#30 The Genesis of an American Taliban

Over the course of the last 4 or 5 years, the group of far right-wing individuals have been radicalized. Nearly the same way Islamic Terrorists are radicalized in the 21st century. Otherwise decent and law-abiding people have given in to their confirmation bias, narrowing their sources of information. In the echo chamber is where the master manipulators are able to influence and persuade people little by little. Fox News was complicit for financial reasons, but fringe platforms like Parler, OANN, Newsmax, Breitbart, and others have spun the MAGA nation into a hateful, violent, seditious movement. The culmination of which played out before our very eyes on 6 January 2021. The bloody failed coup attempt resulted in the death of 6 Americans.  A scene no different than the Benghazi attack in 2012. Terrorism is terrorism. The only difference right now is that this is simply the Genesis of this American Taliban. The siege of the Capitol was just a preview of what could come if we don’t crush this insurrection before they can organize and be further emboldened to use more violent means to achieve their political ends. We should not see this threat against our democracy any different than we saw Al Qaeda after 9/11. Both groups are using violence to support their stated political goals. Both groups are motivated by their hatred of the American Government. There is no difference.