I understand Mr Trump’s acceptance speech was well received, at least according to the over night polls.
I had a different experience.
The text of Mr Trump’s speech is resplendent with references to how he will fix things. He, Donald Trump, personally. He’s John Wayne. He’s Jim Stewart. He’s the man on the white horse. He’s not running to be president. He’s running to be our dictator.
He promises, give him the job, and he will do the job. That job is murky, mud dark. It has something to do with a laundry list of others who are the problem. And, who will be dealt with.
And, people liked it.
There’s a meme out on the interwebs right now. The version that sticks for me is by author Colin Dickey. “If you’ve ever wondered what you would have done in 1930s Germany well then my friend here is your fucking chance to find out.”
What we’re facing isn’t 1930s Germany. But, then, it isn’t exactly not, either.
Just speaking of America. While the economy is improving in the wake of the Great Recession, the new normal in America is much poorer than it was before. That tiny very rich crowd are getting much richer. And there is a shrinking class of professionals who are well compensated but who are living ever more precariously, ever more at the edge of a growing abyss of poverty – hidden a bit from sight by a variety of governmental policies that help, but which most everyone who looks sense are not going to expand, but contract. And lots and lots of poor people.
People are afraid. At every level, in every community.
And people do bad things when they’re afraid.
Stupid things.
There is always that ancient Chinese curse, “may you live in interesting times.” And, in these interesting times, as Mr Dickey notes this is going to be your chance to see something about yourself…
Me. Well, my mind keeps going back to that scene from Cabaret. For me one of the most chilling in all of film history…
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