While we hyperventilate about every tweet that Trump sends out, the real danger lies with the administration’s indoctrination machine. This interview is riveting because it shows how and why his base lives in an alternate state of reality.
Trump voter in an alternate state of reality?
This Trump voter makes it clear to me that one can have a degree of intelligence but still fall for the trappings of a false narrative that premises one’s condition. That is the battle that we must fight.
Between one and two thousand protesters descended on Terminal E at Bush Intercontinental Airport on Sunday afternoon in Houston Texas. The protest was loud but very peaceful. Every time a new refugee or detainee was released, the crowd cheered loudly as the sound traveled like a wave throughout the terminal. Many lawyers were present to assist the families and those held by immigration.
Suddenly I heard some uncharacteristic noises as two guys, and the crowd shouted at each other. A Trump voter infiltrated the protest with a racist sign. A few protesters attempted to engage him, and we pulled him aside. I further pulled him aside for an interview which I found disturbing, mostly for his inability to break narrative even as his response showed that for one millisecond he understood the truth.
The young man claimed to have voted for President Obama twice. I do not believe that he did. I also believe that he is an indoctrinated operative. In other words, I think he is a believer in the Trump narrative but versed on specific talking points.
This Trump voter did not realize that Americans will ultimately pay for any wall built, whether through tariffs or with a potential trade war. He did not realize that it isn’t immigration but automation that hurts low-skilled Americans. He believes most undocumented immigrants came to America via human traffickers. Worse, however, is his belief that InfoWars and Drudge are good sources of fact based information.
We will be able to reach Trump voters. We must contrast their realities with the fallacies from the InfoWars, Breitbart, and Drudge. I have, many times, sitting down in a Starbucks done so. There are some who we should not waste resources on because they are not interested in reality. They are content in their ignorance because it gives them an excuse. It absolves them of any responsibility for their condition. They can blame ‘the other’ for all of their problems.
We must, however, stay engaged with those that are on or approaching the fence. We have a lot of work to do.
