"Do Something!" Trump's Threats of Violence and Chaos From the White House

Speculation has now yielded to fact. On Monday, the grand jury impaneled by special counsel Robert Mueller to investigate Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election issued its first indictments. Several of Trump's closest advisers have been charged with breaking the law. This is the clearest evidence yet that Russia was able to penetrate and gain influence at the highest levels of Trump's presidential campaign.

Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort has been charged with conspiracy against the United States, making false statements under oath, working as an unregistered agent for a foreign country, money laundering and numerous other financial crimes.

Rick Gates, who is Manafort's business confidant and aide, was charged with similar crimes. Both men pled not guilty during their arraignment on Monday.

Perhaps the most important and most damning indictment, however, was against George Papadopoulos, a foreign policy adviser for Trump's campaign. Papadopoulos was in constant contact with a Russian agent who allegedly had dirt on Hillary Clinton and wanted to give Trump's campaign thousands of stolen emails. Papadopoulos continued his relationship with this Russian agent throughout his time working with Trump. An unnamed senior Trump campaign member apparently praised Papadopoulos' efforts.

Papadopoulos pleaded guilty some months ago and has presumably been "flipped" with the goal of helping Mueller's investigation into other members of Trump's inner circle.

In response, to Mueller's indictments, likely the first of many, Trump took to Twitter:

Sorry, but this is years ago, before Paul Manafort was part of the Trump campaign. But why aren't Crooked Hillary & the Dems the focus?????"

Of course this is a lie. Manafort worked for Trump's 2016 campaign, and the indictments include that time period.

Trump concluded his tweet: "Also, there is NO COLLUSION!"

These comments are a continuation of Trump's Twitter tantrum over the weekend. On Sunday he recycled a whole series right-wing talking points and conspiranoid fantasies about Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party pursuing a witch hunt against him. He also resurrected the fictitious claim that Hillary Clinton somehow gave away America's nuclear-grade uranium to Russia. In all, he railed against Clinton as though she were the president and he was the disgruntled loser of the 2016 presidential election.

Trump then reached an all-caps Twitter climax with two words: "DO SOMETHING!"

In a presidency that has reached one new low after another, an insatiable maw of embarrassing and shameful behavior, Trump's antics on Sunday and Monday are (almost) shocking.

A Conversation with Dorothy Kim about Eurocentrism and the White Supremacy Problem in Medieval Studies

Dr. Dorothy Kim is the guest on this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show. She is an assistant professor of literature at Vassar College. Several months ago, Dr. Kim shared the following observations on the website In the Middle about the relationship between Eurocentrism, teaching, white supremacy, and the era of Donald Trump:

“If the medieval past (globally) is being weaponized for the aims of extreme, violent supremacist groups, what are you doing, medievalists, in your classrooms?....Because you are the authorities teaching medieval subjects in the classroom, you are, in fact, ideological arms dealers....Neutrality is not optional."

After making this intervention Dr. Kim was a victim of a right-wing smear campaign led by Milo Yiannopoulos.

During this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show, Dr. Kim and Chauncey discuss how the classroom is an inherently political space, the ways that Eurocentrism and white supremacy are present in academic fields such as Medieval Studies, the modern origins of the concept of race, and the fundamental misunderstandings that white supremacists have about Europe's past. Dr. Kim also explains how digital culture is a fertile space for the white gaze and its distortions of European history.

In this week's episode, Chauncey DeVega explains how White House chief of staff John Kelly channeled the logic of a military coup in his defense of Donald Trump's racist and sexist lies about the war widow Myeshia Johnson and Representative Francesca Wilson. And during this week's episode Chauncey shares a story about a late night encounter with one of Trump's human trash monsters, how right-wing trolls had a public orgasm of anger in response to one of his recent essays, and the importance of psychologist Erich Fromm's observations about fascism and authoritarianism in this moment of national (and global) emergency. 

This episode with Dorothy Kim can be downloaded from Libysn and also listened to here.

The Chauncey DeVega Show is available on Itunes, Spotify and at Stitcher.

An "Empty barrel": Kelly and Trump's racist and sexist war against black women

Donald Trump gets particularly upset when women or black people dare to disagree with him. So black women are the perfect targets for his ire.

To wit: Trump's enemies list of black women includes sports journalist Jemele Hill, Rep. Maxine Waters, former national security adviser Susan Rice and White House reporter April Ryan. Trump's newest enemies? Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Florida Democrat, and Myeshia Johnson, the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, an Army Special Forces sergeant who was killed in action Oct. 4 during a mission in the West African nation of Niger.

After being publicly shamed into contacting Myeshia Johnson -- Trump has evidently been negligent in reaching out to the families of soldiers killed under his command -- he told her during a phone conversation that her husband "knew what he was getting into when he signed up, but I guess it hurts anyway." It was also reported by those who heard the call that Trump apparently did not even refer to Sgt. Johnson by nameinstead saying, "your guy."

Myeshia Johnson, the slain soldier's aunt (who raised him after his mother died) and Rep. Wilson, a family friend, were all stunned by Trump's thoughtless and disrespectful comments. Facing public condemnation for his behavior, Trump, as he apparently always does, decided to attack Wilson, Myeshia Johnson and La David Johnson's aunt as liars. Of course the president also declared that this episode was another example of him being depicted unfairly by "fake news."

He has chosen Wilson as a special obsession for his rage. On Twitter, Trump has repeatedly described her as "wacky" and said she is "killing the Democrat Party." (Republicans almost never say "Democratic Party," for reasons of their own.)

In response to this debacle, Trump apparently instructed White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general, to appear in person at last Thursday's White House press briefing. Kelly's mission? To be a human shield for his boss. How? By enabling Trump's malignant narcissism, sociopathy, lies and cruel treatment towards a grieving war widow, her family and other loved ones. Despite claims about how "honorable" Kelly is, at least for that day he was Trump's water carrier and stooge.

A Conversation with Lars Maischak about Free Speech, the Perils of Criticizing Donald Trump, and Threats to Intellectual Freedom

Dr. Lars Maischak is the guest on this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show. He is a lecturer of history at Fresno State University. Several months ago, Maischak exercised his rights of free speech and said via the social media platform Twitter that "to save American democracy, Trump must hang. The sooner and the higher, the better.." After making those comments Maischak was targeted by a coordinated and systematic campaign of harassment--which included death threats--by right-wing activists and their trolls. Lars was then put on leave from Fresno State University and has now been removed from the classroom.  

During this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show, Lars and Chauncey discuss fascism and Donald Trump's election as well as the explosive relationship between race, class, and white identity politics. Lars also shares his thoughts on free speech, academic freedom, and how the right-wing hate machine is working to silent dissent in the academy and other areas of American life. Lars also explains why he took to Twitter to express his disgust about Donald Trump's administration and what it was like to be harassed by the right-wing smear machine.

In this week's episode, Chauncey DeVega explains the real threat posed by former general and now Chief of Staff John Kelly's defense of Donald Trump's mean and cruel comments to war widow Myeshia Johnson. Chauncey also states clearly and plainly how Kelly's and Trump's lies and comments about Myeshia Johnson, her family, and Representive Frederica Wilson are just one more example of casual racism and sexism against black women in today's America. During this week's podcast Chauncey also offers his thoughts on the great new films "The Florida Project" and "Mudbound".

This episode with Lars Maischak can be downloaded from Libysn and also listened to here.

The Chauncey DeVega Show is available on Itunes, Spotify and at Stitcher.

Donald Trump Forges an Alliance with Christian Fascists at the Values Voters Summit

Over the weekend, thousands of conservative evangelical Christians gathered in Washington for the annual Values Voter Summit. That label leads to a natural question: What values were actually encouraged by the speakers and attendees at this event?

The answer is clear. Bigotry, intolerance, hypocrisy, divisiveness, dishonesty and violence.

Donald Trump, the first sitting president to attend the event, was a featured speaker. He is a man who almost literally embodies the Seven Deadly Sins as explained by the Bible. Yet the so-called Christians at the summit gave him a 20-second ovation and repeatedly interrupted his speech with cheers. He told them, "We don't worship government, we worship God" and proclaimed, "We are stopping all our attacks on Judeo-Christian values."

Roy Moore, the Republican senatorial nominee in Alabama, was also a featured guest. He told attendees: "When you forget God, you can forget politics. When you forget God you forget, just like it says, your heritage, your rights, your freedoms."

We forget that what they really want to do in this land is remove the knowledge of God. That won’t happen, as far as I can see, because I think the people of God are rising up in this land today. In 2016 we were given a new lease, a new reason, and it’s upon us now. This is not complicated.

For Moore, the commandment to "follow God's law" is allied to his belief that gays and lesbians are committing blatantly immoral acts akin to bestiality.

Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who has since returned to his role as the head of Breitbart News (which a recent investigative report by BuzzFeed has revealed to be a white nationalist and alt-right propaganda clearinghouse) told the audience, "This is not my war. This is our war. And y'all didn't start it. The establishment started it. But I will tell you one thing — you all are going to finish it."

Even in this swamp of radical right-wing talking points and political con artists who confuse some version of revanchist conservatism with "God's will" and "Christian values," former Trump adviser Sebastian Gorka's comments were perhaps the most dangerous.

A Conversation with Tom Nichols About Donald Trump, "the Madman Theory", and Nuclear War with North Korea

Tom Nichols is the guest on this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show. He is a professor of national security affairs at the United States Naval War College and also teaches at the Harvard Extension School. He is the author of seven books including "No Use: Nuclear Weapons and U.S. National Security" and “The Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why It Matters.”

This is the second time that Dr. Nichols has been a guest on the show.

During this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show, Tom and Chauncey discuss Donald Trump's nuclear saber-rattling, "the madman theory", what would happen if a mentally unhinged president tried to launch America's nuclear weapons, and the likelihood that the United States goes to war with either Iran or North Korea. Dr. Nichols also highlights some frightening moments when the United States and the former Soviet Union almost attacked each other with nuclear weapons during the Cold War.

Writer and podcaster Alasdair Stuart also sits down at the virtual bar and salon to share his thoughts about Blade Runner 2049. Alasdair and Chauncey critique the film, reflect on the many ways that it can be interpreted, and ponder Blade Runner 2049's likely sequels--and if they are indeed necessary. Alasdair also tries to convince Chauncey to give the horrible Star Trek: Discovery a second chance.

In this week's episode, Chauncey DeVega has the cooties and explores the science which justifies wearing an acifidity bag and also shares some insights about Trump's cult of political personality and how the Great Leader uses empathy to manipulate his sad and dangerous human deplorable foot soldiers. And at the end of this week's podcast, Chauncey shares three positive and uplifting stories about people having good fortune, children finding a forever family, and human heroes who save their animal friends.

This episode with Tom Nichols and Alasdair Stuart can be downloaded from Libysn and also listened to here.

The Chauncey DeVega Show is available on Itunes, Spotify and at Stitcher.

The new "F-Word": Why are so many journalists and politicians afraid to call Donald Trump a fascist?

Donald Trump is a fascist and a racial authoritarian. For several years, I have tried to warn the readers of my essays here at Salon and those who listen to my podcast of this fact. Trump has revealed his core values to the world at almost every opportunity. Yet somehow, too many Americans appear stuck on a treadmill of daily shock at his behavior. It is sad to watch. Why is any of this a surprise? Trump is a crude man. He has never been subtle in terms of sharing his values and beliefs.

For example, Trump signaled his presidential aspirations by accusing Barack Obama of being a black usurper born secretly in another country. Perhaps even more insulting to Barack Obama -- and by implication to Black America -- Trump even dared to suggest that the first black president of the United States was a fraud whose accomplishments and intelligence were the result of imagined unfair advantages somehow (against all empirical evidence to the contrary) granted to black people in the United States. In essence Donald Trump told a black man in the 21st century to "show me your papers," as though the latter were a slave and Trump a paddyroller on some dusty road in the antebellum South during the early 19th century.

During the 2016 campaign and now as president, Donald Trump has met almost every criteria of a fascist leader adapted to fit American society.

1. He has contempt for democratic norms and procedures, and has repeated undermined them;
2. He has threatened violence against his political enemies;
3. He espouses militant nationalism;
4. He is patriarchal, hyper-masculine and misogynist;
5. He uses racism, ethnocentrism and bigotry to advance his political goals;
6. He lies compulsively in order to twist reality to his will and keep supporters enthralled;
7. He stokes a sense of racial grievance and victimhood among his voters;
8. He acts with contempt and utter disregard for the law;
9. He uses his position as president to personally enrich himself, his family and his political allies;
10. He openly admires authoritarian leaders from other countries;
11. Through voter purges and other means, he is trying to ensure a permanent Republican majority and de facto one-party state;
12. He believes in "blood and soil" racism;
13. He is trying to remove any regulations or other types of restrictions on corporations;
14. He appears to be a malignant narcissist who believes he is above the law;
15. He grants pardons to his political allies;
16. He has utter contempt for freedom of the press and the concept of "checks and balances";
17. He views intellectuals and artists as his enemies;
18. He is trying to destroy labor unions;
19. He encourages police and other paramilitary forces to abuse racial and ethnic minorities;
20. He has been acclaimed by white supremacist and other right-wing fascist groups as their leader.

On Wednesday, Trump demonstrated his fascist beliefs again. At an Oval Office press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, he said:

It's frankly disgusting the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write, and people should look into it.

Again, there will be predictable upset by the news media, pundits, opinion writers and journalists. Democrats and maybe a few Republicans will appear on evening cable news programs to voice their concerns about Trump's tenor and behavior. But the dreaded "F-word" will likely not be uttered.

Given the obvious facts, how do we explain this avoidance of calling Donald Trump a fascist?

A Conversation with Nancy MacLean About the Radical Right-wing and Her New Book "Democracy in Chains"

Nancy MacLean is the guest on this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show. She is the William H. Chafe Professor of History and Public Policy at Duke University and author of the new book Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America.

Democracy in Chains is also one of the five finalists in the 2017 National Book Awards for non-fiction.  

During this episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show, Nancy and Chauncey discuss how right-wing libertarians allied with the Koch brothers are working to systematically undermine American democracy, the intellectual origins of their dangerous ideology, and the various personalities involved in this movement. Professor MacLean also reflects on the intense backlash against her new book and how the radical right-wing is desperately trying to undermine the very idea of expert knowledge and are trying to remake American higher education in their own image.

On this week's show Chauncey dares to tell the truth about toxic white masculinity, the color line, and the Las Vegas massacre which killed 58 people and wounded more than 500 last weekend. Chauncey also tells a story about being invited to appear on Tucker Carlson Tonight which airs on Fox so-called "News" in order to discuss his recent essay on white men and mass shootings in America. And in this episode Chauncey gives an enthusiastic endorsement of the new film Blade Runner 2049.

This episode with Nancy MacLean can be downloaded from Libysn and also listened to here.

The Chauncey DeVega Show is available on Itunes, Spotify and at Stitcher.

A white man commits a mass shooting in Las Vegas and a familiar script is followed

As I watched the news unfold about the horrible mass shooting in Las Vegas during the late-night hours of Sunday and Monday, I said to myself, "Please God, don't let these killers be black." I doubt I was alone in such sentiments. In a country stuck in the grip of a white backlash and resurgent white supremacy, black and brown folks don't need any further troubles.

As the initial news reports twisted and turned, I remembered how many initial reports about mass shootings are rife with inaccuracies, born of panic and chaos and the human desire to make sense of mayhem and murder. I then said to myself, "Please God, don't let this killer be a Muslim." I doubt I was alone in those sentiments. Muslim Americans are overwhelmingly a peaceful and law-abiding people. The challenges they face in America are already too great.

I had another fear as well. If the mass shooting in Las Vegas had been committed by a Muslim or a person of color, it might have presented an irresistible opportunity for Donald Trump -- who is a racial authoritarian and (as I believe) a fascist -- to expand his power. As historian Timothy Snyder has warned, Trump is waiting for his own "Reichstag Fire moment." A terrorist attack on a major city could well provide that opportunity.

I breathed a sigh of relief when it was revealed by Las Vegas police that it was a white man who rained down death and pain into a crowd of concertgoers. I doubt I was alone in such a sentiment. His barbaric actions killed at least 58 people and wounded hundreds more.

Whenever a white man commits an act of mass gun violence in America -- politically motivated or otherwise -- there is a cultural script that is closely followed by the mainstream news media, politicians and too many members of the public. This narrative is obvious and predictable. Alas, it provides some small measure of comfort to many, even if that familiarity is rooted in gross hypocrisy and flagrant contradictions.

Unlike the impulsiveness he has shown when Muslims are accused of committing a terrorist act, either in the United States or abroad, Donald Trump will be reserved and careful in his statements. The American news media will respond by observing that Trump has now magically become "presidential," as if his sins could be washed away by a chattering class desperate to make the abnormal into something palatable and routine.

The National Rifle Association and the Republican politicians whom they own will default to irrational talking points: "Now is not the time to politicize a tragedy" or "It's too early to talk about gun laws." Gun manufacturers will see their stocks rise in value. America's addiction to guns will continue unabated even as it kills tens of thousands of people a year. Somehow the gun fetishists like Bill O'Reilly will mouth such absurdities as "guns are the price of freedom" without soiling themselves from uncontrollable laughter.

The alleged shooter is a man named Stephen Paddock. He has been described as a "lone wolf." The Las Vegas police have now offered up two new entries for America's mass shooting lexicon: Paddock is a "sole perpetrator" and a "local individual." He is not a "terrorist," since that term is almost exclusively reserved for nebulous brown people.

Stephen Paddock is being humanized as a man who "liked to gamble," "listened to country music" and "lived a quiet, retired life." When white folks commit horrible crimes their actions are often placed in a context where they are described as "good people" and "all American." This is all so "surprising" and "unimaginable," we are told, because this person was so "ordinary." By comparison, when black or brown folks or Muslims commit horrible crimes they are usually depicted as one-dimensional monsters.

There will be no "national conversation" about the connection between toxic (white) masculinity and American gun culture. In the mainstream news media and broader public discourse there certainly will be no discussion of the fact that white men are 31 percent of the population but commit 63 percent of mass shootings. Such a fact is forbidden or explosive, because it connects race, gender, guns and death.

The mass shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday night is the 273rd such event in America so far this year. It will not be the last. When the next mass shooting occurs I might just as well take this article and update it. The facts will likely not be much different. America is addicted to guns. The sickness will not be cured until, like an alcoholic or an opioid addict, the country admits it has hit rock bottom.