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Editor's Note: The following column was first published in City Journal and author Substack.
Elon Musk finds himself at the fulcrum of American life. His company leads the field across the automobile, space, robotics and AI industries. His ownership of social platform X has a major impact on him in political discourse. And his Doge initiative represents the single biggest threat to a permanent state of control. Musk is undoubtedly the most powerful man in the United States, including President Trump.
The left noticed. Left activists have long practiced a tactic known as “power mapping.” This involves schematizing opposing political movements and identifying “chokepoints.” They designated masks as one such chokepoint. This month, activists allegedly organized 500 protests against Tesla by Elon Musk, known as the “Tesla Takedown.” The emergence of individual patterns of injuring or spraying parked Teslas, aiming to threaten owners and potential owners and express hatred towards musk.
There is a precedent for this type of escalation. In the 1970s, following frustration during the civil rights era, left-wing shrapnel groups launched targeted terrorist campaigns and symbolic acts of violence. They bombed the US Capitol, assassinated police officers, and even self-snatched in imitation of Buddhist monks. The collapse of Black Lives Matter's movement has led to radical leftist factions trying to embrace violence, which could be in a similar stage today. If so, Tesla masked masks may be the number one target.
“Wide Domestic Terrorism”: Elon Musk urges authorities to “go after the general behind the Tesla attacks”
What exactly does this campaign motivate you? At its core, the left appears to have shifted from stories of “anti-human systems” to anti-Western stories, to racial and economic frameworks. The emotions driving a Tesla takedown are rooted in economic resilience and desire for leveling. Musk has become a symbol of all progressive opposition: olihead, capitalism, wealth, innovation. These are, in their view, marks of the oppressor. They lightly corn futuristic cybertrucks, SpaceX rockets, and Optimus robots, and believe that such works should be reused in chassis for public buses or i-beams for public housing.
While certain elements of left-wing Rudism work here, the majority of the motivations of these activists are responsive. Musk represents the victory of the greatest people in industry.
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Unfortunately, a Tesla takedown could be a success. The left may have identified Tesla as a choke point because it is easier to discourage consumers from buying cars related to malicious political causes, or fear could be destroyed. When it comes to buying a Tesla, fear among the average American is a stronger motivation than the enthusiasm of the Magazine.
Some evidence suggests that the campaign had an economic impact. Teslastock peaked around the time of President Donald Trump's inauguration and has since lost about 40% of its value. Musk accumulates more power than any other American, but that means he has more points of vulnerability. His wealth and power are tied to his corporation. Most importantly, his consumer car company, which depends on individual purchases rather than facility contracts (such as SpaceX).
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Trump shows that he understands this dilemma. He appeared at Tesla's White House and expressed his support for the mask company. Department of Justice prosecutors and state government allies will translate this support into policies by identifying and punishing those who destroy property as a means of political intimidation.
The administration needs to make it clear that radical leftist factions cannot use violence to exercise their veto over democratic governance. If the Trump-Mask partnership is to deliver meaningful results, it must be supported by the full protection of the law.
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