Salon article: Trump's Big Lie ... may poison the country for decades

[Tennessee Hillbilly]

The full title of this article is:
Trump's Big Lie is the new Lost Cause — and it may poison the country for decades
written by Lucian K. Truscott IV

There is a lot of interesting and informative history in this article.

Here are some quotes:
Trump has embraced with gusto the South's strategy after losing the Civil War: Tell your own people that you didn't really lose, and double down on the nobility and honor of what they still believe in. In the case of the Civil War, it was slavery and the inherent superiority of whiteness and inferiority of blackness. The new Lost Cause is of course Trump himself ...

...most important of all are the lies. The lies told to support the South's Lost Cause were as outrageous as they were numerous: Slaves were well treated by their kind and understanding masters and were far better off than they would have been had they remained with their savage tribes in Africa. The war wasn't fought over slavery, it was fought for the cause of "states' rights."

The centerpiece of Trump's personal Lost Cause is nursing his grudge, and the collective grudge of his followers, against the "elites" they blame for bringing down the dream. Which involves, of course, whipping up the festering sore of resentment and hate that is the Trump "base." The South used the KKK and later the so-called Citizens Councils. Trump has the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. I am certain we're going to learn from the House committee that Trump himself was involved in their deployment on Jan. 6 in the violent assault on the Capitol.

Link to article:
https://www.salon.com/2021/10/23/big-lie-is-the-new-lost-cause--and-it-may-poison-the-country-for-decades/

[Mad_Machine76]

1. Its' the ultimate WASP grievance

and it will be milked for decades (or as long as Trump is around).

[andym]

2. Those who believe Trump's Big Lie are deluded "Regressives"

and should be called out as such.

[stopdiggin]

3. many historians and literary figures

bought into and helped further/sell the Lost Cause mythology. In juxtaposition to that - we now have Louie Gohmert, Lauren Boebert, Madison Cawthorn - Newsmax and Parlor ...

I believe the Big Lie will prove toxic to the country for years (perhaps many) - but also think the comparison to the Lost Cause to be labored and strained. Guess we'll see.

[Tennessee Hillbilly]

4. I agree with you that the comparisons are labored and strained, but

trump and his supporters don't know much about the aftermath of the Civil War. They imagine that evil forces stole the 2020 election and temporarily gained control of the government, and that trump's loss of power could be the greatest disaster that ever befell the country. So in their minds, the current situation actually is comparable to what the South faced at the end of the Civil War.

[stopdiggin]

5. a significant number in this country

(tragically both left and right) actually support and embrace the idea of another Civil War .... Now if that does scare the damned pants off you .. ! Talk about an utter lack of reason and perspective! (and history I might add)
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