Silence of the Trumpists

You soon find out who your real friends are after you unsuccessfully launch an attempt to overthrow democracy via an extreme right-wing insurrection.  I'm not just talking about all those Republican Senators and Representatives who have suddenly decided to repent and deny that they even knew Donald Trump, let alone supported him for four years.  Nor do I mean all those aides and cabinet members who have suddenly developed a conscience and resigned.  No, I'm talking about all those contrarians and Trump supporters who used to have a lot to say for themselves in my Facebook timeline.  They went quiet after he lost the election.  Which might be understandable.  But less so after he launched his attempt at insurrection on Wednesday.  Not a one of them has piped up either to support or condemn him.  I mean, these were the people who were aggressively condemning 'Antifa violence', saying that all those black people killed by the cops had been asking for it and were undoubtedly criminals anyway and demanding that anyone anti-Trump condemn the violence or be branded 'un-democratic'.  Yet these lovers of non-violent protest haven't uttered a word of condemnation of that Trump-inspired mob that invaded the Capitol Building.  I haven't seen a single one of them posting as to how that rioter shot by police was 'asking for it', (she was, after all, engaged in criminal activity, not to mention sedition).  

But even those on the right who have now condemned Trump and his acolytes deserve no credit.  After all, they thought it OK for him to lie, cheat his taxes, be racist and misogynistic, let tens of thousands of Americans die during a pandemic due to his negligence and engage in illegal activities in order to try and smear political opponents.  Oh no, it took him actually attacking the seat of democracy before they would do anything.  That's a pretty high bar to set when it comes to unacceptable behaviour.  Likewise the social media outlets.  Twitter only finally banned his account today!  Why does it take him trying to overthrow of the democratically constituted government before he gets a ban, whereas many others find themselves censured or kicked off the platform for far lesser 'crimes'?  The problem, as I've noted before, is that too many people don't want to admit that they were duped, that they were taken in by Trump and his cult, that many of them only supported him him because of who he wasn't, without bothering to check exactly what he was.  "Hell, at least he isn't Hilary Clinton", many of these contrarians declared back in 2016.  "Hell, at least he isn't part of the political elite", others proclaimed.  No, he was just a millionaire failed businessman with a highly dubious and well known record with regard to financial management, misogyny and morality.  Right now, all these clowns should be apologising for putting Trump into power and turning a blind eye to his activities.  But trust me, we won't hear a peep out of them.