Indicted on 91 felony accounts, yet the Republican base is unfazed by the reality of potential consequences and ramifications of this truism. The former president is an accused criminal, not convicted yet, but accused. I recall his statement during the 2016 campaign when he stated he could murder someone on Fifth Avenue in New York City, and nothing would happen. Are we witnessing this truth coming to fruition? As the indictments pile up his approval ratings amongst the Republican faithful go up. Is there no moral compass that resides among this group of ideological zealots? Is there no recognition of what is right and what is wrong? Is there no acceptance of the results of one grand jury after another finding enough evidence to proceed with litigation?
The divisiveness that is so pervasive in the country is exceedingly troubling. This week a woman shop owner in California is murdered for flying a Pride flag at her place of business. People are walking around with weapons strapped to their bodies, a scene reminiscent of the “Old, Old West”. Recently, I was waiting for my wife’ s car to be serviced at a local auto shop and one of their courtesy drivers walked by and I noticed a pistol stuck in his belt in the small of his back. What has life come to when there is no shame in brazingly displaying a vigilante mentality? Every day the news begins with a report of another murder in town after town across the country. When guns are so readily available and no controls placed upon those who have them, it is no wonder that death is the result of some disagreement. Considering the pervasiveness of gun ownership, there is no haven of safety. People have been killed in their homes, their cars, the theater, the grocery store, the school, the university, the mall, concerts, the nightclub, and on-and-on. These deaths have occurred in small towns, Uvalde, Texas and large cities, Las Vegas, Nevada,
It seems as if the current societal atmosphere is absent of the moral fabric that made this country what it had become. There was a time when disagreements were settled through discussion, persuasion, and compromise, not by killing the one with whom you disagree. There was a time when kids could walk to school without fearing being attacked. The bullying of children and adolescents has risen to epidemic proportions. The rate of suicide amongst young people has continued to increase. The mental health of young people has evolved to a very fragile state. Why is all of this happening? It is my belief that the former president has created an atmosphere of acceptance of ridicule, dishonesty, exaggeration, and intimidation that has been seen by young people. He has given license and approval to such behavior and continues to spew forth untruth after untruth. He has publicly ridiculed a reporter with cerebral palsy, made light of the death of a son of Muslim parents who gave his life fighting for this country, uses name-calling to undermine any who disagree. His adolescent mentality has, indeed, given license to a boorish mentality. A recent headline of an article in the Washington Post, stated that the former president has threatened anyone who challenges him and “you should take him at his word”. With a person who held the highest office in the land behaving as if he is the law and he is the order, is it any wonder that we continue to see what goes on in this country.
Often the current complexities of the country are compared to the upheaval of the 1960’s, but even then, it was different. Whether one agreed or disagreed, there were some viable reasons for the unrest. The conflict in Viet Nam was a frequent divider of people. There was never a consistent level of support for our involvement. The atrocious occurrences that were directed toward Black Americans was the outcome of years of battles for those who had been enslaved, thus it provided a level of understanding that led to the tragedies of the 60’s. Yes, people were killed and injured, but with some degree of viable cause. Several cities went up in flames fostered by years of discontent and frustration. I am not justifying what took place, but simply trying to provide a perspective that is different from what is happening today. People are being killed in mass shootings and massacres at an alarming rate. The homicide rate on the south side of Chicago is and has been out of control. Today it seems that people hate anyone that is not of like mind. There is no civil interaction. Witness the facial expressions of those who stormed the capital back on January 6th. They were snarling and spewing forth venomous language toward those in some degree of authority, including the Vice President of the country.
It is my belief that the Internet has been a primary factor in contributing to the unrest that we are living with today. Anything, right or wrong, can be passed along through social media and people begin to believe what they see and hear. There is no stepping back and questioning whether there is any truth to what is being put forth. The absence of control over the dissemination of information is a real threat to the maintenance of a democratic society. Coupled with the influence of the Internet is the influence of other avenues of media dissemination such as television, radio, and movies. Often these outlets pass along unsubstantiated information that can influence individuals who are waiting for some justification to create havoc. Additionally, the sharing of information can easily lead to providing those on the fringe with ideas of what can be done and how to do it. The Internet and media outlets can be a blessing or a curse. How they are used goes back to the moral compass of society. Is there such and how is it used. Who are the base that are so readily willing to accept whatever the former president says, whether it is accurate, true, or supported with facts.
It is my belief that the following profile depicts who fits into the unwavering base that blindly supports the former president. The majority are white, working-class individuals whose education stopped at high school. They are adamant in their Christian religious beliefs. They are willing to “fight” for what they believe they believe and were overwhelming represented in the mob that stormed the capital on January 6th. They are entrenched in their acceptance of the “Big Lie” that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. They turn a blind eye to the fact that over 60 cases that were filed on behalf of the former president’s claims were either dismissed or found to have no merit. They refuse to accept the reality that common ordinary citizens in New York, Washington, and Georgia have been members of grand juries that have unequivocally found valid reasons to indict the former president. Even though they expose religious convictions, they continue to support an individual who is void of any spiritual belief structure. Perhaps more could be added, but what has been presented, hopefully, provides some insight into who are the 74 percent of Repbulicans willing to support the former president. The magnitude of the level of support should be troubling to all who believe in a democratic society that is fair, equitable, and transparent.