Posts
Donald Trump set off a lot of alarm bells with his claim in the last presidential debate that he would not graciously concede the election lost unless he had been convinced that the contest was not “rigged,” whatever that means.
Commentary from across the political spectrum pointed out that Trump’s rhetoric had more in comparison with a dictatorial strongman holding on to power than the democratically elected president of the United States.
And now Trump’s most diehard supporters are entertaining thoughts of violence if their chosen leader fails to win the race.
Jim Moseley is buying extra ammunition and stocking up on canned goods.He is a Donald Trump supporter in South Carolina, and he is preparing for “war.” The civil war he thinks will start if Hillary Clinton is elected president.“Once the trucks stop rolling, the grocery shelves will go empty and gasoline rationing will go into effect,” Moseley, who calls himself a “Christian soldier,” wrote in a Facebook message early this week.“Liberals will have targets on their backs, as their behaviors are pretty much evident … race wars will begin as well, as your skin color will be your uniform!”
This is bigger than just Donald Trump, as he is just the latest manifestation of the “paranoid style” on the right, a mindset that has pushed conspiratorial and bizarre ideas for over 50 years. It is the same mindset behind Fox News and its creation by former Nixon aide Roger Ailes, as well as right-wing talk radio and its leading hosts like Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh.
At a certain point, if you keep telling your most devoted audience that someone is out to get them and they need guns and more to protect themselves and their families, they’re going to believe it.
Trump’s decision to violate the norms of American elections are another sign that he cares more about his ego than the safety of Americans.
No comments:
Post a Comment