# When is an attempted coup not an attempted coup? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 20, 2023, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991 "2023-04-20T22:15:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2023, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/1 "2023-04-20T22:16:00Z")
Uhhh. Hey guys, I’m not like you know very right-wing or Trumpist or anything, but uhhh… you know I think we have to be careful with our language concerning the J6 riot. I mean, look, this was just a riot that got a little out of control. Really almost like a tour group, but a little out of control. Barely any police were injured or killed. And afterall, antifa got to riot, so why aren’t Proud Boys allowed to riot? It is only fair. And look, just because their stated purpose was to go and overturn by violence the election results and have Trump installed as president, and that’s the very definition of a coup, I don’t think we should be throwing around the coup word. Haven’t we all done a little coup every now and then? Besides, they had good reasons. They had definite good reasons to believe that the election was stolen. Now those reasons were lies, but that doesn’t matter. And it also doesn’t matter that the right consistently holds that reasons for doing a crime don’t matter. But this is different because you know. I don’t need to spell it right, it is pretty obvious? Sigh. **ETA** : This is a parody of [Does Overturning an Election equate to Overthrowing the Government?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-overturning-an-election-equate-to-overthrowing-the-government/982986) ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2023, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/2 "2023-04-20T22:25:42Z")
> [@BeepKillBeep](#): > > Barely any police were injured or killed. And hey, no police actually died on that _exact day_, amiright? So that’s a wash. And anyway, maybe they had pre-existing conditions. So stop being such babies. And hey, this talk about police dying is a hijack. So stop that, mkay? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2023, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/3 "2023-04-20T22:28:22Z")
Your frustration is understandable. I don’t think the poster in question is trolling or intentionally malicious, I just think his TV is for some unfortunate reason tuned to Fox News far too much of the time, resulting in the gradual development of mental aberrations eventually resulting in psychotic delusions. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2023, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/4 "2023-04-20T22:31:29Z")
I agree with you 100%. I don’t think they’re being malicious or trolling. That’s almost sadder. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2023, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/5 "2023-04-20T22:36:47Z")
What is everybody complaining about? Trump personally sent in the National Guard as soon as there was any hint of trouble.\*\* \*\* Not an actual fact. May be from an alternative reality. Consult your doctor if swelling persists. Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/6 "2023-04-20T22:55:33Z")
Q. When is an attempted coup not an attempted coup? A. When it fails. Then it becomes a mutiny. For consequences, see the [Articles of War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articles_of_War). ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2023, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/7 "2023-04-20T23:10:17Z")
From that OP: “I am NOT a Trump supporter. I do NOT condone what happened that day. I don’t watch FOX. My intention is NOT to minimize what happened that day, but to accurately describe it for what it was.” Either a straight up liar, or the straight up dumbest motherfucker I’ve encountered in years. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2023, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/8 "2023-04-20T23:20:56Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > I don’t watch FOX. Pretty sure he mistyped “I don’t watch anything except Fox”. Which, incidentally, is quite consistent and certainly not mutually exclusive with “dumbest motherfucker I’ve encountered in years”. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2023, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/9 "2023-04-20T23:25:02Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > A. When it fails. Then it becomes a mutiny. > For consequences, see the [Articles of War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articles_of_War). That’s a military offense not applicable to civilians. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2023, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/10 "2023-04-20T23:26:35Z")
You are saying these roosters weren’t a “well organised militia”? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/11 "2023-04-21T00:00:03Z")
> [@BeepKillBeep](#): > > But this is different because you know. I don’t need to spell it right, it is pretty obvious? No, not obvious… The first time I read your polemic, I just assumed it was some sort of weirdly sarcastic performance piece (like, an Andy Kaufmann wrestling-level mind game). But now, I’m starting to think I should just sidle away from the man shouting in the middle of the street (which I just had to do on State Street this afternoon). ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/12 "2023-04-21T00:01:14Z")
![](https://media.tenor.com/ZRH_bXPu9-oAAAAC/gilderoy-lockhart-pretty-obvious.gif "Gilderoy Lockhart Pretty Obvious GIF - Gilderoy Lockhart Pretty Obvious Harry...") Might have been too obscure. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/13 "2023-04-21T00:14:00Z")
> [@BeepKillBeep](#): > > And afterall, antifa got to riot, so why aren’t Proud Boys allowed to riot? It is only fair. I humbly suggest we set up an Impartial Panel Of Riot Proportionality (IPORP), with a mandate to track all riots, with full accounting of people killed, beaten, gasses, frightened, inconvenienced and delayed; windows smashed; stores burnt and/or looted; and the power to assign cash values to each “side” (Anti-fa, Regular Fa, BLM (Both Black Lives Matter and the Bureau of Land Management); the N(FL,HL,BA); Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, Drunks Against Mad Mothers; The Voice, American Idol). At the end of every quarter, they will produce a report on which side is behind in their rioting, and establish a two-week period in which only the lagging side is permitted to riot, up to and including the value of the riot by which they are behind. In this way, we can establish a fair and equitable balance in the effect such rioting has on both our politics and our culture. You know it just makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/14 "2023-04-21T00:32:23Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Your frustration is understandable. I don’t think the poster in question is trolling or intentionally malicious, I just think his TV is for some unfortunate reason tuned to Fox News far too much of the time, resulting in the gradual development of mental aberrations eventually resulting in psychotic delusions. > [@BeepKillBeep](#): > > I agree with you 100%. I don’t think they’re being malicious or trolling. That’s almost sadder. Eh, have you forgotten to switch to your sock account when posting this reply? Or are you contradicting your OP while talking about yourself in the third person? ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/15 "2023-04-21T00:33:24Z")
I don’t get it. Are you saying I’m wolfpup? ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/16 "2023-04-21T00:34:20Z")
I just saw your edit. I am mocking a recent post in P&E concerning the coup. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/17 "2023-04-21T00:35:13Z")
Oh well, I’m sorry, been whooshed. I must have missed the thread in P&E. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/18 "2023-04-21T00:35:57Z")
No worries. I would have linked to it but we’re not supposed to do that I don’t think. I had hoped the sarcasm would shine though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/19 "2023-04-21T00:41:32Z")
> [@BeepKillBeep](#): > > I had hoped the sarcasm would shine though. 🙂 With all those crazies of today, Poe’s Law gets fuzzier every day, at least for me. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991/20 "2023-04-21T00:45:15Z")
You can link to it. You can’t call the Op of the other thread a troll in the title and then link to it, but this title is fine. Also discouraged are direct links in the Trolls R Us thread as it causes issues at times, but that is more a guidance than a rule. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-an-attempted-coup-not-an-attempted-coup/982991.md?page=2)