PTOO PSA

But what would you estimate the percentage of maga hat wearers to be that fit into one or more of the following categories:
1. Racist
2. Gullible
3. Stupid
?

1. Racism and bigotry have a home in the Republican Party, no doubt about it. It wasn’t always that way — as recently as George W. Bush, the Republican leader made careful efforts to distinguish the 9/11 “terrorists” from the majority of Muslims who are decent people. (However, Reagan did also promote racist tropes like “welfare queen.”)

But can you imagine if something like 9/11 had happened under Trump’s watch? We’d have concentration camps around the country, and his supporters would cheer it. (Nevermind the multiple documented instances of right-wing, white & Christian terror over the past few years that either never caught Trump’s attention or that he actually defended.)

There are different degrees of racism too — hardcore white supremacists vs. casual bigots who probably just need sensitivity training.

The best way I can think of to try to actually quantify the number of racists in the Republican Party? Tally up the percentage who voted for Trump in the 2016 Republican primaries. They chose Trump over other candidates, mainly, because of his combative “build that wall” and birtherist and “lock her up” messages that made him stick out. That percentage is 44.9%

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Results_of_the_2016_Republican_Party_presidential_primaries

2. Trump supporters are gullible on some level. Especially those who actually *like* the guy. He’s distasteful on so many levels — a silver-spoon billionaire with a knack for self-promotion who’s failed in multiple actual business ventures (his biggest cash cow has been celebrity appearances), he’s been credibly accused of sexual assault multiple times and is given to racism, bigotry, and conspiracy theories.

Then there are those who feel compelled “out of principle” to vote R regardless of who it is because they have strong views on abortion. (I think anti-abortionists are gullible too, but for a different reason).

Some Republicans have left the Trump camp for various reasons, or were never part of it. But anyone who *continues* to support Trump after his disastrous 4 years, and especially the Jan. 6 insurrection, I find gullible in the extreme. My very unscientific estimation is 100% of Trump supporters at this point are gullible.

3. Lol. I’ve written too much already. I will say that the intelligent Trump supporters (and they exist) confound me the most. They’re the ones who have to engage in the most mental gymnastics. Other than that, I refer you to my above comments.

Sure there are intelligent trump supporters, but they are the wealthy & powerful who, like the Grande Orange himself, are trying to stay that way. They typically aren't the ones walking around in red hats.

EXACTLY. They let the "poors" do the heavy lifting. As usual.

most. if they aren't they may be wealthy. Or- they are self centered "me" type people with no empathy. if there are ANY intelligent, open-minded, non-bigoted, empathetic, selfless/egoless trump supporters out there I have never seen one.

It’s hard, if not impossible, to make a quick meme that avoids every logical fallacy.

Generalization is a big one. The use of the MAGA hat for instance — a symbol as loaded as it is useful. A meme featuring a MAGA hat may make a point that applies to some or even most Trump supporters, but not all.

It’s also hard at times to separate the misdeeds of Trump from his supporters, who may be decent people. They vote Republican because they have deeply felt stances on abortion for instance that we may disagree with, but they don’t endorse everything he’s said or done.

We need to try consciously to avoid these pitfalls and aim to be better. For our own health as well as society’s.

Like I said, memes are fine, but when in discussion, be better :)