I grew up in a tiny, dying, conservative town. Most people there are 45 supporters.
What I've noticed when engaging with 45 supporters, both online and in person, is that the Cruelty is the point. They want REVENGE for what they see as "liberal dominance" and the erosion of white privilege, which they blame for (fill in the blank.). What they love about 45 is that he is cruel.
Toxic Masculinity writ large.
Last weekend, I went to a farmer's market neat Quakertown (SEPa), where there was an entire booth dedicated to 45 merchandise: "Red Zone." On several flags, shirts, etc, read "Trump 2020: Finally a president with balls!", and on others "No more bullsh*t." (A quick examination of five items showed that all were made in China...)
Ask a 45 supporter about that and you'll hear about "illegal immigrants" (brown people, not white), BLM (black people), and AntiFa (umm... so you SUPPORT fascism?). 45 will crack down on them all. Ask about that, and I have, they'll get vague. Kids in camps? "Obama's fault." Or "they shouldn't have come here." But they're toddlers. "Parents shouldn't have broken the law." So they lose their kids forever (few are reunited) over a MISDEMEANOR? (Doubt me? I linked to the law there.)
Some 45 supporters come out and say it- "kill them all." They are a minority, yes, but that minority has 45's ear. (Steven Miller anyone?) Then you see all the Black people being gunned down by armored police in the streets.
As a liberal transgender woman (intersectionality of three things 45 hates), me and mine are square in the sights of that hate.
We live in Dark times, dear reader, but it's not like there isn't any precedent. My country (USA) was founded upon Intolerance, Hate, and Genocide.
Intolerance: the puritans who settled in Massachusetts were SO right wing and intolerant that they were thrown out of every country in Europe. They claim they came to the US for "religious freedom" (sound familiar?) which was just their code for their hate. If not for the Wampanoag people, they would've died that first winter. They thanked the Wampanoag by stealing their land and decimating their tribe.
Hate: Slavery. The belief that white people are superior to black, so it's fine to enslave them. I've heard so many white people blame the Africans for this, or Northerners, or (fill in the blank) for slavery that it's sickening. Every confederate state mentioned white superiority and continuing slavery as the reason for leaving the union. The South is the hotbed of 45's base. Nuff said.
Genocide: The people indigenous to this country were massacred wholesale, either by disease, poverty, or by the US Army. We'll never know how many died. I've seen estimates reaching 114,000,000.
I've said many times that I don't expect to survive 45's reign. He won't go quietly- and his cultists are fanatics willing to kill or die for him.
These opinions are my own and do not represent any organization or whatever.
As a liberal transgender woman (intersectionality of three things 45 hates), me and mine are square in the sights of that hate.
We live in Dark times, dear reader, but it's not like there isn't any precedent. My country (USA) was founded upon Intolerance, Hate, and Genocide.
Intolerance: the puritans who settled in Massachusetts were SO right wing and intolerant that they were thrown out of every country in Europe. They claim they came to the US for "religious freedom" (sound familiar?) which was just their code for their hate. If not for the Wampanoag people, they would've died that first winter. They thanked the Wampanoag by stealing their land and decimating their tribe.
Hate: Slavery. The belief that white people are superior to black, so it's fine to enslave them. I've heard so many white people blame the Africans for this, or Northerners, or (fill in the blank) for slavery that it's sickening. Every confederate state mentioned white superiority and continuing slavery as the reason for leaving the union. The South is the hotbed of 45's base. Nuff said.
Genocide: The people indigenous to this country were massacred wholesale, either by disease, poverty, or by the US Army. We'll never know how many died. I've seen estimates reaching 114,000,000.
I've said many times that I don't expect to survive 45's reign. He won't go quietly- and his cultists are fanatics willing to kill or die for him.
These opinions are my own and do not represent any organization or whatever.
Unfortunately, only one of 45's minions is finally being brought to justice for shooting several people in Wisconsin. The news article also brought out how there has been several postings calling for more armed people to start patrolling areas that protesters are assembling.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Sophie, I see the cruelty.
ReplyDeleteA few months ago, I was social media where a veteran was telling his story about having a hard time making ends meet, and most months not having enough to eat thanks to SNAP (food stamps) cuts.
Let me reiterate: this was a US military veteran. You know, one of the ones we're supposed to thank for their service and all that.
Some nasty supporter of the human toilet seat (that's what I call him) tried to tell this nice veteran that he's a better person for going hungry thanks to the toilet seat.
I wanted to slap that bitch.
This poor guy who gave his best years to his country and he gets this shit?
Anyway, hang in there. We have just a couple more months to go before this particular national nightmare is over....
Oh, and Sophie, I was thinking that you might enjoy enjoy supplementing your writing here by writing at quora.com
ReplyDeleteStay safe and stay pretty!