The more falsehood we destroy the more room there will be for the truth. MAGA supporters, those glued to FOX network, removed from reality, neglectfully ignorant of history, those willfully averse to truth are owed a coherent explanation of the human freedom and civil liberties promoted and guaranteed by our U.S. Constitution. Hopefully, reliable information will lead to open minds and conscientious choices.
The Founding Fathers authored the United States Constitution influenced by Enlightenment philosophers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke. A central theory of democracy is the “Social Contract,” the idea that a government exists by the consent of the people to have jurisdiction over them and guarantee life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Government is necessary for the existence of a civilized society. Our democratic republic exists only by the consent of the people. The people have the right to check their government if it steps out of line. That power (sovereignty) is with the majority. The Bill of Rights protects the minority. Individuals cede some right for the sake of government protection and services. The citizens are the sovereign authors of all governmental decisions.
Large societies establish democratic republics, where citizens elect representatives to govern. Our democratic republic’s social contract requires the government to provide certain services, like protection from criminals and hostile foreign governments. Included in our Constitution’s guarantees are the right to life, the right to make judgments, the right to secure and protect property, and the right to ensure livelihood. This requires sharing and shared responsibility, something lacking in Donald Trump and his MAGA followers.
The American Revolution was fought to form a nation free of monarchic autocracy and parliamentary oppression. Now some citizens are blindly desiring the dissolution of our democratic republic to supplant it with a repressive government under would-be dictator Donald Trump and his corporate boss puppeteers. Americans must pay close attention to history. Americans’ big mistake is believing in “negative freedom”, that is, removal of barriers of government and market controls. America’s freedom is eroded by people naively willing to oppress democracy by enabling a despot. History teaches how liberties are lost by banning books, limiting social mobility, and denying affordable health care. Freedom is not static, but more a virtue we all need to collectively and responsibly strive for. Most Americans don’t know life under totalitarian rule.
On September 27 a panel of eighteen psychiatry, psychology, social science, journalism, history, law, political science, and nuclear science professionals of the World Health Coalition met at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. for a conference addressing the need for fit world leadership. The following paragraphs are limited to assessments directly related to the United States’ present grievous political situation.
Psychologist Dr. Stephen Hassan’s expertise in cults proposed that Trump followers are not inherently evil, but rather in the throes of an egomaniacal demagogue. He stressed that conscientious citizens refrain from using belittling or insulting nicknames to address MAGA cultists. Individuals’ intelligence deteriorates into a dissociative group disorder upon joining a demagogue-blinded mob. Americans need to “depolarize” from extremism, hate mongering, and threats of violence. This can be addressed through education, but many refuse to learn. Properly informed Americans must beware of the detriment to our democracy should Donald Trump be elected.
Retired Brigadier General Stephen Xenakis, a psychiatrist who evaluated, cleared, or rejected military pilots’ capability to fly combat missions, soldiers’ command aptitude with nuclear weapons, or government personnel needing security clearance, asserted Congress continuously fails to apply Section 4 of the 25th Amendment with the same rigorous analysis, without exception, in dealing with a President’s mental fitness. White House decisions affect millions worldwide. Stating Donald Trump lacks the mental capability or stability to perform the duties of President, the panel asserted reasonable conviction that he is a danger to the country.
Former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton stated, “Donald Trump is a despot, an authoritarian who views the world through the prism of what is good or convenient for him and does not care about American citizens.” Trump’s White House staff witnessed his behavior and a number have since denounced him. Almost 79 years old if elected, Coalition panelists pointed out Trump’s signs of cognitive decline, noting the 79-year-old’s failure to grasp details during debates and mentally flailing about with inconclusive responses. Trump repeatedly fails to adequately address ideas pertinent to proper governing, avoiding important issues with meaningless babbling. Coalition doctors and professors advised that, with American families witnessing their own elderly relatives’ mental decline, citizens should be aware those same symptoms are progressively worsening in Trump. This principle was considered in Joe Biden’s decision to not run.
Emory University Psychiatry Professor Drew Western pointed out Trump’s pathologic personality symptoms: exaggerated sense of self-importance, delusions of grandeur, blames his own failures on others, attributes his own difficulties to exterior factors rather than accepting responsibility for his own conduct, tends to be deceitful and to mislead, engages in criminal or unlawful behavior, his perception and reality become grossly impaired under duress, seeks to be the center of attention, shows no empathy, lacks moral values, behaves irrationally when strong emotions are stirred up, his own needs come first, exploits people with little regard for their welfare, acts the victim, projects his negative attributes on others, is unreliable and irresponsible in business relations, shows little regard for the rights and properties of others, openly manifests misogyny, exaggerates his own brilliance, reacts extremely to perceived slights or criticism, uses childish nicknames in attempts to humiliate others, raged about his sexual abuse trial results, dramatically lies, as seen in his debate with Vice President Harris.
Trump’s lies are overtly contemptuous, allowing his followers to react with threats of violence. Trump’s malignant egoism is testimony to the moral emptiness of his universe and the mechanical brutality with which he can destroy those he no longer needs.
“Uninformed citizenry leads to a weak or misinformed nation susceptible to autocracy.” – Thomas Jefferson
Bravo! Sadly, those who have fallen into this demagogic cult will only dismiss this as more lies about Trump. Simplistically, they may even reject the cogent explanation of Constitutional principles, or blame “the socialist media” for trying to mislead them by using big words they don’t fully understand.
All I can hope for is that this piece sways one or two voters, possibly some of the few that are still on the sidelines. And that those voters vote armed with the truth instead of a black hole that sucks all truth into it.