In the image of Trump

By Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. (Ret.)
TriceEdneyWire.com Columnist

Back in 2015, I can distinctly remember telling myself and others that the damage of a Trump presidency would last longer than a four-year term. I knew then I would be right, but, at the time, could not imagine just how right I would be.

Anyone who knew Trump, in fact or by reputation, should have known when he descended his golden escalator in 2015 that his presence was a fabrication of the highest order. Later, it was revealed that his adoring crowd had been lured from N.Y. streets, by promising each a $500.00 payment for pretending to be members of an excited fan base. It was the first of what would become an anthology of over 20,000 lies.

Like a malignant Svengali, Trump was accompanied into office by a phalanx of acolytes with equally malignant mindsets and worldviews. Steve Bannon, Rudy Giuliani, Stephen Miller, Michael Flynn, Bill Barr, Mike Pence, Kellyanne Conway, and Sarah Huckabee Sanders all stood at the forefront of Trump’s administration.

Sadly, those he brought with him were not the only ones of his ilk. Trump opened the soul of America’s corruption to clear view. Those who had been attentive were not surprised. Millions came to a gradual realization. Millions of others didn’t care!

There are far too many Trump “wanna-bees” to call out by name, but several serve as exemplars of the dangers of a United States under the control of another Trump regime. Three stand out to foreshadow the worst of existence under a renewed Trump.

Interactively, if I asked readers who best mimicked the “Lying Lifestyle” of Trump, few would hesitate to say, George Santos. To both, lying comes as easily as drawing breath. All but the most brainwashed have come to understand that their lying is primarily associated with them moving their lips. Their veracity is not the issue. The expectation for the acceptance of their lies and/or that their lies, and the resulting consequences, would be ignored is the problem. Both unreasonably expect a “get-out-of-jail-free” card or a functional “double standard” to mitigate their guilt.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, MTG, is clearly representative of the intolerance and racism of Trump. Although both will “technically” deny the racism that motivates their actions, their actions belie any supposition of fairness or objectivity in their thought processes. I should remind you that MTG represents an area where “Sundown Cities” were, and may still be, the rule rather than the exception. For a clear understanding, we only have to remember Trump’s “good people on both sides” and Greene’s “Jewish space lasers.” Both are masters of far-right conspiracy theories and inflammatory, venomous rhetoric.

The most frightening of Trump’s comparators is the new guy, Vivek Ramaswamy, billionaire businessman and longshot candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. The label of political “Freshman” is appropriate for Ramaswamy because of his newness on the political scene. However, his stated platform harkens back to the policies of the pre-Civil Rights movement and would, arguably, result in similar outcomes.

Ramaswamy believes that Congress should pass a constitutional amendment barring 18–25-year-olds from voting, with some exceptions. Under his proposal, within that age range, people could only vote by serving as first responders or passing a civics test.

Those who remember the “soap bubble” or “beans-in-a-jar” voting tests will agree with the dangers and potential outcomes of such a policy. Because Gen Z is more racially diverse than any other generation in U.S. history, restricting the voting rights of people this age would disenfranchise millions of nonwhite voters. These voters are also more likely to support LGBTQ rights.

Take the time to learn about your potential adversaries and the futures they offer you! Make the correct choice!

Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of The Dick Gregory Society and President Emerita of the National Congress of Black Women.

This article originally published in the May 29, 2023 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.