If you measure a characteristic of a biological population, it usually fits a bell-shaped curve; the majority will fit near the middle. As we take a measure further from the middle there will be more deviation from the median characteristic. At the extremes we find the radicals and fanatics, often described as the “x percenters.” This works whether we are measuring height, wealth or opinion. A good design typically fits the 5th to 95th percentile. That way 90% of the users will usually be satisfied. Those over 6 feet, 7 inches will have to duck sometimes. Those less than 4 feet, 10 inches will need a step stool often. That is why shoes and clothes are made in many sizes.
Mark Twain told us America has no established criminal class, excepting Congress. We have also been warned that behind every great fortune there is a great crime. I’m not quite that skeptical, but there is evidence that both witticisms are at least partly true. Congress is much wealthier than the population at large.
About 10% have a net worth over $10 million and 1% over $100 million. Very few need their salary to survive.
There is a movement in America some call Trumpism. We might just as well call it McConnel-ism, or for that matter Strom-Thurmond-ism. That gives an individual too much credit for an attitude he merely capitalized on, DJT is a symptom of a cancer in politics. It goes deeper and has been around longer. People and organizations that pre-empted the title Conservative to forward their undemocratic illiberal (narrow-minded) attitudes. Their party loyalty is portable. Currently, most of these pseudo-conservatives identify as Republicans, or Libertarians. From reconstruction to the Civil Rights Act they identified as Democrats, especially in the South, the once slave states. There have been a lot of narrow interest parties favoring issues like segregation, or communism.
One of the strongest movements was the KKK. Others have been Qanon, Proud Boys, Nazis, Skinheads, Antifa, etcetera. Although they do not appear to be united or even agree on many issues; they have a lot in common. No. 1 is that they hate someone, anyone sufficiently different from their core. Whom they hate can change depending on the political climate. After 9/11 it was Muslims, or people who looked a bit like Arabs. Almost every minority has been the center of scorn at some time. A very subtle difference can suffice: caste, status, or a single line in scripture. Ususally, the hate is taught, maybe in childhood, or in a social circle that has formed over an event or attitude. The hate can be a response to an event that triggers anger toward the other side. That anger festers into hate of everything about the opposites.
Another qualification for a related group is entitlement. The members believe that they are entitled to what they have and should not pay taxes to support the culture and infrastructure that made their comfort possible; “now that I’ve got mine.”
Not all the members of the protest are inherent haters, some are people distressed about something and the hater rhetoric coincides with their grievance. They join the activity. Once they are surrounded by the extremist camp, they are easily led to join the entire movement. People who have accepted one ungrounded theory are easily convinced to accept another. Perhaps this is why those that politics has labeled Evangelicals — whose lives are governed by faith — are easily mislead by silver-tongued charlatans. There are many amusing definitions of faith from such wits as Mark Twain and Archie Bunker. The comprehensive definition comes from Bertrand Russell “Faith: a firm belief for which there is no evidence.” We seldom use the word faith to justify a belief based on manifest evidence, such as gravity, breathing or things that cause pain. That we find a sunset beautiful only proves that we have been taught what beauty is, and not that a spiritual entity created it for our enjoyment. You can believe so if you wish.
Ken Obenski is a forensic engineer, now safety and freedom advocate in South Kona. Send feedback to obenskik@gmail.com