THIS is how political cults and conspiracy theories are born
When there is zero transparency between the government and the people, cult-like political movements centered on conspiracies tend to form.
No one knows this better than Darryl Cooper, co-host of “The Unraveling” podcast with Jocko Willink.
“People have this sense that something's gone terribly wrong, and they’re hungry for anything that might give them a sense of the history of that process,” Cooper tells James Poulos on “Zero Hour.”
“The idea that the citizenry has a right to be informed so that they can partake in the decision-making process that is, it’s just out the window. I mean that doesn’t really exist anymore and that creates a lot of holes in people’s understanding of the world,” Cooper continues.
He believes these holes are where the conspiracy theories and cult-like political movements begin to crop up.
“Those little crevices of secrecy are where conspiracy theories flourish,” Cooper explains, adding, “and they are flourishing.”
But it’s not a special group of people that fall down these holes and begin to spread conspiracies. It doesn’t matter how smart you are, the lack of trust between the government and the people affects us all.
“You already kind of see it with QAnon and, you know, things like that. I know people personally who — absolutely smart people — who were well put-together who got caught up in that QAnon stuff and lost their minds,” Cooper says.
He believes this is psychologically damaging and incredibly divisive.
“Politics is inherently dangerous,” he continues, adding, “It sets up us vs. them thinking.”
However, with the advent of smartphones, politics and conspiracy theories are at the tips of our fingers, waiting in our pockets to be mulled over and worried about constantly.
“Every day they’re engaged in politics,” Cooper says. “To maintain your equilibrium, you’ve got to be a pretty solid, well put-together person.”
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Jacob Chansley, the "QAnon Shaman" whom prosecutors called the "public face" of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, was sentenced to 41 months in prison Wednesday.
Chansley pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding. He was one of the first rioters to enter the Capitol building and the distinctive face paint and horns he wore during the events of that day feature prominently in pictures taken during the riot. Chansley admitted to using a bullhorn to rile up other rioters and to writing a threatening message to Vice President Mike Pence saying, "It's Only A Matter of Time. Justice Is Coming!"
While Chansley was never accused of violence, prosecutors argued that as "the public face of the Capitol riot" he needed to receive a harsh sentence for carrying a flagpole as a weapon, ignoring police orders to leave the building, and gloating about his actions after the riot had ended.
"What you did was terrible," Judge Royce Lamberth said at Chansley's sentencing hearing in federal court in Washington, D.C. Though lawyers for the defense had argued for leniency, the judge said Chansley's actions were so serious he could not "justify" a sentence lower than the minimum suggested by federal guidelines.
Chansley's sentence of 41 months in prison is tied for the longest sentence issued to date for any of the Capitol riot defendants who have pleaded guilty, according to CNBC News.
"I was wrong for entering the Capitol. I have no excuse. No excuse whatsoever," Chansley said. "The behavior is indefensible."
Speaking for himself before he was sentenced, Chansley cited Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and the Stephen King movie "The Shawshank Redemption" in comments expressing his remorse.
"I am truly, truly repentant of my actions," he said.
He denied being a violent man and "domestic terrorist" while admitting to his crime.
"I broke the law, and if I believe in freedom, and if I believe in law and order, and I believe in responsibility, then I should do what Gandhi would do, and take responsibility," Chansley said.
"I hope that you see my heart and my desire to live the life of Christ or Gandhi," Chansley he told the judge.
"I make this holy vow and this sacred oath, I will never re-offend again," he added.
Of the 650 people arrested for participating in the riot, more than 120 defendants have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanor charges punishable by no more than six months in prison.
Chansley and Scott Fairlamb, a New Jersey gym owner who last week was also sentenced to 41 months in prison for assaulting a police officer during the riot, have received the longest sentences so far.
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