I never thought I would be writing the words, Donald J. Trump will be the next President of the United States. I failed to envision it. And that’s what it comes down to. Those of us who opposed Trump and his brand of divisive demagoguery failed to envision the possibility that he might actually win, because in our minds, it wasn’t possible.
We failed to imagine that people would vote for him in significant numbers, nor could we understand why anyone with any intelligence might consider him fit for high office and support his candidacy, because these things, to us, were unimaginable.
And we failed to remember that people—people who feel (rightly or not) that their rightful place at the table has been stolen and the undeserving are eating their lunch, people who feel (rightly or not) the pain of diminishment and marginalization, and people who feel (rightly or not) that the only way to reclaim their place and restore their glory is to wrest it away, violently if necessary, from those they believe have usurped it—we failed to remember what history has taught us: that people like this are uniquely vulnerable to the most dangerous type of man—the man who believes his own lies. And in doing so, we became that man—lying to ourselves so skillfully and believing our reassuring fictions so thoroughly—that we failed to see, much less address, the urgency of the threat.
We thought that we had finally driven a stake through the heart of the monster, but instead we became the monster—those of us who supported Trump and those of us who failed to take him seriously enough to stop him.
|
We thought that we had finally driven a stake through the heart of the monster, but instead we became the monster—those of us who supported Trump and those of us who failed to take him seriously enough to stop him.
You see, Donald Trump is not the monster in our midst. We can’t blame him for what he channeled. We can’t fault him for the foulness of the stream from which he drank. We can’t hold him responsible for the violence and hatred he so easily incited. He didn’t create these things. They already, unfortunately, live in us. He simply reached out and touched them and drew an electric charge from their dangerous undercurrent, then jolted the country with its force. His source of power isn’t new; it’s as old as the hills—a flow that has always been there.
It’s hard to rise above our basest selves when a figure who commands the national stage descends so low. And yet, he wasn’t dragging us down, but only meeting us, sadly where we were.
|
No, it is not Trump but the people who so eagerly elected him (as well as those of us who quietly allowed him to win), who must confront the monster’s face in the mirror. A twisted face that embraced divisiveness with a smirk, encouraged prejudice with a wink, and mocked difference with a snicker. Trump merely put on a mask that people recognized and said, “I’m ugly just like you,” and people with ugliness lurking in their hearts saw themselves in him and him in themselves and cast their votes accordingly. Beauty lives in these people, too. And grace. And goodness. But beauty wasn’t what they were shown. Grace isn’t what was modeled for them. And goodness was absent from the disgraceful, disturbingly entertaining circus of this election. It’s hard to rise above our basest selves when a figure who commands the national stage descends so low. And yet, he wasn’t dragging us down, but only meeting us, sadly, where we were. And while Clinton, rightly, was held to the high standards of a professional politician and “normal” candidate, the media treated Trump from the start as an aberration, a joke, a funky outlier instead of the familiar face of intolerance and hate that history has time and again shown us, and in doing so enabled him to become whatever he wanted and allowed him to assume whatever shape his supporters desired. The media totally missed it. Trump was, and is, of course, a true politician, a master of the game. In what is surely a supreme journalistic irony, the editorials spoke truth, while the “fact-based” articles devolved into opinion.
We must remember that we can be the change, be the love, and be the face of the nation we want to see in the mirror.
|
Looking at last night’s results with this morning’s clear eyes, I realize that the big, bold, all caps headlines have it wrong. This election was not a surprise or an upset, a shock or a stunner. It was entirely within the realm of the expected. We the people were naïve to believe that a majority of America was better than this outcome. Some Americans are, but many more still aren’t. Trump’s victory and Clinton’s defeat remind us that only in rare moments do we find the courage to exceed ourselves, to transcend our fallible human nature and reach the summit instead of pausing to rest on the plateau. Yesterday was not one of those moments. But we must have faith that there are more of them to come. We must believe that we will once again display our unlimited capacity for true greatness. We must remember that we can be the change, be the love, and be the face of the nation we want to see in the mirror. We must persevere in the fight do what’s right, and we must never, ever, ever give up. Because the monster can never, ever, ever win.
Photo—Gage Skidmore/Flickr
“Leftist politicians think leftist “comedy news” show has accurate information? Ya don’t say! The issue isnt the accuracy. The issue is that when they are wrong, they get to hide behind “satire” They don’t have to make a retraction or own up to it. Meanwhile the disinformation spreads because “lol I get all my news from the Daily Show, man””
Well right wing politicians think that Fox News has accurate informaiton when in reality studies have shown that people who watch Fox News end up being more dumb and stupid.
This election was the progressive left’s Stalingrad. Their bullying of anyone who deign to think for themselves or dared to stand up to them has come to end. It has been soundly defeated. But, make no mistake…this was just a battle we won. The war against ordinary Americans or shall I say “uneducated” white people rages on in America by the progressive left. The good news: THE BATTLE HAS BEEN JOINED! Look how pathetic the Left has become…all they can do now is carry out demonstrations against a democratically elected President. Why? Because, they cannot accept that their ideas are… Read more »
“This election was the progressive left’s Stalingrad.”
I’m an old time Kennedy Democrat, and I approve of this message.
The failure of people to stop Trump wasn’t that they didn’t attack or demonize Trump enough or even the fact that they didn’t shame and denigrate his supporters enough. The failure to stop Trump was the dismissal and contempt for the concerns of the people who voted for him.
And that is a lesson that Clinton supporters will probably never learn. Sure a few here and there might learn it but on the large scale they will continue to blame everything from Sanders supporters, third party voters, and men in general for Clinton’s loss.
Their thought process will be something like, “We demonized, shamed, and attacked entire demographics for months during this campaign. How could they have not sided with us against Trump?”
Funny thing is that some are now pointing to an education gap. Funny, people in the MRM were demanding this get fixed while the main stream progressives kept insisting that a 55 – 45 gap in favor of women increasing to a 60 – 40 gap in favor of women was a victory for equality. You reap what you sow.
Dont get me started on education. Education gap proves that there are parts of feminism and the Left that sincerely believe equality means “makes sure girls/women don’t get the short end of the stick”.
I. Told. You. I F***ing told each and every one of you that this was going to happen. I told you what would happen if snobby elitists in Ivory Towers and coastal millionaires continued to look down their noses at the “flyover states.” I told you what would happen if you continued to try and strip any sense of positive identity away from a very large portion of the population. Wealthy Los Angeleans and New Yorkers have been “punching up” at people who live in poverty because they weren’t the “right sort” of lower class, turned their lives their culture… Read more »
The Daily Show gives more accurate information compared to the corporate press. Even some American politicians have stated that.
The old Jon Stewart daily show did. Not the new Trevor daily show. Jon was a master here who really cared about all groups of people.
I don’t even think the accuracy of the information was the problem. The Daily Show presents its news in a very sarcastic almost condescending way. And fans of the show not only picked up the news but they picked up that attitude of “I’m better than you because…..”.
The accuracy of information present by the media was the trouble which is why the Daily Show was a success. Shame that you have to depend on a comedy show for accurate, reliable information compare to media giants like Fox that have all the money, people, and resources but can’t deliver.
I live about 30 Mins outside Baltimore…a Democrat run city for over 50 years! To paraphrase Charles Barkley, “it’s a turrible place.” Of course, they just elected another Democrat Mayor. A new Democrat Mayor making the same old empty promises as the previous ones…including Martin O’Malley. The city still has record murders, record shooting, Black unemployment in excess of 25%, and abysmal schools. I along with several others provide after school tutoring and other education prep for any student FREE of charge. The city is trying to shut down the place arguing that we are operating a school without a… Read more »
Believe me Jules, I hold no love for the Democrats either.
The charade is over. One would have to be blind not to see it’s failure.
Need to give it a rest.
As much as I’ve enjoyed and some times not so much enjoyed GMP, I think it’s time to move on. With so much about men’s issues, with so many constructive discussions we need to have regarding the betterment of men and boys, GMP appears that they will be beating the Trump thing to death. On and on and on… I don’t see it stopping any time soon. At the very least I will limit my discussion to issues where Trump is no where in sight, where Trump isn’t mentioned or referenced in any way shape of form. Moving on …… Read more »
Well, the conservatives will not stop beating Obama to death even when he leaves office.
you mean kinda like how you never shut up about Reagan, despite the man being dead?
I’m sorry. I usually don’t go there, but that was hilarious, 8Ball.
you mean kinda like how you never shut up about Reagan, despite the man being dead?
Well, the conservatives never shut up about FDR despite him being dead since 1945 and I am sure that the conservatives will never shut up even when Obama and Clinton are dead.
Been on that edge myself Tom, never really being able to push through and fully participate. I came here thinking I’d be discussing issues that are important to us as men, helping guys that have had been isolated from their own masculinity, not defending us from constant left wing attacks or feminist dominance dances. That’s on me I guess. My expectations were off. It’s more a left wing progressive site with strong ties to gender feminism, holding men as a target of blame, especially white men. I mean, how many “evil menz” stories can one read before they get old… Read more »
Yeah and many conservatives with strong ties with extreme right wing religious groups are holding liberals as targets of blame even if many of those liberals are white. You don’t see conservatives helping men at all with their emotions.
“How many infantile name calling attacks on Trump are we about to read about?”
Probably none from the overwhelmingly conservative media than what Obama got.
“Anyone have any suggestions or can point me in a direction of a site to replace this one?”
Honestly, if I had the time I would create my own….
I would love to see a site similar to this one but with pieces also from MRA advocates, or even MGTOW advocates..with pieces from Suzanne Venker, Helen Smith, Hoff Sommers and others. It would still carry many of the ones here too. But, I would love to see ALL perspectives. That is a genuine free flow of ideas instead of a “progressive” and feminist bias to everything.
Exactly, Jules. Will we ever see it? Perhaps we should create it.
@ Tom Brechlin
It’s a catharsis. They’ll vent and they’ll get over it. It might be worth it if they came to a realization of what the problems truly are. We’ve been demanding the boy crisis in education be addressed. They’ve stone walled and made education as hostile to men as possible increasing the gender divide. Now they’re upset because it was uneducated men who swung the election for Trump. My have the chickens come home to roost.
Conservatives have played a significant part in making education hostile to men by cutting back more and more on school funding because they don’t want educated men and as Trump stated that he likes uneducated guys because then he and his fellow business leaders can pull the wool over their eyes.
Yeah, and people like you were beating Hillary to death.
And that’s where you and others are way off. We simply brought to light that which your side refused to do.
Oh, I think the charade has just begun. Racism and misogyny has won.
The American people won Erin.
Finally, we decided to stand up for ourselves against Establishment elites (Dems and REPs) pretending to represent the best interest of our country.
It’s America First!
How have the American people won Jules? We are broken and fractured. We have seen unpresidented misogynism and racism take over this country and is reflected in the thoughts, beliefs and attitudes of our future president. Trump is part of the very establishment elites you speak off. He is a billionaire that doesn’t pay taxes. He is the same man that disparaged Obama and then magically said he has respect for him. This man hops back and forth when it suits his own agenda. He was friends with the clintons for years until he switched teams and became republican just… Read more »
No they didn’t win. They are just enjoying the spoils of victory that came from going out of the way to alienate and almost attack a large portion of the American population.
A lot of people that voted for Trump didn’t support his hatred but they were drawn to the fact that Trump didn’t attack them then relentlessly and then turn around and demand their vote, which is what a lot of Clinton supporters have spent the last 8 months doing.
Danny, a vote for Trump is a vote for his hatred. You can’t separate the two because they are linked. Trump’s hatred is t sitting in another chair next to him as if it where a separate entity. Would you have voted for a known member of the KKK or new nazis? Would you even defend others who voted for a known member of the KKK new nazis? Trump skimmed the edges of those hate groups. And I am sorry but e use me Trump freaking did attack a huge portion of voters and then demand to be voted for!… Read more »
Danny, a vote for Trump is a vote for his hatred. You can’t separate the two because they are linked. Trump’s hatred is t sitting in another chair next to him as if it where a separate entity. I didn’t say they were. What I am saying is that a lot of Trump supporters likely chose him for 2 reasons. 1. Clinton’s campaign was so wrapped up in “being the first woman president” that there wasn’t much else being offered. 2. Clinton’s supporters didn’t help her case by just doubling down and yelling, “Vote for Clinton or you’re a woman… Read more »
I find it ironic now to see one playing the Trump cards. Sexism; That would be where it is seen as empowering to vote for Hilly because she’s a woman, but sexist to vote for Trump because he’s a man; where those who do the former accuse those that are not at all doing the latter of doing so. Racism; That would where we can classify an entire multicultural group as “white” so as to besmirch them, but to be called a racist if done to anyone not of that group. Again, where those who do the former accuse those… Read more »