Frightening Times in American Culture
Many people wonder how it’s possible that American society could have fallen so quickly and so hard into this pathetic state of disrepair. How did it come to pass that we elected a sociopath, and, even more astoundingly, how does Trump continue to enjoy the support of 35% – 40% of voters?
It’s natural for us to wonder what would have happened 20 years ago if an obvious conman like Donald Trump, habitual and proud sex criminal, pathological liar, and demagogue racist bully hate-monger, had come along and told us that our news institutions were enemies of the people, that our law enforcement agencies were conspiring against him, and that only he could be trusted to tell the truth. After a few seconds of this, he would have been laughed immediately and forever into irrelevance.
So, just two short decades later, why are so many people having so much trouble observing the simple truth here? Perhaps some insight can be gained by watching voters’ reactions to other issues of the day, e.g., the gun control debate. Here, we have Wayne LaPierre, president of the National Rifle Association, standing on stage and telling his adoring audience: Those who favor gun control “don’t care a whit for the safety of American school students”; they have a “socialist agenda,” and “only want control,” so they can ultimately “take away all individual liberties.”
What’s the connection here? Well, apparently, there are people stupid enough to believe that gun control is part of an effort to subvert American life as we know it, and that it’s intrinsic to our culture that we’re the only country on Earth to allow mentally unstable children to buy weapons of war. These people refuse to back down from their perception of the very core of American values, i.e., that the ongoing mass slaughter of our children is an acceptable price to pay for their interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, a position which, it just so happens (an accident, really) enriches gun manufacturers.
Think about this in a few months when the metaphorical noose of justice starts to tighten around Trump. Remember this when Trump’s supporters take to the streets to protest the “coup” by the Washington elite (driven, as it will be, by the majority in Congress, as well as all of U.S. law enforcement and the rest of the Justice Department–and 100% supported by the intelligence community, the U.S. military, and all U.S. citizens who understand and respect rule of law).
It would be foolish not to expect a certain amount of armed unrest, because we cannot expect Trump supporters to admit they were wrong, and we definitely cannot expect them to leave their guns at home. Putting aside their basic personalities for a moment, keep in mind that there are millions of these people who think that God personally installed Trump to Make America Great Again. Does it seem likely that they’ll conclude that God Himself made a mistake?
Don’t forget. We had this conversation.
Craig,
Even by your standards this is a pretty hysterical rant ! Do you really believe ranting vehement abuse at people will persuade anyone your cause has any validity ?
In reply to your previous post on this subject, I tried to provide you with a well reasoned, well documented explanation concerning the deep and complex attitudes held by the overwhelming majority of American citizens.
President Trump faces the same problems on gun control as President Obama. The main difference appears to be that while Obama made the right noises, placated the anti-gun lobby with meaningless rhetoric, then gave up and placed gun reform in the too hard basket, President Trump has met with the victims and tried to work out a series of options that may produce effective legislative compromises resulting in positive policies without incurring another US Supreme Court failure.
The President is to be commended, not castigated, for his actions on gun control so far. President’s have only limited authority in the area of gun control, which requires legislation at both state and federal levels and eventually must survive the US Supreme Court interpretation of the second amendment.
The meeting with the survivors and families of victims of the recent tragedy was very well received by all the participants, who reported being impressed by the President’s empathetic demeanor and willingness to listen and learn. Objective commentators were surprised, some considered the possibility this was an indication of a new President growing more comfortable in the job.
The truth is the American people just don’t believe gun control is an effective method of preventing these massacres. There’s some evidence to support this position. Noway is a nation with very strict gun laws, automatics and handguns are banned completely. Hunting rifles and shot guns have always needed rigorous checks and licenses are difficult to obtain.
In 2010 Norway lost 69 young lives when a lone gun man went on a killing rampage.
Yet, in Switzerland gun ownership laws are similar to the US, yet Switzerland is one of the most law abiding nations on earth with no mass shootings.
Hysterical abuse and vehement ranting will never win over the American people, nor will ineffective high sounding rhetoric. The process must be accomplished by careful compromise and reassurance that gradual, but modest concessions are possible without triggering oppressive radical overkill.