As everyone knows by now, President Trump and his Republican enablers will not lift a finger to secure our elections. They will do nothing to hamper Russian interference, as said interference aligns with their goal of winning by any dirty, traitorous means necessary. It’s going to be up to us, We The People, to fight this war — at least until Trump and as much of the Republican Senate as possible are ousted.
In the meantime, we know what’s coming. Scratch that; it’s already here, and has been since before the 2016 elections. We know what they’re doing, and we know why. The first and most obvious line of defense is not to amplify the damage, and that’s something we can all do from the comfort of our own homes. Fighting Russian interference can be as simple as exercising a little self-discipline. We know they’re going to flood the spaces where America talks with trolls and bots, and we know what they’re going to do when they get there.
They’re going to:
— Boost the noise level on bullshit narratives, like a woman can’t win, a socialist can’t win, a centrist/liberal/big-donor-accepting/big-donor-rejecting candidate can’t win. They’re all bullshit. Nobody knows who can and can’t win. Nobody.
— Amplify tensions surrounding every candidate, posing as both their supporters and detractors, harassing every side of every debate in the name of the other.
— Stoke bigotry and resentment among everyone who-- no, make that just plain everyone.
— Plant false stories about anything they think will create more chaos and division. The Russians believe we’re quick to react and slow to verify, and they will use it against us.
— Amplify Trump’s “everyone is dirty, so why not me” campaign strategy, using all of the above.
And so on. They’re going to all but announce on a megaphone they’re “helping” Bernie Sanders, while quietly stoking outrage that Russians are “helping” Bernie Sanders. They’re going to paint Elizabeth Warren as too radical, too moderate, too beholden to special interests, too penis-deficient, too obsessed with “identity politics,” etc, and they’re going to pose as Warren supporters, “fighting back” by flaming and blaming allies. They’re going to say Joe Biden is dirty to his elbows in the Ukraine something something. They’re going to throw homophobic slurs at Pete Buttigieg, ageist slurs at septuagenarians, sexist slurs at women, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. They’re going to do it all (and a whole lot more) while wearing the mask of some candidate’s supporters.
So don’t fall for it. Don’t feed the trolls. Don’t help them sow discord. Don’t let them derail a single diary, drive any comment section rightward, or drag you into their machinations. Don’t take the bait. Here and elsewhere. At DK, flag the flag-worthy comments, even if they’re “supporting” your candidate. Here’s a pro tip: They’re not.
I repeat: Don’t hesitate to flag/mute/unfriend/etc toxic garbage that appears to support your candidate, or targets one you don’t like. The people doing that shit are not on your side. They are gleefully setting fires in your backyard, and high-fiving each other every time you wade in, spreading the flames. Don’t. Stay alert for the obvious narratives, incendiary language, and general shit-stirring. Is it possible some asshole is a genuine Candidate X supporter? Yes. But treat it as Russian fuckery, anyway*. Don’t give it oxygen.
None of the above is to say don’t vocally and actively support your candidate, or correct the record on the issues and the facts. There’s a difference between fact-checking a claim (Candidate X said Y about Z), and getting ensnared in unprovable bullshit (Candidate X secretly hates America/the left/the center/this group/that group/whatever). It’s a waste of everyone’s time to engage such garbage; you’ll just meet with evasion, hair-splitting, gaslighting, and venom, while never coming within spitting distance of making the bullshit smell better. Worse, it’s doing the Russians’ work for them. You can defend and support your candidate without playing into their hands.
And just because some media hack parrots a talking point, that doesn’t mean it’s worth consideration. “If Candidate X becomes the nominee, Trump will win” is always bullshit. Again: until the votes are counted, nobody knows who will win. Nobody. Every candidate in the Democratic Primary is a better option than Donald Trump. Remember that at all times. Don’t feed any troll who says Candidate X would be the same or worse. We can coalesce around any candidate, if we choose to.
If we choose to.
We keep saying Trump is an existential threat. For the next nine months, let’s act like it. Every time some bullshit annoys or upsets you, ask yourself: Is what I just read something a Russian troll might say? If so, then go on about your day. Even if you know for a fact the person who wrote it is not a Russian troll. Don’t engage. It’s shit-stirring, and deserves the same consideration you’d give a Russian troll: None. Ignoring it is a win-win. It mitigates division, resentment, and chaos, and you’ll be happier for not having to wallow in unproductive, negative garbage. All you have to do is employ a little self-control. History will thank you. America will thank you. At the very least, your blood pressure will thank you.
We can do this - by not doing this. Please think about it.
(Full disclosure: Elizabeth Warren is my first choice for the Democratic nomination. I have no connection to any campaign, unless it’s a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, and then it depends. I’m also guilty of doing things I’ve just warned against. You don’t have to be perfect. Just try to do better.)
*EDIT 2/22/20 10:54 CST & 2/22/20 12:59 PM CST: Don’t accuse anyone of being a Russian troll. That is engaging, and it’s also against site rules. When I say “treat it as Russian fuckery,” I mean take a pass on replying at all. If you suspect a bot or troll, the link to the Help Desk is at the top of every page (the question mark in the gray circle with “Help” next to it). Send them your concerns, under “Community And Moderation Issues”.