Marcus Brown
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Donald Trump’s presidential campaign can at times seem surreal in the sheer audacity of his ideology and rhetoric, but at some level many of us held the comfort that Trump could not possibly be cognizant of his own outlandishness.
There was a certain innocence to the nonsensical nature of the Trump phenomenon. It could be seen as a byproduct of a volatile political climate and the corresponding niche that produced, which allowed for the introduction of an aspiring demagogue like Trump. However during a rally on Jan. 23 in Sioux Center at Dordt College in Iowa, Trump demonstrated that he is quite aware of the ramifications of his message and the unwavering devotion it garners.
At the rally, Trump boldly claimed that he could “stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and not lose any voters.” Ignoring the potential legal repercussions of such an act, Trump’s ability to make such a statement speaks to a larger issue. We cannot lessen the scrutiny placed on Trump’s words and actions simply because they amuse us. While I would hope that at least a few voters would be reluctant to vote for a man who talks about shooting people in the street, this statement underscores the emerging reality of what was once thought to be a joke.
Standards of convention aside, we cannot turn a blind eye toward Trump’s behavior under the false pretense that he is not fully aware of the implications of his strategy, especially now that he’s become reliant upon it to attract larger crowds, such as the one in Iowa City last night.
Trump has risen in popularity not because of his merit or the brilliance of his platform but rather by giving a face and voice to the fear and insecurity felt by the lowest common denominator of society. This assertion that Trump made does not speak to his qualification as a candidate or the motivation behind his unyielding support. It speaks to the certainty he feels in his ability to monger and feed on the fear of the American people, and our continued consent in the process.
It would appear as though ridiculousness of Trump fever has diverted attention from the fact that we are discussing an election for the highest office and authority in the nation. We take turns poking fun at Trump and waiting for the next awful sound bite to emerge as if we take some sort of satisfaction in it, but the reality is that we have allowed a man to make a mockery of the most important decision we as citizens can make.
We are talking about a man who wishes to represent this country and its citizens on a global scale, and who at some level seems to believe that playing to the most base of intention and ideology qualifies him for that. If we take a moment to stop laughing at Trump it would become apparent just how much of an insult his candidacy has been to the American people. The absurdity we have allowed to fester says just as much about us as a population as it does the pseudo-candidate we helped to create.
