“Hurt dogs sure do holler.” That was the saying that came to mind in 2008 when then-candidate for president Barack Obama drew outrage from Republicans because he described their voters as “bitter” people who “cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren’t like them.” The phrase came to mind again in 2016, when Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton used the memorable phrase “basket of deplorables” to describe supporters of Donald Trump. Since a cardinal rule of politics is “insult your opponent, but never their voters,” the mainstream media picked up and amplified the umbrage-taking from Republicans.

What wasn’t discussed very much in all this media coverage: The truth value of either Clinton’s or Obama’s comments. And what a shame, because both of them were right.

New polling out this week from CBS News proves, as many feared, Trump’s fourth set of indictments — he now faces 91 felony charges across four jurisdictions — has only caused the GOP to rally around their seething orange leader. (And let’s not forget this comes after a jury recently found him responsible for sexual assault.) Trump has surged to 62% support in the Republican presidential primary poll, and 73% of those backing Trump say it’s because, not despite, of his massive criminal exposure.

And, in a poll finding that really is astonishing, Trump voters claimed they trust the notorious fraudster more than anyone. A whopping 71% of Trump voters claim “what he says is true.” Only 63% of them say that about family and friends, 56% about conservative media figures and 42% about religious leaders.

The word that comes to mind is “cult.”

  • @MotoAsh@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    Back in 2008, I told my friends, “never underestimate the racists and hate that persists in the south” when they were appalled by me saying, “I’ll be surprised if there isn’t an attempt at Obama.”

    The true problem isn’t that racists exist. It’s that far too many comfortable people fail to understand THAT racists and hateful bigots still exist.

    and in very, very large numbers.

    • Hyperreality
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      1210 months ago

      Racists don’t just exist in the south. They exist everywhere.

      In fact, the ones who aren’t openly racist are the most dangerous of all.

    • AFK BRB Chocolate
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      610 months ago

      The only slight silver lining for me in this whole shit show is that it shined a light on how prevalent racism is across the country. As an older white guy on the west coast, I knew there was still a fair amount of racism, but figured it was mostly found in the rural south and scattered uneducated cretins. It turns out that a giant percentage of our population are racists who used to keep those opinions to themselves. Now they feel like it’s completely acceptable to voice those opinions, and the rest of us can see the magnitude of the problem.

    • auth
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      410 months ago

      I’m a white in atlanta and I experience it at least once a week

      • @MotoAsh@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        What is ‘it’? Why do you experience it? What are you doing to deserve it? Being ignorant to your privilege? Trying to use your privilege like those morons that parked their boat?

        If you’re receiving racism as a white dude … you probably deserve it. This is coming from a white dude.

        • @stephen01king@lemmy.zip
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          310 months ago

          Sounds like victim blaming if you immediately assume they are in the wrong without looking at the facts first.

          • @MotoAsh@lemmy.world
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            1610 months ago

            I’m still waiting for information. Did you not notice the question marks throughout? Do you not understand what “probably” means?

            • @stephen01king@lemmy.zip
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              110 months ago

              You last paragraph suggests you’ve already made up your mind. People who victim blame ask questions all the time, they just don’t bother waiting for the answer before stating their preconceived conclusion. Just like you did, tbh.

        • auth
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          210 months ago

          Black people being racist against white people… Where I am it is about 95% black