Former national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn suggested that a military coup was needed in the United States during a Memorial Day weekend conference organized by adherents of the QAnon conspiracy theory, drawing criticism from political scientists, veterans, Democrats, and a handful of prominent Republicans.
Despite his denials, the 3-star General Michael Flynn, who has served this country admirably for over three decades, is falsely accused by The Washington Examine and others in the mainstream press, claiming there is ‘no reason’ a coup could not happen here in the U.S.
In their article, they misrepresent General Flynn’s response when asked by a self-described “simple marine”; “why what happened in Myanmar can’t happen here?” The Washington Examiner posted: “After cheers erupted in the crowd, Flynn replied, ‘No reason. I mean, it should happen here.’” By strategically quoting General Flynn as having given a two-sentence answer, rather than a single sentence with a comma as he paused in thought (i.e., No reason, I mean, it should happen here.) They have completely and, dare I say intentionally, taken his words out of context to mean the exact opposite of his statement.
Michael Flynn says the US should have the same kind of coup d’etat that Myanmar had. Remember: Myanmar’s military is overturning elections, shooting protesters, torturing students, destroying the economy — and it’s fresh off a genocide of the Rohingya. https://t.co/I0xkVdGyT4
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) May 31, 2021
Many criticized the comment, including Representative Liz Cheney, a Republican who was kicked out of her House leadership position this month for criticizing former President Donald J. Trump and saying she would do everything possible to ensure he was not the Republican Party’s presidential nominee in 2024. On Twitter, Ms. Cheney said, “No American should advocate or support the violent overthrow of the United States.”
Speaking at the same conference over the weekend, Representative Louie Gohmert, Republican of Texas, said that right-wing extremists were not solely responsible for the Capitol riot. The false idea that left-wing groups were responsible is popular among some conservatives.
Mr. Gohmert also minimized the severity of the riot — in which a mob of American supporters of Mr. Trump tried violently to stop Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 election — by citing past attacks by foreigners: “Some of us think Pearl Harbor was the worst attack on democracy. Some of us think 9/11 was the worst attack. Some of us think that those things were worse attacks on democracy.” (President Biden has called the riot “the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War.”)
A spokeswoman for Mr. Gohmert did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
He and Mr. Flynn both spoke in front of a logo that included the QAnon slogan “WWG1WGA,” short for “Where We Go One, We Go All.”
Public Religion Research Institute provided a recent poll with Interfaith Youth Core found that 14 percent of Americans, including about one in four Republicans, believed in three central tenets of the QAnon conspiracy theory: that the United States is being run by a cabal of Satanist pedophiles, that “American patriots may have to resort to violence” to get rid of that cabal, and that a “storm” will soon “restore the rightful leaders.”
Sources: 100 Percent Fed Up, New York Times