https://medium.com/@philgarber/blog
0824blog
Packs and Deplorables
I did a double take and then just shook my head in disbelief and sadness.
It was Facebook photo of a friend, who I like and deeply respect, on his boat on Lake Hopatcong with a few hundred other boaters, all joining in a Trump2020 regatta.
It got me to thinking about packs and deplorables and law and order and facts. I think a lot about why people can possibly support Trump, in light of everything that has gone down. I also try very hard not to let politics get in the way of friendship, but that is often a very hard thing to do.
Certain groups form packs with bonds like steel. Police, for instance, seem to often speak with one voice and think with one mind because they must act as one in times of crisis and danger. They can’t afford to be separated by philosophy and they tend to congregate together off-duty, feeding off their mutual beliefs. A cop who disagrees fundamentally with others is seen as weak and will find himself alone, quickly.
Police are the biggest supporters of law and order, no surprise there. They tend to be against tougher gun control laws, against efforts to make police more accountable for their actions, against critics of police. These are legitimate issues but the problem is that the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, Trump, simply cannot be trusted to do what he says he will do about these critical issues.
Most of the police I know, though smart at what they do, would not qualify for doctorates in medieval philosophy. Actually, they tend to be naive and get most if not all of their information, from which they form opinions, from Fox and Fox commentators can be very, very convincing. Fox is seen by many as the best friend the police could ever have so why not rely on them to tell someone how to think.
Police also are used to be called names and there could not have been a better gift than when Hillary Clinton referred to Trumpers as a “basket of deplorables.” Anybody who gets the ire of liberal, elitist Clinton can’t be bad or so the thoughts went. So too many police gladly accept the label of “proud deplorable.” It reminds me of the 1960s when the hippies called the police pigs and the police responded with their own logo with PIG an acronym for “Pride, Integrity and Guts.”
Don’t be misled into thinking that Trump’s support has dwindled. The New Jersey State PBA Board of Delegates voted to endorse Trump for President. The New York City Police Benevolent Association endorsed Trump, with the association president, Pat Lynch, commenting “I cannot remember when we’ve ever endorsed for the office of President of the United States, until now…”
Bikers are another group that think they are non-conformists and tend to be in lock step politically, as judged by the recent Sturgis motorcycle rally in Pierre, S.D., that attracted thousands of real men bikers who generally did not wear masks. When a large group of non-conformists support the same person or philosophy, I think that defines conformists.
I believe that these kinds of groups believe Trump is one of them, though in reality he has absolutely nothing in common with bikers and cops. His supporters think Trump is a rebel who stands his ground, even if that ground changes depending on the direction of the political wind. They believe what he says because they want to believe it. To come out against him is a crime that most bikers and cops will not commit, even if they think he is the worst president ever.
And if you don’t have the time, the energy or the ability to research the facts and decide on the issues, then why not just repeat any of the mantras that tell you that your are right and that you can find all over Facebook, like:
“Biden: Biggest Idiot Democrats Ever Nominated.” (Please explain how Biden qualifies as an idiot, no less the biggest idiot ever nominated,and include references and footnotes.)
“Raise your hands if you’re fed up with criminals being idolized and cops being demonized.” (This is a swipe at the Black Lives Matter movement which calls on law enforcement to revise standards and training to stem the overwhelming number of unarmed, African Americans who are killed by police.)
“Wanna know how you can tell when the truth is being told? Facebook blocks it, Twitter deletes it and You Tube bans it.” (Sounds pretty good but don’t you understand that social media is trying to protect the people from intentional lies about incredibly important issues, like COVID 19 and climate change, to name a few.)
“Legal gun owners have 300 million guns and probably a trillion round of ammo. If we were the problem, you’d know it.” (Ouch, sounds like a threat to me.)
“Biden’s tax rate on a family making 750000 dollars would go from 12 percent to 25 percent. LET THAT SINK IN ALL YOU RIDING WITH BIDEN SUPPORTERS.” (And the source of this news is??? and what is the context.)
“CHICAGO IS ON FIRE
They have a leftist mayor.
the governor of Illinois is a leftist,
The Illinois Legislature is majority leftist.
Chicago’s aldermen are majority leftist.
There hasn’t been a conservative mayor since 1931. Do you see a pattern here?” (Let’s start with you defining leftist. I bet you can’t do anything but mimic what you’ve heard on Fox and how do you know all these people are leftists, maybe they are just liberals, my god.)
PS: I don’t usually copy things from Facebook but this was too precious in describing you know who:
Cockwomble: (noun) A person, usually male, prone to making outrageously stupid statements and/or inappropriate behaviour while generally having a very high opinion of their own wisdom and importance. Scottish.