We have always known what Donald Trump is. He is what he always was, which in my memory includes a cheesy television show; and then he launched his political career with the lie that Barack Obama was not a natural-born U.S. citizen. Falsehood is the foundation of his success. Trump is no mystery.
I will use Nick Begich III and Jim Lieb, both writing in the ADN, as examples of what gives people like me “heartburn,” according to Begich, or makes us “Trump haters,” according to Lieb. This is simple: It is frightening that a large portion of my fellow citizens are willing to engage in moral contortions and gymnastics to justify what is, at best, immoral and illegal behavior on Trump’s part.
It is some solace that a minority of Americans support Trump. He has never won the popular vote, losing to Clinton by more than 2.8 million votes, or 2.1%, and to Biden by more than 7 million, or 4.5%, but unfortunately, our system allows the popular vote loser to win in some circumstances. The only way Trump supporters can turn him into a winner in 2020 is by embracing conspiracy theories and falsehoods, which is how Trump retains control over them.
Trump is what he is, and what he is is obvious. He has power not because of his sterling qualities but because of the willingness of ordinary people to justify evil. You say that “evil” is too strong a word? What is chronic lying, character assassination, adultery, misogyny, fraud, subversion of elections and all the rest, rolled into one package? Here is the source of our fear: people who support and justify this.
— Clarence Crawford
Anchorage
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