The consensus of scholars is that Donald Trump can’t yet be labeled a fascist, despite his undisputed megalomania, buffoonery, and willingness to do anything to win. He has no concern for the common good, only for people and policies that enshrine his name and further fill his pockets. His flirtation with the U.S. becoming “a white Christian nation” is self-serving.
Like many of you, I have a family member who I assume will enthusiastically vote for Trump. I genuinely love my nephew. Yet, I would describe him as angry, feeling like a second-class citizen, and seeing a vote for Trump as a raised index finger to American culture.
What my nephew does not appreciate is that he is part of that culture, nor what a success he has been in his life. He can say some weird stuff about politics, the economy, opportunities for poor white guys like him, immigrants, and the crazy-ass shit that liberals are doing, such as indicating their preferred pronouns, but he’s been a really hard worker in a depressed area of Michigan, a good husband, a great dad, and a super grandad. Were my parents alive, they would be proud of him as a good family man.
When I read descriptions of the white men who drive their Trump flag-decorated trucks to concerts and rallies, about the in-your-face T-shirts they wear, the increasingly common threats of a violent civil war should their guy lose, and the completely nonsensible, Fox News, conspiracy theory answers they give to interviews it’s not hard to imagine my beloved nephew being there with a defiant scowl.
If I introduced my nephew to you in person, I would do so proudly, and you would like him very much, especially if I got him talking about all his kids, their kids, and their kids. He and his amazing wife are all-embracing of their ever-expanding family. He would get that heartwarming grin on his face when he reminisced about how loving and non-judgmental my parents and siblings were to him as he grew from an adorable, beautiful blond youngster to the man he is today. But, to protect him, as soon as the discussion got to politics, I would change the subject in hopes of shielding him from being seen as a stereotypical straight, white, Christian, Trumper.
Most of my family has written my nephew off as a lost cause in this regard. I do not imagine me changing his vote, but I would love to get through to him the understanding that Trump has no respect for him. He is seen as one more “Hillbilly vote,” whose life aspirations mean nothing to Trump. My nephew and his sons might get hired to caddy at the golf club and serve drinks at the cocktail fundraiser but be expected to keep their mouths shut.
I sent my nephew a signed photograph of the raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima during World War II. It is an incredibly special picture signed by Joe Rosenthal, the photographer. But does my nephew know that Trump calls dead and wounded veterans “losers” and those who were taken as hostage as “stupid” for getting caught? Does he remember that if Trump walked through the parking lot of his rally, he would be thinking about his right to “grab the pussy” of my nephew’s wife and daughters? Does he know that Trump has never read one line of the Bible but has a mile long enemies list of people to be punished if he’s re-elected, and that the names of his two gay uncles could be on that list?
It would be easier for me to call Trump a fascist and all his followers as Nazis, but it is not that simple. If Trump is re-elected President, the entire world will both cry and be laughing at the stupidity of Americans. I just would not want them laughing at my nephew. My guess is that many of us are equally protective of the Trump voter in our families.
Photo by r. nial bradshaw, Flickr.
