Another brilliant analysis! My standard framing for these ghouls focuses on their bullying since bullies reflexively play the victim. I love the faux-colonized framing, though.
It’s a frame also internalized by radical centrist commentators—such as the NYT Editorial Board and many Dems—who persist in blaming the left, even the moderate left, for the existence of monsters and monstrous behavior on the right.
“Worried about fascists abducting residents off the streets? Blame Joe Biden for not cracking down on immigration.” “Dislike Trump’s hateful rhetoric? Maybe Hillary shouldn’t have used the word ‘deplorables.’” “Dislike MAGA and their Christo-fascist ways? Stop ‘pandering’ to transgender people. After all, their presence in girls’ sports is oppressive to ‘normal’ girls.” “Don’t like MAGA racism? Dump BLM.” And on and on.
In each case, the assumption is that MAGA is default innocent America, which the left has colonized. Amazing. Thanks for the insight!
Like others here, I've looked at Miller and the anti-immigrant hysteria as basically a racist dislike of non-whites and a fear of losing the white hegemony over political power in the US.
But, now I see the argument (and it's refutation) differently.
If we were native Americans in the 16th century, we would have been justified to throw out the incoming European settlers. And it seems as if Miller is making that argument. The Great Replacement theory is more than just antipathy toward non-whites, it's a fear that immigration will fundamentally change the nature of the US in a negative way. Not just displace white ethno-Europeans, but eliminate our democratic values.
So, is the answer to simply demonstrate that today's immigrants are not fundamentally different from those that came here 1-200 years ago (like my ancestors)? I think not, because Miller's rhetoric still seems to be based in hate of the "other."
It's definitely based in hate. It's also based in fear of losing status; fascism is an ideology of rabid backlash, in which elites (racial, economic, gendered, and more) fantasize that others will subjugate them as they have subjugated marginalized people in the past. That's where the energy and violence comes from.
We are living in the Upside Down. It is so absurd that white people, especially white males, are feeling persecuted. They are so worried about how they will be treated when the U.S. is no longer majority white. If they weren’t being such assholes now, they wouldn’t have to worry about being mistreated in the future.
Like everyone in Trump's circle Miller tactically avoids citing Ayn Rand in the concerted attempt to hide the fact that they arose from a pool of her vomit.
The most generous explanation of Trumpism is that it is reductively "postmodernist" in the stereotypical sense, where moral truth is viewed as an impossibility, and all human relationships are understood in terms of power.
Wow. Mind blown. Thank you for so much to think about.
Another brilliant analysis! My standard framing for these ghouls focuses on their bullying since bullies reflexively play the victim. I love the faux-colonized framing, though.
It’s a frame also internalized by radical centrist commentators—such as the NYT Editorial Board and many Dems—who persist in blaming the left, even the moderate left, for the existence of monsters and monstrous behavior on the right.
“Worried about fascists abducting residents off the streets? Blame Joe Biden for not cracking down on immigration.” “Dislike Trump’s hateful rhetoric? Maybe Hillary shouldn’t have used the word ‘deplorables.’” “Dislike MAGA and their Christo-fascist ways? Stop ‘pandering’ to transgender people. After all, their presence in girls’ sports is oppressive to ‘normal’ girls.” “Don’t like MAGA racism? Dump BLM.” And on and on.
In each case, the assumption is that MAGA is default innocent America, which the left has colonized. Amazing. Thanks for the insight!
This really made me think.
Like others here, I've looked at Miller and the anti-immigrant hysteria as basically a racist dislike of non-whites and a fear of losing the white hegemony over political power in the US.
But, now I see the argument (and it's refutation) differently.
If we were native Americans in the 16th century, we would have been justified to throw out the incoming European settlers. And it seems as if Miller is making that argument. The Great Replacement theory is more than just antipathy toward non-whites, it's a fear that immigration will fundamentally change the nature of the US in a negative way. Not just displace white ethno-Europeans, but eliminate our democratic values.
So, is the answer to simply demonstrate that today's immigrants are not fundamentally different from those that came here 1-200 years ago (like my ancestors)? I think not, because Miller's rhetoric still seems to be based in hate of the "other."
It's definitely based in hate. It's also based in fear of losing status; fascism is an ideology of rabid backlash, in which elites (racial, economic, gendered, and more) fantasize that others will subjugate them as they have subjugated marginalized people in the past. That's where the energy and violence comes from.
We are living in the Upside Down. It is so absurd that white people, especially white males, are feeling persecuted. They are so worried about how they will be treated when the U.S. is no longer majority white. If they weren’t being such assholes now, they wouldn’t have to worry about being mistreated in the future.
Somewhere I read about Stephen Miller’s high school and college days.
He was known for dumping trash on the floor and explaining that someone is paid to pick it up, so why should he.
He is also known for having no external references or theories That he refers to. Everything is original Miller.
One tough neighbor to have.
Like everyone in Trump's circle Miller tactically avoids citing Ayn Rand in the concerted attempt to hide the fact that they arose from a pool of her vomit.
The most generous explanation of Trumpism is that it is reductively "postmodernist" in the stereotypical sense, where moral truth is viewed as an impossibility, and all human relationships are understood in terms of power.