Saturday, January 09, 2021

Dealing with the Trump-cult

The news of the past few days has been alarming. It's possible that some of the alarm has been slightly exaggerated by the media as is often the case, but it's equally possible that the media may actually be understating the danger we are in. Today, I read a Twitter thread from Seth Abramson, whom I consider to be a reputable source, in which he connects some dots that indicate that the assault on the Capitol may very well have been orchestrated from the beginning. Just think what national chaos would have ensued if the rioters had been successful in stopping the ceremonial counting of the Electoral College votes. In a country ruled by law, these formal ceremonies involving congressional action matter. The Trump-cult would have been able to argue that Biden had not been formally authorized to take over the White House and the Executive branch. It pales credulity to not think that this would not have been at least in the back of Trump's mind if not actually foremost. 

It should again be said that the problem is not so much as the man himself but the movement of which he is the titular head. The adherents will not be dissuaded easily. We can point to numerous time in history when true believer movements survive the collapse of their initiating reason for existence. Examples include such things as posthumous Elvis sightings, too many 2nd-coming-based religious movements (many of which are mainstream denominations today), and even Christianity itself. So, should Trump be removed from the playing field, those who thrive on the lies and wild conspiracy theories will still be a political force. It's estimated that a full 20% of the 74 million people who voted for the man, fall into this bracket.  This means over 13 million people. Reports in social media have identified many who are recognizable local figures or even members of local law enforcement agencies

Tim Snyder points out that tyrannical actions must be resisted as quickly as possible because if they are not, the perpetrators are only emboldened to even more destructive actions. Even then, deeply held belief systems are persistent. We did not eliminate racism with the Civil War. There has been ongoing racial suppression ever since. With every effort to criminalize racist practices, there are those who find ways to get around the laws and persist with institutionalized racism. Core beliefs only seem to change when adherents die out of the population without successfully passing their beliefs into the future generations.

On the other hand, it is possible to see things change quickly. We have experienced a rapid change in the acceptance and even appreciation of homosexuality. A key aspect of this is that homosexuals learned to courageously strive to be more visible in general society. So many people discovered that they had beloved family members and close friends who were part of the struggle, that they could not dismiss homosexuals as a peculiar "other". Acceptance came out of the love and connections they had with people that made it clear that the fears stoked by the lies simply could not be justified or even tolerated.

There may be a lesson in this for today's situation. The Trump-cult and others like it can only be relegated to the dustbin of history as more and more people denounce it both publicly and privately. And just like the progress with sexual orientation and racial equity, such actions can be dangerous. It was dangerous for conscientious Southern citizens who opposed the horrors of Jim Crow. Each one felt that they were alone and without the power to buck the system. Many paid a price for quixotically opposing Jim Crow. The 10-level of courage shown by an exceptional few allowed those with at 9-level of courage to stand up and stand out as well. Their example heartened those with an 8-level of courage to make themselves known. And so forth until the fight for civil rights turned a corner.

As we face the specter of the Trump-cult that seems to hold sway over the majority of our neighbors, there has to be a few of the 10-level courage who have the wherewithal to visually and vocally stand up and stand out. The Trump-cult is the wounded beast of the power-crazed, white-supremacist sector of our society. Wounded beasts are dangerous and will inflict harm if allowed to do so. Those who lead this struggle must do so well-armored and clear-eyed. There will be pushback. The vanguard always suffer losses. But it is they who open the path for the rest of us to walk from the night into the day.

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