Looking at the political landscape in the US today (and the reactionary elements of society that enabled it) I have to wonder how much of it is driven by shame and self-hate. The idea that “every accusation is a confession” has become a cliché online but I think that’s because there’s a lot of truth to it.
Spend any length of time (as much as you can stomach) reading the points of view of right-wingers and it’s clear that fear, a paralyzing and paranoid fear, is one of their greatest motivators. It’s why they cherish guns and prepping, crave a strong authority figure (“daddy’s home”) and fear points of view different than their own.
But how much of that fear is because they are afraid of themselves? How many of them are repressed gay and trans people who are deeply ashamed and unaccepting of their true self? That would go a long way to explaining the irrational hatred for those minorities.
Feb 14th edit: Here is an apropos comment from a five-time Republican presidential campaign staffer.
