Trump’s followers are in a cult
My first response to Dave Ball’s latest piece in the Observer-Reporter was a snark-filled reaction. I threw it out. Because the truth is this -if anyone was trounced in that debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, it was Trump.
Guess what? No need for snark. I just needed some Republican responses.
How about Karl Rove, who said, “But there’s no putting lipstick on this pig. Mr. Trump was crushed by a woman he previously dismissed as ‘dumb as a rock.’ Which raises the question: What does that make him?”
Fox News entertainer Brit Hume said, “Make no mistake about it: Trump had a bad night. This was pretty much her night.”
There were dozens more just like those two.
The real issue is that Ball seems to think there is still a Republican Party. Sorry, the party of Lincoln is over. It’s now the party of Trump. And it’s no party. It’s a cult. Why do I say this? I say it because people like Dave Ball don’t care about the truth because reality doesn’t matter. And why is that? Because they are in a cult where what Dear Leader says is the absolute truth.
Several things define a cult. The first is a charismatic leader. This leader declares that “I alone can fix it.” The cult leader often believes they have been “chosen.”
A cult leader won’t tolerate dissent. What happens to someone who questions Trump? “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT.” Enough said.
I urge anyone who thinks this is hyperbole, do some serious research. Sure, use Google, but go to the library and get a basic book on behavior and look up cults. It’s almost jaw-dropping how MAGA followers slide right into the definitions.
And, in response to Robert BonAnno’s Tuesday letter, which whined about Gov. Tim Walz’s military service, can we talk about a certain someone who got out of serving in Vietnam using a “bone spur” as a reason? Can we talk about someone who laughed and giggled in Arlington National Cemetery, where my father was laid to rest? Can we talk about someone who trashed the service of John McCain?
Not once did BonAnno mention all the good that Walz did when in Congress when he served on the Veterans’ Affairs committee. The National Guard is service to the country. And please, at least tell the truth. Walz put in his retirement papers before finding out that his unit was going to deploy to Iraq.
I miss the days when I could have a lively discussion with someone from the other side. We’d argue and then at the end, laugh and say, “Politics is crazy. Let’s get a beer.”
Kitty Lagorio
Venetia