Republicans Discovered Protests Exist — Again.
When Republicans call for cracking down on 'No Kings' protests, MSNBC cries foul, as if this brand of anti-democratic fervor is a fresh, partisan invention. Let's not forget the bipartisan glee with which protest movements have been met with force: from COINTELPRO targeting civil rights activists, to Democrats deploying police against Occupy Wall Street, to the militarized response at Standing
Rock under Obama. The playbook for quashing dissent—especially when it threatens corporate or geopolitical interests—is a cherished, cross-aisle heirloom. The media frames right-wing rhetoric as uniquely 'ugly' now, but where was this outrage when Democratic mayors declared curfews and ordered arrests for Black Lives Matter demonstrations? Or when critics of Israel's actions faced doxxing,
harassment, and career repercussions, often with bipartisan silence? The 'ugliness' isn't new; it just depends on whose ox is being gored, and if the protest aligns with the establishment's preferred narrative. Apparently, free speech is only beautiful when it's politically convenient.