The greatest threat to American Democracy is angry, right wing, white men. They are no longer just angry but also mad and acting upon their frustration and fear. Anger is a state of mind. An emotion we choose. It is a weakness; one we accept, give in to and act upon. Mad is an out-of-control reaction.
They are angry because they no longer hold a place of superiority. Angry their inherited privilege is being slowly eroded. Angry that women, LGBQT, racial, and religious minorities are being recognized and treated as equals, rather than subservient members of society. Gnashing their teeth about how things have changed as they look through the narrow distorted rearview mirror of American history. Angry they must share power, jobs, and educational opportunities. Incensed their children are exposed to Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American History months. And angry about the rise of alternate religions and cultures, fearing the loss of prestige in Christianity and lashing out against others, especially those of Islamic and Jewish faith.
Anger now manifested in acts of mad rage. PRRI 2021 American Values Survey: 30% Republicans and 26% white evangelical protestants believe: ‘True American patriots may have to resort to violence if that’s what it takes to save the country.’ We’ve gone from ‘What Would Jesus Do’, to ‘What Keeps Us In Power’. They are yelling and threating local elected officials from school boards to city/county councils. They are armed and staging protests inside state legislative buildings. Wondering through the halls brazenly attempting to bully and intimidate law makers. They dominated the January 6th insurrection and invasion of our Nation’s Capital. Their madness has spilled into the streets as they carry torches through Charleston, ramming crowds with cars, and white nationalist marching on the Lincoln Memorial. School shootings are almost the sole domain of white men with almost 70% of mass shootings by white males (Statistica 2021).
They have been consumed by the power of the mob and can no longer think as individuals. What was once their greatest asset has been self-surrendered out of anger. They are a threat to our democracy because they think and act with the emotion of a mob because mobs have no intelligence.
Terrified their dominate position of power is so sufficiently eroded they will never be able to recover without threating, bullying, and restricting the voting rights of others. Their anger is the fuel of those who want to manipulate and stay in power. ‘We’re (GOP) not generating enough angry white guys to stay in business (power) for the long term’ (Sen L. Graham R-SC, 2012). They have been targeted, prodded and are now the willing gullible patsies of conspiracy theories and any charlatans claiming they will protect, defend, and restore their predominance in society. The lack of interest in the truth and honesty is shocking as their leaders unabashedly lie and twist the truth.
Democracy requires all voices to be heard. Not just those brandishing guns and yelling. The Truth is an amalgamation of everyone’s perspectives. Truth is forged by the relentless pounding of facts between the unyielding anvil of history and the merciless, endless swings of the hammer of investigation. There must be a thirst for honesty and integrity in a democracy. In 1787 John Adams wrote; ‘,…if the common people in America lose their integrity, they will soon set up tyrants of their own’. Tyrants only protect you if it benefits them, and not a second longer. As of now there seems to be no appetite for the truth. These are America’s radicalized jihadists and zealots and are a clear threat to democracy. They are on the wrong side of history, just as the Nazi brownshirts were. Let me just ask; what would we collectively say if these acts were perpetrated by Black Muslims? #NeverFeartheDream
simplebender 