I've been thinking a lot about the argument offered by many Trump supporters that they like him because he "speaks his mind." My longtime reaction has stuck close to the central theme of free speech -- yes, it's good that we can say anything; but that doesn't mean that anything we say is good. To support him because he "speaks his mind," but refuse to pay attention to what he's actually saying, is simply irrational.
I believe all of this -- it is certainly true. But I now realize that it bears an underlying assumption: that those Trump supporters, who like him because he "speaks his mind," would be appalled if they just stopped for a minute and listened to what he's saying. And I no longer think that's a valid assumption.
My revised view is that, whether they admit it to themselves or not, these people don't actually support Trump because he "speaks his mind." They are not merely superfans of free speech who feel political correctness has gone too far.
Here's my evidence: there are a bunch of candidates who speak their minds. Many speak very openly about support for marriage equality; about the utter (and dangerous) ridiculousness of the NRA; about overturning the Citizens United decision; about all kinds of things, including Trump himself, in language that is just as aggressive and personal as the words he directs at others.
So what's the difference? Why aren't these supposed free speech superfans flocking to support Warren and Sanders and Clinton?
The solitary difference is ideological: people like Trump not because he "speaks his mind," but because he speaks their mind.
Trump has tapped into a constituency that feels constrained by the decorum of a diverse and tolerant society. They are tired of being told that they're no better than anybody else. They are tired of being told that they have no right to voice their disdain for particular demographics. They are tired of being told that the world isn't as black-and-white as they were taught it was as children, and that they now have to be sensitive to the many shades of gray that they have habitually ignored. They are tired of being told that suddenly the advantages they were born with, and have fought their whole lives to expand, are somehow illegitimate just because not everyone was born with them.
In short, these are people desperate to hold onto outmoded social perspectives that run directly counter to the ever-developing American ideal. They don't understand how anyone can claim that the word "equality" meant something different in 1816 than it does in 2016. And they like Trump because he legitimizes their views by speaking them himself. He is their mouthpiece, their champion, their prophet. He gives them a platform -- their antiquated prejudices once again have a seat at the table, or to such they aspire, through him.
Here's what that vision entails. Trump's nebulous, seat-of-his-pants plan to make America great again evidently is founded on stripping away the idea of striving always for "a more perfect union" through ongoing self-critique and adaptation, and focuses entirely on driving the whole political, social, and economic -- and military -- thrust of the country on the fuel of greed, fear, self-aggrandizement, bigotry, and oppression.
So, did you catch that? It's not because he "speaks his mind" -- there are plenty of people who do that. It's because he has empowered people to entertain and voice even the ugliest and most offensive ideas, and promises no consequences -- on the contrary, he identifies such behavior as strength!
So let's drop the "I like Trump because he speaks his mind" act, shall we? In the interest of speaking our minds, let's shift to a more honest summation:
"I like Trump because he tells me that I no longer have to constrain myself to thoughts and words that are respectful of others, and frees me to offer my own self-interested prejudices as legitimate justifications for open warfare on anyone I don't like. He tells me that I can reap all the benefits of my society without ever investing capital, whether personal or actual, in its upkeep. He tells me that I no longer have to try to be a better person, to be more compassionate and understanding and generous toward others, least of all those poor losers who don't have it as good as I do. He restores to me the freedom to serve only myself -- and hey, America's all about freedom, right?"
Any freedom that denies anyone else any freedom is not freedom. It's just abuse, oppression, oligarchy, narcissism. True freedom means freedom for all. Is it a lot of work to achieve this? You bet it is, and we've still got a long way to go.
So if you've made it this far, Trump supporter, just take a moment and ask yourself: Do I support Trump because I'm super into free speech? Or do I support him because he absolves me of the onerous responsibility of good citizenship in a free society?