We collectively and individually have one job to do leading into the ‘22 and ‘24 elections. Sit in the patriot space. Wrap ourselves in the flag and stand proud.
It doesn’t come easy to some of us. We know the republic is not perfect and that patriotism is often a mask for blind nationalism. But if there ever was a time to righteously declare our opponents as un-American now is that time.
Trump is un-American. His gang of cronies are un-American. His money-backers are un-American. His political backers are un-American. His followers are un-American. Calmly hammer that point home in adverts, in bumper stickers, in rhetoric and in everyday conversations.
It’s simple. Side-line them. Make clear they are the outliers and need to stand outside in the cold until they can learn to respect their fellow Americans and human beings. But do it naturally, like your patriotism is a given. After all you (and we) didn’t work for or support the overthrow of the republic and the United States of America.
Alongside the flag comes the need to become the party of law and order. Again, this doesn’t come easy to some of us. We know the law can be abused and that it protects privilege. But our opponents have given up any claim on the law in their seditious criminal lawlessness. So make clear the law matters in a constitutional republic and our opponents have utterly abandoned it. They have given up any right to speak for the law.
Say it again, they are un-American. Intersperse the rhetoric with images of flags, of of little everyday kindnesses carried out by public servants and our fellow citizens. Contrast that with the darkness, the unhinged cult members, the sheer un-American-ness of it all.
Those of us with any grasp of American history will know the darkness is part of that history but this isn’t the point. Now is not the time for a public debate about the past. It is the time to say with dignity in the here and now — we believe in the promise of America while those folks over there...not so much. In fact, they are un-American.
We need the power of repetition. We need the power of positive emotion. And finally, we need the power of marginalising the cult until it finally becomes socially unacceptable to say it’s name and show it’s face.
Then we can start rebuilding from the ground up.