Trump is a Hater

And he's trying to turn his followers into an enraged mob

Photo by little plant on Unsplash

Donald Trump has always been a dangerous hater. And at the close of his campaign, he’s trying to turn his followers into dangerous haters, too. 

This week Trump brought his nastiness to a new level, declaring immigrants to be ”garbage.” He called President Biden a “stupid fool” and said former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is “crazy as a bedbug.” Sadly, the crowds at his rallies eat this stuff up, cheering as Trump goes lower and lower.

We can pray that our fellow Americans are better than what they demonstrate at Trump rallies but it’s obvious that their man is not. And it’s very possible that his supporters are succumbing to the Trump’s despicable message of rage.

Those who know the man’s history understand that Trump has always gone low, insulting blacks, Jews and native Americans. He has insulted female entertainers, former President Obama and so many journalists that I’ve lost count.

Trump has always believed that all publicity is good publicity and the surest way to get free media attention is by lowering the bar.  At the close of his election campaign, as he is being heavily outspent, Trump is venturing further into the dark side. It seems to be working, as the press, unable to resist his outrageousness, report on his speeches as if his rallies are normal events.

Anger and hatred have always worked in politics, energizing voters to go to the polls to defeat a so-called enemy. But for generations, campaigners have restrained themselves out of the fear of whipping their followers into a mob. Indeed, a skilled man or woman who stands behind the rally microphone possesses the power to move a crowd to violence. 

Trump has no compunction when it comes to creating a mob mentality. He showed his reckless worst in the run-up to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. As you surely remember, it was Trump who invited the crowd of 100,000 to a rally in sight of the White House and it was Trump who sent the attackers to disrupt Congress as it ratified his 2020 loss to Biden. The Trumpists failed, but not before injuring more than one hundred police officers as they seized control of the building.

Hatred, based on Trump’s lies about the election being stolen, propelled the crowd that day. Today more than two-thirds of Republicans believe that the election was stolen, which makes them receptive to his rallying cry. Too many seem ready to disrupt voting at polling sites where they may form mini-mobs to menace and intimidate their neighbors.

With his followers tuned to his every word, Trump has the power to move them toward hatred and violence or toward a patriotic peace.  We know where he’s going to turn. Haters gonna hate.