I think I first started hearing the words “I am a fan of…” in regard to politicians in 2008, when Barack Obama was running. Granted, I had probably heard it most of my life, but I’d never paid much attention to it. In 2008 I did not think much of it—just the turn of a phrase. However, in 2019, the use of that phrase has grown, and when used with a politician’s name—the cult of personality is a very dangerous path to do down.
Now this is not an uncommon occurrence in American politics. In recent history one only has to look back to the 1960s to see it with the Kennedys and Camelot, or to remember how Reagan, Schwarzenegger, and Trump used their celebrity to propel them to state and national offices.
If you are a fan of Bernie, Kamala, Pete, Joe, or, heaven forbid, Donald, then you need to look at yourself in the mirror and promise to change. Politicians are not celebrities; they do not deserve fawning worship. They are public servants, who can and should be scrutinized, and must be held accountable for their actions. On the obverse, we are not fans; we are constituents, and we must demand better from our public servants. We must hold their feet to the fire, and if they fail—they must not be re-elected.
On April 13, the current White House resident tweeted:
Why has his own party not called him on the carpet for this tweet, and for so many others, for that matter? A president of the United States does not demand anything. He is not a king; he is an elected official. He answers to WE THE PEOPLE! To read the comments, tweets, and opinion columns of the most devout Trump followers, you would think he is the second coming of Christ. He is not; whether he and his fans want to believe it, he is a public servant. He does not answer just to those who support him—he answers to all of us.
Fandom is not a thing just on the Republican side of the aisle. Look at the way the media and the Democratic Party determine who is a winner or a loser even before an election takes place by looking at how much money a candidate can raise. Instead of looking at what a candidate stands for, rather than look at a hopeful’s past history, in lieu of looking at an aspirant’s resume, the party and the media look at who can raise the most money. Right now, we could be debating the issues; instead, this is what we get:
Imagine if candidates did not have to raise massive amounts of money to win an election. More people could then take part in the process. Instead of ending up with the best fundraisers, we could get the best and the brightest, people who actually understand what it means to be a public servant, to work for the greater good of all Americans. Instead, we are left with what amounts to a combination of a reality TV series and a football game. I do not care how much a candidate raises or does not raise; what I want to know is what they are going to do to fight climate change, income inequity, white nationalism, and host of other issues.
Instead of hearing what a candidate’s plan is to eliminate poverty or bring peace to the Middle East, all we will hear about is who raised the most money, or who won the day, or who lost with their latest political ad.
All of this makes it easier to prey on the less educated, to sell them fear instead of hope, to sell hate instead of love. Instead of giving fawning adoration to our politicians, we need to hold their feet to the fire, no matter which side of the aisle they are on, and demand they represent us and our values instead of catering to the lowest common denominator, and selling the idea that some people have less value than others.
In the late 80s a band called Living Colour produced a song called “Cult of Personality.” It seems to fit today’s politics better than anything I could write.
Look in my eyes, what do you see?
The cult of personality
I know your anger,
I know your dreams
I've been everything you want to be
I'm the cult of personality
Like Mussolini and Kennedy
I'm the cult of personality
The cult of personality
The cult of personality
Neon lights, a Nobel Prize
Then a mirror speaks, the reflection lies
You don't have to follow me
Only you can set me free
I sell the things you need to be
I'm the smiling face on your T.V.
I'm the cult of personality
I exploit you still you love me
I tell you one and one makes three
I'm the cult of personality
Like Joseph Stalin and Gandhi
I'm the cult of personality
The cult of personality
The cult of personality
Neon lights a Nobel Prize
A leader speaks, that leader dies
You don't have to follow me
Only you can set you free
You gave me fortune
You gave me fame
You gave me power in your own god's name
I'm every person you need to be
Oh, I'm the cult of personality
I'm the cult of, I'm the cult of, I'm the cult of, I'm the cult of I'm the cult of,
I'm the cult of, I'm the cult of, I'm the cult of personality
