BEYOND PTSD - LOOKING FORWARD

I have been reliably informed by Roberta Willis, former member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, Democrat from the 64^th District, where she served for 16 years, that they are in despair as a result of the behaviour exhibited by Trump supporters on the 6^th inst. There is a depression setting in as more details about the event are revealed and she believes the country is suffering from PTSD. I hope she doesn't mind my mentioning it.

 

I am sure she is at least buoyed up by the confirmation of Mr Biden and Ms Harris as the next leaders of the United States Executive Government, as most people are; however, on seeing and listening to the televised interviews of supporters of the outgoing president, some of whom actually took part in the assault on the Capitol, I can well understand her despair. Their claim to patriotism as guardians of American freedom and the Constitution is bordering on the unnatural. They appear to have an attachment to Trump which is beyond rational comprehension. Statements like “He is the greatest President this country has ever had”, “He’s fighting for America”, “He’s made great sacrifices, he’s sacrificed his golden years for us”, “The people in there look down on us, they think they’re the elite, they don’t care about us”, “You don’t belong here, get out”, and so on. Not one has actually stated just what Mr Trump has done for these overlooked citizen’s that is so great. Not one has described who or what Mr Trump is fighting or to what effect. Their language and speech are full of slogans and repetition, admiration and adulation for the Ex-President, and negation of any question raising the matter of what has actually occurred. The denial of fact is breath taking. It is not just denial of the fact, but denial of the person even daring to ask the question, hence “You don’t belong here, get out”. The stubborn certainty of their improbable beliefs is seemingly impenetrable.

 

Mr Trump revels in their blind acquiescence of his behaviour. They are the greatest audience he has ever had. He plays to them, and with them, like the best of grifters with an unlimited number of marks. He perhaps now realises that his latest stirring up of his audience may have gone a bit too far. His first attempt at conciliation was (I paraphrase) “We love you, but now go home”, he then tweets a rebuke, and finally making a video statement decrying the whole episode, claiming immediate action on dealing with the riot, and calling for calm, unity and acceptance of the new administration; yet, his body language, the manner in which he did it, the obvious reluctance in his reading the text from his teleprompter, spoke volumes. On a side note, even his daughter Ivanka got caught out having referred to the supporters as patriots in a tweet and then correcting herself by removing the word patriots. She knew full well what a mistake she had made.

 

There has been nothing about his behaviour since the 3^rd November 2020 that has demonstrated concern for any of his supporters or for anyone else other than his ego. The full blown egocentric and delusional individual was on display, yet none of his supporters seemed to notice. They lapped it up like mother’s milk.  They were so sure that their numbers would override any opposition, that the fact that the opposition was over 7 million votes more was inconceivable. Mr Trump keeps on about having the largest vote of any President ever. A Landslide. He could not countenance that anyone could have received more, and nor could his devoted adherents. It was inconceivable and therefore a fraud. “I got the biggest crowds; how can you believe anything else?” It was like an aneurism, a stroke inducing event and all of his maintainers and enablers have been sucked into the bubble he has created with such vehemence as a result.

 

The shock was so great that he may never recover. The shock to his base group has been just as lethal. They may never recover. Their tenacity to maintain the fantasy, which has become their equilibrium, could become even more entrenched. Unless some method can be developed to bring them back to some form of normal behaviour, one can probably expect more disruption and disorder in varying degrees.

 

So, is it any wonder at the frustration and despair one feels on seeing and hearing the continual denial and refusal to accept reality on the part of the Trump base? It is indeed a post traumatic disorder which one may never be able to cure. I can understand the anxiety induced by the spectacle of the 6^th of January and the aftermath on the American people. That coupled with the continuing pandemic is certainly enough to give even the heartiest citizen pause.

 

But! Do not despair Roberta et al, whether you realise it or not, a lot of the world is watching and willing with you. You are not alone. You are part of over 81 million strong and, if you include the rest of us, perhaps only half the population of Europe, that’s another 320 million. I think Joe and Kamala will be happy with that and will be able to bring some composure back to the United States. and that might be the cure.