Kalkin (01-10-2019),MisterVeritis (01-10-2019)
I’ve spent a lot of time pondering this question, too, but I think the answer is pretty simple.
Donald Trump is the living antithesis of Karl Marx. In Trump, we have a man who built an independent fortune for himself in real estate and media moguling, basically never having to worry about being fired or playing by others rules. He has a comical amount of “narcissism”: he believes he’s the greatest businessman alive and he takes 100% credit for his own success and routinely describes those who fail in life as “losers.” Whereas the post-Marxist, modern leftist ideal would be that those who fail in life are being exploited. It’s not your fault if you don’t succeed, it’s somebody else’s. Trump’s worldview is almost the perfect polar opposite.
You weren’t supposed to defy norms about what is “racist” or “sexist” or such, because, low and behold, these terms were defined by the American left in narrow, contradictory ways. It was a way of keeping their opponents playing on their home court. Trump broke that mold, proved that their definitions could be challenged, proved that you could still win in defiance of them, and it drove the left mad.
If the modern left is a scam, Trump is the one who’s exposing it. So they’ll pretty much do anything to stop him. Now, I don’t think Trump is necessarily conscious of any of this, and neither are the Democrats, necessarily. But I think this is basically what’s going on behind the scenes, and it explains everything from the shutdown to Mueller and most of what’s in between.
Interesting.
ΜOΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
Captdon (01-11-2019)
Probably stems from the fact that any time I say "Donald Trump" and don't immediately follow it up with "is the embodiment of Jesus Christ," I'm accused of "hating" the man. Even when there's evidence where I've complimenting him on some things.
Conservative Trump-lovers act like we are not allowed to dislike him at all, like there's some obligation that I have to like and agree with everything Trump does.
"Those who produce should have, but we know that those who produce the most — that is, those who work hardest, and at the most difficult and most menial tasks, have the least."
- Eugene V. Debs (1855-1926), five-time Socialist Party candidate for U.S. President
Well, there’s always gonna be some of that cutting both ways, with Trump or any president. But the resentment and animosity toward Trump is unrivaled in modern political times. There just hasn’t been anything like it. Just imagine people being punched for wearing Obama hats, or ran out of their jobs. That never happened, at least, nowhere near as frequently.
"Those who produce should have, but we know that those who produce the most — that is, those who work hardest, and at the most difficult and most menial tasks, have the least."
- Eugene V. Debs (1855-1926), five-time Socialist Party candidate for U.S. President
Dr. Who (01-10-2019)
I would say there’s quite a bit of distance between off-the-cuff hyperbole/overreaction and the actual, organized violence orchestrated against Trump supporters and/or “nazis.” Trump’s comments also exist in a context where protestors often get violent. There’s really no comparison. Trump never advocated unprovoked violence against Hillary Clinton supporters with the logic of preemptively defeating a fascist sect.
Kalkin (01-10-2019)
It's pretty telling that you put "Nazis" in quotes when these people are literally wearing swastikas, waving Nazi flags, and popping Nazi salutes, but okay. I agree that no side gets a pass in this and everyone has contributed to the problem. I don't agree that Trump is immune from criticism for his own part in it.
"Those who produce should have, but we know that those who produce the most — that is, those who work hardest, and at the most difficult and most menial tasks, have the least."
- Eugene V. Debs (1855-1926), five-time Socialist Party candidate for U.S. President
First of all, it’s never okay to commit unprovoked violence against anyone. Actual nazis included. If they’re guilty of a crime, you charge them with one, and if they’re not, you respect their right to see the world as they please, and challenge their speech with speech of your own. There’s just nothing more to be said on the topic.
Secondly, I put “nazis” in quotes because many people branded with that term were far from national socialists, and it often became shorthand for simply, “a white person who is racist,” whether they really were or not.
Lastly, sure, criticisms of Trump when he steps over a line are fair. But that doesn’t mean there’s any serious equivalency between Trump’s venting comments and a nationwide, media-promoted, serious debate over whether it’s okay to commit violence against political opponents.