Writing in Salon, Chauncey Devega reminds us of the challenge President Biden and Vice President Harris face in the cult-like Republican fascist resistance movement, and not to fall into the "unity" trap with them:
"While many in the news media have celebrated Joe Biden's election, and now presidency, as averting or reversing catastrophe, that is not in fact true. Donald Trump inflicted numerous catastrophes on the United States: ramped-up authoritarianism, fascism and overt white supremacy; a coup attempt; a lethal plague; collective post-traumatic disorder; economic ruin.
Here's a more apt description of what Biden's presidency means for the country is as follows: If Donald Trump had won a second term, American democracy would have suffered an extinction-level event. Such is the enormous challenge facing the new administration." (our emphasis)
In his inaugural address, Biden told Americans to "see" each other, to "listen" to each other, but Americans who cherish democracy would be reaching out to Trump cultists that embrace a white supremacist, authoritarian / fascist model of America, who will never see or hear us in return:
"In essence, Biden is asking his voters and other supporters to do the emotional, moral and physical labor of reaching out to the worst elements of America, those who have exiled themselves into the alternate reality of TrumpWorld and the broader right-wing echo chamber. Biden's approach rewards bad behavior and does not force a new maturity or wisdom onto Trumpists, Republicans and other unrepentant elements of the right." (our emphasis)
Imagine "reaching out" to neo-Nazis, the Klan, Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, etc., and expecting to get anything but a fist back from them. Perhaps Biden's strategy is to show a spirit of reconciliation, knowing that it will enrage those "worst elements of America," and with the expectation that voters in the 2022 elections and beyond will flush more of their representatives from office. Let's hope so. In the meantime, no rose colored glasses can obscure the fact that countless broken, bigoted and violent actors out there want to "take their country back" by any means necessary.
BONUS: More reasons why a party that defends a tyrant and sees yours as illegitimate can't be bargained with.
