Under The Guise of False Patriotism?
Opinion by Ben Everidge
Patriot or Pretender …
On the day of his tragic assassination, President John F. Kennedy was en route to the Dallas Trade Mart to deliver a speech that some have come to call The Watchman Waketh speech. In this speech, Kennedy issued a stark warning to Americans, not only about the threats to democracy from outside our shores, but also about the insidious threats to democracy from within, a warning that remains as relevant today as it was then.
Hear those undelivered cautionary words in the context of today:
There will always be dissident voices heard in the land, expressing opposition without alternatives, finding fault but never favor, perceiving gloom on every side, and seeking influence without responsibility. Those voices are inevitable.
But today other voices are heard in the land – voices preaching doctrines wholly unrelated to reality, wholly unsuited to the sixties, doctrines which assume that words will suffice without weapons, that vituperation is as good as victory and that peace is a sign of weakness. At a time when the national debt is steadily being reduced in terms of its burden on our economy, they see that debt as the greatest single threat to our security. At a time when we are steadily reducing the number of Federal employees serving every thousand citizens, they fear those supposed hordes of civil servants far more than the actual hordes of opposing armies.
We cannot expect that everyone, to use the phrase of a decade ago, will "talk sense to the American people." But we can hope that fewer people will listen to nonsense. And the notion that this Nation is headed for defeat through deficit, or that strength is but a matter of slogans, is nothing but just plain nonsense.
Kennedy was to go on saying:
America today is stronger than ever before. Our adversaries have not abandoned their ambitions, our dangers have not diminished, our vigilance cannot be relaxed. But now we have the military, the scientific, and the economic strength to do whatever must be done for the preservation and promotion of freedom.
That strength will never be used in pursuit of aggressive ambitions – it will always be used in pursuit of peace. It will never be used to promote provocations – it will always be used to promote the peaceful settlement of disputes.
Wrapping up, Kennedy would have concluded with:
We in this country, in this generation, are – by destiny rather than choice – the watchmen on the walls of world freedom. We ask, therefore, that we may be worthy of our power and responsibility, that we may exercise our strength with wisdom and restraint, and that we may achieve in our time and for all time the ancient vision of "peace on earth, good will toward men." That must always be our goal, and the righteousness of our cause must always underlie our strength. For as was written long ago: "except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."
Today
The threats to democracy from outside our shores are evident. A rising China, a defiant Russia, a radical Islamist Iran, a paranoid North Korea, and an oil-stressed Venezuela. The national security threat list grows longer by the month.
But what of the threats from within our nation?
The presumptive nominee of a major political party, a former president of the United States no less, is pledging to be a dictator for a day if he is re-elected in November. He threatens to gut Congressional spending authority clearly defined in the United States Constitution. That same presumptive nominee now also threatens to jail and prosecute his perceived enemies.
These are not, unfortunately, idle threats. They are real threats made by an all-too-real politician who could be the next president of the United States in 2025. These are real threats that are being made under the guise of patriotism. Of “Making America Great Again.”
The Danger
The danger in these threats is that patriotism can be used to encourage authoritarianism through various mechanisms, which often involve manipulating nationalistic sentiments to consolidate power and stifle dissent. Working with AI, I asked what these mechanisms might be. Here are some common ways we (AI and I) both think this is occurring:
Creation of a Unified Identity: AI - Authoritarian leaders often promote a strong sense of national identity and unity, which can marginalize or demonize minority groups, dissenters, and political opponents. By emphasizing a homogenous national identity, they create an "us versus them" mentality that justifies authoritarian measures to protect the nation. ME – Donald Trump is doing just that by attacking minority groups like immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, democrats, and more.
Exploitation of National Crises: AI - During times of crisis, such as economic downturns, wars, or terrorist attacks, authoritarian leaders may invoke patriotic themes to rally the population around them. They present themselves as the defenders of the nation, using the crisis to justify the centralization of power and the suspension of civil liberties. ME – The theme of “Make America Great Again” (MAGA). Rigged elections, a weaponized Justice Department, a two-tiered court system, political persecution, not legal prosecution, for genuine crimes committed, enviable autocrats like Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orban, and more.
Suppression of Dissent: AI - Patriotism is often equated with loyalty to the state and the ruling party. Critics and opposition groups are labeled as unpatriotic or traitorous, delegitimizing their voices and justifying their suppression. This limits political pluralism and maintains the authoritarian grip on power. ME – Look at the threats to our national and local media, opposition political action committees, “liberal” university and college professors, “woke” publications, culture wars, and more.
Control of Media and Propaganda: AI - State-controlled media and propaganda play a significant role in fostering patriotism that supports authoritarianism. By glorifying the nation and its leaders and vilifying external and internal enemies, media narratives create a climate where questioning the government is seen as unpatriotic. ME - FOX News, Truth Social, the “failing” New York Times, MSNBC, and more.
Cult of Personality: AI—Authoritarian regimes often build a cult of personality around the leader, portraying them as the embodiment of the nation's ideals and values. Patriotism becomes synonymous with loyalty to the leader, making it difficult to distinguish between support for the country and support for the regime. ME—Trump as Jesus, the MAGA community, white nationalists “many of whom are good people too,” and more.
Educational Indoctrination: AI—Educational systems are used to instill a version of history and nationalism that supports the authoritarian regime. Curricula emphasize the greatness of the nation and the importance of unity under a strong leader, discouraging critical thinking and alternative perspectives. ME—banning books in libraries, revising black history to say that they benefitted from slavery, and more.
Militarization of Society: AI - Authoritarian regimes often emphasize military values and virtues as part of their patriotic narrative. By glorifying the military and promoting a culture of obedience and discipline, they normalize the use of force in maintaining order and suppressing opposition. ME – Promising to impose the Insurrection Act and domesticate the use of the U.S. Military, abandoning the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, calling in citizens to use their weaponry to defend their cities against illegal immigrants, and more.
Legitimization of Repressive Policies: AI - Policies that restrict freedoms and concentrate power in the hands of the regime are justified as necessary for protecting the nation. Patriotism legitimizes surveillance, censorship, and other repressive measures, framing them as acts of national defense. ME – Attacking the United States Capitol because of a “stolen election” that America’s courts of law in overwhelming numbers said was not true, the use of our intelligence communities to spy on opposition political leaders, control of the media, and more.
Scapegoating and Nationalism: AI - Leaders may use nationalism to scapegoat specific groups, blaming them for the nation's problems. This deflects attention from government failures and unites the populace against a common enemy, consolidating the leader's power. ME – Immigrants, Democrats, the media, the Justice Department and our courts of law, Barack Obama, born in Kenya, and more.
Economic Nationalism: AI—Promoting economic policies that favor national industries and interests, often at the expense of global cooperation, can rally public support for the regime. Economic success is tied to national pride, and the regime is credited with achieving this success. ME—Inflation-stoking tariffs, opposition to labor unions, Mexican factories producing American goods, and more.
By leveraging these strategies, authoritarian leaders can and will manipulate patriotic feelings to entrench their power, suppress dissent, and create a more compliant and unified populace that supports their rule.
The Trump Record Factually
Think about it: here is what Donald Trump has given America
Said Mexico would pay for a wall on the southern border to stop illegal immigration, which did not happen.
Said that stopping illegal immigration was and is a critical priority for Congress and the White House but then convinced Senators to kill a bipartisan bill that would have reduced the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States so that he could keep alive the issue against Joe Biden for the 2024 presidential election.
Said he would drain the swamp before filling it even higher with convicted aides and allies.
Added $8.4 trillion to the national debt after saying he would eliminate that debt.
Overturned the protections women had for 50 years to an abortion under Roe v. Wade.
Tried to kill the Affordable Care Act and its protections against pre-existing conditions, making healthcare more accessible for Americans.
Falsely claimed that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and encouraged a MAGA group of supporters to “fight like hell” at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, where injuries and death occurred.
Offered snake oil solutions to the coronavirus pandemic as millions of Americans died and millions more became unemployed.
Was twice impeached with a majority of U.S. Senators voting for conviction.
Was convicted on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records to cover up an election season scandal with a porn star.
Has been indicted in three federal courts in three different jurisdictions for various federal crimes, including obstruction of justice and refusal to return top secret documents.
Saw his charity closed and fined for committing fraud.
Cheated on all three of his wives and stiffed many vendors who worked on his projects.
He used his Washington, DC, hotel to benefit financially from emoluments.
Called dead soldiers “schmucks” and “losers” while observing the anniversary of D-Day in Europe.
Has promised to pardon the felons who were behind the January 6th insurrection because they are “political prisoners.”
Is opposed by former aides with considerable titles during their tenure with the Trump White House:
Vice President Mike Pence
Attorney General William Barr
Secretary of Defense Mike Esper
National Security Advisor John Bolton
White House Chief of Staff General John Kelly
White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney
White House Counsel Ty Cobb
White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah Griffin
White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham
Lied a documented 30,503 times in four years.
Democracy is at Stake
Democracy is at stake in this election. The watchman in us must be vigilant to threats emanating from within our shores.
Only you can determine if Donald Trump is worthy of your vote for president of the United States again. You know what you got the first time with Trump and Biden.
Don’t let patriotism be a guise for what is at stake on November 5th. History is counting on you.
You have been cautioned.