Thomas ZimmerAug 3, 2024
MAGA on the Beach Redux
 
On an encounter with enraged Trumpers - and the difficult road ahead for a society in which conspiracies, extremist iconography, and political violence have become ubiquitous.
 
New piece:
 
https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/maga-on-the-beach-redux
MAGA on the Beach Redux

On an encounter with enraged Trumpers - and the difficult road ahead for a society in which conspiracies, extremist iconography, and political violence have become ubiquitous

Democracy Americana
Show threadThomas ZimmerAug 3, 2024
I wrote about a run-in with an elderly lady who quickly went from pleasant small talk to launching a conspiratorial tirade about Joe Biden’s war on upstanding patriots and how Trump alone could save the Republic. It tells us something about political culture in America today.
Show threadThomas ZimmerAug 3, 2024
The ubiquity of militant iconography and extremist slogans is not a manifestation of robust free speech, but a sign of a democratic crisis and a deeply pathological political culture that has been widely normalized. It constitutes an acute threat to democracy.
Show threadThomas ZimmerAug 3, 2024
A country in which it is regarded as socially acceptable behavior to wear a t-shirt to the airport with which you pledge to either kill or banish a good portion of your fellow airplane passengers is not a nation in which democracy will be sustainable.
Show threadThomas ZimmerAug 3, 2024
If a democracy that deserves the label is to emerge out of this current mess, America will need to establish societal boundaries against the public display of violence, the open embrace of militancy, the casual spouting of extremist ideology and conspiratorial nonsense.
Show threadThomas ZimmerAug 3, 2024
Rightwingers have aggressively taken to the streets, the town halls, and the beaches. They are trying to dominate the public square, and we mustn’t let them. They understand that pluralistic democracy depends on all citizens feeling safe in the public square.
Show threadThomas ZimmerAug 3, 2024

If citizens don’t feel safe in the public square, because it is ruled by intimidation, threats of violence, and displays of aggression, they won’t be able to participate as equal citizens. As a result, democratic political culture perishes.

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https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/maga-on-the-beach-redux

MAGA on the Beach Redux

On an encounter with enraged Trumpers - and the difficult road ahead for a society in which conspiracies, extremist iconography, and political violence have become ubiquitous

Democracy Americana
Show threadmathew
@tzimmer_history Speaking of extremists in the public square, Substack literally pays Nazis, so maybe you should consider a different publishing venue such as Outpost.pub
Aug 4, 2024 at 1:02amWeb