Trump’s Stable of White Christian Women
I’ve been pondering the question of how (predominantly White) women who identify as Christian can possibly support Trump in the face of his rank amorality and depravity, and have entertained multiple possible explanations. All of them fall short, or basically describe pathologies.
Among the possibilities: Simple masochism? Internalized misogyny? Pathological male-identification? Patriarchal conditioning? Abused child syndrome of identifying with the abuser? Stockholm Syndrome? Celebrity cult soul loss? All of the above?
Though there admittedly ARE two distinct cognitive cultures sharing the “American” national identity, that access different information streams entirely, it would have been impossible for even the most siloed demographic to have missed “Grab ’em by the pussy” or a sexual abuse, assault, battery and defamation verdict found by a jury in civil court that got national attention — wouldn’t it?
I just don’t know. Double think in action?
Pippa Catling commented, “It depends on what is meant by a Christian woman. Is she a member of a cult? a political group? Is she using Christianity as a justification, a token of righteousness, a cudgel? — Or is she perhaps a humble person who attempts to follow in the footsteps of Christ — standing in serenity against injustice and evil of every sort, loving and healing where she can? If the latter, she is not going to support Trump.”
These are good points. But those who are members of Christian and/or political cults, or who use Christianity as a justification, a token of righteousness or a cudgel are legion. Supreme Court Justices Roberts’ and Thomas’ wives are such — a couple of the more prominently voluble examples — but they’re stretched across the country in great numbers, mainly White Christian women. Along with young Latino and straight White males, enough to have elected the most depraved public figure alive to the most powerful office in the world who’s not currently in or headed to jail or has formerly been there (like his nepotistic pick for Ambassador to France, Charles Kushner).
