Chaos Comes Calling: The Battle Against the Far-Right Takeover of Small-Town America

by Sasha Abramsky

A harrowing tale of how polarization threatened to break apart two American communities and how one found a way back while the other splintered. Donald Trump’s November 2016 electoral victory was the beginning of four years of demagogy, presidential name-calling, and—ten months into a pandemic—an incitement to violence that led a mob of thousands to descend on the Capitol in Washington, DC. Fueled by suspicion, conspiracy, and bigotry, a faction of Americans had decided to seize control. But the biggest effect of this right-wing wave may not have been on our national politics, but on the  local governments of communities around the country.   In Chaos Comes Calling, Sasha Abramsky investigates the empowerment of the far-right over the past few years, stoked by the Trump presidency and the Covid-19 pandemic. He tells the parallel stories of two communities, Shasta County, California and Sequim, Washington, where toxic alliances of QAnoners, anti-vaxxers, Christian nationalists, militia supporters and other denizens of the far-right have worked to take control of the levers of power.   The trajectories of both communities expose the stark divisions and extremism that have come to define our political landscape over the past decade, and offer revealing glimpses of what the future may hold. While Sequim ultimately recalibrated in 2021, returning to rationality, Shasta County has descended further into a climate of intolerance and toxic divisiveness.   Chaos Comes Calling vividly captures both the regressive forces gaining momentum all over the country and the tireless efforts of citizens determined to organize against them.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History

288 pages, Hardcover

First published September 3, 2024

About the author

Sasha Abramsky studied politics, philosophy, and economics at Oxford University. He is now a freelance journalist and senior fellow at Demos who reports on political personalities and cultural trends.

His work has appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, The Huffington Post, Rolling Stone, The Nation, The New York Times, The Village Voice, The Guardian, and Mother Jones, among other publications.

He lives in Sacramento, California.

Reviews

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes a strong case for how we need to take a serious look at how poorly equipped the democratic machinery is to deal with bullies and how easily they can be usurped by the loudest people in the room especially when they have elevated cruelty to form of virtue.

I really appreciate that we are moving away from simply making fun of the delusions of the alt-right and into acknowledging where they are coming from and the lack of accountability that made the current climate possible but my is it a depressing state of affairs.

The portrait of people organizing to fight back is sort of bleak, especially as the author makes clear on how many fronts the battles have to be fought and how few people have the bandwidth and conditions to effectively fight them, but it definitely rings true.

It was a generally easy to read book and the writing style was compelling.

I received an eARC of this book from Bold Type Books through Netgalley, many thanks to both for the opportunity to read this book.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of books about politics and current events, but I was particularly looking forward to reading this one as I have relatives in Sequim. The author does deep dives into the local politics of two small communities, Sequim in Washington and Shasta County, California. The local governments of both go off the rails during the COVID pandemic, and their resistance to mask mandates and lockdowns evolves into adoption of QAnon conspiracies and far-right opinions on book banning, gender identity and immigration. The local government of Sequim eventually returns their focus to local issues such as affordable housing and the community's opioid problem, but Shasta County countinues to be more obsessed with voting machines and expanding open carry.

The types of local disagreements described here (those that become heated battles in which people are threatened with violence and communities are torn apart) continue to take place around our country, especially leading up to the next presidential election. This book demonstrates the importance of civic involvement in local politics and how without it a minority of people with extreme viewpoints can take over a community.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published September 3, 2024.

This is the story of two communities, Shasta County, California and Sequim, Washington where, in the wake of Donald Trump’s election as President many residents became immersed in Q-Anon and anti-vax conspiracies. One area managed to gradually work its way back to a middle ground while the other has only become more deeply enmeshed in intolerance, bigotry and divisiveness.

The author calls the love of Donald Trump a “cult” and says he makes “rational governance seem almost a quaint throwback to a calmer, saner past. The author also makes the excellent point that small towns suffer when their newspapers vanish and are replaced with social media and rumor.

Sequim has a mayor who is a Q-Anon proponent and who fashions himself after Trump. Both Sequim and Shasta County see their communities become incredibly right wing with the advent of the COVID 19 virus. I won’t spoil anything by revealing what happens but there are some very interesting (and some very despicable) characters in both places. And both are likely representative of many small town and communities nationwide.

The book also covers other types of right wing battles in small towns, such as transgender advocacy, book bans and BLM protests. Trump’s legal woes and his threats against those who oppose him are also a part of the book, as are his repeated instances of Q-Anon coded messages.

It was interesting to follow these two areas for an extensive period to see what occurred. However, I did not feel that the towns where necessarily comparable….it seemed to me that there was a more liberal populace in one, and they had simply started ignoring local politics, allowing the crazies to take over, something that was quickly able to be fixed. Just my opinion, though. I enjoyed the book.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished my reads for January with this catastrophically timely work. Abramsky profiles two small towns, one in Washington state, and the other in Northern California and their response to the events of 2020 including Covid-19, the racial motivated murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, and how the I-wish-I-could-say-former-president as well as support for him influenced local politics. One town seemed to regain its sanity; the other did not. I wish we could be even more separated from this toxic ideology since that cast a shadow on the little bit of optimism that Abramsky ended the book with but having four years now from that time does allow for retrospective study without some of the trauma responses that come by revisiting an experience like 2020 - yes an entire year - can evoke. I wish that we had had even more time to reflect and learn since so many did none of that and here we are again, even worse this time.

[Rae]

Sequim WA. Shasta County CA. Local politics. Pandemic. Censorship.

[John Schorg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book begins to cover an aspect of the MAGA movement that has not received much attention yet: how these folks actually govern once they take office at the local level. There also is an examination of the rhetoric used and whether there is any real intention behind their words apart from drawing attention to themselves. The scale of the book stays local, but the themes will feel familiar.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chaos Comes Calling – Sasha Abramsky – 2024 –
This is a highly informative and disturbing look of investigative journalism that can readily occur in any American community. In this book Abramsky covers Sequim, Washington, a small rural community located near the Olympic Peninsula. Also, Shasta County, located in Redding, California. In these communities we learn that during the Covid-19 pandemic political extremists from White and Christian Nationalists, Second Amendment abolitionist’s, anti-vaxxers, anti-maskers and anti-social distancers, Q-Anon conspiracy theorists and Trump supporters who spread baseless facts, falsehoods and misinformation that led to serious political unrest and hysteria, threats, and violence.

Before she accepted her public health position in Sequim, Dr. Allsion Berry had spent years serving the poor and homeless including her service in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina and completed her residency serving at Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, the largest trauma hospital in the Pacific Northwest. Dr. Karen Ramstrom, a dedicated public servant in Shasta County, CA. grew increasingly worried about the terror of misinformation and hate speech against the Departments of Public Health during the Covid-19 pandemic. The vitriol was spread on the internet by political extremists who gained a platform online and during public meetings, their views spread like wildfire. Both esteemed public servants, Dr. Berry and Dr. Ramstrom (despite police security protection) were forced from their jobs after harassment and threatening hate speech, also being doxed, and serious death threats. Over one year after Dr. Ramstrom was fired without cause, her position remained unfilled.

Sasha Abramsky shows how quickly extremists gained control of the political culture and narrative in these communities. California Governor Gavin Newsom was labeled a communist and should be charged with treason, other politicians were also targeted. Elon Musk urged his 34 million (Twitter) followers to “take the Red pill…” Many extremists believed Covid was linked to 5G cell phone towers, and Covid vaccines were infused with microchips. It was not surprising that too many people in Shasta County did not survive Covid-19. This higher death rate was preventable.
Sasha Abramsky is the author of numerous books that focus on political reform, and social- economic justice. He was raised and educated in the U.K., and currently lives in the United States. With thanks to NetGalley for the DDC for the purpose of review.

[Mr. Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can also see this review, along with others I have written, at my blog, Mr. Book's Book Reviews.

Thank you, PublicAffairs, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Mr. Book just finished Chaos Comes Calling: The Battle Against The Far-Right Takeover Of Small-Town America, by Sasha Abramsky.

This book is about how two counties, Sequim, Washington and Shasta County, California reacted to COVID and the aftermath. This book is a very good look at the bullying that comes from the right-wing. There are plenty of examples of that throughout the entirety of the book. My one negative about the book is it seemed to take a few chapters before the book really hit its stride.

I give this book a B+. Goodreads and NetGalley require grades on a 1-5 star system. In my personal conversion system, a B+ equates to 4 stars. (A or A+: 5 stars, B+: 4 stars, B: 3 stars, C: 2 stars, D or F: 1 star).

This review has been posted at NetGalley, Goodreads and my blog, Mr. Book’s Book Reviews

Mr. Book originally finished reading this on July 16, 2024.

[Alex Gruenenfelder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written with a compelling and sympathetic writing style, this is a work of journalism about the way in which small towns across the West Coast of the United States in particular have fallen to polarization and extremism. Although there is definitely a mild liberal slant when it comes to policies surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, it is fair in tone and doesn't even seem to me as though it would be alienating to those on the right, since it makes reasonable and frequent attempts at humanization and balance. Chaos has absorbed American politics, both at the national level and locally, something that is told through real quotes, run-on sentences, and the experiences of someone who has had boots on the ground. It feels as vital as ever, with many trying to figure out how to reform the nation after Trumpism and how our communities can come back together. To quote one of the book's more conservative figures, "to find common ground is to the benefit of those you serve."

[Ken McDouall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compelling investigation that reads like a political thriller, detailing how right-wing extremism took over local jurisdictions. The story is told through two case studies: Sequim, Washington and Shasta County, California. In both cases, the Covid pandemic was the accelerant that turned suspicion of government and dissatisfaction with the status quo into bizarre raging conspiracy theories, hate crimes, and attacks on public safety. Abramsky has a talent for non-fiction storytelling, and events unfold through the perspectives of a number of local political figures in both locations. The amount of abuse that was thrown at public health officers and other sane members of local government is truly staggering. If you're looking for origin stories for how we got to the place we find ourselves in today, this is a great resource.

[Rennie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating is a reflection of how I felt about it, not the book itself. It’s not a bad book and is highly researched, I just couldn’t get into it at all. The cast of characters is massive and confusing, the connection or comparison being made between the two towns didn’t feel there, and I struggled to understand the common thread or point of it all besides a bunch of shitty unhinged behavior in the wake of Covid, its aftermath, and the heightened culture wars of the time. Aside from the details very specific to the towns, I knew most of the stories covered here already. Had to skim to finish and even then I struggled. Maybe this is all still too fresh? In any case this feels like a me problem and not a this book problem.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am ready to read books that look at the intersection of politics and science and mental health within the context of pandemic response and post pandemic recovery and this was a really nice starting point. Looking at instances of small towns caught in the crossfire of 'culture wars' is a really instructive way to consider how we should be educating future citizens about the work of democracy. Really well done.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting narrative of people in the U.S. embracing conspiracy theories and trying to shove their beliefs into everyone else by taking control of local government thanks to the average person’s passivity to local government elections. Of course, the book ends on an uncertain note with the March 2024 primaries where Sequim, WA has recovered from the Far-right craziness and Shasta remains split…. And we all know now that it is about to get far worse.

[Μίλτος Τρ. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Εδώ και χρόνια υπάρχει μια τεράστια βιβλιογραφία που ισχυρίζεται ότι το εκτεταμένο polarisation στις ΗΠΑ θα οδηγήσει σε εμφύλιο πόλεμο. Όμως εμείς βλέπουμε πώς αντιμετωπίζονται τα θέματα σε κεντρικό επίπεδο. Εδώ ο συγγραφέας παίρνει ως παράδειγμα 2-3 μικρές περιοχές και αναδεικνυει το τρομακτικό πρόβλημα σε επίπεδο κοινότητας.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abramsky dives into two communities where Q-ANON adherents took power, Sequim, Washington and Shasta County, California. In Sequim, they got pushed out. In Shasta, they didn't.

A fascinating meditation on democracy and its discontents. Hard to read at times, despite being very well written.

[RACHEL · Rating 4 out of 5]

In looking at two counties journys through these last few years, Abramsky allows us to reflect on what we have been through, where we are, and where we need to heal and grown.

My copy was a gift from Goodreads First Reads.

[Carmen Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a tough read. Just so many people and so many tertiary people it was confusing and at times felt like unnecessary hard SAT words that I had to reach deep in the recesses of my brain for BUT incredibly helpful info.

[Rae Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minuteman. Skimmed. Adds to understanding of the far-right takeover of US government, based on history of takeover of two counties, one in WA, one in CA, after Covid, Trump's first term, social media's rise, etc. Written before Trump II.

[Lacie Castile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chaos Comes Calling is a really informative book. That's pretty much it. I found the slog of information uninteresting, but it had a lot of good information about the Covid crisis and the way that it divided the towns.

[Amy Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a very weird thing to see your own name in a book.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very well written and researched. Thanks to Goodreads!

[Kerry Pickens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers a lot of the same issues as Mike Wendling’s book Day of Reckoning. The difference is this book focuses specifically on small towns in Washington and California and how the antivaxers and alt right conspiracy theorists affected local politics. It’s an interesting book especially if you are familiar with towns mentioned like Sequim Washington.

[ForgedOpulence · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the year I'm doomed to not review a book in a timely manner (it's been 3 months 😭). Take my limited recollection for what it's worth.

I did have an enjoyable time reading this (mostly) and I did learn things.

I don't think I feel too great about *the implications* of platforming a public health expert alongside the community that tormented them though...

It's important to understand reductive opinions for critical thought, not to create empathy. I don't appreciate that certain topics were left open-ended enough to make me question the motive behind the book.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5