beck froth about the enemy within. This is much more fun.
And can someone please explain to me the need among so many of the manliest men to dress up in costumes?
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