In an alarming interview with Reuters conducted in Texas, many Trump supporters said they would be willing to take up arms against the American government if Trump gave the order.
How serious are these supporters about their threats of violence?
An example is Texan chiropractor Brett Fryar who said he already joined a militia group named the South Plains Patriots along with his son Caleb. This group has a "reactionary" group of three dozen people on hand actively conducting firearms training to prep for revolt against the government.
Fryer elaborated:
"If President Trump comes out and says: 'Guys, I have irrefutable proof of fraud, the courts won't listen, and I'm now calling on Americans to take up arms,' we would go."
A total of 50 Trump supporters nationwide were interviewed.
It was found all 50 believed the conspiracy theory that President-elect Joe Biden stole the 2020 election. Of those 50, only 20 said they would eventually accept the election results with evidence that no fraud occurred—something already being shown, but not being accepted by the radicalized right-wing community.
Separate polls show up to 80% of Republicans trust Trump's false accusations. Many of those interviewed admitted to getting their "facts" and opinions from far right media outlets such as Newmax and One America News Network. This is an interesting trend as more extreme, right-wing social media platforms such as Parler, where discussions often include calls for violence and "alternative facts", are gaining traction.
70-year-old West Virginia woman Janet Hedrick, for example, strongly believes all of Trump's theories, even those already debunked.
She said of non-existent Trump votes:
"There's millions and millions of Trump votes that were just thrown out. That computer was throwing them out."
Strategic advisor to the Trump campaign, Boris Epshteyn, said:
"The President and his campaign are confident that when every legal vote is counted, and every illegal vote is not, it will be determined that President Trump has won re-election to a second term."
50-year-old Raymond Fontaine echoed a similar opinion saying:
"You are going to tell me 77 million Americans voted for him? There is just no way."
The damage to the trust of the American people in the electoral process by this misinformation campaign has been sadly successful and the silence of various republican law makers has been deafening.
Social media users voiced their worried over this trend.
Not a “power play." A crime. Sedition. Call it what it is.
— Politi_Matt (@2020Politi) November 20, 2020
History will note that when America was teetering on the brink of a fascist takeover, the President sent a delirious vampire, and star of Borat 2, to accuse Venezuela, Van Helsing, and long-dead Mayor DalY of stealing the election, all the while he literally melted down on TV. pic.twitter.com/8kbQ91RYrU
— Gerald Weaver (#PrisonTrumpWillBeWayFunnier) (@Gerald_Weaver_) November 20, 2020
They should remember that even in their best case scenario Trump only gets 4 years, they will have to with a lifetime a precedent they have set to save him, because this goes both ways.
— Tsele (@TeedeeNK) November 20, 2020
So Trump won huh? If they cheated for Biden, why didn't they flip the Senate also? Common sense just isn't too common in MAGA world. 😐
— DJ L-Boogie (@DJLBOOGIE832) November 20, 2020
“Asked whether Trump might be duping his followers, he said it's hard to fathom.
“If I'm being manipulated by Trump ... then he is the greatest con man that ever lived in America," Caleb Fryar said. “I think he's the greatest patriot that ever lived." My God. These people....
— Stanley Gable (@MattureGenius) November 20, 2020
Call it what it is. A coup
— Gordo (@geordan_stewart) November 20, 2020
When you can't win elections, when your typical cheating ways no longer work, “It may not be the last time. Many Republicans see attacks on election integrity as a winning issue for future campaigns" #CoupAttempt @GOP seeks to end democracy.
— BK to the C (@BiotechWave) November 20, 2020
The fact that people are willing to shoot other Americans- their neighbors, friends, relatives, for Trump is beyond disturbing.
— Deb (@DebDolenz) November 20, 2020
What they really need is deprogramming, same as how people are brought back to reality from other cults. If only there would be some way to achieve that...
— Rachel K (@rachelK_CZ) November 20, 2020
So far, most of the baseless legal attacks by the Trump administration have reached a quick halt. Experts have said that the court cases do not specifically contain allegations—or evidence for that matter—which could overturn the election.
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