The Chilling

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Whatever you think about the Orange Man, it’s worth thinking about this business of firing people (and so on) for nothing more than their liking the Orange Man.

This just happened to a car salesman named Dominic Box, who used to work for Vaden Nissan in Savannah, GA.

Box didn’t commit “insurrection” – unless your definition of that is having shown up for a rally in support of the Orange Man last week in DC. It got out of hand, but Box had nothing to do with that aspect of it any more than someone who attended a BLM rally last summer necessarily overturned cars, threw Molotov cocktails or did any other illegal thing just because they happened to be in the vicinity of other people doing illegal (and immoral) things.

Attending a protest – whether right or left – ought not to be punishable absent an individual having been proved to have been doing more than publicly expressing support for or criticism of something, which is in fact both a constitutionally protected as well as a basic human right.

Which is why the firing of Box is troubling. If we can’t speak anymore without fearing the loss of of livelihoods then America is flushed.

No one even alleges Box committed any violent or illegal act. His crime is one of thought – his public support of the Orange Man. People saw him doing so via videos he took of himself at the rally in DC. They complained about his presence – and now Box  has lost his job.

It’s sure to make things more civil.

Similarly, the attacks visited in my neck of the woods – SW Virginia – on the owner of Fatback Soul Shack, who also didn’t riot and wasn’t anywhere near the riots but who has become the target of organized hate for having been in the vicinity.

“It’s been horrible… we’ve been doxxed (i.e., had their personal information, such as where they live, put online) had a local delegate come out against us,” owner Marie March says. But just to be present has become an almost-crime and a certain cause for weaponized witch-hunting. 

It is immensely hypocritical in addition to being horrible as such.

One need not adduce the evidence for this; it is as abundant as the sky is blue. People on one side can not only say but actually do violent things – e.g., the not-so-peaceful protestors of last summer – and not worry about the loss of their jobs, much less arrest.

Or even a doxxing.

Which, of course, encourages them in their violence while at the same time ramping up the resentment of people who aren’t violent – other than in terms of their disagreement – who are hounded and punished as if they were actually violent.

It is not good  . . . unless it is violence that’s wanted.

An article about this Box business is luminously demagogic. The lead graph reads:

A Savannah car salesman with a history of supporting radical conspiracy theories was fired from his job two days after participating in the pro-Trump rally that turned into a violent insurrection last week at the U.S. Capitol.”

Italics added. Note the package-dealing. Participating in an initially legitimate/lawful protest that got out of hand – something Box had no control over and wasn’t involved in – is synonymous with “violent insurrection.”

The article goes on to smear Box for his “online history of sharing conspiracy theories” – meaning the ones that aren’t ok conspiracies. It is perfectly ok to endlessly share disproved but repeatedly asserted “conspiracy theories” about Trump wetting the bed and being Putin’s poodle.

And of course, there is the de rigueur reference to the “debunked” claims about election shenanigans, which haven’t been debunked – merely unexamined by any court.

The point, though, isn’t whether Box has political views that differ from politically correct views. The point is that he – and many others – are being persecuted for having politically incorrect views in a manner that is startlingly Soviet. One must toe the line and never be seen or heard to deviate from it upon pain of excommunication or something even worse.

The Gulag calls – and every American should be worried about that. Including the ones calling for Box and other ideological enemies of the people to be Gulag’d. This sort of thing has a tendency to wheel back around on the Gulagers. Ask Genrik Yagoda, for instance. Or Nikolai Yezhov, who replaced him after Yagoda was Gulag’d (shot, actually). And then shot in his turn by Beria – and airbrushed out of every official photo.

Beria ended up not so well, too.

Nietzsche had something to say about this business. Something about not gazing too deeply into the abyss, lest the abyss gaze too deeply back into you.

. . . .

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55 COMMENTS

  1. The city council of Chicago wants to, and will try to get the large Trump sign off of Trump Tower Chicago. I am guessing once the actual legal methods are exhausted (since they probably have no legal standing) that they will do something else to get that sign down. The letters are twenty feet tall (very Trumpish), and one of them fronts the Chicago river where it’s visible for blocks.

    When they started construction of Trump Tower at the beginning of the 21st century, before Donald came out of the closet as a Republican candidate, they loved that he was bringing a Trump tower to Chicago.

    I truly think part of the hate towards him is that they thought he was one of them. That he bailed on them.

  2. Soon, there will be nowhere to voice your opinion. All part of the plan….

    https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2021/01/why_at_comments_are_disabled.html

    ———-
    It is news to almost nobody who reads American Thinker that a political witch hunt is underway. Parties in and out of government are looking for excuses to suppress and destroy voices that oppose the left.

    Because AT lacks the ability to monitor comments in real time, and because our position that comments are a forum, not something we publish, is being called into question, we can no longer publish comments.

    We take this action with a heavy heart.
    ————

  3. Guys,

    FWIW, Twitter’s stock price is down over 10% since they banned Trump and others! Their stock price was $51.39 prior to the ban; as I write this, it’s $46.11 and falling. Regardless of their political leanings, at some point, they’ll have to give a damn about-gasp-focusing on their core mission and making money if they want to remain in business. Does Jack Dorsey really want to lose a sizable part of his fortune? Does he really want to be poor again? At one time, MySpace was the BIG THING; folks seem to forget that…

    • I never really understood how social media cos. make money. Other than advertising, which I can’t believe supports such rich valuations, I suspect that the real money maker is their political usefulness to TPTB,i.e. censorship, surveillance and the delivery of customized manipulative information. I also suspect TPTB keeps the socials sticks and their oligarchic CEOs bank accounts propped up via the Fed, it’s Plunge Protection Team, and printer go brrrrr.

        • Ok. You mean to corps for targeted marketing purposes? Still doesn’t seem to support the outsized valuations. Kinda reminds me of internet stocks in the late 90s that didn’t make money but had a lot of “eyeballs” or page views. Do gov’ts have to pay them for the data that constitutes their political usefulness? That would be an interesting line item in an SEC filing.

    • Here’s how to stick it to Twatter:

      Andrew Torba, the CEO of Gab, a free-speech alternative to Twitter, backed up President Trump’s entire @realdonaldtrump account before it was deleted, and recreated it on Gab.

      https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/matt-margolis/2021/01/13/epic-twitter-competitor-gab-backed-up-trumps-twitter-account-and-recreated-it-on-their-platform-n1336005

      Just tried the embedded link … got an error message from Cloudflare in Los Angeles, probably pertaining to bandwidth capacity.

      That’s the way you jerk Dorsey’s scraggly, food-encrusted [I presume that milky stuff is food] beard.

      • Hi Jim,

        I have to give it to Gab they are smart enough to think ahead. I know they were deplatformed in 2018, but at least they looked at the issue as a learning experience and made adjustments.

        I have never trusted the Cloud. My business owns it own servers and we have them on site. I am a small business, so I don’t need hundreds or thousands of servers – one is plenty, but I always had a fear of coming in one day and all my company’s data just disappear. What do you do then?

        Kudos to Gab for also backing up Trump’s Twitter account, as well.

  4. I’m suffering an overload. Every time I spend the smallest amount of time considering what’s going on, I’m simply astonished that so many are so stupid or insane that they “believe” the latest propaganda. I wish it were true that this will subside after Trump is out of the picture. I fear it likely will get far worse. We have abdicated to a theocracy, founded on belief, truth be damned. They never end well for their subjects, though many subjects definitely end, as in dead end. There is a distinct parallel between the assault on any deviation from the tyrannical script and the inquisition. How long before the punishment becomes parallel? After all, there was a lot of burning going on most of last year. Some of it did indeed involve burning people. And the MSM will cheer it on as a new source of revenue.

  5. What worries me is that this could lead to usually non violent people having enough and embracing the roles they’ve been forced into.

    If you make someone desperate, take their livelihood and “cancel” them, then you’ve created a weapon.

    Many people this has happened to will either get together or individually go out and exact revenge.

    People who have nothing to lose are extremely dangerous. Sooner or later, this will happen to the wrong person.

    • Hi James,

      We are there. People are literally hanging on by a thread. People have no release, no play time, no enjoyment. My great aunt killed herself last night. A woman in her mid 80s just said “I can’t take it anymore” and took her own life. My grandmother is absolutely distraught and rightly so. She was a nice lady, but obviously had her demons. This is what society has become. The government ignores these statistics, because they are too worried about the “cases”. I expect 2021 to be the year of suicides’ and drug overdoes. People have nowhere to turn and most, no one to talk to. The healthcare counselors are willing to do Zoom meetings, because they are too terrified to meet people face to face. How well does a counseling session on the Internet work with a senior who can’t even log in?

      We have to stay mentally strong, but man, some days it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The vaccines are now said to not stop the virus, it can still be spread to others, but the individual won’t get the virus as bad. Even with a vaccine social distancing and masks must still remain. It is almost like the world oligarchy wants the majority of people to put a gun to their head and be done with it. The problem is some of these people will not just take themselves out, but many others, as well. It is a sad state of affairs with no end date.

    • Hi James,

      I figured you’d dig this – as a fellow lifter. Today, after repping 225 12 times, I went up to 275 and repped that three times. I haven’t done that in awhile and I bet on a “strong” day, I could get 305 once. I’m stronger now than I was at 30. The WuFlu gave me that, at least!

  6. Not supporting Vaden Nissan or against Box, but at this point neither party has actually claimed the firing was due to his participation in the rally. It could be the guy harangued customers about stuff they didn’t want to hear about. Or maybe he missed too much work due to the rally. Or showed up late one too many days. Or was just crappy at selling cars (i.e. too honest). Perhaps both sides are deciding whether or not to lawyer up.

  7. Thanks anarchyst. I love reading everybody’s suggestions.

    I am going to get rid of ATT shortly. I tried contacting Comcast to bring their internet to my office….the price $45k, yes, $45k. I was willing to go as high as $5-6k, but $45k is a bit out of my price range.

  8. As we descend into Lord of the Flies. I thought that hatred is not a family value, yet it’s certainly manifesting itself at redline levels of late. I know better, but certainly wish people would grow the fuck up. Buncha petulant adult children playing with matches in a gasoline soaked room.

  9. The problem is the the government has distorted the “free market” AND the Bill of Rights to the point where neither actually exist any more.

    For instance, in THEORY, I support the ability of a private employer to hire or fire anyone he sees fit to work or not work at his private business. It’s HIS private property. But that’s not the way things actually work — the so-called “civil rights” laws and the courts tell you that you MUST admit certain people to your private property, and you MUST hire certain types of people — gays, blacks, women, immigrants, the “disabled,” whatever.

    So in reality, SOME people have SPECIAL protections, while others don’t. If a black car salesman got fired for attending a BLM rally, or a female saleswoman were fired for attending the “Pussy Hat Riots,” they would SUE the employer for “discrimination” — and WIN.

    White guy at a Trump rally? Nah, buddy, you’re fired. No special protections for you. Go get another job somewhere else in the “free” market.

    All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

    (And the sad thing is that most of his fellow white guys probably won’t stick up for him, they’ll just shrug and say “Private property, dude. Whatever.”)

  10. On a separate note – has the orange man really been impeached AGAIn over calling a couple very amateur rioters to the capital !!!? WTF this is seriously bizaro land… i mean its ok for a president to declare an illegal war, invade a sovereign country, destroy millions of lives in the process at home and abroad, and nothing…. and this dude gets impeached for some rioters (allegedly) !!

    • Yes, welcome to New Germany. If you speak of any positive thing that the OM or the Republican Party has ever done you will ostracized, removed from your employment, shuttered from any and all social media, and declared a domestic terrorist.

      Hitler is in Hell laughing right now.

      • new Germany?!?!? How about russia/ussr – MUCH more accurate. And try stalin, trotsky, lenin or even mao or pol pot. THERE are some totalitarian mass murderers for ya. Stop the media induced ‘Germany’ or “Hitler” knee jerk comments please. Learn a bit of actual history.

    • Obviously the Commies are scared shitless of Trump. He is still the president, I see this as an insurance policy in case he does the right thing and goes martial law and starts arresting conspirators and traitors. Otherwise this impeachment and these other crazy actions against legitimate protestors and some petty criminals makes no sense.

  11. Over at 0 hedge, there was a story about retired baseballer and Trump supporter Curt Schilling having his insurance cancelled by AIG over his “social media profile.” Social credit scores here now? Or coming in 3…2…1?

  12. True conservatives (note I did not say Republicans) and libertarians have a serious choice that we need to make. Businesses will only take advantage of us if we let them. We need to stop funneling our dollars to businesses that do not support free speech or are terrified of the leftist rulers of this country.

    Stop buying from Walmart, stop buying from Amazon, get off of Facebook and Twitter, don’t invest in Blackrock or Charles Schwab, or buy anything form Apple or Verizon. Support businesses that support our views.

    Support Overstock.com, Home Depot, Wendy’s and Angel Soft. Get on Parler and Gab (if you are into that social media stuff). Put a larger emphasis on small, local businesses, who know how to keep their mouth shut and stay out of politics.

    These businesses will not change unless we hit them where it hurts – the pocketbook. There are 328 million people in this country, if 50 or 75 million decide to stop supporting liberal businesses they will feel it.

    If may not be a bad idea if we actually kept a list of libertarian leaning, first amendment supporting businesses somewhere on the website or as a list for anyone that asks. Of course, it will change, from time to time, because times change, but it will help us feel that we are making a difference on where we spend our tax dollars (or whatever is left of them).

    • I think a list is a great idea. It’s hard to keep track of it all.
      I would add that anyone still on facebook and twatter should get on the pages of businesses they are boycotting and explain why. They should know that cause = effect and maybe the publicity will get more people to stop using them.
      I know it’s more difficult for libertarians to do that sometimes. I vote with my feet and my wallet all the time, but I’m not an activist or a protestor. I rarely care what someone else thinks about anything, so I assume no one really wants to hear what I think either. I don’t complain about the food or service in restaurants because I don’t want to be a Karen. I just don’t go there ever again. And you would see me strolling around naked at the Indy 500 before you’d catch me out at the statehouse or on someone’s lawn with a protest sign or … shudder … participating in a march. I do not “join.” It makes me feel weird.
      But yeah, we need to join to protect our freedoms from this tyrannical movement.

      • I’ve been “voting with my pocketbook” for a long time, refusing to do business with those who either deny my entry or giving me a hard time about not wearing a mask. I not only inform the business owners of my disdain because of their behavior, but also remind them that when this (fake) mask business is over, I will still remember and NOT do business with them ever again.
        My short (do not patronize) business list (which is always expanding):
        Costco
        Menards
        O-Reilly Auto parts
        Barnes and Noble
        A T&T

        • A lot probably depends on the local management, especially with smaller stores, on how much they push the mask. O’Reilly’s in my area hasn’t given me a problem.

          • Really noticed that at my home, just south of Indianapolis. We go south on the bike and it’s like the rona doesn’t exist. My husband commented: “the further you get from the city, the less they give a fuck.”
            We recently ate at Outback in the city, though, and it was weird. Everyone masked, every other table blocked off. I’m surprised they’re making any money.

            • Hi Amy,

              I haven’t been to a restaurant since this began. I used to like to occasionally gorge at the Chinese buffet in town but even though it’s “open” now, the sight of the Diapered Freaks ruins my appetite. I won’t go inside a restaurant ever again, even if I don’t have to Diaper – if the place is crawling with Freaks. The sight disgusts me.

              • Hi Eric,

                I think us non maskers need to accept that some people are never going to get rid of the mask. It has become a security blanket for them.

                My feelings are as long as I am not forced to wear it, I don’t care if others want to. Don’t get me wrong, I believe these people are nutcases, but I am not going to stop living my life or dine at fancy French restaurants because these people suffer from mental affliction.

                • Morning, RG –

                  I get that. For me, however, the sight of a Diapered face summons the same feelings Jewish people must feel when they see an armband. The imbecility of it and the danger of it make me very angry and that ruins my appetite.

              • > I used to like to occasionally gorge at the Chinese buffet in town but even though it’s “open” now, the sight of the Diapered Freaks ruins my appetite.

                My birthday was yesterday. While I was on the phone with my parents (3 time zones away), they asked me about my plans for the evening, like if I planned on heading out somewhere. I told them about how Las Vegas, East California is even worse about the Diaper than their part of Ohio…how nearly everyone outside is diapered up even when nobody’s around, etc., and that it was depressing AF watching all the diapered NPC drones.

                I ended up ordering a stromboli from a local pizza place, delivered, with a cannoli for later. Good eats…probably shouldn’t have eaten the whole thing in one sitting, but your birthday only rolls around once a year. 🙂

          • The O’Reilly people were so vicious they demanded I leave and would not even serve me outside. They told me that they did not stock 3/8″ fuel line. It’s O’Reilly’s loss.

    • You’re forgetting that most companies now care more about their message than making money. They’ll get money some other way

      • Yup, with the FED printing it they don’t need your business. It’s getting to the point where everything works backwards from how it’s supposed to.

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