I haven't written much of anything lately, mainly because I've been so despondent over the precipitous decline of our society. I guess my dismay has me so confounded that I find it hard to know where to begin. What has dismayed me the most is the the unbridled stupidity of an inordinately large proportion of the the American public. Much of my melancholy stems from the continuing, ever bleak news that there are millions — MILLIONS — of so-called human beings who continue to avidly endorse and justify Donald Trump and his coterie of sycophants and racists; notwithstanding his gradual, steady drop in the polls. This horde of grotesquely doltish imbeciles happens to consist (according to polls) of approximately 40% of what is supposed to be the American electorate. They not only endorse, but actually celebrate Trump & Co.’s wanton attempts to destroy not only whatever level of civility we may have accomplished in the past 240+ years, much less any leadership the U.S. manifested over the past 10 decades internationally, but any semblance of social progress and justice we may have achieved.
I am depressed because I see these "people" every day. The selfishness exhibited by their ostentatious flag waving, not only on their dwelling places, but on their "muscle" cars, pick-ups and motorcycles (all of which sans mufflers in order to draw attention to their pathetic existences), the gratuitous claiming of "individual rights" (viz. 2nd Amendment) at the expense of the community, not to mention at the very least, the inherent racism consistent with their far-right stupidity, have all been amplified and given carte blanch by this gratuitously reprehensible man — who, don't forget, was elected (as a result of our skewed Electoral College system) by a minority of American voters.
My essay on Why We Hate Smart People goes to the heart of this problem. The evidence has been more than made clear. There has always been this conglomerate of working class, rural, mostly poorly educated white males (accompanied by their equally credulous spouses), who have had this disdain — this vituperation — not only toward the educated, but to the intellectually, culturally astute and broadminded. Perhaps the primary reason for this acrimony is that intelligent people don’t give simple answers to complex questions or issues. The simpleminded want easy answers, and become angry, even violent, when they can’t get them. This unfortunately substantial portion of the populace, because of their inordinately bereft education, i. e., the exiguity of learning how to think critically, makes them easy fodder for manipulation by demagogues who come in all shapes and sizes, but mainly as “populist” politicians, hucksters, and (of course) the worst charlatans — evangelical/fundamentalist clergy who are masters at manipulating the gullible, the stupid, the naïve. Ultra-conservative, far-right (read facsist) politicians, into which most of the GOP has devolved nowadays because of their ultimately cynical and inherent disdain for humanity, coupled with their understanding of the intrinsic gullibility of their followers, have become masters at manipulation. And that’s big difference from their liberal/progressives counterparts. More about this distinction in detail later. But for now:
He inherited from Obama a strong and continued strengthening economy which he squandered; and, now has completely eradicated simply by ignoring the coronavirus before it became a pandemic. And now, because of his total abdication of any leadership regarding this crisis, we have economic chaos. He simply does not know how to lead. A leader doesn’t not have to be an expert in everything. A leader confers with others who are highly knowledgeable, expert, concerning whatever matter or issue is at hand, people who have various approaches and ideas as to deal with a situation; i.e., gathers as much information, pro and con, devises a strategy, makes an informed decision, and then acts on it; and, most importantly, takes responsibility for that decision Donald Trump does none of that. When he does make a decision it’s almost always uninformed and ill-conceived.
Racism and flagrant condoning of its systematic perpetuation among not only local and state police groups, but at the federal level with his oppression vilification of immigrants, primarily of latin, but more recently asian, descent has been one of the outstanding trademarks of this administration. Don’t think for moment that the denial of essential materials and people to communities of colour as one more tool in his and eugenist buddies like Stephen Miller, and their racist Republican flunkies to suppress the vote by either making so logistically difficult to vote or hoping that enough of “them” will become disablingly sick so as to keep them from the polls or simply to die.
What we do know is, that our socio-economic structure will never be the same. And that’s a reality with which all us are going to have to come to terms, even if the orange man and his MAGA Republicans don’t.
