Just Type Alt-Right for a Shortcut to the White House

Journal Entry, Election 2016

One Week After

Outside in the garden the pond’s placid surface circles gathered, each one overlapping the next as the rain began to fall. Inside Dave Brubeck played a hymn to normalcy although the accidental twist of a dial brought news of what appeared to be a coup. She wandered over to the dictionary to see what “white nationalist” means, and what it means when a mean person in charge of a mean news media empire takes the ear of a world leader-elect who might or might not be mean on a random Tuesday. Why wasn’t the other news empire, the normal one, using the same dictionary? Because then the headline would sound like this: “Neo-Nazi movement begins takeover of the White House” and then maybe somebody would get upset. She tweeted this observation and 11 people saw it but no one gave it a heart.

A Little Reality Check About Steve Bannon

In case you think it’s no big deal that Steve Bannon is now the President’s chief advisor, or as you could call it, right hand man, I offer you a two exemplary direct quotes of things Mr. Bannon has actually said:

“Lenin wanted to destroy the state, and that’s my goal too. I want to bring everything crashing down, and destroy all of today’s establishment.”

“Let the grassroots turn on the hate because that’s the ONLY thing that will make them do their duty.”

Much of the media is busy normalizing the choice of Bannon by calling him “provocative” or “controversial,” instead of acknowledging that with this completely unacceptable appointment we have entered new and frightening territory. I am thankful for the few exceptions emerging and I urge you to read them: Harry Reid has summarized the situation well in his speech to congress. And Vox, in an article titled “Steve Bannon, the Trump advisor who spent years mainstreaming white nationalism, explained” tells it exactly as it is.

For those who say Bannon himself is a stand-up guy, just a little spicy, (another locker room “manly man” like Mr. Trump), and “it’s all ok ’cause Bannon himself doesn’t really hold racist or white supremacist views,” then read again the second quote above. “Let the grassroots turn on the hate because that’s the ONLY thing that will make them do their duty.”

What possible moral foundation does a man have who will use the hatred of other people to unleash the very worst of human nature to further his goals? Why is this ok? What is this man doing anywhere near the White House? This is now the president-elect’s chief advisor. If this appointment is normalized look for a new flag to replace the quaint stars and stripes, as white nationalism, xenophobia, racism and violence towards woman, Jews and people of color becomes our new normal as well.

Photocollage © Iskra Johnson