Donald Trump’s speech at Madison Square Garden on Sunday should be remembered as a turning point in the 2024 campaign, a farewell to the bigotry, intolerance, and sexism that have characterized his campaign and the MAGA movement, and a horrifying representation of the direction our politics are heading.
It served as his closing remarks and is the most obvious representation of the options available to voters.
Trump did not go back to New York City to solicit any votes that were still up for grabs. With the exception of huge deportations, he wasn’t even present to outline his plans for his second term.
Trump’s address was a display of force, a declaration that the MAGA movement is powerful and cohesive, if not totally consistent, in its vision of an America that rejects equality and diversity in all its forms. Regardless of whether he wins or loses the president, this address was a celebration of his total and unquestionable victory over unity and truth, not of his election success.
Because a victory will not be appreciated by this base, and a loss would probably be even less.
In reference to a shadowy group of Democrats, immigrants, Jews, transgender people, and pedophiles who have become a muddled boogeyman for all of his hate speech, he told the applauding crowd, “For the past nine years we have been fighting against the most sinister and corrupt forces on Earth.” “You can make it clear to them that this country is not theirs by voting in this election. You own this country.
There are many dog-whistle meanings and threats associated with that specific “them” and “you.”
As Trump and his running partner JD Vance like to proclaim, Trump Republicans welcome everyone. That includes anyone who is prepared to follow his lead, support his hatred, and cast a ballot in his favor. Indeed, there were Black, Jewish, and Latino attendees, as well as perhaps a few LGBTQ+ individuals.
However, Trump and his team made it apparent on Sunday night that respect and inclusivity are not the same thing. To welcome someone to vote for him is not the same as to treat them as equals.
I remind you of Maya Angelou’s sage advice: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” This is for everyone who still thinks that if the first Trump term wasn’t disastrous for democracy, the second one is at least viable.
Perhaps even more crucially, pay attention to what people close to Trump have to say.
This vicious move toward a desire to demolish civil liberties is here to stay, whether as the rule of law or just a hidden agenda, as demonstrated by the throng that applauded Trump’s un-American vision of America. We will probably have to live with this new political reality in the United States for the rest of our lives.
However, half of us will still be prepared to battle for a nation that is not simply of, by, and for the people, even if Trump is elected president.
