Bad Surprises, Good Surprises: Reflections on the Trump Rally in New York City | Commentary

A portion of this commentary from Laura Flanders is featured in our episode "Another January 6 Insurrection? 'War Game' Film Asks if We’re Ready". Watch the full report here:    • Another January 6 Insurrection? 'War ...   SUBSCRIBE HERE for more bonus content:    / @lauraflandersandfriends  

"I went into New York City to attend Donald Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden, but I couldn't get in. It was so oversubscribed, I was surprised. And as I stood there in the penned-in area with other would-be attendees, we watched on the jumbotron and I wondered about the other things I'd seen that had surprised me. Some of them right there at The Garden. And one of those came to mind was in 1999, when V, then known as Eve Ensler of Vagina Monologues and V-Day and One Billion Rising fame, filled that 18,000 seat stadium, with women and their allies pledging themselves to stop violence against women and girls, to stop gender-based violence in our lifetime. Improbable? Unlikely? Unpredictable? You bet. They laced the whole place with red caution tape that read “rape-free zone.” Was it surprising? Yes, but it happened all the same, albeit with less media coverage. Other things have happened in the last few years that should surprise us and remind us of what we can accomplish when we decide to. We invested trillions of dollars in infrastructure rebuilding and creation of new jobs. We saw millions of people brought out of poverty thanks to an increase in the child tax credit. We saw pharmaceutical prices brought down. We saw investments in industries that will help reduce climate change. And we saw a pandemic stopped in its tracks, largely, by the very speedy creation of a vaccine. In our lifetime, too, I was reminded this past weekend at Madison Square Garden that we were celebrating the 100th anniversary of a public transportation system. The New York City subway, again the product of commitment, investment of public dollars for the public good. A surprise, perhaps, that we could ever accomplish such things. But we have. And we can do it again. So surprises, bad? Sure. Possible. Surprises, good? I'm putting my belief and confidence there. I think more good surprises are in store for us if we simply put our minds to it and maybe invest, invest a bit of our effort and our cash. Till the next time, I encourage you to spend the week as you will, but stay kind and stay curious. And join me back here next time when we convene a special all-star panel to reflect on Election Day. You can find all the information at our website. And don't forget, every week the podcast subscribers, the people that subscribe to our free podcasts receive the uncut version of every conversation. And believe you me. Much of the conversation that I'd love to bring to you ends up on the cutting room floor. So subscribe to the podcast. Subscribe to our channel right here on YouTube. And if you haven't told your friends about us, write a review or share with your pals. It's how we get out the word about this show."

--------------------------------------

What if January 6 happened again? Are we prepared for another post-election insurrection? “War Game” is a riveting political thriller that tackles this question head-on in what Rolling Stone calls, “the scariest documentary you’ll see this year.” “War Game” features a cast of senior officials war-gaming a constitutional crisis, including former North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp, playing a senior advisor to a newly elected President, Retired US Army Lieutenant General Jeffrey Buchanan and Janessa Goldbeck, a Marine Corps veteran and the CEO of Vet Voice Foundation. This time on Laura Flanders & Friends, Laura’s joined by Goldbeck who also produced the war game that is at the center of the film as well as the film’s directors, Tony Gerber and Jesse Moss, both of whom are award-winning filmmakers. Together they discuss why many Americans — disproportionately military veterans — have joined domestic extremist groups, and what can be done. What reforms to the Insurrection Act are necessary at this moment? All that, plus a commentary from Laura on Donald Trump’s appearance at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Laura Flanders & Friends is non-commercial independent media that relies on the contributions of viewers and listeners.

DONATE TODAY at https://lauraflanders.org/donate/ or consider becoming a PATREON partner at   / lauraflandersandfriends  
🔔Subscribe to get weekly episodes that prompt you to think critically about the world around you. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit the 'Like' button and share it with your network.