Deporables being deplorable
We've seen the outcry about Hillary's "basket of deplorables" remarks. You can't lump people into the same pot and paint them with the large brush, the argument was. Well, to be frank, it's hard not to. Especially when seeing comments, reactions and the general behavior of A LOT of Trump's supporters. The inability and/or unwillingness of a huge number of them to recognize the danger of their chosen candidate's inflammatory rhetoric, is beyond staggering. Case in point:
Trump’s supporters talk rebellion, assassination at his rallies
"In an arena normally reserved for ice hockey, the Donald Trump crowd was on edge. Some wore shirts with slogans like “[Expletive] Your Feelings” or, in reference to the female Democratic nominee, “Trump that Bitch.” Others had buckets of popcorn, ready for the show. When the media entourage entered, thousands erupted in boos.
Anger and hostility were the most overwhelming sentiments at a Trump rally in Cincinnati last week, a deep sense of frustration, an us-versus-them mentality, and a belief that they are part of an unstoppable and underestimated movement. Unlike many in the country, however, these hard-core Trump followers do not believe the real estate mogul’s misfortunes are of his own making.
They believe what Trump has told them over and over, that this election is rigged, and if he loses, it will be because of a massive conspiracy to take him down."
It's NOT just a few bad apples, whom the "lamestream media" somehow always manage to dig up from the hordes of reasonable folks who happen to attend the Trump rallies, or comment around the Trump-related forums. It's just far too many Trumpites have swallowed the propaganda that Obama and Clinton are bringing in "thousands of illegal migrants" simply to throw the election to "Crooked Hillary".
When a person is willing (at least in words) to join a violent revolution in case Clinton wins in November, we should ask ourselves about the depth of the beliefs those people put in their chosen leader's words - even if he tends to flip-flop on his words at the frequency that he changes his objects of sexual harassment.
"“If she’s in office, I hope we can start a coup. She should be in prison or shot. That’s how I feel about it,” Dan Bowman, a 50-year-old contractor, said of Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee. “We’re going to have a revolution and take them out of office if that’s what it takes. There’s going to be a lot of bloodshed. But that’s what it’s going to take. . . . I would do whatever I can for my country.”"
It may or may not remotely remind us of all the grumbles the Democrats grumbled after the 2004 election that There Was Gonna Be A Rebellion! (Or at least that they'd emigrate to Canada in case Bush was elected - which of course they didn't do). Well, the difference here is that Trump's fans have guns. They're crazy about guns. Their problem is, they lack the organizational impetus. Organizing and sustaining an insurgency movement requires a lot of hard work, and I'm not seeing that among the Trump base. Just like those 2004 Democrats, they're just blowing off steam. Sure, those movements have been growing during Obama's tenure, and they'll likely keep growing under Hillary. But that's about it. Just words.
Until someone decides to take them seriously enough, and bring this to the next level. Then CNN will become relevant once again, I expect.
If we want to find a way to tackle this rising problem, we should try to look beyond the political rhetoric. Then maybe we'll realize that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Even though the US economy has made a remarkable recovery under Obama, and the US foreign policy has moved away from neoconservative imperialism (somewhat) into slightly "dove" territory, there's still a prevalent feeling of discontent and disillusionment among many Americans. The core of the problem may be that these citizens do "feel" they're losing their constitutional rights day by day. This may have some legitimacy, or it could partially be a consequence of the oligarch-funded propaganda machinery which has been feeding and stimulating the paranoia of certain demographics that have been relentlessly targeted ever since the McCarthy era, and the times of the establishment of the John Birch Society.
That segment has been exploited in a way similar to the way the working-class whites were used in the post-Reconstruction South; the oligarchs of that time tied equal rights for African-Americans to the growth of labor unions, and as consequence, southern workers were more easily exploited. For too many, as long as there's one segment of the populace that's worse off than other segments, things are just fine and dandy. Stoking fear in your chosen audience is one way; and that's exactly how oligarchs have maintained control throughout history. When the gullible come to believe the leaders are acting in the interests of the people, that group of gullibles is more easily used by the leaders to the sole benefit of the top 1%.
So don't believe the parable about the establishment hating Trump. They bask in the toxic atmosphere that he has helped foster. Question is, will it all just remain circuses for the masses, or something, or someone(?), would ignite that sparkle that blows the whole keg to smithereens.
Trump’s supporters talk rebellion, assassination at his rallies
"In an arena normally reserved for ice hockey, the Donald Trump crowd was on edge. Some wore shirts with slogans like “[Expletive] Your Feelings” or, in reference to the female Democratic nominee, “Trump that Bitch.” Others had buckets of popcorn, ready for the show. When the media entourage entered, thousands erupted in boos.
Anger and hostility were the most overwhelming sentiments at a Trump rally in Cincinnati last week, a deep sense of frustration, an us-versus-them mentality, and a belief that they are part of an unstoppable and underestimated movement. Unlike many in the country, however, these hard-core Trump followers do not believe the real estate mogul’s misfortunes are of his own making.
They believe what Trump has told them over and over, that this election is rigged, and if he loses, it will be because of a massive conspiracy to take him down."
It's NOT just a few bad apples, whom the "lamestream media" somehow always manage to dig up from the hordes of reasonable folks who happen to attend the Trump rallies, or comment around the Trump-related forums. It's just far too many Trumpites have swallowed the propaganda that Obama and Clinton are bringing in "thousands of illegal migrants" simply to throw the election to "Crooked Hillary".
When a person is willing (at least in words) to join a violent revolution in case Clinton wins in November, we should ask ourselves about the depth of the beliefs those people put in their chosen leader's words - even if he tends to flip-flop on his words at the frequency that he changes his objects of sexual harassment.
"“If she’s in office, I hope we can start a coup. She should be in prison or shot. That’s how I feel about it,” Dan Bowman, a 50-year-old contractor, said of Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee. “We’re going to have a revolution and take them out of office if that’s what it takes. There’s going to be a lot of bloodshed. But that’s what it’s going to take. . . . I would do whatever I can for my country.”"
It may or may not remotely remind us of all the grumbles the Democrats grumbled after the 2004 election that There Was Gonna Be A Rebellion! (Or at least that they'd emigrate to Canada in case Bush was elected - which of course they didn't do). Well, the difference here is that Trump's fans have guns. They're crazy about guns. Their problem is, they lack the organizational impetus. Organizing and sustaining an insurgency movement requires a lot of hard work, and I'm not seeing that among the Trump base. Just like those 2004 Democrats, they're just blowing off steam. Sure, those movements have been growing during Obama's tenure, and they'll likely keep growing under Hillary. But that's about it. Just words.
Until someone decides to take them seriously enough, and bring this to the next level. Then CNN will become relevant once again, I expect.
If we want to find a way to tackle this rising problem, we should try to look beyond the political rhetoric. Then maybe we'll realize that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Even though the US economy has made a remarkable recovery under Obama, and the US foreign policy has moved away from neoconservative imperialism (somewhat) into slightly "dove" territory, there's still a prevalent feeling of discontent and disillusionment among many Americans. The core of the problem may be that these citizens do "feel" they're losing their constitutional rights day by day. This may have some legitimacy, or it could partially be a consequence of the oligarch-funded propaganda machinery which has been feeding and stimulating the paranoia of certain demographics that have been relentlessly targeted ever since the McCarthy era, and the times of the establishment of the John Birch Society.
That segment has been exploited in a way similar to the way the working-class whites were used in the post-Reconstruction South; the oligarchs of that time tied equal rights for African-Americans to the growth of labor unions, and as consequence, southern workers were more easily exploited. For too many, as long as there's one segment of the populace that's worse off than other segments, things are just fine and dandy. Stoking fear in your chosen audience is one way; and that's exactly how oligarchs have maintained control throughout history. When the gullible come to believe the leaders are acting in the interests of the people, that group of gullibles is more easily used by the leaders to the sole benefit of the top 1%.
So don't believe the parable about the establishment hating Trump. They bask in the toxic atmosphere that he has helped foster. Question is, will it all just remain circuses for the masses, or something, or someone(?), would ignite that sparkle that blows the whole keg to smithereens.