Donald Trump has no moral compass.
Infamously, he called the white supremacist street marauders and other hooligans who rampaged through Charlottesville in 2017, killing Heather Heyer and injuring dozens of others, “very fine people.”
Donald Trump slurs and condemns black athletes who protest police brutality and other human rights violations as “sons of bitches.”
Trump is now praising his followers who at his treasonous command are “protesting” social distancing and stay-at-home public health rules, largely in states and cities led by Democratic mayors and governors.
Last Friday, he described his foot soldiers who are running amok across the United States violating public health rules as “very good people.” Trump has encouraged these followers to use blackmail and the threat of terrorism to force Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer into ending that state’s stay-at-home-order and other anti-pandemic efforts.
There is nothing “very good” about these Trumpists and those in league with them who demand the end of rules designed to protect the American people from the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
Rallies such as those in Lansing, Michigan, and numerous other state capitals are staged events. They provide a platform for fraudulent versions of “populism,” supposed expressions of the “people’s will” and “legitimate anger.” This is the stagecraft of authoritarians and other illegitimate leaders and governments.
In reality, the Trump movement’s “protests” are funded by members of his regime and other right-wing organizers. These “populist” protests are also being summoned by Trump’s right-wing news media propaganda machine, plutocrats and Christian nationalist leaders.
In total, Trump’s pseudo-populist coronavirus “protests” are tainted at the root. They are celebrations of white privilege, white racism and white rage.
Last week, hundreds of Trump supporters and other members of the white right participated in fake protests at Michigan’s state capitol where they flew Confederate flags, displayed Nazi symbols and brandished assault rifles and other weapons.
Bill
Article URL : https://www.salon.com/2020/05/07/trumps-fake-protest-movement-authoritarian-stagecraft-meets-white-privilege/