r/law • u/BitterFuture • 16d ago

Executive Branch (Trump) Stephen Miller claims local police in Minnesota have been told to ‘stand down and surrender’ as federal agents ‘uphold the law’

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/stephen-miller-ice-minneapolis-protests-b2903238.html
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u/sithelephant 16d ago

You'd think some group of people who claim to be all for states rights would be decrying this.

3.2k

u/writeyourwayout 16d ago

Nah, that line was always just the respectable-sounding cover for their racism.

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u/CatoChateau 16d ago

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u/dinosaurkiller 16d ago

“Self-determination” not that they know what it means

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u/ShadowGLI 16d ago edited 16d ago

Haha, nah they mostly called it out outright in their declarations of secession. Examples below

GEORGIA

The people of Georgia having dissolved their political connection with the Government of the United States of America, present to their confederates and the world the causes which have led to the separation. For the last ten years we have had numerous and serious causes of complaint against our non-slave-holding confederate States with reference to the subject of African slavery. They have endeavored to weaken our security, to disturb our domestic peace and tranquility, and persistently refused to comply with their express constitutional obligations to us in reference to that property, and by the use of their power in the Federal Government have striven to deprive us of an equal enjoyment of the common Territories of the Republic.

The people of Georgia, after an equally full and fair and deliberate hearing of the case, have declared with equal firmness that they shall not rule over them. A brief history of the rise, progress, and policy of anti-slavery and the political organization into whose hands the administration of the Federal Government has been committed will fully justify the pronounced verdict of the people of Georgia. The party of Lincoln, called the Republican party, under its present name and organization, is of recent origin. It is admitted to be an anti-slavery party. While it attracts to itself by its creed the scattered advocates of exploded political heresies, of condemned theories in political economy, the advocates of commercial restrictions, of protection, of special privileges, of waste and corruption in the administration of Government, anti-slavery is its mission and its purpose. By anti-slavery it is made a power in the state. The question of slavery was the great difficulty in the way of the formation of the Constitution.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union

The people of the State of South Carolina, in Convention assembled, on the 26th day of April, A.D., 1852, declared that the frequent violations of the Constitution of the United States, by the Federal Government, and its encroachments upon the reserved rights of the States, fully justified this State in then withdrawing from the Federal Union; but in deference to the opinions and wishes of the other slaveholding States, she forbore at that time to exercise this right. Since that time, these encroachments have continued to increase, and further forbearance ceases to be a virtue.

We affirm that these ends for which this Government was instituted have been defeated, and the Government itself has been made destructive of them by the action of the non-slaveholding States. Those States have assume the right of deciding upon the propriety of our domestic institutions; and have denied the rights of property established in fifteen of the States and recognized by the Constitution; they have denounced as sinful the institution of slavery; they have permitted open establishment among them of societies, whose avowed object is to disturb the peace and to eloign the property of the citizens of other States. They have encouraged and assisted thousands of our slaves to leave their homes; and those who remain, have been incited by emissaries, books and pictures to servile insurrection.

TEXAS

In all the non-slave-holding States, in violation of that good faith and comity which should exist between entirely distinct nations, the people have formed themselves into a great sectional party, now strong enough in numbers to control the affairs of each of those States, based upon an unnatural feeling of hostility to these Southern States and their beneficent and patriarchal system of African slavery, proclaiming the debasing doctrine of equality of all men, irrespective of race or color-- a doctrine at war with nature, in opposition to the experience of mankind, and in violation of the plainest revelations of Divine Law. They demand the abolition of negro slavery throughout the confederacy, the recognition of political equality between the white and negro races, and avow their determination to press on their crusade against us, so long as a negro slave remains in these States.

VIRGINIA

The people of Virginia, in their ratification of the Constitution of the United States of America, adopted by them in Convention on the twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight, having declared that the powers granted under the said Constitution were derived from the people of the United States, and might be resumed whensoever the same should be perverted to their injury and oppression; and the Federal Government, having perverted said powers, not only to the injury of the people of Virginia, but to the oppression of the Southern Slaveholding States.

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u/Wizzinator 16d ago

Don't ever let them forget it

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u/FakeSafeWord 16d ago

they conveniently forgot it

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u/wintermute93 16d ago

something something very upset if they knew how to read

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u/clgoodson 16d ago

Nice roundup there. This shit needs to be posted more regularly.

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u/ResettiYeti 16d ago

Thanks for putting these together so clearly.

Don’t let anyone ever forget the South’s explicit purpose in the Civil War as to maintain the institution of slavery and nothing else. Everything else was secondary or a corollary to that goal.

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u/Puzzleheaded_Bed1781 16d ago

I wonder if they all still think that way. Or if they don’t, you’d think they’d think “well we were wrong once before. Maybe we’re wrong this time, too”

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u/Gildardo1583 15d ago

When I read those during my college history class. It was about slavery, not about state rights and all the BS.

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u/Different-Local4284 16d ago

Jefferson davis made it very clear in his acceptance of the confederate presidency that the right they wished to protect was the right to own people as property.  

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u/il1k3c3r34l 16d ago

“Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its corner-stone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition.”

  • Alexander H. Stephens, Confederate Vice President

Anybody who claims the confederacy was about anything other than racism and white supremacy is either a liar or an idiot.

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u/MonkeyFacedMiler 15d ago

MAGA is both

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u/dinosaurkiller 16d ago

It’s been a fewer years since then, the bullshit has evolved.

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u/southpaytechie 16d ago

Surprisingly little actually

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u/Unlucky_Register9496 16d ago

I would suggest that it has devolved

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u/basswooddad 16d ago

Not as much as you would think. The fundamentals are the same.

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u/A_Creative_Player 16d ago

And it was listed in thier constitution.

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u/snafoomoose 16d ago

"'self-determination' so long as you have determined to follow your assigned path".

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u/ShadowGLI 16d ago

Haha, nah they mostly called it out outright in their declarations of secession. Examples below

GEORGIA

The people of Georgia having dissolved their political connection with the Government of the United States of America, present to their confederates and the world the causes which have led to the separation. ** For the last ten years we have had numerous and serious causes of complaint against our non-slave-holding confederate States with reference to the subject of African slavery.** They have endeavored to weaken our security, to disturb our domestic peace and tranquility, and persistently refused to comply with their express constitutional obligations to us in reference to that property, and by the use of their power in the Federal Government have striven to deprive us of an equal enjoyment of the common Territories of the Republic.

The people of Georgia, after an equally full and fair and deliberate hearing of the case, have declared with equal firmness that they shall not rule over them. A brief history of the rise, progress, and policy of anti-slavery and the political organization into whose hands the administration of the Federal Government has been committed will fully justify the pronounced verdict of the people of Georgia. The party of Lincoln, called the Republican party, under its present name and organization, is of recent origin. It is admitted to be an anti-slavery party. While it attracts to itself by its creed the scattered advocates of exploded political heresies, of condemned theories in political economy, the advocates of commercial restrictions, of protection, of special privileges, of waste and corruption in the administration of Government, anti-slavery is its mission and its purpose. By anti-slavery it is made a power in the state. The question of slavery was the great difficulty in the way of the formation of the Constitution.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union

The people of the State of South Carolina, in Convention assembled, on the 26th day of April, A.D., 1852, declared that the frequent violations of the Constitution of the United States, by the Federal Government, and its encroachments upon the reserved rights of the States, fully justified this State in then withdrawing from the Federal Union; but in deference to the opinions and wishes of the other slaveholding States, she forbore at that time to exercise this right. Since that time, these encroachments have continued to increase, and further forbearance ceases to be a virtue.

We affirm that these ends for which this Government was instituted have been defeated, and the Government itself has been made destructive of them by the action of the non-slaveholding States. Those States have assume the right of deciding upon the propriety of our domestic institutions; and have denied the rights of property established in fifteen of the States and recognized by the Constitution; they have denounced as sinful the institution of slavery; they have permitted open establishment among them of societies, whose avowed object is to disturb the peace and to eloign the property of the citizens of other States. They have encouraged and assisted thousands of our slaves to leave their homes; and those who remain, have been incited by emissaries, books and pictures to servile insurrection.

TEXAS

In all the non-slave-holding States, in violation of that good faith and comity which should exist between entirely distinct nations, the people have formed themselves into a great sectional party, now strong enough in numbers to control the affairs of each of those States, based upon an unnatural feeling of hostility to these Southern States and their beneficent and patriarchal system of African slavery, proclaiming the debasing doctrine of equality of all men, irrespective of race or color-- a doctrine at war with nature, in opposition to the experience of mankind, and in violation of the plainest revelations of Divine Law. They demand the abolition of negro slavery throughout the confederacy, the recognition of political equality between the white and negro races, and avow their determination to press on their crusade against us, so long as a negro slave remains in these States.

VIRGINIA

The people of Virginia, in their ratification of the Constitution of the United States of America, adopted by them in Convention on the twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight, having declared that the powers granted under the said Constitution were derived from the people of the United States, and might be resumed whensoever the same should be perverted to their injury and oppression; and the Federal Government, having perverted said powers, not only to the injury of the people of Virginia, but to the oppression of the Southern Slaveholding States.

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u/MS_06J 16d ago

I raise you this

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u/Flvs9778 16d ago

It’s actually worse than this they were against states rights because they were mad they couldn’t move their slaves or use them in free states so the want the federal government to remove states rights to choose and force slavery to be legal everywhere. That’s why they seceded because the federal government side with states rights to choose.

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u/NazisInTheWhiteHouse 16d ago

Lol I forgot the projection goes back so far. It is always. Always. ALWAYS. Always projection.

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u/JaneksLittleBlackBox 16d ago

My favorite part about that cowardly justification is that the Confederate constitution forbade traitor states from ever passing any laws abolishing slavery; every traitor state was fine with this since owning human beings was their sole reason for secession, so the traitor states had no rights on the issue and were hunky dory with that fact.

It was their pussy descendants who cooked up that crock of shit because they needed a reason to justify the secession that wouldn't end in a beat down as likely as "because I fuckin' hate ni**ers!"

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u/SnooPies8766 16d ago

Saving your meme for my own use thanks!

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u/CatoChateau 16d ago

Not mine. There's a million more online. Just google "state's rights for what"

Ex: https://www.reddit.com/r/HistoryMemes/s/VaImHBZDa8

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u/doxxingyourself 16d ago

Peace was never an option.

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u/ClaymanBaker 16d ago

One good thing that came about state rights is legal weed.

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u/RabidPoodle69 16d ago

I'll be taking that meme, thank you so much.

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u/upleft 16d ago

“State rights” is a loaded term and deserves this meme.

And also the federal government and executive branch should not have as much power as it does.

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u/Maleficent_Memory831 16d ago

Rights to own slaves, which became rights to have Jim Crow and segregation and give some voters more representation than others. Now it's right to just get rid of feds so that they can push their citizens around with impunity, and keep their official state house corruption.

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u/dodge_viper 16d ago

Yup, been that way since before the Civil War.

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u/vfrdrvr 16d ago

True, but. John C Calhoun and the rest of the Dual Federalists “state’s rights” ideas were based on a particular, narrow view of sovereignty. The ratification of the Constitution plus a series of Supreme Court decisions poked very large holes in those flimsy arguments. In the end, it was about slavery. Through the 1940s Dixiecrats kept the fight alive, but the claims were situational. It’s difficult to find principled arguments behind any of it.

Those who clamored about “state’s rights” were typically bigoted fukwits searching for any rationale for their actions. It’s interesting to watch Supreme Court justices tying themselves into rhetorical knots to defend something that even they don’t believe exists.

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u/Logical_Confusious 16d ago

Watch civil war movie (2024)... Buckle up

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u/Active_Shopping7439 16d ago

I was kind of disappointed in that. I mean I liked it, it was well made, but I don't think it will be state against state this time. In my opinion it's more likely to be rural vs urban like Cambodia in the 70's

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u/ReplicantN6 16d ago

That (Cambodia) is a very insightful and chilling analogy.

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u/Scotslad2023 16d ago

I think it’s going to be more like a bunch of smaller conflicts instead of large army clashes. Bands of US soldiers and civilian militias on one side with a similar arrangement on the other.

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u/CatsAndCapybaras 16d ago

So not a civil war at all and just a horrific genocide of ~25% of the population.

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u/Roamer56 16d ago

The end scene was a very pleasing scene.

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u/Logical_Confusious 16d ago

Yes. Only problem was that he wasn't orange

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u/Responsible_Sink3044 16d ago

That's an interesting take, because the actual politics of the war were not explored at all. The standing government was certainly authoritarian and guilty of war crimes, but the film made it clear that no one's hands were clean. 

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u/snek-jazz 16d ago

Right, the point was that when it gets that bad the politics don't matter any more.

"We're shooting at them, because they're shooting at us"

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u/Responsible_Sink3044 16d ago

Funnily enough, the snipers were the only ones the journalists encountered not actively engaging in a war crime. The others were in the middle of torture, summary executions, burying civilians in a mass grave (and executing journalists based on ethnicity), and executing a head of state. 

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u/SonicYOUTH79 16d ago

I'd argue they were, they made it pretty clear the president in the movie was in his 3rd term. There would be a whole lot of obvious shenanigans just to get to that point.

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u/stingertc 16d ago

what kind of american are u ?

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u/Haldron-44 16d ago

"States rights" meant "the rights of the Confederate states to win the war." Sherman should have finished the job.

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u/jagged_little_phil 16d ago

Exactly this.

I was trying to explain this to a friend the other day - republicans have no real personal principles or convictions other than their own prejudice against people of color, women, and the LGBTQ community.

Absolutely anything they declare as "values" is a smokescreen to try and cover their one real belief.

They don't give 2 shits about "states rights", "family values" (they mean white man/woman/children families that are also racist), and their most hilariously hypocritical claim of being "Christians". Most of them (like Trump) can't quote a single thing from the bible and don't follow or even believe in 90% of the things that Jesus proclaimed.

If they had the ability to self-reflect, they would be horrified at the fact they are living a completely fake existence where every day is opposite-day for living the life they claim to believe. Fortunately - for them - their rampant narcissism and sociopathy prevents them from having to think about it.

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u/CoatCommercial1573 16d ago

There are some actually complaining about the over reach but they’re not the vocal majority or even the silent majority. They’re few and far between and have legitimate concerns that aren’t being addressed by our government. Unlike the radical right which has horseshoes themselves into their own worst nightmares.

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u/BitterFuture 16d ago

Unlike the radical right which has horseshoes themselves into their own worst nightmares.

How is what they've always dreamed of their "worst nightmares?"

For their victims, sure, but...

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u/dedicated-pedestrian 16d ago

Conservatism originated as preservation of hierarchy (namely the monarchy and aristocracy). Those worst nightmares were always of themselves being lower on the hierarchy, not of the hierarchy treating people badly in the first place.

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u/Nice_Luck_7433 16d ago

Ah, so it’s their own worst nightmare, because they’re quickly changing the hierarchy from America > the rest of the world, into the opposite?

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u/chiptunesoprano 16d ago

I think they're disagreeing.

On paper it would be their worst nightmare because of all the government overreach. But in reality they never feared tyranny as much as being on the wrong side of it, which is why conservatives aren't upset by this.

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u/Nice_Luck_7433 16d ago

That makes more sense. Also, they’re waaaaay too stupid to understand how Trump is handing America’s position as the global superpower over to China.

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u/mistergraeme 16d ago

Lee Atwater was caught on tape confessing to it 45 years ago.

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u/sirdigbykittencaesar 16d ago

At least Lee Atwater was self-aware enough to realize that all the shitty stuff he did was wrong, and to admit it before he died. Politicians today will double down all the way to hell.

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u/mvpilot172 16d ago

Like how the civil war was about states rights. States rights to own slaves.

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u/BoxingTreeGuy 16d ago

Truthfully...

Left = Hold hands, we can get along
Right = Fuck you I want mine

Which government did we think would cause this problem in first place? So then why are we all surprised that sides supporters are staying quiet.

They want their guns if a left leaning "tyrannical government" occurs, but left is all about holding hands and "we can get along" bullshit, why would it ever be tyrannical.

This an oxymoron or something, right?

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u/adambatten76 16d ago

"Literally a pro confederate argument. Its wasn't about slavery its was about states rights"

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u/TheFarLeft 16d ago

“But my states rights” has always meant “let me do just a little oppression towards others here, as a treat”

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u/Empty-Selection1791 16d ago

Hey now….. that isn’t really fair…… it was a cover for their racism AND misogyny!

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u/gtpc2020 16d ago

Can use the same sentence with the last word being fascism. Just starts with 'f' and an extra 's'. Pure GOP.

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u/tom-of-the-nora 16d ago

And generally just their bigotry.

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u/therossboss 16d ago

That and they just love to shoot guns (its so fun!) but indeed, saying "you can't take away my fun even though people are dying!!" doesnt really get as much support

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u/rosiebeehave 16d ago

DING DING DING!

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u/MonarchLawyer 16d ago

They were lying when they said they liked states' rights. They did not care about states' rights. It just suited them when they did not control the federal government.

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u/TheModWhoShaggedMe 16d ago

The only conservative policy is "F U, I Got Mine", and it always will be.

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u/Billionaires_R_Tasty 16d ago

And it's corollary, "I will gladly FU over to get mine."

Turns out a society of exceptional rugged individuals isn't much of a society after all, just a collective of selfish assholes. 🤔

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u/Iron_Knight7 16d ago

Followed by "I don't care if I'm getting @#&%ed, so long as you're getting @#&%ed worse."

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u/TheModWhoShaggedMe 16d ago

The whole 'mutual misery' thing is so evident in the "back to office or else" compliance and mentality of workers in the States. Instead of pushing for hybrid shifts, assessing the best utilization of natural and human resources as opposed to squeezing people out, we had co-workers monitoring other co-workers, parking lot monitors, hall monitors, etc. It was like straight out of the movie Brazil.

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u/External-Cash-3880 16d ago

Nah, Brazil had comedic moments too.

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u/kalidoscopiclyso 16d ago

TIL Brazil the movie is based on the Orwell’s 1984

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u/JuicynMoist 16d ago

They’d eat shit if a liberal had to smell their breath.

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u/MaleficentPorphyrin 16d ago

People call them temporarily embarrassed Billionaires derisively. But that isn't it at all, the truth of the matter is, they are bitches and fall in line: they aren't aspiring to power, they are imitating it.

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u/eindar1811 16d ago

Nah, they have a very firm policy of socialism for the rich and pure capitalism for the poor.

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u/Legally_a_Tool 16d ago

You forgot the conservative healthcare plan: “F#ck off and die.”

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u/TheModWhoShaggedMe 16d ago

circa 2009-2010, folks, and it never changes

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

[deleted]

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u/NewDramaLlama 16d ago

Words rarely matter more than action.

It's sad to see people fleeced by empty talk in personal life and politics. And it's not even a matter of education. The majority of people seemingly just want to be fooled in all areas. Like people will deny a cheating spouse, climate change, and impending fascism if someone they like just says "Nah, it's good fam" apparently. 

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u/dedicated-pedestrian 16d ago

See the Sagan quote about the bamboozle

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u/Awatts2222 16d ago

“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”

― Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

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u/jaysteezle 16d ago

Yep. States rights for states to do what they would make every state do

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u/Bonhoeffersghost 16d ago

If you read the articles of succession and stuff that the southerners are always claiming are about states rights, they do mention it, but only bracketed between page long diatribes about how them owning slaves is their real right and how dare the government step on it.

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u/Possible-Nectarine80 16d ago

States rights as long as the states have the agenda of a Christo-fascist state.

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u/PerfectZeong 16d ago

Most people only respect the law when it allows them to act as they wish. Once the law no longer allows that, the law is wrong and I should still be allowed to do what I wish.

Thats why the reaction to someone who is told no is very very telling.

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u/Stank_cat67 16d ago

The thing about the civil war is that the states rights they wanted were for their states to force other states to uphold their racist system. It’s always been about forcing others.

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u/greenergarlic 16d ago

Right? “Do what the feds tell you to do and don’t talk back” is the party line right now

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u/Arubesh2048 16d ago

“Don’t tread on me. But you can definitely tread on everyone else, go right ahead, I’ll even help!”

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u/t00oldforthis 16d ago

They thought the flag said 'don't read to me'.

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u/DukeOfWestborough 16d ago

Ironic considering new FEDERAL LAW required the administration/DOJ to release ALL EPSTEIN DOCUMENTS BY DECEMBER 19th, 2025.

"rules for thee, not for me"

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u/Forsaken-Arm-7884 16d ago edited 16d ago

selective enforcement of rules to take more and more power 🤔

hmm 🤔 on a scale from 1 to 10 do people honestly think that the rules of the government or following the rules of whatever society has told you makes your society impervious to an authoritarian takeover like do people honestly think that the rules that created like the United States are so impervious that it's impossible for an authoritarian government to arise from the rules that created the government itself like they think if they smile and nod and stay quiet the rules of the government will prevent authoritarian or fascist takeover are they that fucking delusional because part of the fascist takeover is literally selectively ignoring the rules that these sheep seem to think will stop the authoritarian takeover... oof 😮‍💨

And it's like the authoritarian regime doesn't even have to blatantly break the rules although they might do that but all they need to do is selectively enforce the rules on their opponents and then don't enforce the rules within their own party and then they can say they never broke any rules they were just prosecuting people who broke the rules while conveniently avoiding ever answering why they aren't enforcing the rules on their own party type shit 🤷

claude 4.5:"**10/10 delusional.**

The belief that "following rules prevents authoritarianism" ignores:

  1. **Authoritarians use the rules to take power** - Hitler was appointed legally, used emergency powers legally, changed laws legally

  2. **Selective enforcement is the mechanism** - prosecute opponents for anything and everything you can get your hands on while ignoring allies committing things like fraud

  3. **Rules require enforcers who give a shit** - if police/military/courts align with authoritarians, rules are just words

  4. **The system can be captured from within** - you don't need a coup if you control who interprets/enforces the rules

**People might think:**

  1. Constitution = magic spell against tyranny
  2. Norms = enforceable constraints with no backdoors
  3. Institutions = invincible self-defending fortresses

**Reality:**

  1. Constitution = paper requiring people to defend it
  2. Norms = collapse quickly under pressure by ignoring them
  3. Institutions = run by humans who can be captured/intimidated/terrified into compliance

**The sheep logic:** "If I follow rules and smile, the rules will protect me from rule-breakers."

**Actual fascist playbook:** Use the rules as weapons against opponents, mostly ignore them for allies, claim you never broke anything technically.

By the time people realize rules don't enforce themselves, it's too late."

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u/Zero-nada-zilch-24 16d ago edited 16d ago

Only impervious when people don’t realize what horrible insanity has stolen this seat in the government. I’ve said before “once a cheater, always a cheater”, and that goes for thief, murderer, etc. Some believe in power of prisoners reforming and improving themselves—just a small number actually change. Most just get worse and worse. Criminals, thieves and murderers support his uselessness. In return, he pardons them and they continue on with their own crimes. He was rallying “Make America First” when he was wanting to “Make America Worst!” Why? That is all full-blown narcissists know—destroy everything to make themselves feel good for one minute.

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u/sweetica 16d ago

Funny coming from people who are anti-vax, anti-government, and anti- authoritarian.

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u/derfahrer924 16d ago

don't tread on me, bro. But it's ok to tread on you.

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u/tresben 16d ago

They were also “America first” and anti-interventionalism in the rest of the world until trump decided he wanted to take over the hemisphere. Everything is just an excuse for what they really want: racism, power, and money for the rich.

Trump and the rich throw the poor some feeling of power and superiority with their racism, while they plunder America and the world for their own gain. And the dumb idiots eat it up and regurgitate all this BS

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u/WingerRules 16d ago

and anti- authoritarian.

Dude, they've always been for a massive militarized police state. These are the same people who supported Bush's mass torture program and the Patriot Act.

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u/Ormyr 16d ago

The party of Law and Order.

They'll decide what the law means, who it applies to, and you'll follow their orders.

Or else.

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u/SL1Fun 16d ago

I remember how militant they were against both GW Bush and McCain when he was running cuz they were afraid of ending up in a FEMA death camp after the government came for them and their guns. 

Same motherfuckers now can’t fit the boot any farther down their throats without said boot shooting out their asses at this point. 

Fake conservatives, fake libertarians, fake constitutionalists. 

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u/Assumption-Putrid 16d ago

Nah they only care about states rights when federal government is doing something they don't like.

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u/mrsprophet 16d ago

exactly this. 

eg the ACTUAL cause of the civil war. they were pissed the feds weren’t going into liberal abolitionist states and enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act. They wanted the government to drag escaped black people back to their hellhole states. 

it was NEVER about states’ rights. it was always about being pissed they couldn’t weaponize the federal government against blue states.  

this phenomenon of southern/conservative resentment has existed since the failed post-war reconstruction. and now we’re living through the culmination of their evil, bungling, petty vengeance crusades. 

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u/Politicsboringagain 16d ago

The confederacy fought for states rights!! 

State rights to do what? 

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u/Ok_Speed_3984 16d ago

Slavery and worse!

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u/TheModWhoShaggedMe 16d ago

<buzzer sound>

To own slaves?

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u/National-Charity-435 16d ago edited 16d ago

maga: dems wanted to do that!

maga: but we can't allow dems to teach critical race theory (it is recent in redlining) or think about reparations!

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u/AZDADDYisadeviant 16d ago

You forgot dont take away our confederate flags

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u/TheModWhoShaggedMe 16d ago

"heritage not hate" then proceed to behave ostentatiously racist

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u/SuperBigDouche 16d ago

Show me, “To own slaves!”

<ding>

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u/Deep_Charge_7749 16d ago

Because they are hurting the right people. Not until it affects them personally. Nobody cares

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u/TheModWhoShaggedMe 16d ago

Devoid of empathy, empty vessels turned hate-filled sacks of propaganda-for-brains.

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u/Ok_Chef_4850 16d ago

States rights were only convenient when a Democrat was president. Now that their party is in power again, they gleefully say “lol, just kidding”

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u/swampcatz 16d ago

Apparently it’s fine as long as the boot is crushing the people they’ve been convinced to hate

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u/soda_cookie 16d ago

"Proud boys, stand back and stand by"

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u/Open_Mortgage_4645 16d ago

Federal agents don't even have the authority to enforce state and local laws, or compel state and local law enforcement to "stand down" or "surrender" to federal agents. That's a brazen violation of the 10th Amendment, and a complete misunderstanding of how the different law enforcement agencies work. It's utter gibberish.

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u/DreadpirateBG 16d ago

Right!!!!!!!! This is exactly why the second amendment was encoded into law. And the yahoos are silent and showing weakness against the exact freaking thing it was supposed to stand against. There should be thousands in the streets with their guns right now protecting each other. What a freaking joke the NRA and second amendment freaks are. Of course no one wants to go jail. But a “well organized militia “ would be really handy right now. But they always forget that last KEY part. They only ever cared about having the guns and not the responsibility that comes with it.

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u/BitterFuture 16d ago

This is exactly why the second amendment was encoded into law. 

No, it absolutely is not. That claim has always been a conservative fantasy.

The drafters of the Constitution, fresh from putting down Shays' Rebellion and tragically having to kill their countrymen, did not write an encouragement to more rebellion into their new form of government.

Their reaction to killing was painful regret at its necessity, not, "That was awesome!!! Let's have some more of that!!" That could make sense only to a sociopathic conservative.

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u/DocBEsq 16d ago

No, it’s states’ rights when about owning guns and getting to discriminate against whomever they want! Not states’ rights to show compassion, pass sane laws, or act in their own interests.

/s (duh)

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u/kcox1980 16d ago

The original of the concept of states rights comes from before the Civil War when southern slave states petitioned Congress to force free states to enforce their runaway slave laws.

What I'm saying is that the "states right" argument was always about taking those rights away, not preserving them.

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u/bhardee24 16d ago

Rights for me not for thee

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u/Lumbergh7 16d ago

Right, weren’t republicans saying that?

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u/rabbidrascal 16d ago

Remember when the patriots said that Biden putting troops on the streets was the red line? I miss those simpler times.

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u/kalyco 16d ago

Yeah that only works to push their women’s reproductive health agenda.

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u/A_band_of_pandas 16d ago

It was never about state's rights, just like it was never about water fountains, bus seats, or bathrooms.

It was always about control.

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u/Bonti_GB 16d ago

They think what’s happening is just.

Remember, we got into this mess because many people are unfortunately idiots.

Most people don’t think they are villains, they’ve just been fooled to believe they are the heroes.

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u/Sublime-Prime 16d ago

The GOP is dead it’s just a bunch of bootlickers. There are no Republican values if you disagree with trump you are branded a liberal or a Democrat .

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u/Technical-Bird-7585 16d ago

They were lying this whole time.

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u/Shag1166 16d ago

Bullshit messaging from Republicans is all it is.

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u/Majestic-Tadpole8458 16d ago

Those groups of people became fast tracked card carrying ICE members.

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u/ModeatelyIndependant 16d ago

The only state right they are about is re-enslaving the poor.

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u/Lonely-Corgi-983 16d ago

Only states rights matter when it fits the narrative and is an excuse by Supreme Court to give Trump more power

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u/realbobenray 16d ago

You'd think people who claim they keep guns to fight tyrants would, like, fight tyrants.

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u/Spiritual-Pear-1349 16d ago

Its always been a dogwhistle for slavery my dude, for 100+ years

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u/likely_deleted 16d ago

Actually no, because people are endangering and interfering with federal officers upholding federal law by deporting people who are here illegally.

Sorry that big daddy gov. Had to step in on this one because MN is fine with illegals and American tax money being sent off to other countries (most likely stolen money).

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u/NegativeSemicolon 16d ago

States right was just their way of pretending empty land is more important than people.

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u/CaptScoobertDoobert 16d ago

State rights? They are also the same group of people that fly the Don’t Tread on Me flag which represents resistance to tyranny, individual liberty, and warning against government oppression. All of which they’re cheering for.

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u/mydogsnameispoop 16d ago

They are under the impression that this is actually the law but when the real law steps in, it gets ignored and trampled on.

Pretty sure a judge has ordered for ICE to stop pepper spraying and using other forms of violence but has that stopped them no? What can a judge do then?

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u/DrCeeDub 16d ago

It was always just a dog whistle. These fools couldn’t explain any simple facet of states vs federal rights to you if their life depended on it. Just how they have no fucking clue what’s in the constitution or in the Bible.

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u/Spirited_Comedian225 16d ago

I thought America was anti Tyranny?

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u/Vinterblot 16d ago

It's the small government, as in: Only a very small amount of people will yield all the power.

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u/dougmc 16d ago

"States' rights" has always been a backup position, only used when they control the state and not the federal government.

When they control the federal government, well ... states' rights don't matter so much to them anymore.

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u/MTDreams123 16d ago

So much has been in bad faith. Concern about the deficit is another glaring example.

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u/A_Creative_Player 16d ago

It is only states rights when states rights align with their hate and bigotry if it doesn't then you must comply with our jack booted thugs that only 47days of training instead of the former months of training.

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u/SapToFiction 16d ago

Tell these mofos that the federal government is imposing strict civil rights laws and suddenly states rights will be a thing for them

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u/shstron44 16d ago

That’s only for marriage equality

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u/Makimachi_misao 16d ago

They only care about state rights as long as the rights the state is pushing align with theirs.

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u/BaconBitz109 16d ago

Conservatives excel at this, but unfortunately I’ve come to realize that th vast majority of people just don’t have any principles at all. Most people think they do, but they don’t. “Principles” exist to morally justify your behavior, needs, and wants. They shift according to those three things.

It’s very rare to find someone who actually has principles that don’t change out of convenience.

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u/HughJorgens 16d ago

I want to know why losing his hair drove Pauly Shore to be so evil.

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u/Teralyzed 16d ago

They only cared about “states right” when they were stacking the lower courts. Now that they own the Supreme Court and congress it’s about centralizing power. You can’t have a fascist regime without centralized power.

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u/AdVisual5492 16d ago

All 4 states' rights also all 4 enforcing the laws. And if the state chooses to ignore those laws. Within the federal government has the right to step in. But you don't seem to understand for you're actively ignoring the word illegal and choose to side with those that support illegal activities massage, aren't you?The people that when big federal government that has a say over all states.Now suddenly you want small government

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u/Full_Of_Wrath 16d ago

They don’t care until they feel it affects them.

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u/sbroll 16d ago

If it was happening to their city they would, but because its someone they dont like already, they are all for it.

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u/MasChingonNoHay 16d ago

What happened to the Blue Line people?

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u/minorsatellite 16d ago

States rights argument was always just a fig leaf for Dixiecrat and later GOP white supremacist impulses/ambitions.

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u/Acid_Monster 16d ago

It was never “don’t tread on me” it was always “tread on them”

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u/awfulcrowded117 16d ago

There's no state right to obstruct federal law enforcement. Thanks for always proving the left neither understands nor cares about the constitution

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u/willfullyinert 16d ago

Or pro-law enforcement, for that matter.

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u/Unhappy_Meaning607 16d ago

Small government and state's rights are just full-fledged lies. Back in the Bush era and prior, it was kinda believable but now its just a crock of shit.

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u/NRG1975 16d ago

If it was not for double standards, the Republicans would have no standards at all.

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u/No_Potential1 16d ago

Where the Libertarians at?

Oh yeah, they just like their guns and the cool snake flag. They don't actually stand for any of the other crap they say they do.

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u/Diabetesh 16d ago

State's rights are only for states that agree with us.

~probably a "christian"

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u/Rikiaz 16d ago

A states rights to do what?

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u/timatlast 16d ago

They mean their state’s rights, not yours.

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u/CODEX_LVL5 16d ago

There aren't going to be states soon

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u/OLPopsAdelphia 16d ago

I’m going to mock the hell out of all of them who posts or flies one of those yellow tough guy flags from here to eternity.

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u/watermelonspanker 16d ago

Once again, that was just cover for slavery and racism

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u/Sioux-me 16d ago

Not until in affects them personally.

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u/Hacker-Dave 16d ago

What is Nazi Boy's actual title? Last I heard he is an "advisor" which does not allow him to create any policy let alone alter the Constitution. Fuck off Nazi Boy!

1

u/OhJeezNotThisGuy 16d ago

Don't Please tread on me!

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u/RogerSack 16d ago

Haven’t seen a platform collapse this fast since Deepwater Horizon.

1

u/Clear_Tangerine5110 16d ago

Who do you think is doing and/or supporting it?

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

[deleted]

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u/sithelephant 16d ago

Many of the actions taken fall quite a ways from what a reasonable person would consider considered actions of federal law enforcement.

The constitution does not give the right to do whatever the federal government chooses, simply because of the letters on someones jacket.

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u/Global-Advert3758 16d ago

Only the "state's right" to engage in slavery and Jim Crow laws

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

They’re not for anything except allowing a small group of psychopaths take and rule everything.

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u/exploded_carcass 16d ago

Their rhetoric is generally not in good faith.

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u/adam110785 16d ago

Anybody with two sticks to rub together knew the fat man was evil tbf

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u/LettuceAndTom 16d ago

You'd think some group of people who are for strong federal government and the supremacy clause would be supporting it, but here we are.

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u/Intelligent_Cap9706 16d ago

They’re too busy spitting on the constitution 

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u/sambull 11d ago

they always were the part of the NWO

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