I have made the point countless times that the American people are largely historically illiterate people who seem to believe that history started when they were born and will end when they die. Only their immediate historical circumstances are relevant. Thus, everything should be interpreted only in the light of the “here and now.” Previous—i.e., before they were born—events are utterly immaterial. There is very little ability or attempt, especially on the Left (though with them, it is often deliberate), to put history in its context, to view a “bigger picture,” to fit events into their current national and social “zeitgeist,” and to not get swept up in immediate cultural and environmental fads. But history is not a “snapshot,” it is a panorama. It is not an event; it is a process. And 99.9% of the people almost always forget that, if they ever learned it at all.
In all the elation many Americans felt over Donald Trump surviving an assassin’s bullet, in his clench-fisted defiance in the face of death, in the selection of strong conservative, America First J. D. Vance as Vice-President, in the week where the Republican Party is taking front and center in America—and thus can’t be avoided by the Democratic Party media—we seem to have forgotten something very important, viz, in one sense, it doesn’t matter what happened in Bethel, Pennsylvania on July 13. Half the country hates Donald Trump’s guts, has, since 2016, hated Donald Trump’s guts, will hate Donald Trump’s guts long after he is dead, and will never, under any circumstances, vote for the man for any political office, especially President of the United States. An attempted assassin’s bullet didn’t, can’t, and won’t change that. Their only sorrow is that the bullet was missed and that Trump still lives. Those people who hated Trump and had no intention of voting for him before the assassination attempt still hate him and still have no intention of voting for him. Ever. And their name is Legion.
How many people do you suspect ran through this thought process: “Oh, I hated Trump before the assassination attempt and had no intention of voting for him, but now, because somebody tried to kill him, I don’t hate him anymore, I love him and will now vote for him.” I didn’t see very much of that on Twitter-X.
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Please provide a little historical perspective in the midst of a week filled with indiscriminate emotion and euphoria.
Now, I believe that Mr. Trump has an excellent chance to win the presidency in November. No one in the “hate Trump'' crowd changed their minds about him because somebody tried to kill him. But there are indeed millions of Americans who, while maybe not endowed with “Trump God Syndrome''—the belief that Mr. Trump walks on water and is the only person who can save the universe—have also never been cursed with “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” the Bill Kristol, mind-closed loathing of Trump. The “middle of the road” people (if you will allow me that term) may or may not like Trump, but they don’t necessarily hate him. They aren’t opposed to voting for him, especially given what Biden has done to the country over the last 3.5 years. A lot of them will vote for Trump, and the iconic photo of his raised, clinched-fist defiance appeals to them as Americans. That assassination attempt and clenched fist DID win Mr. Trump some votes. Enough to win the Presidency? Only November will tell.
The Republican National Convention means nothing. It is a glorified pep rally for those who attend. Mr. Trump might be able to change a few minds with a good acceptance speech, but don’t forget, the Democrats have the last word in conventions next month. I haven’t watched any of the conventions because I don’t need a pep talk.
The polls. The polls, at the moment, do favor Mr. Trump, some of them by substantial margins, some of them by only 1 or 2 points. I trust the polls about as much as I trust Joe Biden to do something intelligent, wise, or moral. They are the ultimate in “snapshot” history and can change enigmatically. The only poll that counts is the one that will be taken on November 5.
My concern is...panoramic history. The country has changed over the last few generations. It has moved decidedly to the left, and I am not at all certain that enough decent, God-fearing, patriotic Americans remain to save the nation from its downward slide into decadence, economic destruction, and Third World barbarism. Over half the country believes a woman can murder her unborn baby at some point of her choice in her pregnancy. So much for a “Creator endowed” right to life. Our largest state (population-wise) recently passed a law (signed by a governor who could conceivably, this year, or at some point in the future, be President) which said government schools have the right to hide from parents, certain things their children don’t want them to know. Many corporations have honored the perverted rainbow or transgender flags above the American flag. This is sick. This is the direction our country has gone the last few decades.
The question that has repeatedly passed through my mind for a long time now is—as asked above—are there enough decent, God-fearing, patriotic Americans left to save the country? To even elect Donald Trump this year?
I hope so. Trump seems to be ahead in the polls. The Democrats are floundering; they don’t even know who their candidate is going to be two months before early voting starts, and their two main choices, Biden and Harris, are both revolting to countless Americans. Things look good right now for Trump and the GOP.
But my counsel is: Don’t...get...complacent. The numbers in that hate-Trump crowd didn’t decrease with an attempted assassin’s bullet.
My substack: mklewis929.substack.com. Read my series on “Wisdom From the Founders” and Biblical studies of Psalms 119 and Revelation. There’s lots of good stuff exposing Leftism’s follies, and a frequent video podcast (for paid subscribers), so sign up. Follow me on Twitter: @thailandmkl. Read my western novels, Whitewater , River Bend, Return to River Bend, and Allie’s Dilemma all available on Amazon.
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