So I Lost A Friend To The Cult Of Trump Today
It probably shouldn't bother me, but it does. When I met this guy, he was a very thoughtful, independent thinker with many good ideas and was definitely not prone to slavish adherence to ideology. We had many very deep conversations about philosophy and religion and the law and all kinds of stuff. He claimed he was a Libertarian, and was always in favor of freedom in every way and at all times. He hated Fox News, George W. Bush, and many of the things Republicans stood for. He voted for Obama twice. But sometime in 2016, he decided that he loved Trump. He said, "I don't know why I like him. I think maybe it's the troll in me that just thinks it's funny when he trolls people."
Over the next few weeks and months, he became more and more in the thrall of all things Trump, and he no longer was the person I had known only months before. Out of the clear blue sky, he became obsessed with buying a gun. The the anti-Obama rhetoric started ratcheting up. He said something to the effect that he was a "Nationalist" and believed in "America First," which was a surprise to me because until then, he was very anti-war and anti-interventionist. At one point, he became violently angry at a Coke commercial because there was a Muslim girl in it (remember the Coke commercial they ran back then showing people saying "Merry Christmas" in all different languages). He literally shouted at the screen, "OF COURSE they have to put a MUSLIM in it They ALWAYS have to include a Muslim!!!" I was like, "Way to miss the entire point of the commercial." Later that very same day, an ad for Hillary ran on the TV showing quotes of things Trump had actually said, and one of them was some reference to a woman being a "big, fat pig." He turned to me and said, "He said those things about Rosie O'Donnell. He wasn't talking about a PERSON. He was talking about Rosie O'Donnell." At that point, I was like, "Who ARE you?"
At the beginning of 2017, he moved back to Michigan to be near his family again. And it was all downhill after that. He moved back to Ohio in April of this year, and he was very different. He told me he never had and never WILL wear a mask because the Coronavirus is nothing but a big hoax. I let all this stuff go in the interest of keeping the peace. He then told me he wouldn't be watching football games with me this year because he was tired of the NFL telling him he was racist because he didn't like kneeling, or that they had "sold out to Black Lives Matter." In that conversation, he repeatedly used the word "cuck," and I think we all know what that means. He's been spending time on right-wing, borderline Nazi (or even full-blown Nazi) websites.
And then tonight, the final blow came down. We were making plans to start working out together again, and he asked me what my gym's mask policy was. That sent him on an anti-mask tirade, to which I said that if selfish assholes would just wear masks, this virus would go away. He was incredulous that I would call him a selfish asshole, to which I replied that if he didn't care enough to do literally the least intrusive thing possible to ensure I don't bring home a deadly virus to my kids and diabetic mother, then yes, you ARE a selfish asshole. He then launched into a tirade about how this is all a big hoax, mortality rates are plummeting, 99% of the people who get it have no symptoms at all, and the only people dying from it are old people. I said, "I guess All Lives don't Matter anymore, then." He didn't like that.
He then launched into the protests, and how only the "panty wad libs" are causing trouble and creating violence in the streets. I told him the FBI proved that literally all the violence was cause by right-wing extremist groups. He then guffawed heartily that I was stupid enough to trust the FBI. He called them "scumbag globalists" or something close to that. I said, "I've never heard the FBI called Jews before, but whatever. He acted like he had no idea where I would get that. I told him that I know the secret code words the alt-right use, and I know that "globalists" means "Jews." He then acted all indignant that I would have the temerity to call him an antisemite, said some very unsavory things to me, and then told me he was blocking my number.
So that friendship is over. It bothers me a little because we were really good friends for a long time, but he became so immersed in the Cult of Trump that he lost every scintilla of his own personality and swore fealty to Herr Trump. He used to talk about how he loved freedom, and now he hates people kneeling during the National Anthem. I bet he's even anti-abortion now, despite the fact that his girlfriend HAD an abortion while he was still living here. Here's the real tragedy of it. I would have taken a bullet for him. He chose Trump over me. Do you think Trump would take a bullet for him?
= new reply since forum marked as read
to lose a good friend.. no matter how it happens.
And, to lose one to brainwashing is so sad. 
Sounds like his inner racist/anti-semitic elements were exposed. A lot of people were good at hiding that until 45 came along and freed them all.
My sister became a Trumper--unbelievably--but seems to be more Ayn Randian as far as I can tell before our conversations become arguments. Those folks worship him because he's "rich" supposedly, which makes him naturally superior to all other beings. That and a healthy dose of RW radio and Faux News did her in 
Though I have to admit that I don't understand those who feel this way since the news about the coronavirus is everywhere, as well as the shocking death rates - and not just in this country, but throughout the world.
Losing him as a friend sounds more like you dodged a bullet. 
Sorry to hear there are others who've gone over to the DEEPLY Dark side. I wouldn't expect that of an old hippie.
And, hey, ChoppinBroccoli, I'm so sorry about your former friend. All my sympathies.
Virtual 
and once they're in there's no getting out. Thanks for breaking it down.
Divide and conquer America and buy up the pieces at fire sale prices, then rent it back to us.
Those people are destroying the emotional and communal structures of friends, families, communities and nations around the world with the goal of making every man and woman an island with no physical or emotional ties. Under those conditions, we become very easy to control.
There's an old-fashioned saying that "gentlemen never discuss sex, religion or politics" and it rings true today if we want to maintain healthy social relationships.
I hope you recover from this loss of your bond of friendship by finding both a new friend and other outlets for emotional support (music, art, nature, etc.).
Did he reveal what right-wing media sources were responsible for his brainwashing?
Thank you for sharing your story.
KY...........
Last edited Fri Jul 17, 2020, 05:23 PM - Edit history (1)
this scourge of rascism, sexism, ubergreed, xenophobia etc.
It's better off not to be in contact, but oh, it hurts!
