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(Thread) Hierarchy v. Fairness
The right-wing—which until recently loved the 10th Amendment and revered states’ rights—is now fine with sending federal troops to trample states’ rights.
Meanwhile, Trump canceled his convention because of COVID while insisting that schools open. https://twitter.com/politico/status/1286647868976254977
The right-wing—which until recently loved the 10th Amendment and revered states’ rights—is now fine with sending federal troops to trample states’ rights.
Meanwhile, Trump canceled his convention because of COVID while insisting that schools open. https://twitter.com/politico/status/1286647868976254977
1/ From @aslavitt’s thread yesterday: the people dying from Covid are largely “essential workers” and those without the privilege of staying home
https://twitter.com/ASlavitt/status/1286470764208758784
In other words, Trump plays golf, while insisting that others go to work and expose themselves to COVID.
https://twitter.com/ASlavitt/status/1286470764208758784
In other words, Trump plays golf, while insisting that others go to work and expose themselves to COVID.
2/ It’s all about hierarchy v. fairness.
Hierarchy people think there’s a natural order: Some people belong on top. Others at the bottom.
They don’t believe equality is possible.
For them, the purpose of government is to allocate power.
Hierarchy people think there’s a natural order: Some people belong on top. Others at the bottom.
They don’t believe equality is possible.
For them, the purpose of government is to allocate power.
3/ When hierarchy people are in power, they try to solidify their power and grab more.
They assume everyone uses government this way.
Fairness people believe equality is possible.
For them, the purpose of government is to give everyone equal opportunity and prevent cheating.
They assume everyone uses government this way.
Fairness people believe equality is possible.
For them, the purpose of government is to give everyone equal opportunity and prevent cheating.
4/ Ted Cruz thinks giving billion-dollar tax cuts to the rich is good government.
Meanwhile, he tells a lie to justify forcing people to work in dangerous conditions
Hierarchy also informed the Confederacy: Those at the bottom labor and die. Those at the top live in luxury.
Meanwhile, he tells a lie to justify forcing people to work in dangerous conditions
Hierarchy also informed the Confederacy: Those at the bottom labor and die. Those at the top live in luxury.
5/ In Portland, federal officers are tear-gassing protesters and arresting people without reason to believe they've committed a crime.
Does this take us forward into some unknown place where we’ve never been before, or is this looping us backward to a previous era?
Does this take us forward into some unknown place where we’ve never been before, or is this looping us backward to a previous era?
6/ The answer is both, depending on who you are.
For most of US history, local police were completely unfettered.
Before the Fourteenth Amendment—added to the Constitution after the Civil War—there were very few limits on states could do.
That’s why we had slavery.
For most of US history, local police were completely unfettered.
Before the Fourteenth Amendment—added to the Constitution after the Civil War—there were very few limits on states could do.
That’s why we had slavery.
7/ After the 14th Amendment, states insisted on the right to police as they pleased under the 10th Amendment.
Police power during the first half of the 20th century was largely used to keep Black men in line. The federal government didn't limit what local police could do.
Police power during the first half of the 20th century was largely used to keep Black men in line. The federal government didn't limit what local police could do.
8/ From the 1930s to the 1960s, the Supreme Court heard police brutality cases (Black men were usually the defendant) and began restricting what local police could do under the 14th Amendment.
The right-wing didn't like it. At all.
The right-wing didn't like it. At all.
9/ Chambers v. Florida (1940) was a case in which several Black men were tortured until they confessed to a crime.
The Supreme Court held that convicting a person based on a coerced conviction violates the Fourteenth Amendment.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/309/227
The Supreme Court held that convicting a person based on a coerced conviction violates the Fourteenth Amendment.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/309/227
10/ The Supreme Court made a number also held that defendants were entitled to a lawyer, and arrests could not be made without probable cause to believe the person committed a crime.
(Yes, the federal agents in Portland are violating these SCOTUS rules)
(Yes, the federal agents in Portland are violating these SCOTUS rules)
11/ Right-wing (hierarchy people) called these decisions federal overreach and claimed that the Tenth Amendment allowed states to manage their own policing.
They also claimed that hampering the police would make it easier for people to commit crimes.
They also claimed that hampering the police would make it easier for people to commit crimes.
12/ “Law and order” was code for: let the police do whatever they wanted so that the hierarchy can be maintained.
Now things have reversed: Under Trump, it’s the federal government that wants to maintain the hierarchy, and local governments (in some places) want fairness.
Now things have reversed: Under Trump, it’s the federal government that wants to maintain the hierarchy, and local governments (in some places) want fairness.
13/ That’s why suddenly the right-wing (hierarchy people) reversed their position and are now in favor of the federal government trampling states' rights.
They never really care about states’ rights or the 10th Amendment.
They wanted the police to maintain the hierarchy.
They never really care about states’ rights or the 10th Amendment.
They wanted the police to maintain the hierarchy.
14/ Fascism is all about hierarchy, so yes, Trump and pals are pushing us toward fascism.
The Confederacy, Jim Crow, and women as chattel were also about hierarchy, so Trump and pals are also looping us backward to a place we’ve been before.
The Confederacy, Jim Crow, and women as chattel were also about hierarchy, so Trump and pals are also looping us backward to a place we’ve been before.
15/ “MAGA” signifies reactionist politics: A desire to loop backward.
Trump wants to go back to unfettered police.
People melting town and saying, "OMG this is brand new in America" are wrong in that it is not new for Blacks.
Trump wants to go back to unfettered police.
People melting town and saying, "OMG this is brand new in America" are wrong in that it is not new for Blacks.
16/ I'll add women were chattel and other minority communities were targeted, but the heavy hand of the police fell most heavily on Black men.
The Portland protesters are protesting police brutality and insisting that Black Lives Matters.
This terrifies the hierarchy people.
The Portland protesters are protesting police brutality and insisting that Black Lives Matters.
This terrifies the hierarchy people.
17/ They don't believe it is about equality, equal treatment, or equal opportunity, because they don't believe these things are possible.
They think others want to replace them at the top of the hierarchy.
They think others want to replace them at the top of the hierarchy.
18/ It's not 1968 anymore. The GOP scare tactics that worked in the 1970s when Nixon chanted “law and order” don't work now.
America has changed.
The majority of white people also want fairness, so the GOP— the Party of Hierarchy—is in deep trouble. https://twitter.com/Nate_Cohn/status/1286627735398383616
America has changed.
The majority of white people also want fairness, so the GOP— the Party of Hierarchy—is in deep trouble. https://twitter.com/Nate_Cohn/status/1286627735398383616
This thread is a blog post here: https://terikanefield-blog.com/more-hierarchy-v-fairness/
