Way back when I was in college as a Soviet Studies major, I learned the word “jingoism.” That was a long time ago, and the term was used to describe the rhetoric and beliefs of Hitler’s Germany and Stalin’s Soviet Union.
Now the word has popped up again on American media. This time it’s being said about Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
RawStory reports that famed journalist Dan Rather took to Facebook after listening to Trump’s immigration speech. He was horrified by what he heard.
Rather has spoken out about Trump in the past. He used social media to strongly denounce the GOP bully’s threats against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton a few weeks ago.
This time the journalist used words that left no doubt that he sees Trump as serious threat to the U.S. and the world. He called the speech “a toxic mix of jingoism, nativism, and chauvinism.”
Those are very powerful words, folks. Rather stopped just short of calling Trump a fascist, or of using Hitler’s name.
I looked up all three of the “isms” that this respected journalist used in reference to the bombastic speech last night. I wanted to make sure that I understood his intentions accurately.
I diid understand him. All three of these “isms” refer to a belief system that is so overly patriotic that its believers hate and fear anyone who isn’t in their national group. The words all mean a belief that your country and its citizens are superior to the rest of the world. People who are jingoistic are so aggressively in favor of their own country that they attack others for no viable reason.
Sounds just like I remembered. Sounds like Hitler. Sounds like Stalin. Sounds like Trump.
Dan Rather is an expert at using the English language to express himself clearly. He made an entire career of that talent. He chose these words carefully and very deliberately.
When a journalist of his calibre and talent chooses these words for Donald Trump’s ideas are dangerously aggressive we sure as hell need to listen.
Rather went after Trump’s tone, his aggressive physical stance, his ranting style. He referenced the all white crowd that once again seems to be soaking up all of the violent, hate riddled speech of the candidate.
The fact that another literate, intelligent, well educated American has come out with a warning about Trump is no surprise. The fact that a candidate as empty of specifics and full of lies is succeeding so well in this country is a real concern. But it’s the fact that there are millions of like minded people who buy into his jingoism is terrifying.
You can see rather’s full post here:
Here is another look at Dan Rather’s opinion of the Orange Menace.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZowDmaM72a8
Featured image by Dave Winer via Flickr. Available through Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike Generic license 2.0.
