No sane human remotely believes dirty Don Trump cares one iota about America, its people, or the democracy the rest of the world respected just four years ago. Trump is simply un-American.
Although Trump epitomizes the word un-American, the fact that he has significant support from people who claim to be “real Americans” is very telling about their lack of devotion to this country’s ideals, their fellow citizens, the U.S. Constitution or democracy. Trump acolytes are the antithesis of real Americans – exactly like their demigod Trump.
Neither Trump nor his base can claim to be good conservatives any more than good Americans. Oh it is true that typically historical conservatives are not ever going to sway very many left-leaning voters, but historic conservatives are not as intrinsically vicious or without compassion towards other Americans as Trump and his acolytes.
To get a reasonable idea of what a “true conservative” believes, consider the comments of a dyed-in-the-wool conservative explaining why he voted for a Democrat for president in the upcoming general election.
No-one in their right mind would question the conservative bona fides of the former commander of U.S. Special Operations Command responsible for killing Osama bin Laden. This past week retired Admiral of the Navy William McRaven penned an op-Ed for the conservative Wall Street Journal explaining why he had already voted for Joseph Biden in Texas where early voting began this past week.
Admiral McRaven is what most Americans would label a “real conservative” as well as a “real American.” In fact, McRaven describes himself as “pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, small government, strong defense and a national-anthem-standing conservative.”
McRaven sure sounds like a real historical conservative. But he laid out his other conservative beliefs that Trump and his supporters contend are so far out of line with their worldview that they are extremist, dangerous, and un-American.
After describing his typically conservative beliefs, Admiral McRaven wrote:
“I also believe that black lives matter, that the Dreamers deserve a path to citizenship, that diversity and inclusion are essential to our national success, that education is the great equalizer, that climate change is real and that the First Amendment is the cornerstone of our democracy. Most important, I believe that America must lead in the world with courage, conviction and a sense of honor and humility.”
The retired Admiral also laid out how Trump, with ardent support of his un-American base, has devastated America’s standing in the world. He wrote that under Trump America is no longer “looked at for leadership.” Regarding our allies McRaven wrote:
“They have seen us tear up our treaties, leave our allies on the battlefield and cozy up to despots and dictators. They have seen our incompetence in handling the pandemic and the wildfires. They have seen us struggle with social injustice.”
Obviously, Trump and his base consider those comments extremist and un-American, as well as contend that kind of attitude is deleterious for America. Many have strongly implied their willingness to take up arms to support Trump’s un-American policies at home.
Admiral McRaven stated the obvious for America to regain its place of leadership in the world and why a real American would not support despicable Donald Trump. He said:
“We need a president who understands the importance of American leadership, at home and abroad. We need a leader of integrity whose decency and sense of respect reflects the values we expect from our president. We need a president for all Americans, not just half of America.”
This was not McRaven’s first time assailing Trump as seriously sick leader. In 2018 he wrote that “Trump has embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation.“
He also condemned Trump’s un-American attacks on the media saying they represent “the greatest threat to our democracy in my lifetime.” In 2019, Admiral McRaven said that America was under attack “not from without, but from within.”
It is not that long ago that nearly all Republicans would concur with McRaven’s comments with strong support from their conservative supporters.
This screed is not about Trump; every decent American knows that Trump is an unmitigated disaster who has driven America into the ground. Of course Trump is a tool, but what should terrify every sane American is that all of the catastrophes he has wrought on the world and the nation are fully supported by a frighteningly significant percentage of the people.
It cannot be overstated that the divisive nature of Trump is fully supported by a reprehensible group of so-called Americans, including his evangelical fundamentalist sect. No American should believe that if Trump loses the election his cruel base will go away or revert to decency, because they won’t. They are fundamentally Old Testament, mean god, kind of cruel and they wear their barbaric nature with pride – exactly like Trump..
The kind of people that blindly support everything Trump represents did not materialize upon his intent to run for the White House. That level of un-American attitude and endemic hatred for “the other” has always existed and most people understand that pathetic fact. But when Republicans embraced Trump’s brand of conservatism – racism, xenophobia, fascism, and opposition to democratic ideals became a popular Republican movement.
There was a time in this country when Admiral McRaven represented nearly all conservatives – they love the 2nd Amendment, small government, big business, a strong defense, fiscal responsibility, and had at least a modicum of compassion for other Americans.
After Trump confiscated the Republican movement that all changed when he emboldened a savage cult of hate that propelled him to a place he would never reach in a civil society.
Sadly, because there is a frightening cult of hate-driven un-Americans propping up the most un-American human being to ever hold elected office, the entire Republican-conservative movement is in thrall of un-Americans. The result is that instead of Americans laughing at Trump’s latest failed reality show, they are slack jawed and dumbfounded as their nation is driven straight to Hell for a generation. Trump’s supporters, however, are cheering America’s demise.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn't look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
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