Systems of a Down’s John Dolmayan Lightly Scolds Capitol Rioters, Questions the Legitimacy of Biden’s Presidency
The fourth most popular member of System of a Down, John Dolmayan, has released a message on social media in which he implies, but does not explicitly state, both that he doesn’t approve of Wednesday’s violence at Capitol and that he believes Joe Biden stole the election.
Dolmayan, of course, has been more famous recently for his support of Trump and far right racist conspiracy nonsense than he has for his music. Unsurprisingly, he was on the “Stop the Steal” bandwagon from the very beginning, telling Instagram followers on November 6 that “If the will of the American people is that Joe Biden is president then so be it but only if he achieved this without fraud or collusion” and “This election is not over nor should it be without complete transparency.”
His latest message was accompanied by the social media image teasing Trump’s “Save America” march — the very event that turned into a seditious riot which resulted in five deaths (one of those killed, it’s worth mentioning, was a police officer, who Trumpies like Dolmayan pretend to support.)
The statement reads:
“A rally, a protest , a movement , a debate , or any activism of any kind should be and can be conducted peacefully. There are those who’s goal it is to create a civil war of thought in this country and the polarization experienced in the last year has proven it. Our country is in need of sensible debate and a greater understanding of opposing views. Unfortunately I see a greater divide in the future and less acceptance of alternative thinking. Simply reading some of the comments below will show this . If Biden is in fact president I wish his presidency the best and will support the country in anyway I can , as an American that’s my responsibility and as a conservative that’s just my ideology.”
Some thoughts:
i) Joe Biden is, in fact, going to be president. There is no “if.” There is no credible evidence whatsoever that this election was stolen.
ii) There will definitely be less acceptance of “alternative thinking” if “alternative thinking” involves ignoring facts and inciting acts of violence.
iii) We should definitely have a greater understanding of opposing views, so long as those views are based in reality. Dolmayan might as well chide us not believing in the Tooth Fairy.
iii) Referring to what happened as a “rally,” “protest,” “movement,” whatever, legitimizes it in a reprehensible way.
iv) Not explicitly naming and condemning the rioters is a coward’s move.
Dolmayan, who purports to be concerned with the well-being of his ancestral home, Armenia, has still not commented on Trump’s decision to cut 70% of fiscal aid to Armenia in 2017, nor Trump’s claim last October that he he had the recently reignited conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the territory of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh) under control” (he didn’t) and that ending the violence “would be easy” (Russia ultimately brokered the truce that stopped the fighting).
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