Now that Fox News and President Blowhard have worked the conservative idiot brigades into a froth with notions that The Liberals are being Dangerously Uncivil These Days, Republicans are taking it to the obvious next step: Former Montana Republican Party chair Will Deschamps Sr. took to Facebook this week to encourage Donald Trump supporters to bring guns to today's Trump rally in case protesters show up.
In his first Facebook post, Deschamps wrote: “For all the prospective attendees to the Trump event. Come early. Also all you protesters, show up as well. This is a concealed and open carry state and we know how to use em. USMC trained.”
Asked to explain himself, he clarified that he was worried about "antifa." In Missoula. But he didn't say "antifa," he said protesters, and he continued to make no particular distinction as he mewed about being called out on it.
He elaborated in a second, longer Facebook Post, writing that “… protesters have become more and more brutal. They are in fact, now carrying fire arms, hardened gloves and other violent articles with them that can kill, or harm those they disagree with. Apparently, those of us that want peacful (sic) marches, are not allowed to suggest we defend ourselves.”
This appears to be a case of grandpa getting his ideas from Fox News; the network and other white nationalist promoters heavily covered fights between the fascist "Proud Boys" group and protesters but have been reluctant to mention that the fascist group appears to have engaged in most or all of that violence. This is good enough for the former state party head to both insist that there could be violence at a Montana Trump rally and sweatily opine to his allies that by gum they should pack guns to defend ourselves.
It is self-fulfilling, and that is the intent.
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This is the precise strategy used by the "Proud Boys" and allied fascist groups themselves; they stage events in which they prance around with weapons, helmets, and shields, screaming insults and obscenities at bystanders or counter protesters, attempting to goad others into insulting them back or throwing a punch, at which point the fascist groups surround the goadee and attack them. It's all captured on video, every time, because they're quite proud of it and want to encourage like-minded members of the far-right to engage in similar acts.
It's been the playbook of many authoritarian groups across history: Endorse martial displays by violence-minded buffoons, provoke violence, then use the violence to justify a crackdown on free speech aimed at whichever groups the authoritarians deem undesirable. You can mark it down on the charts; this is what Republican media and Republican leaders are aiming for now. Republicans are allowed to rally in vote-counting offices and on lawmakers' doorsteps or to dress up in odd costumes with teabags hanging from their hats and it is called freedom; opponents who do it are considered a threat to the republic. Torch-wielding mobs seeking to protect their "history" can attack bystanders and incite domestic terrorism that kills a counterprotester and no action will be demanded or even called for; sexual assault survivors march into Senate offices to tell their stories and Republicans darkly warn that they are undoubtably edging toward violence.
For the record, Biff, go for it. Go on, show up to Donald Trump's rally with your concealed-carry or open-carry guns and see if the Secret Service lets you within 100 yards of the building. What's that? They don't let you? If you try to sneak a weapon in you'll end up in jail? And now you have a criminal record?
Gosh.