Letting their masks drop

[Chap]

The article quoted said:

"Incredibly, nearly all of the MAGA movement’s embrace of the brothers has come after they were first accused of sex trafficking in 2022."

Unfortunately, that is not only not incredible, it is no more than what one might have expected.

I suspect the MAGA mind works like this:

(a) Our beloved President has been accused of a number of sexual offences.

(b) Such accusations are obviously based on wicked falsehoods created by communists who hate America.

(c) Therefore, if anybody else has been accused of a number of sexual offences, we can be sure that those accusations are based on wicked falsehoods created by communists who hate America.

[Some Schmo]

The article quoted said:

"Incredibly, nearly all of the MAGA movement’s embrace of the brothers has come after they were first accused of sex trafficking in 2022."

Unfortunately, that is not only not incredible, it is no more than what one might have expected.

I suspect the MAGA mind works like this:

(a) Our beloved President has been accused of a number of sexual offences.

(b) Such accusations are obviously based on wicked falsehoods created by communists who hate America.

(c) Therefore, if anybody else has been accused of a number of sexual offences, we can be sure that those accusations are based on wicked falsehoods created by communists who hate America.

You're giving MAGAtes too much credit here. They're morons.

MAGAtes are pieces of crap who don't think much. It has nothing to do with communism which none of these "F"s could define to save their pathetic lives and everything to do with lacking the basic morals and common sense that cause a person to condemn sex trafficking.

[Chap]

MAGAtes are pieces of crap who don't think much. It has nothing to do with communism which none of these "F"s could define to save their pathetic lives and everything to do with lacking the basic morals and common sense that cause a person to condemn sex trafficking.

I agree with you, of course. 'Communism' is just a word for 'scary bad guys".

But it is not so much that these people don't think that sex trafficking is bad. It is just that when they hear an accusation of sex trafficking launched against anyone, the habit of denial they have formed to preserve the mental image of their beloved President as a falsely accused innocent is so strong, that they can't help assuming that an accusation of sex trafficking launched is, in itself, a proof that an innocent is being persecuted by bad people.

[Gadianton]

I actually disagree with that analysis, Chap. I do think that the "falsehood" defense may cover a certain segment of the true believers, but I don't think it generalizes for the most enthusiastic and outspoken of them.

I think that they fully support their leaders abusing women or girls alike because alpha males dominating females is a part of their culture war, or to the extent it gives them pause, they justify it as, "well har har, at least he's a real man and not one of these low-testosterone liberals". Recall that Republican leaders strongly promote marriage to underage girls, it's a "patriarchal" thing and a reflection of traditional values and impulses, and when abuse happens, they can take that as "evening the score" a little for women straying outside their lane. "Take that -- not so independent now, are you?" Or they take it as payback for their own lack of attention.

This is no problem at all, they hope that the administration will intervene for these brothers, which will totally outrage and own the libs. You may ask, what about the Epstein files? In principle, isn't their greatest source of outrage abuse and sex trafficking? No, it's not.

There are two sets of "Epstein files" in the world of ideas. One is a bunch of files that incriminate a long list of rich and powerful people of any political affiliation. The other is a enthralling trail of breadcrumbs exposing a dark, Satanic network made up mostly of liberal Hollywood elites and pillars of the deep state. They expose this entire world order that began with the Illuminati hundreds of years ago and culminates with modern leftists. It's an exciting conspiracy that makes them feel like they are part of something epic and grand that precedes the second coming of Jesus Christ. It really has nothing to do with worrying about kids.

Consider the QAnon guy in my neighborhood who went on about these parties with Lady Gaga and other liberals where they're eating babies. It was more about charging the people he doesn't like with something absurdly terrible, and it's all part of an elaborate and exciting conspiracy theory. Then there's my right-wing frenemy. One day he started spouting off on Bill Gates and his association with Epstein. When I asked who Epstein's best friend was he didn't try to deny it or anything and agreed they're all guilty. The problem isn't what Gates is allegedly guilty of, but his "holier-than-thou" liberal attitude about it. The pretense of standing for equality when "he's just as bad as ___". That guy himself I'm half sure is guilty of roughly the same thing the Epstein crowd is guilty of, and not from before he received the Lord but after he became Christian and after he was married with kids. He'll blow that off as "we've all sinned, I know I'm a sinner." But that's a back-handed way of complimenting himself, you know, "we just a bunch of good ole boys who can't keep the snake in the barn."

[Chap]

I actually disagree with that analysis, Chap. I do think that the "falsehood" defense may cover a certain segment of the true believers, but I don't think it generalizes for the most enthusiastic and outspoken of them.

I think that they fully support their leaders abusing women or girls alike because alpha males dominating females is a part of their culture war, or to the extent it gives them pause, they justify it as, "well har har, at least he's a real man and not one of these low-testosterone liberals".

I agree with what you say about "the most enthusiastic and outspoken of them". It is however hard to tell what proportion of his supporters fall into that category. I am inclined to think that most MAGA people prefer to believe that the accusations of sex trafficking etc. are untrue, but I cannot adduce any hard evidence of this, so I may be wrong.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

A MAGA Congressional drag queen gets popped for doing heinous crap to his family:

https://youtu.be/RDHdh33ubWw?is=UIvNygKguOXiuH8N

These damned drag queens are out of control with their disgusting behavior toward women and children.

[Gadianton]

But at least he showed dominance and an understanding of gender roles such as they were in Bible times. It's better to be the boss of the house and punish hastily than be revealed as weak and follow false gods.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

But at least he showed dominance and an understanding of gender roles such as they were in Bible times. It's better to be the boss of the house and punish hastily than be revealed as weak and follow false gods.

I think the thing that irks me is that when something like this happens to someone of their persuasion they want understanding, compassion, forgiveness, or not to be judged under a blanket condemnation. Don't get me wrong, this dude will be punished to whatever degree because his behavior became public - but we also know that many of them have their crimes hidden by friends within the same tribe. Humans are tribal. The problem, of course, is the same social clemency they expect and receive isn't extended to others outside their tribe, however large or small they make their tribe.

I would think that the more grace they extend to others the grace they'd in turn receive, but there's enough of them hedging their bets on political aggression that I don't think things are going to change much in the US.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Yep. You guessed it. Another drag queen was popped for a heinous crime:



- Doc “Wake Up Fascists” CamNC4Me

[Some Schmo]

But it is not so much that these people don't think that sex trafficking is bad.

The thing that strikes me as most likely is that they only know sex trafficking is bad to the extent that they've heard others say it was bad. They don't have an internalized concept of it actually being bad, like it's behavior they should avoid. They only understand that others view it negatively.

I think they are keenly aware of what decent people believe is bad, and won't hesitate for a moment to point out that behavior if it's a Democrat committing it. They don't think the behavior's actually bad, but they think they can use it to sway decent people who do. The "badness" of any given act is not what moves them; the perception of those acts is what does. That's why the primary thing you can say about any GOP voter is that they're hypocrites. Hypocrisy is the GOP brand.

I believe Trump support is really about screwed up humans, the very worst of humanity, not truly understanding what makes bad acts bad, and being such losers that that damned guy is their only hope of salvation. They're people looking to the Titanic for a life raft.

Trump voters are mix of incompetent losers and criminals, like the screwup they voted for. Plain and simple.