Is Extreme Anti-Trumpism a Mental Illness?

Mental Illness: 
Any of various disorders characterized by impairment of an individual's thoughts,emotions, or social functioning
The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary

Introduction:  Keep Your Cool If You Can

       More than a few reading this article will undoubtedly be offended by its premise.  In no way do I intend to make light of the serious issue of mental illness.  My post of next Monday February 20th will elaborate on my own background on the broader topic of mental illness, but for today I will start with that which will offend some while others will understand the gist of my argument.  I might as well add to the outrage some have felt over my previous posts in my President Trump Acclimation Series.

       Keep in mind that my intent is to present my side of a story with the hope of starting an intelligent discussion.  Some might call it stirring the pot or some such term, but I think of my aim here as merely Tossing It Out--presenting ideas for you to consider.  It's something I've done since the outset of my blogging, except in recent months my subject matter has had a tendency to rile more than a few readers and followers.   And I don't always expect that what I write here will make everyone feel good or agree with.

An Illness Takes Root

       By no means am I the first to suggest that liberalism and leftist thinking are mental disorders.  The idea has been around for many years, but the extremism displayed by the anti-Trump crowd seems to have taken the notion to levels of absurdity.

       Now, be assured that I am not assigning the "mental illness" label to those who merely don't like President Trump or disagree with him.  That's as normal as those who didn't like President Obama or any other politician, person, idea, or whatever.  What I'm talking about is the ceaseless ranting, sometimes to almost foaming at the mouth proportions, about the President, his administration, his supporters, and anything else related to Trump or his family.

       Prior to June of 2015 there were probably few people who thought much about Donald Trump.  Most of us knew the name, some of us might have seen him on television, but for the majority of us Donald Trump had little to no affect on our thinking.

       At first Donald Trump was dismissed as a joke, a passing fad perhaps.  But then a strange thing began to happen.  Trump's words began to be taken more seriously by those who understood what he was talking about.   His rallies drew crowds,  He began to amass a large number of followers.

        The media seemed perplexed, but recognized the value of a ratings generating story.  The political world began to feel annoyed and then intimidated.  With every seeming misstep taken by Trump that pundits predicted would cause him to collapse, the novice candidate would only grow more popular and gain more credible standing in the presidential race.

        Trump's presence in the race was maddening to the mainstream media and absolutely frustrating to most of the Republican party. In the meantime, Democrats smugly cast derision upon the Donald and prepared for the coronation of Queen Hillary.  Those on the left who weren't rioting or protesting Donald Trump, campaigned with full expectation of another win for the Democrats.

         When the outcome of the November election didn't turn out as planned, Democrats and other liberals were confused and shaken.  At first reduced to stunned disbelief and weeping, soon many began to express rage as they tried to figure out what had happened.  Thankfully, most who had been against Trump in the election are essentially still against him, but have dropped the issue to move on with their lives. Oh, sure, they'll express their displeasure when pressed, but for the most part they have moved on with their lives and dropped the issue.  A steadfast number, however, cling to their outrage and are unwilling to shut up about the whole thing, repeating the same tired complaints and arguments about President Trump and anyone who supports his administration.  They take their negativity to a level of irrationality.

Who's to Blame and When Will It End?

        Media in all its forms planted the seeds of insanity regarding the anti-Trump movement while television media takes it to a level of utter absurdity.  If one accepts the cliched definition of insanity being the repetition of certain actions then watch television to confirm it.

       Unable to watch CNN and MSNBC for any extended periods of time I tend to watch Fox News more than any other network. At times, I have suspected the casting agents at Fox of placing wild eyed wackos who spew nonsense and convey dubious logic as representatives of liberalism.  They are often like unrealistic caricatures of mentally disturbed agents of the left.  Then I switch over to the competing networks and there are the same types of spokespersons along with  fake news panels and show hosts who repeat the same nonsense ad nauseam that we've been hearing since Donald Trump began running and continuing after his unexpected win.

       And what about the demonstrators protesting Trump.  Or the rioters going bonkers with disruption, destruction, and as much chaos as they can create.  Is there any element of sanity to any of this behavior?  They carry "Love Trumps Hate" signs and decry violence while interfering with the normal people who just want to catch planes, get to work, or whatever it is that normal people are trying to do when their activities are screwed over by people who are angry because their side lost and now they no longer know how to behave in any sensible manner.

        I find it immensely ironic when certain representatives in Congress and other arms of government suggest that President Trump may be suffering from mental problems.  Excuse me--look at who are the ones delivering these messages:  Al Franken, Nancy Pelosi, Elizabeth Warren, and so on.  These are like the poster faces of emotionally unstable individuals so who are they to be casting aspersions.  Please!  You people are driving me nuts when I see and listen to you.

A Contagion Infecting Many

      A lot has settled since the immediate aftermath of the election and yet there are a persistent minority who won't let any of their post-election grief and anger subside.  There are still those folks on Facebook and Twitter who have a compulsion to continue with their loony tune posts and more often than not there are vitriol and insults directed toward others on those social mediums, often family and friends--or should I say ex-friends.  I ignore these things for the most part, but I wonder what these whiners are trying to accomplish to make the world a better place.   Their posts become repetitive empty railings to the other inmates in their imaginary asylum of life while they alienate the rest of us.

      I'm sure there are also a number of bloggers doing much the same thing, but since I've mostly only been visiting the blogs of those who have commented on my posts I'm missing those anti-Trump rantings.  There is one blogger, who I will no longer name or link to, who is bearded and conveys this arrogant attitude as though he were the supreme expert on all things including morality, who I occasionally check on only because his posts seem to be in response to mine.  It's sad because I've known this blogger for quite some time and have always made some attempt to be congenial with him even though he often retorted with his better and smarter than thou responses to my comments.  At least I tried to be nice.  The few comments he receives are mostly from a small stable of like thinkers who somehow seem gratified that this blogger's words have provided some validation to their own irrational thinking.

       Like thinkers seem to congregate and when those like thinkers are extreme left, anti-Christian, anti-Trumpsters there seems to not only be no room for any opinion from the other side, but they will also be rudely castigated for their opinion, ignored, or even have their comments deleted.  So much for free exchange of ideas.

 So What About You, Mr. Loony Bird?

       Some of you might be thinking, "Well, you've keep posting your pro-Trump garbage!  Doesn't that make you mentally ill too?"

         Okay, fair enough.  The difference, as I've pointed out from the beginning of my series, is that I'm taking the arguments and insults against Trump and his supporters and attempting to rationally explain each one, disprove the fallacies, and correct what I see as outright lies.  I've also been trying to analyze what I see as serious issues from my point of view arguing my case regarding each issue.

          I have tried throughout to be respectful of opposing views and attempted to avoid calling names or casting a net of generalized insults.  And if you're thinking of my earlier comment about certain politicians who I think look unstable then I'll just say I'm dishing a bit of slop back to them and I didn't intend to insult any of you directly.

            Then there is one final thing I want to point out.  There have been some excellent discussions on the posts in my series.   Some of you have gotten upset and some of those readers may no longer be reading Tossing It Out, but in each of those cases I think that I have responded in a responsible manner--maybe a little ticked in a couple of cases--but I've always tried to smooth things over when I've felt there has been a misunderstanding of some sort.  If I've failed then let me know and I'll be willing to engage as respectfully as I know how.

           In closing let me say that I have the best commenters anywhere.  Even the ones who have gotten upset with me.  You are always welcomed at my site and your comments will always be read and acknowledged when I can.  That is, unless they become vile and profanity laden.  Then they are deleted.  Fortunately, this hasn't happened yet if I remember correctly.   But like I said, I have the best commenters of any blog.  Of course, I'm a bit prejudiced about those who leave comments on my site.  Why wouldn't I think you're the best?   Thank you all.

           A bit more on this topic next Monday.  Be here this Wednesday for my next Battle of the Bands which will be featuring two versions of a song that relates to today's post.

         Have you been having a difficult time watching any of the television shows that are overly fixated on the outcome of the election?   What annoys you the most on television?    Do you have any idea about my song pick for my next Battle of the Bands match? 

Attack of the Talking Picture Box -- FlashForward

      Halloween has deterred me from watching much TV in the past 18 years.  I'll explain why in a future post, but for now my thoughts have turned to one of modern society's most dangerous "drugs"--the video beast. In my pre-college school years I was addicted.  My off-school time was determined by TV Guide as I scheduled the hours of my days according to what I needed to watch on television--and that was before "must-see TV". Oh, I had some time set aside for other activities like reading, listening to music, or even associating with friends, but this time was frequently built around what I "needed" to watch. No TIVO or VHS back then.  And for most of those years it was something like a 19" black and white television set.  God only knows what would have happened if I had had the giant screen  color television sets that we have now, not to mention the various media players and video games.  I guess I would have grown roots and become firmly planted on my parents couch until my father would have kicked me out the door.
        Then, once I started college in 1969, a more socially involved lifestyle took over thank goodness. Also the necessity to work gave me additional things to do with my time. For the next nearly four decades TV became somewhat incidental for the most part.  There were the occasional lapses.  I felt compelled to watch "The Midnight Special" every Friday night, I watched "Roots", I usually watched "Saturday Night Live", I became transfixed by MTV for awhile when it used to just show music videos.  But for the most part I only dropped in sporadically for news or small doses of whatever was on when I didn't have anything else to do. I didn't have the schedule set aside like I did back in my younger days--excepting "Quantum Leap" which was worthy.  But if I didn't see regularly scheduled TV, no big deal.  I watched movies on video, but I could do this on my schedule.  I didn't feel addicted.
        However, in the fast few years I feel the draw of TV once again.  I guess it started with "American Idol".  I resisted for the first few seasons.  But after awhile, since for many of those with whom I conversed on a regular basis the topic was the popular singing competition, I looked at the show.  Then I started watching it. Then I got hooked.  Oh, horror of horrors! Oh, despicable mediocre life!  Next it was "America's Got Talent", which appealed to the circus/vaudeville side of me.  Granted the judges seem to have a aversion toward jugglers, but no  matter.  This was like a super high tech version of "Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour" and "The Gong Show" rolled into one (how about that for some dated references?).
        Still I have mostly avoided the weekly series.  Okay, in addition to "Quantum Leap", I also faithfully followed "Twin Peaks", "Millenium", and the first season of  "3rd Rock From The Sun", but the other shows like "Friends" or "Seinfeld" or anything else just didn't attract my time.  Then last night I watched "Flash Forward" on ABC.  They have been promoting this for months now and it looked like my cup of tea.  It hinted at some of my favorite topics--apocalyptic disaster, possible God connections, time travel, dreamscape, and the ever mysterious scenario of what the heck is going on.  So the show was on my calendar.
       And so last night, after "Wheel of Fortune",  I watched "Flash Forward".  I may get hooked.  It's a quality production with good special effects, nice balance of action and drama, fine acting, and an intriguing story line.  The basic premise is this:  On one typical day in the present everyone in the world "blacks out" for something like 2 minutes and 17 seconds causing chaos everywhere--plane and car crashes and massive death, injury and destruction.  After they revive, everyone begins to realize that while they were absent from the conciousness of the present time, they were actually seeing a simultaneous time a few months into the future.  Future episodes will be apparently unravelling the meaning of what happened as well as the point in the future they have witnessed.  There is also the promise of other mysteries as the series follows some key characters and the dramas of their interpersonal relationships. I will probably end up following this show if it maintains the quality of the opening episode.
      Although here's a worrisome aspect of this.  After "Flash Forward", I watched "Fringe" (a show that I have watched before and somewhat enjoyed) and then "Jay Leno" (I have watched several of the shows since it began, I usually was never able to stay up to watch his late night show).  I mean, that was 3 1/2 hours of straight TV viewing.  I'm going to have to be careful.  Maybe this is partially a function of my current "unemployment" and partially due to getting older with all the kids having left the nest.  No matter what, should I be a little bit concerned?