Trump’s Spectacles of Violence Can’t Hold Back the Growing Tide of Discontent |
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“My family is scared to step outside,” a student admitted during my class. Around him heads nodded. All were born in the U.S. but most know undocumented people. Donald Trump painted a big target on their backs. “We’re not criminals, you know. We’re just trying to work, and survive.”
After class, I looked at the news on my phone. A December 4 CNN report showed a video of a boat blasted to bits by the U.S. military. Flames engulfed the four men on it. They are only a few of the 115 people killed in the 35 military strikes so far on alleged “narco-boats,” ordered by Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. On that same day, conservative Andrew Kolvet told an audience at Turning Point USA that “every new attack aimed at Pete Hegseth makes me want another narco drug boat blown up.” Hegseth responded on X, saying, “Your wish is our command, Andrew. Just sunk another narco boat.”
Hear the disturbing glee in his reply? The Trump administration has made the spectacle of violence a powerful tool to achieve its goals. It paints opponents with the label of “criminal.” The “bad guys” are my students and Caribbean boats, whole immigrant communities, so-called “antifa,” and transgender people. When people are labeled “criminals,” it excuses others to look away as their rights are violated. The label serves as an excuse for murder.
Trump has sold the spectacle of cruelty for his whole political career. From his time as a real estate huckster to ascent in politics, he made a show of firing, insulting, and now, as president, killing people.
Trump has sold the spectacle of cruelty for his whole political career. From his time as a real estate huckster to ascent in politics, he made a show of firing, insulting, and now, as president, killing people. Trump’s politics have soaked into popular culture with cruelty-for-show like Dr. Phil on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids or the recent satirical film, The Running Man. All of this is possible because when Trump took over the Republican Party, he amplified and expanded a well-worn playbook of racial and gender scapegoating.
The Salesman of Slaughter
“Bring Back the Death Penalty!” Trump wrote in a 1989 ad in Newsday. “I want to hate these muggers and murderers. They should be forced to suffer and, when they kill, they should be executed for their crimes.” The white-hot rant was aimed at the Central Park Five, the........