Monday, April 22, 2019

A Conversation with Dr. Jonathan Metzl About How Donald Trump's Supporters are Dying of Whiteness

Jonathan Metzl is the Frederick B. Rentschler II Professor of Sociology and Psychiatry, and the director of the Center for Medicine, Health, and Society, at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

Metzl is the author of several books, including Prozac on the Couch and The Protest Psychosis. His new book is Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment is Killing America's Heartland.

Metzl explains how Trump's voters in Red State America are literally dying of whiteness and their devotion to the Republican Party and its harmful policies, why guns and god are such an important part of personal identity and meaning for white "working class" Trump voters, and how racism and a need to punish nonwhites and other "outsiders" motivates "working class" white conservatives in their political decision-making.

Dr. Metzl also shares stories about white Trump voters who are on their death beds but are proud that they never took "Obamacare" because they wanted to make sure that "welfare queens" and "Mexicans" did not have access to "their" health care. Dr. Metzl also recounts tragic stories about white Trump and Republican "ammosexuals" who love their guns more than their children, relatives, and friends.

On this week's show, Chauncey DeVega offers some extended thoughts about the Mueller Russia report and how, even in its redacted form, the 450 page document paints a damning portrait of a traitorous president and his cabal who colluded with Russia to seal an election and then obstructed justice to cover it up. Chauncey also shares an important concept which explains how Trump, Barr and their right-wing media were able to control the public discourse surrounding the Mueller report by introducing the concept of "criminal conspiracy" being the same thing as "collusion".

And Chauncey warns, again, that Donald Trump's fascist regime is out of control, the rule of law is imperiled and now there are de facto right-wing militias and death squads in waiting on patrol along the U.S.-Mexico border.

No comments: