It’s happening again, and I can do little to stop it.
Those fault lines that have long lain at the root of society are becoming even more pronounced.
I’ve mentioned in the past that I don’t really care about the actual politics of the Republicans or Democrats down in the states. Indeed, I still sometimes confuse which party is which, and ask me which one is the Elephant and which one is the…rhino? Kangaroo? Anyway. No idea.
My biggest issue with Trump as a candidate has less to do with his politics and more to do with the tenor of conversation he sets.
He sets the conversational tone of the dialogue for the nation, and that tone is dismissive, mocking, insulting and divisive.
Consider Adam Schiff, who was the lead prosecutor in Trump’s first impeachment, decided to run for (and get elected to) the senate.
So it’s no surprise that Trump is not pleased with him. But instead of taking issues with his politics, he instead calls Schiff “shifty Schiff”, calling him an enemy, not just of Trump, but of the American people.
He calls Schiff a “sleazebag”. A “major lowlife.”
“To me, he’s one of the least attractive human beings I’ve ever seen,” Trump said back in October. “Not a stupid person. He’s got the smallest neck I’ve ever seen. His neck is like so small and his head is large. He’s not being held up by much.”
But Schiff? He’s a politician. He got into the job knowing that he would become the target of attacks from both the right and the left, from his supporters and detractors. I mean, I bet he was expecting the issues people brought up would be with his politics and not with his neck, but, you know, whatever.
Schiff is in the game with Trump, as was Kamala Harris (I’m not even going to bother saying what Trump called her).
The political divisions in the United States, particularly during and after elections, have become deeply pronounced in recent years. These divisions have been fueled by a variety of factors, including ideological polarization, social media dynamics, economic inequality, and changing cultural norms. The language used to describe political opponents has become increasingly charged, often reflecting the sense of ideological warfare that seems to characterize much of today’s political landscape.
More problematic, though, is the fact that Trump is willing to use the same techniques when talking about people who are not political rivals.
As part of his public rallies leading up to the election, he ran a video which mocked LGBTQ+ people in the military. He insults immigrants, claiming that the eat pets. He has made fun of people with physical disabilities. He has called female reporters “bimbos.”
Back in 2016, Trump said he’d like to punch a protester who made it into one of his rallies “in the face.”
And that right there is key to understanding what he does. There’s a concept in stand up comedy called “punching up/punching down.” The basic idea is in comedy, you punch up. You make fun of the big guys, and you stand up for the little guys.
Trump, on the other hand, punches down.
It’s hard not to when you’re the President of what is arguably the most powerful country on the planet. But here’s the thing. His job shouldn’t be to punch down. It should be to lift up.
Indeed, isn’t that the entire point of politicians? They are there to lift up the entire country, and what is a country if not the people who live there?
And while Trump is perfectly willing to lift people up, it seems a little … well, I’ll give you some examples and you tell me.
Trump has lifted Elon Musk up, giving him the role as head of the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk donated $118-million to Trump’s election campaign.
And Trump has now given two Fox News reporters jobs in his cabinet, naming Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary and Sean Duffy as Secretary of Transportation.
Both have previous experience—Hegseth as a platoon leader in the National Guard and Duffy in the US House of representatives for eight years.
But it’s hard to ignore the fact that both men worked for Fox News, a pro-Trump news source.
But here’s the thing. While it appears that the people who support Trump are picking up on his communication style, the people who oppose him are, too.
On Facebook, for instance, I am a part of a Photography group that recently underwent a great purge, getting rid of all the people who voted for Trump (or at least admitted to).
I see memes like “Reminder to please have your Trump supporter spayed or neutered to control the asshole population.”
And I realized: that’s us. All of us. We have all become the asshole population. We are all starting to use dehumanizing language. We portray the “other side” as not just politically different, but as fundamentally dangerous or immoral. Terms like “radical,” “extremist,” “traitor,” or “enemy of democracy” are commonly used, not just to criticize policies but to attack the character or loyalty of individuals associated with those policies.
It isn’t the right or the left. It’s all of us. Across all parties. Complete this phrase AB_ Anyone But …? People with different opinions are not people with different opinions, they are threats to the nations’ very survival.
So it was a bit shocking when I saw one of the people I follow on Facebook—who has never once called Trump “Trump”, but generally “Cheeto”, posted a meme that said: “character matters, integrity matters, humility matters, decency matters, kindness matters, morality matters, humanity matters, because out children are watching.”
So, as we move into the Christmas Season, that’s my wish for you: for humility and kindness and humanity as well as peace and joy and love and happiness, no matter what your gender, race, religion or political proclivity.
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
