Raser’s Edge:  The hating game

Donald Trump tweeted: “Many of the people in DACA, no longer very young, are far from “angels.” Some are very tough, hardened criminals.”

The Supreme Court is now considering whether Donald Trump can rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an immigration policy allowing children of illegal immigrants who were brought here when very young to remain.  Aside from the inherent cruelty of Trump’s move, it is entirely in keeping in his methods for manipulating and deluding his base supporters.

What the American people should realize is that Trump is using the same technique Hitler and Mussolini used to rise to and maintain power in the 1920s—the vilification of specific groups of people.  The principle is easily understood.  You brand a group or groups of people as undesirable, repulsive and, above all, as a threat to you and your way of life.  You stir up hatred and fear, and your masses blindly cheer you on.

Trump has used it since the day he announced his presidential run.  Remember, Mexicans are sending “rapists,” “gang members,” “murderers” and “very tough, hardened criminals.”  Muslims want to kill you.  Immigrants and people on welfare are taking all your hard-earned money.  Be scared all you good, loyal, upstanding, patriotic Americans.

Of the 700,000 or so DACA recipients no doubt some of them might be a bit undesirable but that would also apply to some people attending Trump rallies.  The vast majority of DACA recipients have been vetted, work, go to college, pay taxes and behave just like average Americans.

But they have now been targeted in Trump’s Nazi/Fascist style use of hatred and denigration of a group of people to manipulate and control his enabling, gullible, emotional base.  It is exactly the same thing Hitler and Mussolini did to obtain power a century ago.  The Trumpists cry the Democrats want to establish socialism in America.  That will never happen. The real threat is the new Trumpist Republican party’s slide into Fascism.