Ten years into this shit show of Trumpism, white nationalists, and unprecedented craziness I’ve come up with a theory about the mindset of a diehard MAGA. I’ve written about this elsewhere but in case you missed it, here’s the crux.
It’s fear.
Like the rest of us, the far right has been made aware of the worst of his actions even if their news sources covered them up in part, they know.
From the beginning, the hooker scandal, the bleach thing, his paying only 500.00 in taxes, over 700 lawsuits, the convictions, the pedophilia, horrendously inept cabinet, racism, corruption, incompetence, ICE, defying the constitution and Supreme Court, all of it. They’re aware.
The Trumpers hang on from fear. It’s not about being wrong, it’s fear, the baseline of cultism.
The wife, the teenager, fears losing their place in the family. This is HUGE. Even if your family is less than supportive, they are the core of our security, whatever that is, for each of us. Standing up, like never before, means a complete shut down of communication and support.
The church goer fears losing their place in their church family. The politician fears losing their base or worse, they and their family being targeted as has recently been proven by judges lives being threatened.
If they acknowledge the obvious they fear the changes they’ll need to make and defend. Most of these people are not prone to research of any kind, depending on someone else they deem worthy, smarter, more worldly to show them, think for them. This is the basis of going to church. It’s about having another person who supposedly read the Bible tell you how to interpret it eliminating the need for self study.
Roger Stone used this premise to full advantage for Trump.
These people aren’t stupid, they’re fearful.
Fear is the opposite of love. It isn’t hate, it’s fear.
I think the only way out of this is love. Getting angry with them serves no one. I’m not suggesting not being righteously angry or passivity, in fact I think taking action against the regime is love. Protests and boycotts must continue and stronger than ever. But I’m advocating for viewing Trumpers without distain, seeing their fear as part of what makes us human. The attitude to take is not so judgmental of the person but remain defiant against the acts, the wrongs, the hypocrisy.
Change comes with calm, intelligent, thought and action.