The sad and worrisome fact is that this Trumpist brand of racial exclusivism and racial exclusionism seems so normal to them. The threat of being excluded and the illusion of power by means of exclusion of 'others' has an irrational force on their choice-making. The vary narrow relationship circle into which they draw themselves provides the illusions of self-protection and self-assertion.
All of this is social pathology based on learned if incorrect assumptions about surviving in a remorseless competitive anomic social environment.
It seems to me that it is important to remember two facts of living (or factual for me, anyway):
as kids we did not approach other kids nor our 'adult' community in this way but we did approach each other with an initial social mutuality;
as kids we questioned the need to exclude and to make enemies of others;
then, as kids we were 'put in our place' in ways that taught disrespect, contempt, mutual suspicion, and social marginalization.
My point, as I know you are aware, is that these adult Trumpists represent a genuine minority among minorities in America. They represent themselves as the 'most excluded', the most misunderstood and mis-treated of all Americans. They argue that they cannot survive and be fairly counted in in a society that is actively diverse, equitable in authoring and offering protections (for exercising personal responsibility) for all, and inclusive in respect of participation in all aspects of social living and civil society governance.
We can do well to not see our selves as 'opponents of'. We, though often among the silent majorities, constitute an humanist majority, in fact super-majority in America and in the world. We see the reality of cooperation by means of in and conscious use of the plural and democratic principles of constitutional American governance. Actively pursuing this reality is what, if we persist through time and conscious effort, effects a personal dispelling of prejudice by learning from the myriad benefits of personal experience of inclusive cooperation.
In all of my experiences, the more basic our reasons of mutual cooperation are, the more mutual benefit and security are the tangible and durable results.
So let's communicate the message of democratic cooperation, of social mutualism to the Harris et al campaign in order to inform it with Americans' experiences of the benefits and of the potential benefits to be achieved by means of them.
In place of mentions of DEI, managers and school administrators will be obligated to repeatedly remind women and non-whites, "I hope you're happy. You're taking a white man's place."
Since a lot of DEI came about not out of the goodness of companies' hearts, but to prevent discrimination suits by instructing people how to prevent a hostile environment, I wonder how firms will deal with it going forward.
The intentions, choices, and actions discussed in Project2025 reflect a fear-based, factually unfounded views about people and people actively supporting a community. That they are also completely at odds with our Constitution's root views of human capacity is clear. If used to reshape American governance institutions and public thinking, they undermine the norms and relationships of democratic society that the Constitution was chosen to support.
So why are so many many Americans either flocking to it and its promoters or are aware of but not troubled by it? There does not seem to be one answer to this or even a bunch of useful answers to this.
Those who support or are mostly unconcerned about Project2025 may see in it solutions. Solutions to what?
In her recent observations in her Civil Discourse substack article, "The Most Important Things About Project 2025", Joyce Vance, Jul 11 2024, Joyce Vance relates a conversation which involved a bit of clear thinking about two provisions, one being 'border security and immigration enforcement' and the other 'end FDA approval for mifepristone and place greater restrictions on its use while it remains available'.
For Ms Vance and the person with whom she was having the conversation, these provisions do not constitute solutions. Ms Vance presents a clear and brief set of viewpoints here, and this is important in both personal and public conversations generally and for this specific Project.
The assessment here presented in 'Project 2025 Attacks...' involves social norms (diversity, equity, inclusiveness).
Not yet having said much that's new or helpful yet, I'll offer that the view of Mr Wilhoit that you quote is helpful, "I’m reminded of Frank Wilhoit’s wisdom that, 'Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition. There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.' ” If we think in terms of 'exclusion-ism' in place of 'conservatism', then perhaps we are thinking a bit more near to the source of the interpretation of solution through exclusion.
The forms of social or political exclusionism that, historically, have been experienced have been cruel and destructive to real people and people's capacity to avoid violent conflict with each other. This could be enough evidence to give most people enough reason to work against Project 2025.
What we hear from people who support or who choose to not actively oppose the Project is that they don't feel it excludes or affects them or the people they care about. Doesn't that seem callous, hateful, irresponsible, and irrational?
To me, Project 2025 is callous, hateful, irresponsible and irrational, is anti-societal, is a warning, very sharp and clear, about the extent to which many Americans form personal norms for relationship on fears instead of on active, experience-based trusted relationships and relationship outcomes. Does Project 2025 correctly, humanly, and effectively have this problem in mind? It does not.
Can we have conversations often enough and with effect enough between now and Nov to, as Ms Vance did through mutual honest and respectful conversation, make this danger clear? Can we afford not to?
Violations of first fourth fifth and fourteenth amendments are already occurring on campuses protestors of divestments from genocide including fines, blocked graduation, censure from jobs, police violence jail terms etc. So project 2025 extends it to the military and democrats?
Interesting take on DEI. The idea of DEI sounds excellent. But like many great ideas it is and, unfortunately has been, subject to abuse. It takes innate bias toward “ white men”- which at all events has been on the wane for years- and flips it into “ white guilt” for both men and women. Like a boulder rolling downhill, DEI morphed into a divisive monster. It further divided groups by skin color, gender “ selection “ and political leanings.
How about ignoring group identity and hiring the best candidate . No thumbs on the scale. Where two candidates are very close, great, hire from an “ oppressed group “. But being conscious of who constitutes an “ oppressed
Your first paragraph is priceless. Kevin Roberts, the head of The Heritage Foundation, has as much of a chance of taking over the government this way as a snowball has of surviving hell. He is threatening to fire all non adherents from government jobs? Like the military, the FBI and the CIA? Hilarious. And squash labor unions — like the Teamsters, UAW, Steelworkers, and Miners? Did he always want to meet Jimmy Hoffa, or what? Because … this all isnt going to happen. The man and his minions are delusional. Roberts has the narcissism of Gen. Custer and the brains of a gnat and the morals of Hitler.
Even as we write, the US government is already diverse, probably more diverse than most other American institutions and and corporations. We have the civil service to thank for that. I won't claim the upper echelons of the Civil Service are color-blind, but the explosive growth of the federal government post WWII required so many workers, those in charge of hiring employees could not afford to overlook talent or education or skills, no matter what color they came in. People of Color were often not respected by their white co-workers and as several films have graphically shown, segregation in Washington DC was alive and vigorously enforced. The Capital was after all part of the slave holding South and most of its long time residents were steeped in Southern attitudes. Accordingly, many of the black federal employees entered at the back doors, performed their most often menial tasks, but hung in there because federal employment offered just about the most secure employment available and even offered opportunities for advancement. White House Butlers rose to their prominence through the rigorous training of their predecessors. The female mathematicians hired tor the Manhattan Project and later for NASA, performed the calculations that sent astronauts into space and back safely, and when their jobs were threatened by IBM's monster computers they learned to manage those cranky machines and they adapted. Many, most of them retired from their service with little or no overt recognition of their importance, until many years later when only a very few were still alive; but they retired with a respectable pension.. In time America's Blacks pursued education so they could pass the civil service exams and by that time, post Civil Rights ,the Civil Service was the least segregated workplace in the USA. and it was one of the rising pillars of the African American middle class.
Project 2025 makes the blithe assumption that it can run all the Federal Government without the brains, muscles and drive of African Americans. I have no doubt Black Civil Servants have now a peculiar and specific loyalty to US Democracy and I would never dismiss their capacity for resistance to threats directed at that loyalty - which we of the white persuasion have overlooked for far too long. at our peril.
I believe the Heritage cabal have discounted a great deal of the bone deep attachment to democracy - however you define it that permeates Americans. The right wing's attempts to dispossess people, through eviction, through deportation, through, disenfranchisement, through over incarceration is roiling through our society in a subterranean wave and when these foolish and delusional white supremacists attempt to enforce their color blind edicts and other pie in the sky policies they will be greeted with a stubborn, maybe sullen disrespect True to American ingenuity we will find ways to thwart fascist ambitions, and make a mockery of their petty, illegal manipulations and if necessary to overturn SCOTUS and the financial outlaws currently trying to enforce a medieval caste system. Some people should never watch Game of Thrones.
My Dad was so mad at Ralph Nader for being as he called it a spoiler. He said fix your party by sticking with it if they believe in what you believe in because if you throw your vote to the third party you end up giving it to the party that is the worse one. But the best part of voting is it is your right to vote for whoever you want. He fought in WW11 and said that’s what he fought for.
That's so sad I'm sorry your father was forced by his country to go to war. I'm sure he did his best to preserve as many lives as he could. I can't even imagine what the poor man had to experience and endure. I'm so grateful that he made it home to his loved ones.
Unfortunately, America's two party, first past the post electoral college elitist fail safe system while crumbling, is still an obstacle course and rarely do third parties, make an impact on our voting. Proportional Representation would probably have an interesting humanizing effect on our elections and make it far more difficult for billionaire financing to wrangle the electorate, or the candidates into strait jackets. IN the meantime 3rd party no hopers are not going to marshal enough votes to achieve more than gadfly status. It is precisely the lack of breadth,, of choice, that gets us into these pickles when both candidates have enough deficits to dissatisfy the majority of voters. The least bad candidate makes for a dismal election day..
Americans. If you don't love ALL of us, please leave us!
This thought came up when I used to see people with shirts with the flag- and the words "love it or leave it". Back in 2020. But the flag represents all the peeps. That piece of cloth stands for ALL of us.
Democracy means we work together. If one can't handle working together, than one can leave!
I am always on board with any critique of the US, - maybe the entire New World - that contextualizes the lamentable history of Colonial calamity. When you then go on to detail the ludicrous malfeasance embedded in Project 2025 I say, "Right On Brother" This Project encapsulates all the White Male Supremacy Anxiety that has scoured all vestiges of democracy around the globe.
Florida's Neverland fantasy is the product of too many people with too little to do baking their brains in the sun, sand and don't bother me with the facts attitudes. Among the rare mentally engaged, Florida 's punitive drive for zombie conformity sends them to jail.
Again, thank you Qasim.
The sad and worrisome fact is that this Trumpist brand of racial exclusivism and racial exclusionism seems so normal to them. The threat of being excluded and the illusion of power by means of exclusion of 'others' has an irrational force on their choice-making. The vary narrow relationship circle into which they draw themselves provides the illusions of self-protection and self-assertion.
All of this is social pathology based on learned if incorrect assumptions about surviving in a remorseless competitive anomic social environment.
It seems to me that it is important to remember two facts of living (or factual for me, anyway):
as kids we did not approach other kids nor our 'adult' community in this way but we did approach each other with an initial social mutuality;
as kids we questioned the need to exclude and to make enemies of others;
then, as kids we were 'put in our place' in ways that taught disrespect, contempt, mutual suspicion, and social marginalization.
My point, as I know you are aware, is that these adult Trumpists represent a genuine minority among minorities in America. They represent themselves as the 'most excluded', the most misunderstood and mis-treated of all Americans. They argue that they cannot survive and be fairly counted in in a society that is actively diverse, equitable in authoring and offering protections (for exercising personal responsibility) for all, and inclusive in respect of participation in all aspects of social living and civil society governance.
We can do well to not see our selves as 'opponents of'. We, though often among the silent majorities, constitute an humanist majority, in fact super-majority in America and in the world. We see the reality of cooperation by means of in and conscious use of the plural and democratic principles of constitutional American governance. Actively pursuing this reality is what, if we persist through time and conscious effort, effects a personal dispelling of prejudice by learning from the myriad benefits of personal experience of inclusive cooperation.
In all of my experiences, the more basic our reasons of mutual cooperation are, the more mutual benefit and security are the tangible and durable results.
So let's communicate the message of democratic cooperation, of social mutualism to the Harris et al campaign in order to inform it with Americans' experiences of the benefits and of the potential benefits to be achieved by means of them.
In place of mentions of DEI, managers and school administrators will be obligated to repeatedly remind women and non-whites, "I hope you're happy. You're taking a white man's place."
Since a lot of DEI came about not out of the goodness of companies' hearts, but to prevent discrimination suits by instructing people how to prevent a hostile environment, I wonder how firms will deal with it going forward.
Thank you, Qasim, for this assessment.
The intentions, choices, and actions discussed in Project2025 reflect a fear-based, factually unfounded views about people and people actively supporting a community. That they are also completely at odds with our Constitution's root views of human capacity is clear. If used to reshape American governance institutions and public thinking, they undermine the norms and relationships of democratic society that the Constitution was chosen to support.
So why are so many many Americans either flocking to it and its promoters or are aware of but not troubled by it? There does not seem to be one answer to this or even a bunch of useful answers to this.
Those who support or are mostly unconcerned about Project2025 may see in it solutions. Solutions to what?
In her recent observations in her Civil Discourse substack article, "The Most Important Things About Project 2025", Joyce Vance, Jul 11 2024, Joyce Vance relates a conversation which involved a bit of clear thinking about two provisions, one being 'border security and immigration enforcement' and the other 'end FDA approval for mifepristone and place greater restrictions on its use while it remains available'.
For Ms Vance and the person with whom she was having the conversation, these provisions do not constitute solutions. Ms Vance presents a clear and brief set of viewpoints here, and this is important in both personal and public conversations generally and for this specific Project.
The assessment here presented in 'Project 2025 Attacks...' involves social norms (diversity, equity, inclusiveness).
Not yet having said much that's new or helpful yet, I'll offer that the view of Mr Wilhoit that you quote is helpful, "I’m reminded of Frank Wilhoit’s wisdom that, 'Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition. There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.' ” If we think in terms of 'exclusion-ism' in place of 'conservatism', then perhaps we are thinking a bit more near to the source of the interpretation of solution through exclusion.
The forms of social or political exclusionism that, historically, have been experienced have been cruel and destructive to real people and people's capacity to avoid violent conflict with each other. This could be enough evidence to give most people enough reason to work against Project 2025.
What we hear from people who support or who choose to not actively oppose the Project is that they don't feel it excludes or affects them or the people they care about. Doesn't that seem callous, hateful, irresponsible, and irrational?
To me, Project 2025 is callous, hateful, irresponsible and irrational, is anti-societal, is a warning, very sharp and clear, about the extent to which many Americans form personal norms for relationship on fears instead of on active, experience-based trusted relationships and relationship outcomes. Does Project 2025 correctly, humanly, and effectively have this problem in mind? It does not.
Can we have conversations often enough and with effect enough between now and Nov to, as Ms Vance did through mutual honest and respectful conversation, make this danger clear? Can we afford not to?
Violations of first fourth fifth and fourteenth amendments are already occurring on campuses protestors of divestments from genocide including fines, blocked graduation, censure from jobs, police violence jail terms etc. So project 2025 extends it to the military and democrats?
Interesting take on DEI. The idea of DEI sounds excellent. But like many great ideas it is and, unfortunately has been, subject to abuse. It takes innate bias toward “ white men”- which at all events has been on the wane for years- and flips it into “ white guilt” for both men and women. Like a boulder rolling downhill, DEI morphed into a divisive monster. It further divided groups by skin color, gender “ selection “ and political leanings.
How about ignoring group identity and hiring the best candidate . No thumbs on the scale. Where two candidates are very close, great, hire from an “ oppressed group “. But being conscious of who constitutes an “ oppressed
group is in the eye of the beholder. Let’s not go there, it’s a whirlwind without a good solution.
As to 2025, two wrongs do not make a right.
Your first paragraph is priceless. Kevin Roberts, the head of The Heritage Foundation, has as much of a chance of taking over the government this way as a snowball has of surviving hell. He is threatening to fire all non adherents from government jobs? Like the military, the FBI and the CIA? Hilarious. And squash labor unions — like the Teamsters, UAW, Steelworkers, and Miners? Did he always want to meet Jimmy Hoffa, or what? Because … this all isnt going to happen. The man and his minions are delusional. Roberts has the narcissism of Gen. Custer and the brains of a gnat and the morals of Hitler.
Even as we write, the US government is already diverse, probably more diverse than most other American institutions and and corporations. We have the civil service to thank for that. I won't claim the upper echelons of the Civil Service are color-blind, but the explosive growth of the federal government post WWII required so many workers, those in charge of hiring employees could not afford to overlook talent or education or skills, no matter what color they came in. People of Color were often not respected by their white co-workers and as several films have graphically shown, segregation in Washington DC was alive and vigorously enforced. The Capital was after all part of the slave holding South and most of its long time residents were steeped in Southern attitudes. Accordingly, many of the black federal employees entered at the back doors, performed their most often menial tasks, but hung in there because federal employment offered just about the most secure employment available and even offered opportunities for advancement. White House Butlers rose to their prominence through the rigorous training of their predecessors. The female mathematicians hired tor the Manhattan Project and later for NASA, performed the calculations that sent astronauts into space and back safely, and when their jobs were threatened by IBM's monster computers they learned to manage those cranky machines and they adapted. Many, most of them retired from their service with little or no overt recognition of their importance, until many years later when only a very few were still alive; but they retired with a respectable pension.. In time America's Blacks pursued education so they could pass the civil service exams and by that time, post Civil Rights ,the Civil Service was the least segregated workplace in the USA. and it was one of the rising pillars of the African American middle class.
Project 2025 makes the blithe assumption that it can run all the Federal Government without the brains, muscles and drive of African Americans. I have no doubt Black Civil Servants have now a peculiar and specific loyalty to US Democracy and I would never dismiss their capacity for resistance to threats directed at that loyalty - which we of the white persuasion have overlooked for far too long. at our peril.
I believe the Heritage cabal have discounted a great deal of the bone deep attachment to democracy - however you define it that permeates Americans. The right wing's attempts to dispossess people, through eviction, through deportation, through, disenfranchisement, through over incarceration is roiling through our society in a subterranean wave and when these foolish and delusional white supremacists attempt to enforce their color blind edicts and other pie in the sky policies they will be greeted with a stubborn, maybe sullen disrespect True to American ingenuity we will find ways to thwart fascist ambitions, and make a mockery of their petty, illegal manipulations and if necessary to overturn SCOTUS and the financial outlaws currently trying to enforce a medieval caste system. Some people should never watch Game of Thrones.
It's all a bunch of unconstitutional bullshit. This is why I'm voting 3rd party.
My Dad was so mad at Ralph Nader for being as he called it a spoiler. He said fix your party by sticking with it if they believe in what you believe in because if you throw your vote to the third party you end up giving it to the party that is the worse one. But the best part of voting is it is your right to vote for whoever you want. He fought in WW11 and said that’s what he fought for.
That's so sad I'm sorry your father was forced by his country to go to war. I'm sure he did his best to preserve as many lives as he could. I can't even imagine what the poor man had to experience and endure. I'm so grateful that he made it home to his loved ones.
Unfortunately, America's two party, first past the post electoral college elitist fail safe system while crumbling, is still an obstacle course and rarely do third parties, make an impact on our voting. Proportional Representation would probably have an interesting humanizing effect on our elections and make it far more difficult for billionaire financing to wrangle the electorate, or the candidates into strait jackets. IN the meantime 3rd party no hopers are not going to marshal enough votes to achieve more than gadfly status. It is precisely the lack of breadth,, of choice, that gets us into these pickles when both candidates have enough deficits to dissatisfy the majority of voters. The least bad candidate makes for a dismal election day..
Keep these articles coming.
Americans. If you don't love ALL of us, please leave us!
This thought came up when I used to see people with shirts with the flag- and the words "love it or leave it". Back in 2020. But the flag represents all the peeps. That piece of cloth stands for ALL of us.
Democracy means we work together. If one can't handle working together, than one can leave!
Don't let MAGAS co-opt the American flag it is for ALL OF US
A great service. I’m doing some of it as well. Good for you for putting in the time.
THe MAGA's lunacy is stunning. I appreciate your work.
I am always on board with any critique of the US, - maybe the entire New World - that contextualizes the lamentable history of Colonial calamity. When you then go on to detail the ludicrous malfeasance embedded in Project 2025 I say, "Right On Brother" This Project encapsulates all the White Male Supremacy Anxiety that has scoured all vestiges of democracy around the globe.
Florida began this project 2 years ago….
Florida's Neverland fantasy is the product of too many people with too little to do baking their brains in the sun, sand and don't bother me with the facts attitudes. Among the rare mentally engaged, Florida 's punitive drive for zombie conformity sends them to jail.
Well….
I very much appreciate your timely articles, your advocacy, and your activism, Sir!
Grateful to you for reading and supporting!