Peter Clark, Lawrenceville
Shakespeare’s Richard III and Donald Trump are alike: twisted pathological, narcissistic, sociopaths. Both are inwardly tormented by insecurity and rage as a result of a miserable, unloved childhood, haunted by self loathing and a sense of their own ugliness (Richard a twisted body, Trump a twisted mind). Haunted by self-loathing and a sense of his own ugliness, Richard found refuge in entitlement, blustering overconfidence, misogyny, and merciless bullying. Sound familiar?
From this diagnosis, emerges Richard’s weird, obsessive determination to reach a goal that had no reasonable expectation, no proper qualification, and absolutely no aptitude or temperament. Richard III attained the throne in 1452. Adolph Hitler became Chancellor in 1933, and Donald Trump may become president in 2016. All the elements are there for him to succeed.
From this psychopathology, emerges Richard III’s and Donald’s weird, obsessive determination to reach a far off goal. Richard III and Donald’s villainy was readily apparent from the start. There is no secret about their cynicism and treacherousness, no glimpse of any redeemable qualities in them, and absolutely no reason to believe they had the temperament to govern effectively. Lady Ann, Lord Hastings, the Earl of Buckingham sketch England’s collective character as do the polls constantly taken today of America’s collective enablement character much like that of Germany’s Weimar Republic in 1933:
1. Forty percent 40 believe America needs Trump change and will stick with him. Like Richard, Trump is obviously and grotesquely unqualified for supreme power, but Trump’s party supports him in favor of the RNC filling key positions from down ballot successes and selecting a cabinet that will control him, if he is elected, to rein him in. Right! Hitler burned the Reichstag down once he was elected after the Enabling Act was passed;
2. Trump supporters believe he isn’t as bad as he seems to be and they forget the outrageous things he has done. They are irresistibly drawn to Trump “the hand grenade” that will change Washington’s business as usual and normalize his strong man penchant to mock our democratic government’ s workings;
3. Then there are those who are frightened and impotent by his bullying tactics, “I’ll make a corpse of him that disobeys.” Richard III threatens and the opposition shrivels away as does the RNC from an “on paper billionaire licensor” who survives on a huge cash flow, bankruptcies, and other people’s money, and always gets his way in violation of business, social, and moral norms;
4. Surrounding Trump, as supporters of Richard III did, the RNC enablers and Republican leaders’ gasps at Trump’s ascension and ultimate failure, believe they can stay ahead of this disastrous tide surge and manage to seize profit from it (a la Krupp Industries and the Third Reich) once he is elected. They will march lock step with Trump’s message as those who supported Richard III did, but discard that message when his aim is achieved; and,
5. There are those who take vicarious pleasure in black humor and pent-up aggression of the have nots who think the have mores whose eyes “drop millstones when fools’ eyes fall tears,” enjoy every minute of Trump’s rise that may reach its fruition through popular vote solicited fraudulently, slanderously, and exaggerated threats to America’s security when he’s not defending himself from accusations of groping women.
Americans won’t force the change they want. They’ll do it by consent at the ballot box. Trump supporters will either wonder what kind of government he will bring to them and vote for him; or, be indifferent and remain silent as stones cynically in contempt of our political system wondering how government failed them while watching the results in anger, or “Dancing With The Stars” in their Barcalounger drinking beer and eating from a bag of Doritos.
What every American should do is get out and vote! Do not give into cynicism and not vote. Democracy allows us to have and create opportunities and advantages for the taking. Become engaged in what it has to offer. “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” America is the last best hope on planet Earth. Preserve it by VOTING!
Peter Clark
Lawrenceville
