America Is Under Siege From Within by Robert Covington Jr.
Americans have been fed a steady dose of propaganda, sanitized versions of American history and an inaccurate depiction of our country as innately good and righteous. Lamentably, these myths and narcissistic levels of denial has created a national crisis that threatens the very survival of American democracy.
We’ve been told that the biggest threat to America are enemies from other countries. But the reality is that America is under siege from within.
We have a president alleged to have committed more crimes than Al Capone — and has turned the government into a high-level corrupt operation. Donald Trump violates the constitution daily, allegedly raped his former wife and has been accused of sexually abusing over 19 women, but he’s still president and running for reelection.
A major news network, Fox news, which reaches millions of viewers daily, has become a white power news channel. The level of ignorance, hate and lies that come from this network is a permanent stain on the idea of journalism and creates the conditions for violence and anarchy.
A major political party has completely capitulated oversight, accountability and protection of the constitution against this unfit president. Why? The Republican Party is the largest white supremacy and white identity organization in the world, and they have no interest whatsoever in seeing itself equal with fellow Americans that are not identified as white in this democracy. At its core, the Republican party has the same views, policies, values and interests as our white supremacist president. They do not want to share ideas, wealth or resources with non-whites. Plain and simple.
The conservative led Supreme Court has become a powerful expression of white male power and has shown a willingness to weaken democracy to protect its perceived interests. The disastrous Citizens United and Shelby v. Holder decisions has given license to Republican white men across the country to enact racist policies such as voter ID laws and capitalists to buy our elections.
Corporate media refuses to alarm America in a uniform way about Trump’s narcissistic psychopathy, cognitive decline and mental impairment. The 12,000 lies, the abuse, manipulation and exploitation of the office of the presidency is framed as if Trump is just an unorthodox politician.
It must be stressed that corporate media’s coverage of Trump has been pathetic. If they were serious about educating Americans about Trump’s dangerousness — major publications, news and TV outlets would regularly have mental health experts and professionals on TV every day and on front pages of newspapers seven days a week. Trump exhibits his sociopathy and pathology every day of the week. His behavior is as predictable as death and taxes. Americans deserve the right to understand the immorality, the sadistic enjoyment, the vengeance and cruelty that they see from this president in clear terms.
The Department of Justice under the helm of Bill Barr has become an instrument of corruption, injustice and criminal cover-ups. A democracy without a reliable protector of justice is not a democracy.
Corporate capitalists have contributed mightily to widespread inequality and hunger across the United States. As Reverend Barber reminds us, over 140 million Americans are living below the poverty line and 43% of children live below the minimum income level considered necessary to meet basic family needs. A Federal survey reports 46% of adults say they can’t cover an unexpected $400 expense or would have to borrow or sell something to do so. Also, 38% of middle-class Americans reported they’d have trouble too. The Washington Post reports student loan debt reaching 1.53 trillion. This is unsustainable.
Corporations for the most part have been quiet about Trump’s recklessness and worldwide embarrassment. Corporations continue to fund the GOP and the Trump campaign as they have made it clear that profit matters more than the constitution, democracy and Americans overall well- being.
And of course, we cannot forget about white Americans. Their support (63% of white men and 53% of white women) for Trump in 2016 even though he was a known racist, an admitted sexual abuser of women and failed businessman will be discussed by historians for generations to come. It’s been three years since and the magnitude of his corruption has exceeded any other president in American history.
But we all know that Trump’s continuous assault on humanity and the rule of law will not create a mass exodus of the white vote. Trump will still get large majorities of white voters in Utah, Montana, Kansas, North and South Dakota, Arkansas, West Virginia, Alabama, Louisiana and many other states in the union in the 2020 election. They are rich, middle income and poor. They are highly and poorly educated white Americans. This goes beyond the soothing idea that Trump only has the support of blatant racists such as white nationalists and white supremacists.
What Trump has taught us is that millions of white Americans would rather accept an awful white man destroying democracy if that means having a multiracial democracy under the pretense of losing white power, privilege and domination.
America’s decline is a self-inflicted wound. America is allowing itself to be led by people and entities that does not have our country’s best interest at heart. America is in a battle for souls, environment and a healthy democracy.
Once we accept that America is filled with evil, then maybe, just maybe, we can coalesce around the goodness within our country to take on this fight together.
Follow me on twitter: @robcovingtonjr
