Or How MAGA Ruined the Sound of Music for Me. On Saturday, our former President and current presumptive Republican nominee in 2024 held a rally and invoked Hitler. Again.
In Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote, "All great cultures of the past perished only because the originally creative race died out from blood poisoning." On Saturday, Trump decried immigrants from the podium in New Hampshire, saying they are "poisoning the blood of our country." Afterward, the leader of the MAGA movement doubled down, repeating in writing on Truth Social that "illegal immigration is poisoning the blood of our country."
How do the so-called Christians in the MAGA movement respond to this? They either agree or are silent. It's important to note that, when it comes to fascist, racist dictatorships, silence is just as damaging as assent.
Trump doesn't have to quote Hitler. The English language is a vast and flexible instrument. He could create almost limitless phrases that would make his point. He invokes Hitler because 1) it works; it worked in Germany and it seems to be working here and 2) it's an unmistakable signal to the white supremacist groups like The Proud Boys of whom he is so fond.
Antisemitism is on the rise. Especially after the heartbreaking Hamas attack on October 7 and the ensuing battle in Gaza. Why does Trump -- who has Jewish grandchildren -- embrace Hitler's rhetoric? Because he is soulless and will do whatever it takes to win. The bigger question is, "Why do 'Christians' embrace him?"
In the words of Chris Christie: “He’s disgusting, and what he’s doing is dog-whistle to Americans who feel absolutely under stress and strained from the economy and from the conflicts around the world, and he’s dog-whistling to blame it on people from areas that don’t look like us."
So because Trump will protect their jobs and restore their comfortable way of life, self-proclaimed Christians will embrace antisemitism and racism? I'm sorry, but this is a circle that cannot be squared.
Sunday night I, like millions of Americans, settled in to watch The Sound of Music. Trump's rhetoric was ringing in my ears. As I watched Captain Von Trapp and the nuns of the Abbey stand up to Nazis, I wondered how many MAGA families were also watching. How many were holding their children and grandchildren near, embracing this movie for representing the best of us, and then went back to supporting Donald Trump and his specious claims of antifa ruining us.
Let's not forget antifa means antifascist. The reason why MAGA deplores antifa is that they embrace Trump.
I don't see how they can applaud both Captain Von Trapp and the candidate who invokes Hitler. I also don't see how they can sleep at night.
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| When MAGA embraces Hitler, be like Capt. Von Trapp |
