If there is one through line that connects all the “culture war” issues being pressed upon the country by the right wing extremists of the Republican Party, it would be that all these problems would be resolved if only we had a sterner patriarchy.
They call for harsher, historic style treatment of criminals while excusing the treason of their Dear Leader Trump. What was the historic penalty for treason? Firing squad? Guillotine? The gallows?
Law and order? There is no one person in American history who, through his lies and abyss of disinformation has created the kind of disorder and chaos Donald Trump has. Now Trump agitates for a new civil war on his behalf. General and President U.S. Grant thought slavery was “the worst cause any people ever fought for.” I wonder what he would think of a civil war fought to keep a scoundrel from going to prison?
Many of the MAGA faithful claim to be Christians but everything they and Trump stand for says Jesus was stupid. Truthfulness, forgiveness and mercy. Stupid, stupid, stupid. They buy into everything Dear Leader Trump says and his life of lies, sexual assault, thievery, misogyny, brutality, disloyalty and vicious vindictiveness. Trump’s life is an eloquent statement. It says Jesus was a naive, stupid fool. And the most cardinal of sins, Jesus was a weakling.
He who is to be admired is the stern patriarchal figure such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Never mind that Putin has rained death and destruction over three continents. Obliterated cities from Aleppo, Syria to Bakhmut and Mariupol, Ukraine. His stern patriarchal hand has ordered the murder or brutal imprisonment of countless journalists and political opponents. Putin is exactly who the late Senator John McCain said he was many years ago. “A thug, a bully and a murderer.“
Right wing extremists are trying to square their joy at the overturning of Roe v. Wade with the reality that the overwhelming majority of Americans believe the abortion compromise of 1973 got it just about right. Now they are claiming Democrats favor late-term abortions. No one “favors” late-term abortions, but the right wing clearly wants to make an issue of it. 2024 Republican presidential candidate, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina says “Democrats favor late -erm abortions up to 52 weeks.” Yikes! Just guessing, but I suspect every woman who has been pregnant since the beginning of time would favor an abortion at 52 weeks.
Of the many creeping “Christian” caliphates in the United States, Missouri has taken the lead in battening down their women. Missouri has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country. The old patriarchal excuse for their own bad behavior; “the hussy made me do it,” is undergoing a revival in Missouri. In January 2023 the Missouri House of Representatives passed a new dress code for women members requiring them to wear clothing that covers their arms while in the House chamber. Apparently the delicate “Christian” men of the House fear being titillated off to a life of sin and debauchery from the sight of the buck-naked arms of their female colleagues. Missouri’s greatest native son, Mark Twain, surely would have found good material in the buffoonery.
The quintessential Missouri buffoon appears to be U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley. He was caught on camera fist pumping the Jan. 6 rioters outside the U.S. Capitol building that fateful morning. Later in the day, he is once again caught on camera chicken-running through the halls of the Capitol, fleeing the very thugs he demonstrated solidarity with hours earlier.
Hawley has provided some comic relief this year, publishing a book titled, Manhood: The Masculine Virtues America Needs.
Marty Ansley
Cinebar
