Some people in the US have a John Wayne problem.
For decades, we saw the “character” that was John Wayne (Marion Morrison) swagger across the screen, speaking his words very slowly, telling his cowering opponent that he was going to XXXX.... fill in the blank with your choice of “tough”, frightening phrases. And more times than not, he said his “words” with a gun, or two, in his hands. And, as in each and every movie, his threat worked. The bad guy lost.
Pretty easy and pretty simple. So, I guess it's not too hard to think that many men, and some women, think that all bad situations can be overturned by just saying some threatening words and acting like the tough person who is going to save the day. Why not? It worked every time for The Duke.
These same people, who feel comfort hearing the tough-guy talk, are the same ones who took to Twitter to bash Bradley Cooper for being seen at the Democratic Convention. Did they really not know he was acting and just playing the part of the “sniper”? They didn't know that? Really?
Many of these people believe that a society like the one Ayn Rand wrote about in her “novels” can exist outside of a printed page. A society that praises and rewards selfishness has never successfully existed, anywhere, ever. Only inside the pages of her novels. But, we actually have politicians who believe that extremely, flawed philosophy.
Reality tells many of us that life isn't like that. We know that words like “bring 'em on” & “We've got the force necessary to deal with the situation..” don't guarantee results. The end wasn't written beforehand and that swagger and those words didn't give us an ending anywhere near how the “real” movie ended.
I guess we don't need to wonder why so many in this country will believe lies that are repeated, time and time again, on so many media outlets. When reality isn't that important, you can believe what you choose to believe. It just doesn't matter that facts are available to dispute the lies.
So, I guess some of us shouldn't be surprised that a man who walks onto the stage at his rallies with a swagger, and goes on to tell his audience how “tough” he's going to be (literally using the word “tough”) is just what the “movie/novel-crowd” wants.
I doubt many of those people have ever heard this quote from John Wayne:
"The guy you see on the screen isn't really me. I'm Duke Morrison, and I never was and never will be a film personality like John Wayne. I know him well. I'm one if his closest students. I have to be. I make a living out of him."
Maybe some of them can come to their senses before November 8, realize this isn't a movie or a novel, join the rest of us in reality and recognize the danger of a personality who beats his chest and is only playing a role.