There's always been a sense of fear amongst the self-proclaimed
'pure-breeds,' or Anglo-descended sorts, that one day their rule
would end.
It may not have been a conscious thought, or an articulated one, but
just there under the surface of the all-important skin it was percolating.
People of any sort or conviction have always been prone to hatred of
other, different groups of people--'different' by means of comparing a
singular distinguishing characteristic that each group has formed a
bond under, at least.
With the election of a black-skinned man for our highest office, many
Americans found that vague discomfort of subverted rule brought
forth with a violent thrust. The sensation may have even surprised and
shamed some of them.
But for others, the fear itself provides a sense of 'proof' to the false
narrative that there is a necessary division between the 'races.' (One
can never mention often enough that the concept of race is just
that--a notion. The pigment of our skin differing is no more or less
significant than a person's eye color or blood type differing. 'Race'
is completely a social and political invention.) People love them
some pigeon-holing!
But back to the scape-goating. We--people, every last one of us--have
a tendency to want to simplify things. To make them more easily-digestible.
Hence, elected leaders to make tough choices, hence religion, hence
a host of addictions and distractions from this terrifying and confusing
world.
But designing or assuming a reason to blame others for our ills doesn't
make that person/group responsible. Again, it's just notions.
But for love of simplicity, people blame.
We blame different religions, the opposite sex, other states, political
parties, family members, neighbors, other 'races;' anyone who is not
the same as us is by default scary and can easily be made into the
bogeyman. It seems to be in our DNA.
But the seemingly-decreased degree of 'people who actually hate
people who are different' seemed to be a sign of improvement for
our country. Really, it was a 'seems too good to be true' scenario,
an actual cauldron of indignance and seething rage boiling and
getting ready to blow.
And then came Donald Trump. Riling people up, blaming these
'others' outright and proudly, giving people permission to engage
in their baseless accusations and disgust, inciting them to act on it.
The façade of civility in America went straight out the window, and
we have seen exposed the deep and disconcerting pall of fear and
loathing for the longtime scapegoats, people of color.
The fear is based on false notions, on stereotypes, on lack of
exposure, on long-held fears and assumptions, and--in large
part--on mob mentality.
If you've ever been to a concert, a festival, a wedding, even a
packed movie theatre, you may have noticed there is a sense of
energy present--"something in the air" as it's often referred to.
There is in fact documented elevation of emotions in groups,
and certain areas of the brain react to the overriding emotion
that is being presented. There is a 'chain reaction' in effect, and
we are most of us easily drawn into whatever energy is most powerful.
So when people in a crowd get riled up, and get reminded of all
that's wrong with their lives, and are then given a simplistic rationale
for why it has happened and who is responsible, they can get carried
away. Mob mentality is a real thing. It isn't an excuse for inappropriate
or criminal behavior, like yelling slurs or assaulting people, but it is
a phenomenon.
And the people behind these pushed buttons are well aware of this.
I'm calling you out, Donald J. Trump. In your desire to increase
followers you are knowingly spreading false narratives to excite
and offend people, unconcerned with the fallout of such reckless
behavior.
((As a side-note, if I or anyone else I know (poor, not a household
name, not carrying the prestige of power and influence) were to
hold a rally and call on people to harm other people, we'd be under
the jailhouse. Our country has a strict set of double standards in
place; the Rules of Law apply differently to the Two Americas.
The Have-Nots get the full force of the law crushing them and the
Haves have no repercussions at all.))
The mindset of these disenfranchised, predominantly-white people who
support Trump and all his euphemisms and hate speech is that they are
justified in feeling and responding this way because they have been
'victimized.'
'Victimized' in the sense that not everything is going their way, life
is not 100% perfect, they are not in control of what everyone says
or does, and the day is coming closer when everyone will have
equal footing in this country. So in other words, not victimized at all,
just confounded that they can't have things the way they want and
wanting a way to act up about it.
I'm reminded of the tumult in the last few years of religious groups
in this country crying foul and painting themselves as victims of
abuse and terror because they were being forced to move into the
21st century and were no longer being allowed the special privileges
they had been accustomed to holding for so long.
See, people do not like giving up things. Whether they were
deserved or not has nothing to do with it. Whether others were
being harmed in order for them to have had that privilege has
nothing to do with it. People are simply severely adverse to
change and loss, and they get a little crazy about it. Others are
simply looking for an excuse to act on being racist prigs. They've
been dreaming of the day when it would be acceptable again
to treat others like second-class citizens.
This phenomenon is not going away. In fact, it's getting worse
the longer this fanning of flames and pandering is allowed to
continue. Our tax dollars are being spent to close down streets,
pay police, pay Secret Service detail, and more so that DJT can
have rallies to work people up and then let them lose back into
their communities where he will never see or experience the results
of his actions.
Because make no mistake--the words he puts into their minds, the
permission he gives folks to combust, it doesn't fade when he closes
out the night. He's planting seeds of constant loathing, and they'll be
fed and nurtured long after his campaign is done.
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