You are so right about this. And Senator Mike Lee and the MAGA cultists will go to any length to blame Democrats. How does one become so hateful and ignorant of the truth?
Good question, because we sure don't start out that way. As the song from the classic musical SOUTH PACIFIC has it, "You've got to be taught to hate." And if you're surrounded by people who hate what you hate and are fine with their own ignorance, there's little incentive to do otherwise.
I’m from Minneapolis originally, have met Melissa and received her emails, a truly dedicated, loving and devoted representative to our community and state.
It appears this blue spinning cosmic ball has fallen off its axis with everything you’ve described in this well researched, and crafted piece Nina!!
The white nationalist and religious right are insanely focused on the great replacement theory, with the odious career criminal Trump, as their god appointed savior…colour me disgusted!!
I'm so intrigued by your comments about living in the rural Midwest: "I know well how weird shit can take root in people’s heads when they’re alone in the empty miles. Minds can get bent around conspiracy theories. In many cases, those conspiracy theories promote violence in service to some greater cause, and often that cause is some perverted form of Christianity." Having lived all my life on the East Coast, 2/3 of it in Massachusetts, I don't know that world -- but I can see connections to the world(s) I do know. Those "perverted form[s] of Christianity" are closely allied with perverted forms of patriotism -- what's Christian nationalism about, after all?
Thanks much for the introduction to Jeff Sharlet. Gotta read his book and subscribe to his Substack.
I also spent some 11 years living in Indiana. Originally from England and now back in England. It was an eye opener. I could not quite get my head around why everywhere you turned their was a big advert threatening you with HELL for everything but particularly abortion. That people would tell me they pitied my atheism because… “the rapture”. Which was an ideology I had to look up to even understand. The rabid hatred of anything even slightly left of centre. The hatred of single payer healthcare. The loathing of gay people. I don’t mean that as individuals people were horrible, I met some wonderful people whilst living there, but it was always a shock when I was confronted by the bigotry. But then when I went exploring I saw the extreme poverty, the ruined and deprived small towns, the ugly arse strip mall aesthetic, and the huge class divide. I was still there in 2016 and Trump was elected. It was then I got scared. It was then that people were being beaten and their businesses being destroyed, because? Black, Gay, liberal. The Nazi leafleting, the Nazi Graffitti. The black man who went to the lakes near Bloomington who was threatened and followed with a rope, assaulted, and who may not have made it if it were not being filmed by his friends. And then there are the guns mixed into all this nonsense. It was awful to live there but I could get out and did finally manage. I had that privilege… and of course a passport. The shock was how all the KKK aligned groups just suddenly erupted out if the darkness made me feel that the ID of the US is deeply damaged and toxic.
The “spin” (to put it incredibly generously) from the MAGA influencers is as amazing to behold as it is scary and dangerous. I’ve just discovered your writing, Nina, and really appreciate it.
You are so right about this. And Senator Mike Lee and the MAGA cultists will go to any length to blame Democrats. How does one become so hateful and ignorant of the truth?
Good question, because we sure don't start out that way. As the song from the classic musical SOUTH PACIFIC has it, "You've got to be taught to hate." And if you're surrounded by people who hate what you hate and are fine with their own ignorance, there's little incentive to do otherwise.
Well said Helen!!
The list of NAR cult members in our country and government is very scary stuff!!
I’m from Minneapolis originally, have met Melissa and received her emails, a truly dedicated, loving and devoted representative to our community and state.
It appears this blue spinning cosmic ball has fallen off its axis with everything you’ve described in this well researched, and crafted piece Nina!!
The white nationalist and religious right are insanely focused on the great replacement theory, with the odious career criminal Trump, as their god appointed savior…colour me disgusted!!
I'm so intrigued by your comments about living in the rural Midwest: "I know well how weird shit can take root in people’s heads when they’re alone in the empty miles. Minds can get bent around conspiracy theories. In many cases, those conspiracy theories promote violence in service to some greater cause, and often that cause is some perverted form of Christianity." Having lived all my life on the East Coast, 2/3 of it in Massachusetts, I don't know that world -- but I can see connections to the world(s) I do know. Those "perverted form[s] of Christianity" are closely allied with perverted forms of patriotism -- what's Christian nationalism about, after all?
Thanks much for the introduction to Jeff Sharlet. Gotta read his book and subscribe to his Substack.
Loneliness and isolation, long winters and windy cold springs, vast empty spaces between drive-throughs. I love the region, but it's hard.
Remember when people in rural areas couldn’t get high-speed Internet? Those were the days.
Monsters in Hollywood: “Weirdos” is correct. https://youtu.be/YAVwwL8eFKs?si=o3J9szaDYDPGnwMj <> And Burnett begat MAGA
I also spent some 11 years living in Indiana. Originally from England and now back in England. It was an eye opener. I could not quite get my head around why everywhere you turned their was a big advert threatening you with HELL for everything but particularly abortion. That people would tell me they pitied my atheism because… “the rapture”. Which was an ideology I had to look up to even understand. The rabid hatred of anything even slightly left of centre. The hatred of single payer healthcare. The loathing of gay people. I don’t mean that as individuals people were horrible, I met some wonderful people whilst living there, but it was always a shock when I was confronted by the bigotry. But then when I went exploring I saw the extreme poverty, the ruined and deprived small towns, the ugly arse strip mall aesthetic, and the huge class divide. I was still there in 2016 and Trump was elected. It was then I got scared. It was then that people were being beaten and their businesses being destroyed, because? Black, Gay, liberal. The Nazi leafleting, the Nazi Graffitti. The black man who went to the lakes near Bloomington who was threatened and followed with a rope, assaulted, and who may not have made it if it were not being filmed by his friends. And then there are the guns mixed into all this nonsense. It was awful to live there but I could get out and did finally manage. I had that privilege… and of course a passport. The shock was how all the KKK aligned groups just suddenly erupted out if the darkness made me feel that the ID of the US is deeply damaged and toxic.
The “spin” (to put it incredibly generously) from the MAGA influencers is as amazing to behold as it is scary and dangerous. I’ve just discovered your writing, Nina, and really appreciate it.