When a Fine Whine Goes Bad

A couple days ago, I saw a headline on RawStory:  "Trump rally attendee describes backlash she receives when people learn of her political views"

Whenever I see stories like this, Trump supporters complaining of the reaction they get when people learn of their political views or that they attend his rallies, or Trump supporters complaining that they’re having a hard time finding people who will date them, my immediate reaction is -- Well, yes, that's what happens in a democracy when people learn that you favor a leader and party that are pushing fascism.

And Trump and the GOP do promote fascism today. Quite literally, by every book definition, as I wrote here in great detail.  (For the short version, the three top tenets of fascism are: rampant xenophobia, undermining other centers of authority so that only you can be trusted, and endorsing the use of violence by supporters, government and police.) To be clear, it's not that every Trump supporter or Republican is a fascist -- they're not -- but they're enabling a party and its leader who are.  So, it's small comfort to say “I’m not a fascist, though I’m okay with others who are, including those in government.

This is also when Trump acolytes and Republican supporters stop whining about people not liking them and whine about being name-called “fascist.”  I always find this hilarious, coming from a party that has been calling Democrats “socialists” and “commies” for almost 70 years.  And even quite-literally Blacklisted people and put others in prison for their beliefs.  The massive problem for Republicans in this is that most likely have no idea what socialism is (it’s a political philosophy where government controls the production and distribution of goods, and state ownership of industry), and the Democratic Party has not ever been “socialist.”  And despite at times during these past controlling the White House, Senate and House – occasionally all at the same time – Democrats have not turned America “socialist.  On the other, today’s Republican Party meets all the actual tenets for being fascist.  They don’t mind being fascist, they just dislike being called fascist.

My theory is that if you don’t like being called fascist, then don’t act like a fascist and not enable a party that is.

But if you do…don’t be surprised that people in a democracy don’t like you for it and might not want to date you.  And don’t whine when it happens.