As if there weren’t enough to worry about during the pandemic, let me introduce you to “The Boogaloo”, which is the affectionate nickname that gun-fetishizing white supremacist fascist militias have given to the second American Civil War they eagerly anticipate. (The name comes from the movie “Breaking 2: Electric Boogaloo” for some reason.)
They are nerdily dedicated to this event in a way that makes Star Trek fans look like amateurs. They have other nicknames for the Boogaloo that are slant rhymes, like “Big Igloo” and “Big Luau.” They talk about it constantly and openly on social media, as well as in more secretive online areas.
Here’s a “funny” meme about how sad they are that covid hasn’t (yet) caused more starvation and concomitant social unrest (more after the pic):
You may see pics or video of armed white men wearing Hawaiian shirts who are involved in the protests against stay-at-home rules, or, more recently, the George Floyd murder protests. The Hawaiian shirts are not only a reference to “Big Luau” but also serve as their reasonably clever agreed-upon tactic for visually discerning friend from foe when the urban warfare they’re so excited about begins.
I urge you to read the brief Twitter thread I link to at the end of this post by a guy who has written and researched a lot about these terrorists.
I’m hoping this remains just an evil fantasy of a bunch of keen racists, but, if “Boogaloo” happens, there is no question it will dramatically impact people across the country. Some of these guys fantasize openly about rounding up liberals and dropping them to their deaths from helicopters, as Pinochet, whom they admire, did to his ideological opponents.
These are the equivalent of the Nazi German brownshirts. If Trump loses the election it wouldn’t surprise me to see them occupy state houses and even the Capitol Building, as similarly-minded Cliven Bundy occupied the Bureau of Land Management offices after an armed takeover. (Trump pardoned him last year.)
There are more guns in America than people, and these forces have never been more confident, organized and motivated.
Please read this. It takes less than ten minutes.
