Call it Dominance

 

 

With Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and the Democratic Convention, the comparison and contrast was crystal clear. Earlier, on the Wrap, it was reported that MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski called out diehard Trump supporters: “How Stupid Can You Be?” She added “look at how he’s worn us down, from his paid off porn star to Russian  allies, to racism in Charlottesville, racism across the board, children in cages, mean lie after lie after lie….. Conspiracy theories.” She went on to accuse Trump of “choosing not to keep people alive amid the Corona virus pandemic and accusing his fellow GOP lawmakers of letting it happen.” This foreshadows an August 9, 2020 article in the New York Times titled “Christianity Will Have Power”   How a Promise by Trump Bonded Him to White Evangelicals.” This essay critiques that article.”

Sigmund Freud’s “In Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego” wrote that group behavior or the relationship of the leader to his followers was related to the formation of attitudes toward both the father and siblings. We know that a helpless infant has specific biological needs that are encountered with ministrations and frustrations as a result of the behaviors of parents or caretaker. Thus, dominant-submissive interactions originate and begin. Then, what often follows is a rivalry toward siblings resulting in additional dominant-submissive and aggressive interactions as well. Notably, attitudes are formed. We acknowledge that individuals, because of their needs, are prepared to expect almost complete support and gratification from that outside power. This awakens these early forming attitudes towards the father- leader. This pattern of total self-abnegation and blissful response, beginning in infancy  , can later fill itself toward God or toward any person, idea or whatever that fits well enough to serve as an adequate stimulus. Moreover, what also happens is that the Individual with internalization and identification tends to build or expand the power of the leader based on his own need structure. This allows and results in the demagogue to pander to the will or needs of his sheep. The leader or demagogue with words and actions then demonstrates his power, and cohesiveness to his sheep.

 Also discovered, by Freud, was that the leader conscience, can take over the conscience of the followers. Much too frequently, the substitution of one’s conscience involves the impairment or lowering of the intellectual, rational and moral capacities of the followers. In other words the  leaders conscience and attitudes becomes the individual’s conscience as in good or bad, right or wrong etc. through identification. Also, that leader can formulate with clarity and cogency the trends and needs which are already obviously present in the group.

Freud’s concept of identification, set the framework for submission, for an irrationally-diminished intellectual and moral functioning by the cohesive group followers with their leader.  Turning to 2016 at Sioux Ctr., Iowa, and Trump stated “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and s shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters. He also stated, with a raised finger, this cold January morning “Christianity will have power. “If I’m there, you going to have plenty of power, you don’t need anybody else. You’re going to have somebody representing you very, very well. Remember that.” That wording by Trump is a good example of his internal guide to the rightness or wrongness of his behavior.

A 56-year-old white male, who was present, stated I guess the biggest concern for me is trying to keep our country the way it was. He added you don’t lock the doors and I never take the keys out of the car. Further, small government, ending abortion, judges who share my political views, and traditional families he stated. The religious part is huge for us as we see religious freedoms being taken away. His wife added you don’t believe in homosexuality or something you lose your business because of it. Trump with an executive order put the Bibles back in the public schools. Has something very worrisome and dear to us our religious freedom. We started out as a Christian nation, we want America to be a Christian nation for our children, but you try to protect what you got, you might say. Our town is changed and there is greater number of Catholic Latinos.

Other resident comments by different individuals: 1. Trumps an outsider like the rest of us. We might not respect Trump, but we still love the guy for who he is. 2. There is fear. The fear, the fear of losing everything. 3. Obama wanted to take my assault rifles, he wanted to take out all the high-capacity magazines. It felt like your freedoms were getting taken from you. 4. I’m safe when I’m here. I’m not afraid when I’m here. 5. We have life very easy. It’s laid-back, it’s like-minded people. And that’s just and it’s just, I like the bubble. 6. People in my circles you really don’t hear about racism. I guess I don’t know much about it. 7. This country was based and built in God fearful leaders and changing that is going to change one of the reasons why this country started, the thing that everybody loves about this country. 8. We’re making this huge issue of white versus black. Black lives matter, all lives matter. They’re more deaths from abortion than there are from Corona, we are not fighting that battle. 9. We have the greatest country in the world. We’re going to keep it nice and safe. 10. Mike pence is a wonderful gentleman. This is probably very bad analogy, but I say he is like the very supportive, submissive wife to Trump. He does the hard work and the husband gets the glory.

A Hispanic Catholic, age 64 who became a pastor stated: 1. Doing things like dividing the family, I don’t think that is very Christian. Building walls instead of helping people with medicine, food especially now people are getting sick for not having enough income 2. Maybe they know that they realize that he is kind of persecuting Hispanics, so they won’t talk very much about that in front of me. I want the same thing, but I won’t tell them my opinion.

George Washington was referred to as the father of our country. What does that make Donald? A rebellious son? A stepson? We know that weak and fearful individuals turn and identify with an individual perceived as stronger as or more powerful than them. We also know that this identification is based on insecurity, a need for protection and security. We also know that the leader’s conscience or lack of becomes the conscience of the followers. Shooting somebody on Fifth Avenue is not part of Christian teachings nor is having somebody vote for that same person that just murdered another. We also know that the enabling follower’s use of reason and logic is diminished as well as their own moral and ethical compass.

These evangelicals express the importance of freedom for religion, for guns and the importance of the original God-fearing leaders. Yes, Jefferson, Hamilton, Madison, Franklin and others established a U.S. Constitution on March 4, 1789 that was ratified or voted on in 1788. Now we have a Democratic Republic. Since that time, there have been 27 amendments to the Constitution. With our Constitution we have freedoms of free speech; freedom of owning a gun; freedom of worshiping; separation of church and state; freedom to vote among others. There has been no amendment abolishing Christianity nor has there any threat to practicing Christianity.  Our monetary system is symbolized by “In God We Trust”; and various songs like Onward Christian Soldiers have not been abolished. Democracy and its democratic norms allow many freedoms especially freedom of religion.

On the other hand, the evangelicals are more than likely on a mission for power or dominance like the Puritans. They are currently by looking for public school funding and to be the religion of the land. The Puritans or English Protestants purified the Church of England by eliminating the Catholics.  Power is not one of the 10 Commandments? If these evangelicals, are on that mission, then supporting the anti-democratic, lying, amoral, narcissist makes sense. Moral and ethical principles take a back seat to power- dominance needs.

The U.S. Postal Service an independent agency that goes back to 1775 and more importantly is explicitly authorized by the United States Constitution for providing postal service in the United States, including its insular areas and associated states. Back in the 50s, I was hired, as an extra because of increased mail volume, and worked in my father’s post office during Christmas time. My dad wanted me to work inside because of the nasty sleet, snow, and cold weather conditions. I told him I preferred to be outside in the elements so I could deliver the much needed mail. 

Currently, we have this sick, lying paranoid, sycophant in the executive branch who has interfered with our democracy. He now is by attempting to diminish the presidential vote by mail and cripple – privatize the US Post Office service in the process by removing mail boxes, eliminating expensive mail sorting machines, not hiring additional staff, and interfering with timely mail distribution. What would Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison say to these evangelicals? How can you support this anti-democratic narcissistic, sociopathic, paranoid and destructive man that threatens our democracy which we fought so hard to establish? All your freedoms are guaranteed by our Constitution that was democratically established and voted upon. That man threatens your way of life in the most profound ways. We no longer wanted a king or autocrat in power. Your beliefs regarding this man run counter to how our country was established. However, they would understand the pursuit of power -dominance.

Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Holding a Bible upside down front of St. John’s Episcopalian church, while protesters were tear gassed and shot with rubber pellets was not Christian. Not lying, not stealing, not loving thy neighbor/enemies, not coveting thy neighbor’s wife are just some of the biblical teachings. But, is it more important to have small government {forget homeland security and the biggest military budget in the world]; abortion laws {regardless of the circumstances and not wanting to offer financial assistance to the young]; and have like-minded judges? Forget about the values of the 10 Commandments which are based on people treating people in noncriminal and humane manners?

One evangelical supporter made a statement that he doesn’t respect the man but that he loves him demonstrated his lack of understanding love. How can you love someone that you do not have regard for the feelings, wishes, traditions and rights of another or others? If you do not esteem, have positive or warm feelings for a person, you don’t love them. Love is a positive feeling. A few antonyms for respect include scorn, despisement, abomination, condemnation and mistrust.  This man was just making a nonsensical, illogical and contradictory statement.  Having peaceful protesters tear gassed and shot with rubber pellets; having children at the border separated from their parents and placed in cages; sending armed militia to Portland, Oregon and much worse is allowing, without a comprehensive plan, for 170,000 citizens  to die with over 1/2 million   becoming contagious is not a biblical-Christian teaching. For more about love consult Erich Fromm’s “The Art of Love.” Who is going to save Christianity from itself?

Also apparent from the article was the tremendous amount of false information propagated by evangelical residents. They provided no documentation, logic or references to support their phony and false statements. Pres. Obama was not after their weapons. There were no executive orders take away their guns. Abortion is not the fifth leading cause of death in United States. Covid-19 is the fifth leading cause of death. Why should the government have a law regarding the right to choose supersede a woman’s right for that important decision? Maybe the problem for these and evangelicals is that the woman is choosing.  An embryo is an early stage of development of a multicellular organism, and it’s just that that occurs just after fertilization. You can’t kill an embryo but you can kill an unarmed black skinned person? How can this be the greatest religious country in the world with so many sins resulting from racist deaths?

These evangelicals forget that the pilgrims wanted religious freedom and then criticized and burned at the stake those that thought differently.  That’s power and dominance. Our US policy was to eliminate and obliterate the American Indians along with enslaving people with black skin. This practically lily white community doesn’t know firsthand much about racism unless they consult reliable media, history of Little Bighorn , Jim Thorpe, the 1619 project and so much more.  For more about racism, the enslavement of black men and boys in our prison system and the injustices, consult “Mercy, a Story of Justice and Redemption “by Bryan Stevenson.

The words and the behavior for these evangelicals are associated with racism, bigotry, and the sadomasochistic practices of the inept executive. It’s not about saving the Christianity of Jesus. Their moral compass is weak, primitive and cruel as indicated by their irrational following and their silence of the crimes of perpetuated by a self-righteous Trump. How is an amoral, narcissist, sociopathic and paranoid individual going to save Christianity? To call Trump a Christian, is nonsense and a delusion. He’ll do practically anything, or say anything to hold onto the power of the office. What about “Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor”? He’s already calling voting by mail fraudulent; cutting back Postal Service delivery; and attempting to stop states from employing mail in voting. Further, dead people from the pandemic can’t vote. The Republican Party also has a long history of experienced ways to suppress voting. His need for excessive attention, admiration, lack of empathy and lying is apparent. You can’t see, what you do not want to see, if your head is buried in sand. These individuals also have a number of defense mechanisms like denial, rationalization and projection to distort the truth.  Mika said they were stupid. They are more than stupid, they are sick, misguided, needy, and amoral, without ethics and misinformed individuals. For the evangelicals, he’s their vehicle for power- dominance.