I think the role that bigotry and racism play in rightwing politics is routinely underestimated by those who analyze these things. Attitudes get passed down from generation to generation and what may at first strike us as an aberration due to Donald Trump's destructive influence on the body politic is actually more of a fanning of flames…
I think the role that bigotry and racism play in rightwing politics is routinely underestimated by those who analyze these things. Attitudes get passed down from generation to generation and what may at first strike us as an aberration due to Donald Trump's destructive influence on the body politic is actually more of a fanning of flames from fires of resentment and hatred that have been smoldering throughout American history. Reading "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" by Isabel Wilkerson gave me a deeper understanding of this. Having grown up believing in a simplistic view of Americans as the good guys and liberators of the Jews in World War II, I was shocked to find out that the Nazis studied American attitudes and segregation laws when formulating their own plans of how to begin making Jews outcasts in German society.
What this means is that pre-existing inherent biases make Trump's MAGA base easy suckers for the rightwing propaganda machine - because they begin by being predisposed to believe the lies that they like.
MAGAs literally despise and hate those of us they think of as "woke” because they see us as the agents of the changes they feel so threatened by.
They call us "libtards," "demorats" and "demonrats" because we are the ones supporting the move toward “diversity, inclusion, and equity” which to their way of thinking represents most of what has been going wrong with this country.
We think white privilege is a problem.
They think the problem is reverse racism - and they are the victims of it.
Likewise, when those on our side of the political fence see and treat LGBT people like normal worthwhile human beings, that is an affront to those on the other side of the fence, a challenge and an insult to the values they hold close.
What rightwing propaganda peddlers do is continually reinforce, strengthen and exploit the bigotry, racism, and aggressive animosity that is already out there with a relentless deluge of lies that help to rationalize it.
Excellent post. There was a terrific piece in the WP by Robert Kagan this weekend diving into the evolution of our current moment. You should certainly check it out if you haven't.
I think the role that bigotry and racism play in rightwing politics is routinely underestimated by those who analyze these things. Attitudes get passed down from generation to generation and what may at first strike us as an aberration due to Donald Trump's destructive influence on the body politic is actually more of a fanning of flames from fires of resentment and hatred that have been smoldering throughout American history. Reading "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" by Isabel Wilkerson gave me a deeper understanding of this. Having grown up believing in a simplistic view of Americans as the good guys and liberators of the Jews in World War II, I was shocked to find out that the Nazis studied American attitudes and segregation laws when formulating their own plans of how to begin making Jews outcasts in German society.
What this means is that pre-existing inherent biases make Trump's MAGA base easy suckers for the rightwing propaganda machine - because they begin by being predisposed to believe the lies that they like.
MAGAs literally despise and hate those of us they think of as "woke” because they see us as the agents of the changes they feel so threatened by.
They call us "libtards," "demorats" and "demonrats" because we are the ones supporting the move toward “diversity, inclusion, and equity” which to their way of thinking represents most of what has been going wrong with this country.
We think white privilege is a problem.
They think the problem is reverse racism - and they are the victims of it.
Likewise, when those on our side of the political fence see and treat LGBT people like normal worthwhile human beings, that is an affront to those on the other side of the fence, a challenge and an insult to the values they hold close.
What rightwing propaganda peddlers do is continually reinforce, strengthen and exploit the bigotry, racism, and aggressive animosity that is already out there with a relentless deluge of lies that help to rationalize it.
Excellent post. There was a terrific piece in the WP by Robert Kagan this weekend diving into the evolution of our current moment. You should certainly check it out if you haven't.