The Cult of Trump

[statquo]

Well here we are. We've talked about it for years. It can't be ignored anymore. After yesterday's terrorist attack on the country, the incident offered an opportunity for some to say 'this is too far, I've had enough'. Instead, we're seeing the opposite. More excuses. More distorted rationale. Endless whataboutisms. Dismissiveness. People happy with what happened. All of this despite 4 people's lives ending at the Capitol.

They spray painted and yelled 'murder the media'. There were people with QAnon signs, claiming that the day was the 'storm'. There were attackers taking down American flags and putting up Trump flags. And shamefully, there were people with Confederate flags inside the most non-Confederate building in the country. All trying to overturn an election, based on ONE man's conspiracy theories and inability to accept a loss. The time for 'educating' and 'truth defeats lies' is running out. These people aren't interested. They want a Civil War. They say it in their interviews. They have to be taken more serious now.

So what are we dealing with?

An autocratic, conspiracy theory-fueled, populist, anti-Democrat, anti-democratic, lower middle class, white, Confederate-sympathizing, evangelical grievance filled party that is a minority going forward, but on equal footing due to gerrymandering and the electoral college.

And then there's their undying loyalty to Donald Trump. Yesterday we saw the attackers put one man over country. They believe in a nation of one man. We saw it at the Capitol yesterday.

So, how is this dislodged from the US? Because options are really running out. It sounded absurd and laughably outrageous to suggest the US, could devolve into some sort of civil war, but.. one side is asking for it. In fact they want it. They say it in their interviews. And the rest of the country needs to take it more serious.

Discuss

[Sluggo1]

Well here we are. We've talked about it for years. It can't be ignored anymore. After yesterday's terrorist attack on the country, the incident offered an opportunity for some to say 'this is too far, I've had enough'. Instead, we're seeing the opposite. More excuses. More distorted rationale. Endless whataboutisms. Dismissiveness. People happy with what happened. All of this despite 4 people's lives ending at the Capitol.

They spray painted and yelled 'murder the media'. There were people with QAnon signs, claiming that the day was the 'storm'. There were attackers taking down American flags and putting up Trump flags. And shamefully, there were people with Confederate flags inside the most non-Confederate building in the country. All trying to overturn an election, based on ONE man's conspiracy theories and inability to accept a loss. The time for 'educating' and 'truth defeats lies' is running out. These people aren't interested. They want a Civil War. They say it in their interviews. They have to be taken more serious now.

So what are we dealing with?

An autocratic, conspiracy theory-fueled, populist, anti-Democrat, anti-democratic, lower middle class, white, Confederate-sympathizing, evangelical grievance filled party that is a minority going forward, but on equal footing due to gerrymandering and the electoral college.

And then there's their undying loyalty to Donald Trump. Yesterday we saw the attackers put one man over country. They believe in a nation of one man. We saw it at the Capitol yesterday.

So, how is this dislodged from the US? Because options are really running out. It sounded absurd and laughably outrageous to suggest the US, could devolve into some sort of civil war, but.. one side is asking for it. In fact they want it. They say it in their interviews. And the rest of the country needs to take it more serious.

Discuss

Are BLM members/followers a cult???

Seems like the styles are similar. Painting streets and buildings, autocratic, conspiracy theory-fueled, populist, anti-Democrat, anti-democratic, lower middle class, followers, undyling loyalty to the black cause, we've seen the attackers put their cause over the country, they believe in a nation of one cause, we've seen in in cities for months.

So are BLM members/followers a cult???

Why is one group better.worse than the other.

[Zmaster52]

Arrest every Trump supporter and charge them with treason!


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[Zmaster52]

Sorry, I’m just trying to channel my inner Republican. #Law&Order


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[mike_noodles]

Are BLM members/followers a cult???

Seems like the styles are similar. Painting streets and buildings, autocratic, conspiracy theory-fueled, populist, anti-Democrat, anti-democratic, lower middle class, followers, undyling loyalty to the black cause, we've seen the attackers put their cause over the country, they believe in a nation of one cause, we've seen in in cities for months.

So are BLM members/followers a cult???

Why is one group better.worse than the other.

Come on man. Civil rights vs an attempted overthrow of democracy.

[dbroncos78087]

Come on man. Civil rights vs an attempted overthrow of democracy.

The only people putting their feet on the necks of Trump supporters are other Trump supporters mocking the killing of George Floyd. **** them and **** anyone who supports them! Equating the two is utter garbage.

[rhino17]

I think a lot of this has to do with how stupid people in this country are. Americans are a generally very dumb group of individuals and easily duped by nonsense like this.

Education, intelligence, free thinking, etc are not valued in our society. It shows.

[spliff(TONE)]

Are BLM members/followers a cult???

Seems like the styles are similar. Painting streets and buildings, autocratic, conspiracy theory-fueled, populist, anti-Democrat, anti-democratic, lower middle class, followers, undyling loyalty to the black cause, we've seen the attackers put their cause over the country, they believe in a nation of one cause, we've seen in in cities for months.

So are BLM members/followers a cult???

Why is one group better.worse than the other.

It is so pathetic how all people like Special, Baby Bop, and you can say after yesterday is "what about Antifa?" or "what about BLM?".

[DeW-Star]

I think a lot of this has to do with how stupid people in this country are. Americans are a generally very dumb group of individuals and easily duped by nonsense like this.

Education, intelligence, free thinking, etc are not valued in our society. It shows.

Its painfully obvious that we don't just need to invest in education in the inner cities but in rural areas as well. Efforts like starlink and others that will help rural areas reliable access to internet will go a long way as well in helping to educate the public in areas that have had next to no access to these things. That goes a long way in keeping large segments of our population uneducated and highly susceptible to manipulation and disinformation. There's a lot that needs to be done to combat this sort of stuff and it will require significant investments. And unfortunately it may be too late for some already to realistically help.

[Crovash]

I think a lot of this has to do with how stupid people in this country are. Americans are a generally very dumb group of individuals and easily duped by nonsense like this.

Education, intelligence, free thinking, etc are not valued in our society. It shows.

I think it runs deeper than that.

Human beings are hard-wired for tribalism. In effect, it is what we are, and it’s an important factor in how we got this far in the first place.

There are countless examples over time of how this innate need is satisfied — on all points of the political, cultural, and religious spectrum — and the cult of the personality is only one among many.

What seems to have happened here is that the cult of personality has (in the minds of the discontented and ignorant) merged with the cult of nationalism, fueled by fear, disaffection, and victimization. That’s a potent combination.

Education is one way to manage, even subdue, this need, but the influence of education alone is simply not enough. More often than not, whatever reason there was in play goes right out the door when overrun by instinct, especially instinct fed by emotion.

In some ways, it’s very basic — primitive, really.

[beasted86]

It's not like we can round them up and throw them in a ditch.

People are going to believe what they're going to believe. Unfortunately we live in a society with highly impressionable individuals who don't think for themselves, don't read enough, don't fact check, and lack basic socialization (empathy, compassion, humanity, etc).

It reminds me of the movie Inception. How do you attempt to cure someone possessed by an idea that takes over their reality?

We're just going to have to focus on the next generation and hope it gets better.

[Sluggo1]

Come on man. Civil rights vs an attempted overthrow of democracy.

Which was which???

Protesting an election and breaking into the capital is different that protesting and setting up un-enterable zones in cities???

Come on man.

Look, both sides are wrong. The problem I have on these message boards is when posters try to paint one side being different than the other.

Trumpers are a cult but BLMers are just peace protestors with gasoline and matches. Come on man.

A riot is a riot…regardless (or irregardless in NJ) of who partakes in the riot.

[blams]

Which was which???

Protesting an election and breaking into the capital is different that protesting and setting up un-enterable zones in cities???

Come on man.

Look, both sides are wrong. The problem I have on these message boards is when posters try to paint one side being different than the other.

Trumpers are a cult but BLMers are just peace protestors with gasoline and matches. Come on man.

A riot is a riot…regardless (or irregardless in NJ) of who partakes in the riot.

A coup is not comparable to a protest or even a riot. Sorry.

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[nastynice]

Why is one group better.worse than the other.

One group is fighting for equality, one group is fighting against wearing masks.

One is better, one is worse.

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[valade16]

It is comical asking Trump supporters how far they'd go and them responding "of course I wouldn't support that" only to later support it with open arms.

I guarantee Trump supporters on here will go "of course I wouldn't support Trump stopping elections and declaring himself supreme leader" followed by them enthusiastically cheering if he did just that.