NB: When writing a history, the hours spent in research tend to outweigh those spent shaping the narrative itself. Along the way, you collect all kinds of material — primary sources, theoretical reflections, marginalia — that never make it into the final cut. These “Chapter Notes” are for readers who want to know more about the people and events behind the story, and who don’t mind wandering down a few adjacent corridors.
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Notes for Chapter 7 include three sets of media excerpts dealing with the social response to the Manifestation event. The third, written on the one year anniversary, points to events that wil be described at the start of Part II
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“Chaos at the Capitol: Psychedelic Mist, Robed Figures, and a Nation Left Reeling” — By Jonah Ellison, The New York Times, February 3, 2027:
“The country woke this morning to a surreal new chapter in its already turbulent political era, as images and footage circulated of an extraordinary breach at the U.S. Capitol during last night’s State of the Union address. While officials have yet to provide a comprehensive explanation, fragments of video and eyewitness testimony suggest a convergence of protest, violence, and something altogether stranger.
“Members of Congress were reportedly overcome by a colored gas released from ventilation systems and hidden canisters inside the chamber. Several fainted. Others appeared disoriented, moving erratically or collapsing outright. Security footage shows clouds of violet and orange mist spreading across the room, accompanied by what sounded to some like music.
“Outside the building, protests that had been unfolding throughout the day escalated just before 9 p.m., when a group of individuals in silver robes and elaborate headgear entered the Capitol grounds and appeared to lead a crowd through barricades. Capitol Police confirmed that at least one officer was killed in the resulting confusion.”
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“No group has yet claimed responsibility, and authorities have not commented on whether the robed individuals were part of an organized faction or theatrical demonstration gone awry.
“‘We’re reviewing all footage, said one Capitol Police spokesperson. ‘At this stage, it’s too early to speculate on motive or coordination.’
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“Social media videos depict a haunting scene: figures moving in slow synchrony, chants rising from the crowd, and what some describe as a “trancelike atmosphere.” One clip — viewed over 12 million times — shows a woman kneeling in front of the Capitol steps, whispering “awaken” into the fog.