"Homegrown" Dissent, Blue Origin, and Our Very REAL Constitutional Crisis

Donald Trump stated in the Oval Office he wants more camps in El Salvador, mainstream media didn't bat an eye.

On January 6, 2021 Americans sat in shock as they watched plumbs of smoke arise from the Capitol Building where their fellow countrymen scaled walls, built gallows, assaulted police officers all while waving Trump flags and chanting “kill Mike Pence”. It’s a sight that should have shaken this country out of it’s deep malaise and signaled to the nation that we were no longer in charted territory. That Donald Trump, had captivated his followers with his messages in such a way that they were willing to risk life and limb for him. This moment of rabid dissent to the truth of his election loss should have been our wake up call. Democrats should have sprung into action to take quick and decisive steps to pigeon hole Republicans into making a public declaration—you’re either on the side of America or Trump; but it cannot be both.

Consequently, as we all know the admonishments against these acts of violence in the name of Donald Trump were weak and short lived. The insurrectionists unlike those that stormed the Capitol in Brazil were allowed to go home and back to their lives as if nothing had happened. Then taking a cue from Donald Trump, Republicans quickly snapped into formation to create an impenetrable bubble around him while gaslighting the nation that any wrongdoing had occurred at all. The sheer discipline and organization of Republicans to tell the world in unison, “don’t believe your lying eyes, believe what I am telling you” was breathtaking in it’s gumption; but it worked.

Now, emboldened by his second term win, what should terrify us is that what Trump saw on that day was a promise. He didn’t see insurrectionists he saw the promise of a private army that swore their loyalty to him and him alone. That moment, was a lightbulb for him helping to lay the groundwork for his second term, initializing his plans on how to deal with “homegrown” dissenters. This is why we should not only have been prepared for Trump’s latest move; but had a counterstrike ready. Donald Trump in the majesty of the Oval Office, told a rising dictator, Nayib Bukele, who is currently being paid millions to house over 230 El Salvadorian men who were not afforded due process in the US, as political prisoners to make room for more “homegrowns”. He said this in full view and earshot of the press and what should have been followed by gasps of horror was instead followed by laughter.

Donald Trump’s stunning request to Bukele comes on the heels of his administration defying the Supreme Court and making clear, regardless of their ruling, he has no intention of bringing Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an innocent man wrongly detained and deported, home and Bukele has no plans on releasing him. You would think that this stunning defiance would be major news and on the front pages of every paper; but instead we’re focusing on the vanity project of Blue Origin and the appalling disconnect of a billionaires’s wife, a pop star and talk show host going to space for 10 minutes. If Blue Origin’s flight isn’t Don’t Look Up come to life I don’t know what is. While actual NASA women employees and icons are being summarily fired and erased, the media wants to hail these women’s field trip as some iconic feminist moment. Aside from Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist and sexual assault survivor; that drafted the Sexual Assault Survivors Rights legislation, and was one of the six women—none of those celebrities should be hailed as making any kind of history for their pageantry; while we’re battling real life misogyny, erasure and autocracy here on Earth.

The fact is Americans are too easily distracted. 77 million Americans voted for this circus and now killer clowns are on the loose. It’s evident by recent actions that neither the courts or congress are willing to do anything to stop the erosion of our democracy and our descent into autocracy. Even now, polls show that Republicans have increased their support for Trump and MAGA over the last few months. While the ultra rich are busying themselves with space field trips the rest of us on Earth One need to figure out how to stabilize America, before more of our neighbors begin to disappear in mass. We’re no longer sliding into autocracy, we’re here and nothing should distract us from this critical moment—especially the Real Housewives of Outer Space!