Trump vs. the Teleprompter

How can we stop Trump?

“There's a history of demagogues calling those they disagree with "terrorists" and using that as justification for intimidation and violence – and that history is ugly and dangerous. There's also a history of people staying quiet for too long, hoping for the best but watching silently as the threat metastasizes. Donald Trump is a bigger, uglier threat every day that goes by – and it’s time for decent people everywhere – Republican, Democrat, Independent – to say No More Donald. There's no virtue in silence.” -Elizabeth Warren

But Elizabeth…..how?

 How do we say no more Donald?

 No, the better question is how do we do no more Donald?

 How do we, as a collective of Americans who realize the danger of this demagogue, come together to stop him? Especially during this time of incredible divide?

 Protesting at his rallies seems counterproductive now. The protests have become a part of the Trump reality show.  As protestors are removed, Trump has taken to gleefully asking, “Aren’t my rallies fun?” Attending a rally must feel like being a part of a “live studio audience,” and I’m guessing that most supporters would be at least slightly disappointed if they didn’t get a little protest on the side.

When the shit hits the fan, I don’t want to have been one of the quiet ones, but I also don’t want to be a part of the Trumpertainment, either. When I speak of protesting at the possible rally in Buffalo, NY, my teenage daughter reminds me that I have four children and coolly predicts that I’ll be killed. As she speaks, I’m momentarily jolted when I consider that this level of overt racism and xenophobia is occurring in American politics in 2016. What also bothers me is how nonchalantly she speaks of all this. We are already getting used to the bile spewing from this blustery buffoon.

 How can this be?

 Maybe it could be that, as we scroll through disturbing posts about Trump, we’re also scrolling through the vacation pictures of the neighbor two houses down, and the St. Patty’s day pin some stranger made and posted in the facebook group you didn’t know you belonged to, and the photomontage of cute kitten paws.  We’re all being paralyzed by the minutia of social media.

 People have purchased ‘stop Trump’ domains, but the sites aren't up yet. A few people have created gofundme campaigns to stop Trump, but didn’t so much as create a description about the page. Maybe they got pulled away by a facebook invite for a pubcrawl or something. It feels as though our collective addiction to our screens could be lulling us into inaction. And make no mistake; all of this applies to me.

I am guilty of social media-induced apathy, but despite my (ab)use of social media, I have a strong desire to push through this screen -even use the screen and all of the associated technology- to affect change, but in the real world. Actions like buying ads (billboards, bus station posters, bus ads) featuring Trumps ugliest quotes. Purchasing ad space in newspapers with the phrase, “America is already great, without the hate,” coined by Chicago protestor and pastor, Jedidiah Brown.

 Everyone who believes that Donald Trump is toxic to this country has a responsibility to do something. Could the fact that we’re tethered to our machines and devices prevent us from taking any real action? Could all of the mind-numbing, social media nonsense be making our brains impervious to the real threat that is Donald Trump?

Dangerous narcissistic demagogue

Defining Donald Trump

“I was ready for him, but it’s much easier if the cops do it.”

This is what Donald Trump said right after Thomas Dimassimo stormed toward him at a rally.

Trump clearly was not ready for that guy.

In fact, it looked as if he were desperately grasping for the security guard to his left.

Notice this.

In the moments during this brief event, Trump was clearly startled.  When he turned back to the podium, there was sweat on his brow (that may have been there before, but whatever.)

Before he opened his mouth to speak again, he did what anyone would do:  he subconsciously thought of what to say.  But an incident like this has a special gift.  The sudden jarring of his senses and the rush of adrenaline might encourage something interesting to slip out.  Something telling could be said.  Something was said.

“I was ready for him.”

We all know what it feels like to be surprised, startled, or scared.  He grabbed for that secret service guy the way a passenger might grab for the arm of a driver who came close to hitting a pedestrian.  It’s a primal, human reaction, and we’ve all felt it.  Trump felt that shock, felt that fear, obviously felt ashamed of it, and as a result,

completely denied it.  Why did he lie?  Because he has to keep the Trump brand name up and untarnished, tirelessly projecting a winning image.   Even if it means denying the obvious truth.

It’s the same unique brand of narcissism that caused him to send magazine pictures of himself, with his hands circled in gold sharpie, to Graydon Carter, the reporter who once called Trump a “short-fingered vulgarian.”   Carter, who has received these magazine tear-outs from Trump for 25 years, said that “when [Trump] hears a whisper that runs counter to his own vainglorious self-image, he coils like a caged ferret. “

The definition of a demagogue is "an orator or political leader who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions and prejudices of the people."  He fits the bill to a 'T,' but what makes him a dangerous demagogue is that the emotion he is arousing is anger, the passions are hate and fear of the other, and Trump is giving bigots permission to settle in and get cozy with their prejudices, particularly by calling for an end to “political correctness.”  His apparent definition of PC seems wanting. 

Trump would also easily be called egotistical, but sadly, this term is far too benign to describe him. 

The better term is narcissistic.  One definition says “inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity.”  We know he’s incredibly vain.  A 69 year-old man who dyes his hair blonde simply cannot be trusted.  His suspicious locks of corn silk and constantly-tan skin reveal a personality that is mainly concerned with image.

 Most likely, he possesses some extreme type of narcissism, as that is the only explanation behind his juvenile claim to have been ready for this attacker.   He “coiled like a ferret,” disgusted by the instinctual fear that makes him human, and then lied effortlessly.  He revealed what a small person he is, to always have to come out on top.  His post-attack comment might seem like a minor thing, but it speaks volumes about Donald J. Trump.  It reveals how hopelessly self-involved he is, and that would make him a dangerous Commander In Chief. 

Just to revisit my definitions, I mentioned earlier that Trump is, for certain, a demagogue –a dangerous demagogue.  I then baptized him as having an extreme type of narcissism, which, to me, adds another level of concern. 

So Trump is a dangerous narcissistic demagogue.

And he is rousing angry people who are threatened and afraid of the “other.”

This extreme narcissism compels him to stay in the middle of the fray, and the fray surrounding his campaign is toxic and chaotic.  He got to this place by trying to pass flippant banter off as political idealogy, as if he were having a strolling, walking-the-green conversation with his golfing buddies.  He has risen in the polls by speaking in a certain frequency that only the most hateful can hear, and he doesn’t want to back down from this rhetoric, because the ego machine must be fed…. and his fans are the food. 

In turn, he feeds their anger and fear with references to violence, and now actual violence.  

And most of his supporters are armed. 

Trump is a faultline...

Heil Drumpf