Well, he did it again.
In a country that prides itself on democracy, the American people have truly spoken. However, it is unlikely that the past near-decade of tension and turmoil will subside overnight. With the re-election of Trump, a man subject to more assassination attempts than successful business ventures, political violence is practically inevitable.
In our recent political discourse, it has been apparent that the possibility of political violence has not been treated as an “if,” but rather a “when.” So, how did the once-United States of America come to be so bitterly and dangerously divided? It is in great part due to the man himself: Trump. Yet, the media’s harsh treatment of his supporters has only exacerbated their dogmatic support for the incoming President. Now, here we await the boiling over of our long-simmering tensions, and it’s quite the covfefe.
Donald Trump came into the White House in 2016 with bold promises and even bolder braggadocio. It was this unique combination of unorthodox political traits that endeared him to so many Americans who felt alienated by the status quo. Capitalizing on public desires to have a President who felt like a normal, if not wacky, everyday American, Trump heavily incorporated the intrusive, often vulgar aspects of his personality into his political persona.
The feeling of having Trump as a President could very well be compared to a crazy uncle at Thanksgiving who swears up and down that they could do a better job as President than the current officeholder. Sure, you laughed it off at first and treated it as another crazy Uncle Owen outburst, but fast forward some time, and suddenly you’re having to clear your weekend to attend his inauguration. Actively playing up the role of crazy uncle, Trump would frequently demonize those who expressed even the most minor of disagreements with his philosophy. It was through this reprisal campaign against dissidents and potential enemies that the Republican Party became an echo chamber for Trumpism. Not only would this development have Reagan rolling over in his grave, but it may as well have prompted the construction of a Trump Hotel right on top of it.
Constructive dialogue was the best avenue to alleviate the stranglehold that Trump held over the party. However, this didn’t happen. Rather, an “us vs. them” mentality was cultivated by the minority party, and the media actively fostered it. Utilizing the media against a man who frequently declared it to be the “enemy of the people” only caused his message to be emboldened. After all, in the eyes of his stalwart supporters, the media always had it out for Trump. The out-of-context soundbites and Sunday hit pieces on Trump fell on deaf ears. Further deafening valid criticism of the President, it appeared that every late-night talk show host was cracking subpar jokes with Trump supporters often finding themselves as the unwilling punchline. With many Trump supporters feeling as though the media was being weaponized against them, they began going to further extremes and weaponizing their political views.
The January 6 Attack was undoubtedly one of the most significant assaults on our democracy in American history. Most hurtfully, it was perpetrated by our own people. Inspiration from unfounded claims of election fraud; isolation by American pop culture; infuriation by feelings of being ignored. Trump successfully cultivated a cult of personality based on his villainization of the media, and the media played right into it by actively villainizing his supporter base. With ill will and mistrust all around, it is likely that there will be more January 6’s to come.
Having fought a formidable last-minute campaign, Kamala Harris reversed the precedent set by the last election and formally conceded defeat. Despite this concession and her pleas for unity, it is likely that tempers will continue to flare. This current political climate is the culmination of almost a decade of intense polarization and division.
If this trend continues, we might as well go ahead and throw out “United” from our nation’s name, assuming we still have a nation by the end of it.
Photo Credit: Victor J. Blue | Bloomberg | Getty Images
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