I’ve mentioned before that we get three newspapers: the Boston Globe, the New York Times, and the New London Day. So I’m in somewhat of a position to perceive patterns, an example of which appears on the front page of the Globe this morning. Beneath an article about yet another Trump disaster is an article about how Trump’s backers remain steadfast. We have been inundated, at least since Trump announced his candidacy, with articles sourced from the meth soaked natural habitats of under educated, talk radio listening, Fox viewing, ultra racists, in which we are given the views of assorted Trump backers. (Clinton backers were virtually ignored during the campaign, and Sanders was virtually a non-person during the primaries) It’s not just the Globe. The Times does it too, and I’ve looked around the web enough to know that they are not unique. The Day doesn’t have the staff to cover the Trump voter beat, as they are too busy pumping up the career of the execrable Heather Somers.
The Globe appears to have reporters exclusively assigned to the Trump voter beat, as this morning’s article is written by a Globe Staffer who made a trip to a mountaintop in Tennessee to bag some Trumpers. Of course, as always, he headed right for the local diner (apparently, other than Bill Griffith, diner patrons are all Trump voters), where he scouted out a faithful Trumper, to give her the chance to flaunt her stupidity. Women are preferred. My guess is that’s because it is even more unbelievable that a woman could support Trump than a man.
It is difficult to tell precisely what the subtext of these articles is supposed to be. Are we to marvel at the fact that there are so many stupid people in this country, who still prefer to blame their woes on those worse off than themselves, rather than the billionaires like Trump who have rigged the economy, and who remain eager to destroy the government benefits upon which they rely, in the Fox induced belief that only those people will be harmed? Or are we to understand these people, and sympathize with the fact that they feel left behind by the economy their votes have helped create? Perhaps we are to reflect on the fact that there must be something deeply wrong with an educational system that turns out so many people who are unable to think logically or rationally. Or, is this the media’s way of trying to prove that it is not (shudder) liberal?
This is not a new phenomenon really. At least since the emergence of the Koch engineered tea party, we have been subjected to countless articles in the press explaining and excusing the bigotry and stupidity of these people.
Meanwhile you may search media archives in vain for similar articles about Obama supporters during his presidency. In fact, you can practically search in vain for articles about Trump opponents today. Such articles are not non-existent, given the Resistance, but they don’t appear with anything like the clockwork regularity of these pieces, nor does the media send reporters gallivanting around the country seeking us out. Hint: we actually go to diners too, but you can also find us in libraries, bookstores, museums, coffee houses, and universities. We’re everywhere, really. In fact, we’re the people who actually subscribe to and read fact based newspapers, so you have an easy way to find us. Right now we’re 65% of the country, and we’re perfectly willing to talk to reporters. Also, we make sense, believe in facts, and do not spend our days watching Fox, which you might find to be a refreshing change.
