We Were Wrong About America

The point being made here points to the skills and capacity for evil that is Donald Trump.  His demagoguery, strengthened by a major cable news channel, effectively tapped into the bigotry, fear, and ignorance of almost exactly half of the American people, and has led us to a point where:

• The news media all around the world is regarded as fake, and that Trump and far-right-wing news sources are the only source of truth.

• Doctors and scientists are corrupt, paid off by Big Money whose purpose is to deceive us about things like COVID-19 and environmental issues.

• Concern over climate change in particular is driven by anti-capitalist forces.

• There is a powerful and sinister force in the United States known as the “Deep State” whose purpose is removing the president from office.

• Hoards of dangerously criminal immigrants are flooding across our southern borders, a threat that can only be derailed by the construction of a 2200-mile wall.

• Trump’s opponent is a member of the radical left, and will lead our country into lawlessness and socialism.

• Only Trump himself has the negotiating expertise to prevent China from taking advantage of us economically.

• Moral rectitude demands that we overturn Roe v. Wade.

• White supremacy is not a bad thing, and white people have the right to blunt the social progress being made by Jews, Muslims, LGBTQs, and people of color.

• Trump is an honest and effective servant of the American people.

• Anyone critical of Trump is not a true patriot.

• Those who care about the well-being of the planet and its people are sissies.

As few as 20 years ago, such ideas would have been laughed off the stage.  But this is where we are now, and turning this ship around is going to be a monstrously difficult undertaking.

Speaking strictly for myself, I was mistaken.