Trump’s tweet calling on the four Democratic congresswomen of color to go back to their “broken and crime infested” countries must have been soothing music to egos of his base. In fact, in defending his comments, Trump declared that “many people agree with me.” His tweets made them feel whole and “white” again.
These past few months with the border crisis and the pronouncements of the Democratic candidates for president must have made his base feel like their world was in danger of being destroyed. Trump did what he absolutely had to do to let his base know that America was still a white country and that white supremacy was still the order of the day. Since the two elections of Obama, his base has lived in fear that their white identity would be meaningless, and they would no longer consider themselves superior to blacks, browns, reds, and yellows.
The most worrisome fear that base must live with every day as they partake of the news is that the power they hold - a delusion by any stretch of the imagination - will be usurped by thousands – millions! - of baby-producing, welfare-seeking, drug dealing, raping browns. Imagine the tightening of the chest and the sweaty palms with thoughts of these throngs of lesser beings actually voting in an American election.
Then there is the historically induced fear of the blacks. Dangerous criminals and welfare leeches, they are never satisfied, wanting more and more of what they do not deserve. The Commie Democrats are promising them free everything - free healthcare, free college, more money for work they are too lazy to do. But the scariest part for the base, the part that makes their hearts beat almost out of their chests, is this talk about reparations for slavery. This turns their fear into anger; imagine using white taxpayer money to reward folks whose ancestors were lazy, violent, and lucky to be taken from their primitive existence in the first place. The base probably thinks blacks should pay whites for the opportunity to be in America. Blacks are very familiar with being told to “go back to Africa” if white supremacy doesn’t suit them.
All of those Muslims are scary to the base as well, especially that one female Muslim with the scarf on who hates Israel. All Christians know that if you hate Israel, you hate God: their fears tell them that Trump is right to let no more of them in here. They can’t conceive of Americans doing the things that he tells the Muslims do.
This fear lives in the throat and makes it difficult to swallow. The base is terrified of their country becoming a place white supremacy and white identity mean nothing. A commentator expressed the view that all of Trump’s base is not racist. It is difficult to believe this is true if all at some level want to embrace and preserve “whiteness” and white supremacy.
Unfortunately, the base lives in the white supremacy bubble. Their patriotism cannot be doubted, they will eagerly go off to kill browns and yellows when the government calls. They have no clue as to what the U.S. did in Central America that has now forced all of these people to leave their homes; to become asylum seekers. They cannot see beyond the right of a white America to rule the world.
When the base slips out of its deluded state from time to time, do they realize that they really only have “whiteness,” no material power, only a power of delusion? Living in their white supremacy bubble they seem to be threatened by people who can speak more than one language, and are the descendants of people from great civilizations like the Aztec, the Aksumite, or the Egyptians. They have no sacred burial grounds, artifacts, or rituals, they have only “whiteness.” The silent majority, middle, working class and poor whites have not the wealth, the titles, or privileges of their more powerful white brothers. They do not reap the benefits of the white America they seek to protect, to claim as theirs.They are understandably afraid of what their world might become. The only aspect of America which they can truly identify is white supremacy. It is from this ideology that they maintain a sense of identity, self-worth, and esteem. If the blacks, browns, reds, and yellows take this from them, they will have nothing.
So, their savior, Donald Trump, gave them the solace they so desperately need during what apparently must be very frightening times for them.
Can and how will Trump continue to give his base solace? By continuing to lie to them, we presume.
How can he assure them that the America they wish for, when racial segregation and discrimination was legal will return?
Will the base ever realize that they and Donald Trump live in two very different “white” worlds?
How can members of his base whose identity, sense of being, and esteem continue to live deluded in a world that is comprised of people who are 85% of color?