Wednesday Jan 6. We won’t forget that day very quickly. In spite of their protestations today that all the violence was from BLM and antifa, (what?) the Proud Boys and Q-Anon people showed their colors. It was, I guess, the “storm” Q-Anon has been planning for since 2017. For awhile all their fantasies got played out. I hope they got it out of their systems, since some are now on the FBI wanted list. Including that guy from Gravette, AR who broke into Nancy Pelosi’s office. He says it wasn’t his fault.
Some pre-riot interviews were interesting. Nice normal-looking white women from suburbs all over the country had ridden busses for HOURS to get to DC. They were all giddy with lack of sleep, the fun of singing, chanting and getting excited on the ride, and the anticipation of “the storm” to come. They figured it would be history-making and they’d be part of it. They didn’t wear big Q’s but might of been who they were. Didn’t see any pre-interviews with Proud Boys. Those might of had a different tenor.
Who are these people? What in the world is motivating them?
I just finished an interesting book about Trump supporters by John Hibbing: “The Securitarian Personality: What Really Motivates Trump’s Base and Why It Matters for the Post-Trump Era.” Y’all will want to read it, because there are obviously a lot of these folks in Arkansas and it behooves us to learn all we can. The Fayetteville Library has a copy btw.
Where to begin, though? Hibbing covers lots of information in his book. I just want to tell you enough to wet your whistle on the topic. Here’s a few juicy bits.
Hibbings basic description: “… the noblest, most essential task of a human being is to protect person, family, culture, country from the threats posed by outsiders.” “…in truth, avid Trump supporters will never stop attending to outsider threats and strategizing about how to mitigate those threats. Security from outsiders is an ongoing mission for them, not something that will one day be achieved. The only thing that will change – and this is NOT trivial – is in their perception of who is and is not an outsider.”
Insiders protect insiders. If they don’t, they’re traitors. Evil comes from outsiders. (have you been called a traitor yet?) They see a world revolving around the need for vigilance in the face of outsider threats. This explains a lot about reactions me, Laura and Dale got when we petitioned on the Square about not separating immigrant families. Most people were pleased to support saving families. There were some who were totally ok with separating ’em, and some who were really unnerved that we wanted them to even think about that.
Who is an outsider? Anybody not in the core, and maybe those who look like the core but they don’t protect insider interests.
Why do securitarians say they’re not racist? Skin color is a primal marker for outsider status. But an individual with dark skin who will work hard to prove they are loyal, non-threatening, contributing, to insider safety, support policies that restrict immigration, enhance national defense, facilitate personal defense, diminish powers of outside entities like the UN or the EU… policies that make securitarians feel safe, satisfied and virtuous, can be fully accepted into the insider core. Therefore, they feel the core is not racist.
Self-Interest. Why do they vote against their own self-interest? They place security and in-group concerns over personal economic welfare
Guns. 2/3 of securitarians own or have family members who own at least 1 gun. But they are unlikely to hunt or fish.
Can securitarians change their minds? Not too likely, but remember the quote at the beginning: securitarians can change who they see as outsiders.
Political Parties. (what do you think about this?)
The Republican Party is ideological. It’s focused ideology is excluding outsiders. Protect insiders from outsider threats. “Insiders” who don’t follow the rules to protect insiders are a bigger threat than outsiders because they make it harder for insiders to protect their interests.
The Democratic Party is a collection of disparate groups who don’t believe they have a focused ideology. But Hibbing thinks their ideology is to include outsiders. They accept everyone unless they’re exclusionary (that’s true). Protect outsiders from insider threats. Liberals do that because they feel like outsiders. The greatest threat to liberals is a threat that insider elite will have too much political or economic power.
6.5% of American voters are securitarians
22.5% of Republicans are securitarians
59% of Trump supporters are securitarians
What kinds of Trump supporters are there?
59.3% Securitarians – immigration, national security, guns, law and order, patriotism
14.9% – Social Warriors – religious rights, abortion, gay marriage
12% – Economically Concerned – (young, low-income) economy, healthcare, trade
11.1% – Tea Partiers – government spending, taxes, regulations, welfare, deficits (all libertarian ideals)
Why do they love Donald Trump?
- His deep concern for outsider threats
- He fights to preserve physical and cultural integrity of insiders
- He puts America first without apology
- He knows the value of strength
- He sees the world as dangerous, needing vigilant deterrence lest outsiders get the upper hand.
What happens after Donald Trump is gone? Especially in Arkansas where Trump supporters are ascendant. Many conservatives have been convinced that we progressives/liberals are the enemy. That the Biden administration is evil and out to destroy all that is good and wholesome. We have some important role in healing that awful breach, but we need to discern a path forward through the minefield with careful wisdom.
Yesterday’s insurrection opened up all kinds of questions. Can we still be friendly neighbors? Can we learn to trust people wearing a Q? Behind our backs are they still calling us pedophiles because Q said so? What if your babysitter wears a Q? Might they decide to have an insurrection at city hall? Are they carrying their guns?
Since we are among the outsiders, Trump supporters are not likely to open up for warm conversation and reassure us on these issues. Unless we want to hear what they have to say. It may be hard to do that, but it shouldn’t be taken off the table when it’s possible.
Those of us in the deep red states need a carefully honed communications strategy for talking to conservative neighbors. My personal plan might be something like…
- Test these relationships tenderly at first
- Don’t try to convince them of anything. Listen first.
- Build trust in safe places
- Remember we’re all human in this together
- Be honest about my own values and needs – don’t pretend to agree on something
That sounds helpful to me. I’m sure it will get complicated in practice.
What’s your experience of talking to conservatives or Trump supporters? Please share what you know. We need a support network for this project. It won’t be easy even after Trump, but for progressive Southerners it could be a crucial next step to weaving a world we really want to live in.
Sending up some good thoughts for an uneventful inauguration in 11 days.
I just reserved the book at the library. I think Hibbing is right on, but there is another component that may be as strong: their desperate belief in individual freedom. Somehow they have lost the idea of the good of the whole. Perhaps that contributes to their insecurity, or vice versa.
Somehow we have to figure out a common narrative that will unite us, or at least not divide us so viciously. That narrative surely has to deal with security and freedom. Surely those are values we hold in common, but their universality is not obvious. I’d like to see some other comments here. Good discussion to start, Gladys.