Crash Course: "Jesus, guns, babies": Religious violence is now at the core of the Republican Party

Lauren Boebert prayed for Biden's death — and that's not even close to the craziest item on the GOP wish list Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). [Lauren-Boebert] Getty Images "Jesus, guns, babies": Religious violence is now at the core of the Republican Party Lauren Boebert invoked a prayer for the death of Joe Biden and it is one we can honestly say has become normal for Republicans to use about Democratic presidents. Maybe that's a big enough problem that we should acknowledge it not just as a fringe phenomenon, but as part of the core problem of the contemporary, MAGA-infused GOP. Kandiss Taylor's failed Republican gubernatorial primary campaign in Georgia was incredibly instructive on where the GOP now stands. Her campaign bus, which literally had "Jesus, Guns, Babies" emblazoned on the side, was just the most overt aspect of[ her Christian nationalist campaign](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmJjbmV3cy5jb20vdGhpbmsvb3Bpbmlvbi9nZW9yZ2lhcy1rYW5kaXNzLXRheWxvcnMtamVzdXMtZ3Vucy1iYWJpZXMtc2lnbi1jbGVhci1jaHJpc3RpYW4tbmF0aW9uLXJjbmEzMDMzMVcDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). She told followers to pray for good sheriffs and [said that corrupt ones would be executed for treason](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0R1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmV3c3dlZWsuY29tL2thbmRpc3MtdGF5bG9yLXRyZWFzb24tc2hlcmlmZi1zcGVlY2gtdmlyYWwtdmlkZW8tZmlyaW5nLXNxdWFkLXJhbGx5LWZvcnN5dGgtZ2VvcmdpYS0xNzA5MDY5VwNzcGNCCmKiwbupYliBMDpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), strongly implying her belief in the extremist "[constitutional sheriff](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL29waW5pb25zLzIwMjEvMTIvMTcvY29uc3RpdHV0aW9uYWwtc2hlcmlmZnMtZXh0cmVtaXN0LWRhbmdlcm91cy11bmNvbnN0aXR1dGlvbmFsL1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)" doctrine, which holds sheriffs are arbiters of what the law is in their counties, not enforcers of it. She said [at one campaign rally](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9nb3Ata2FuZGlzcy10YXlsb3Itc2F5cy1jaHVyY2gtcnVsZXMtdGhlLXN0YXRlLW9mLWdlb3JnaWEtMjAyMi01VwNzcGNCCmKiwbupYliBMDpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), "We're gonna do a political rally and we're gonna honor Jesus. They're not gonna tell us 'separation of church and state." We are the church! We run this state!" — an aggressively Christian nationalist idea. Taylor called Gov. Brian Kemp's administration a "Luciferian regime," said that as governor she would release an[ executive order against the "Satanic elites,"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmV3c3dlZWsuY29tL2dvcC1nb3Zlcm5vci1jYW5kaWRhdGUtdGFrZXMtYWltLWx1Y2lmZXJpYW4tcmVnaW1lLXNhdGFuaWMtZWxpdGVzLTE3MDI1MjNXA3NwY0IKYqLBu6liWIEwOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) and [vowed to tear down the "Satanic" Georgia Guidestones](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0R8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZGFpbHliZWFzdC5jb20va2FuZGlzcy10YXlsb3ItZ2VvcmdpYS1jYW5kaWRhdGUtZm9yLWdvdmVybm9yLWJ1aWxkcy1jYW1wYWlnbi1vbi1kZW1vbGl0aW9uLW9mLXNhdGFuaWMtdGFibGV0c1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). [Read more from Thomas Lecaque.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTQvamVzdXMtZ3Vucy1iYWJpZXMtcmVsaWdpb3VzLXZpb2xlbmNlLWlzLW5vdy1hdC10aGUtY29yZS1vZi10aGUtcGFydHkvVwNzcGNCCmKiwbupYliBMDpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) [Jan.-6-committee] Alex Wong/Getty Images Jan. 6 committee is spectacle taking the place of politics: It will accomplish nothing The [Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0QdaHR0cHM6Ly9qYW51YXJ5NnRoLmhvdXNlLmdvdi9XA3NwY0IKYqLBu6liWIEwOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), whose televised hearings began last Thursday, is spectacle replacing politics. There is nothing substantially new in the accusations. The committee lacks prosecutorial power. No charges have been filed by Attorney General Merrick Garland against former President Donald Trump and none are expected. The choreographed hearings, like the two impeachment trials of Trump, will have no effect on Trump voters, other than to make them feel persecuted, especially with more than [860 people already charged (including 306 guilty pleas)](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5zaWRlci5jb20vYWxsLXRoZS11cy1jYXBpdG9sLXByby10cnVtcC1yaW90LWFycmVzdHMtY2hhcmdlcy1uYW1lcy0yMDIxLTFXA3NwY0IKYqLBu6liWIEwOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) for their role in storming the Capitol. The committee echoes back to Trump opponents what they already believe. It is designed to present inaction as action and substitute role-playing for politics. It perpetuates, as Guy Debord [writes](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9Tb2NpZXR5LVNwZWN0YWNsZS1HdXktREVCT1JEL2RwLzA5MzQ4NjgwNzdXA3NwY0IKYqLBu6liWIEwOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), our "empire of modern passivity." The committee, which most Republicans boycotted, [hired James Goldston](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wNi8wOS91cy90aGUtY29tbWl0dGVlLWhpcmVkLWEtdHYtZXhlY3V0aXZlLXRvLXByb2R1Y2UtdGhlLWhlYXJpbmdzLWZvci1tYXhpbXVtLWltcGFjdC5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmKiwbupYliBMDpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), a documentary producer and former president of ABC News, to turn the hearings into engaging television with slick packaging and an array of pithy soundbites. The result is, and was meant to be, politics as reality television, a media diversion that will change nothing in the dismal American landscape. What should have been a serious bipartisan inquiry into an array of constitutional violations by the Trump administration has been turned into a prime-time campaign commercial for a Democratic Party running on fumes. The epistemology of television is complete. So is its artifice. [Read more from Chris Hedges.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTQvamFuLTYtY29tbWl0dGVlLWlzLXNwZWN0YWNsZS10YWtpbmctdGhlLXBsYWNlLW9mLXBvbGl0aWNzLWl0LXdpbGwtY2hhbmdlLW5vdGhpbmcvVwNzcGNCCmKiwbupYliBMDpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - “Drama”: Jan. 6 committee chairman says they won’t refer Trump to DOJ — and [Liz Cheney is not happy](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTQvZHJhbWEtamFuLTYtY29tbWl0dGVlLWNoYWlybWFuLXNheXMtdGhleS13b250LXJlZmVyLXRvLWRvai0tYW5kLWxpei1jaGVuZXktaXMtbm90LWhhcHB5L1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "MAGA inc is laughing at you": House Republican calls out [Kim Guilfoyle's $60,000 payday for Jan. 6](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTQvbWFnYS1pbmMtaXMtbGF1Z2hpbmctYXQteW91LWNhbGxzLW91dC1raW0tZ3VpbGZveWxlcy02MDAwMC1wYXlkYXktZm9yLWphbi02L1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Texas Attorney General [Ken Paxton on the Uvalde massacre](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTQvdGV4YXMtYXR0b3JuZXktZ2VuZXJhbC1rZW4tcGF4dG9uLW9uLXRoZS11dmFsZGUtbWFzc2FjcmUtZ29kLWhhcy1hLXBsYW4vVwNzcGNCCmKiwbupYliBMDpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~): “God has a plan” - Making sense of a senseless world: How [children's books can mitigate the horror around us](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTQvbWFraW5nLXNlbnNlLW9mLWEtc2Vuc2VsZXNzLXdvcmxkLWhvdy1jaGlsZHJlbnMtYm9va3MtY2FuLW1pdGlnYXRlLXRoZS1ob3Jyb3ItYXJvdW5kLXVzL1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - ["Jurassic World: Dominion”](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTMvanVyYXNzaWMtd29ybGQtZG9taW5pb24taXMtbm90LWEtbW92aWUtaXRzLWEtbXVzZXVtL1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) is not a movie. It's a museum - Mitch McConnell enraged that Democrats want SCOTUS security for ["nameless staff that no one knows"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0SCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTQvbWl0Y2gtbWNjb25uZWxsLWVucmFnZWQtdGhhdC1kZW1vY3JhdHMtd2FudC1zY290dXMtc2VjdXJpdHktZm9yLW5hbWVsZXNzLXN0YWZmLXRoYXQtbm8tb25lLWtub3dzL1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Lizzo listened and [changed an ableist lyric](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTQvbGl6em8tY2hhbmdlLWFibGVpc3QtbHlyaWMtZ3JycmxzL1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Will it be enough for white critics? - "Garbage in. Garbage out”: Trump's former chief of staff [trashes Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTMvZ2FyYmFnZS1pbi1nYXJiYWdlLW91dC1mb3JtZXItY2hpZWYtb2Ytc3RhZmYtdHJhc2hlcy1ydWR5LWdpdWxpYW5pLWFuZC1zaWRuZXktcG93ZWxsL1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Why [Rebel Wilson was pressured to come out](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0R7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTMvd2h5LXJlYmVsLXdpbHNvbi13YXMtcHJlc3N1cmVkLXRvLWNvbWUtb3V0LWJlZm9yZS1hbi1hdXN0cmFsaWFuLXBhcGVyLWNvdWxkLWRvLWl0LWZvci1oZXIvVwNzcGNCCmKiwbupYliBMDpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) before an Australian paper could do it for her - Having [COVID-19 during pregnancy](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0Q2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTMvcHJlZ25hbmN5LXJpc2stc3R1ZHkvVwNzcGNCCmKiwbupYliBMDpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) is linked to neurodevelopment delays in infants - The only [vegan macaroni and cheese recipe](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTMvdGhlLW9ubHktdmVnYW4tbWFjYXJvbmktYW5kLWNoZWVzZS1yZWNpcGUteW91bGwtZXZlci1uZWVkL1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) you'll ever need Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. [Donald-Trump] Chet Strange/Getty Images Yes, Trump supporters are victims of the Big Lie scam. No, you don't have to feel sorry for them "The big lie was also a big ripoff," declared Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., during her opening remarks on Monday. She argued that the campaign used "false claims of election fraud to raise hundreds of millions of dollars from supporters who were told their donations were for the legal fight in the courts." In reality, however, most the money — which is estimated to be a cool $250 million — [went into a super PAC](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RKaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudm94LmNvbS8yMDIyLzYvMTMvMjMxNjY0NTYvamFudWFyeS02LWNvbW1pdHRlZS10cnVtcC1kb25hdGlvbnNXA3NwY0IKYqLBu6liWIEwOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). From there, it was redirected into the coffers of Trump himself and towards various friends and [family members](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTQvbWFnYS1pbmMtaXMtbGF1Z2hpbmctYXQteW91LWNhbGxzLW91dC1raW0tZ3VpbGZveWxlcy02MDAwMC1wYXlkYXktZm9yLWphbi02L1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). In response to these revelations, there's been a standard response from the anti-Trump majority: Couldn't have happened to nicer people. [Salon started covering the way Trump uses the Big Lie](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0R1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjAvMTEvMTAvdHJ1bXAtaXMtYWxyZWFkeS11c2luZy1oaXMtZWxlY3RvcmFsLWxvc3MtdG8tcmFpc2UtbW9uZXktZm9yLWhpcy1uZXctbGVhZGVyc2hpcC1wYWMvVwNzcGNCCmKiwbupYliBMDpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) to [grift his followers mere days after the 2020](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0SCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjAvMTIvMDEvdHJ1bXAtYmlsa3MtMTcwLW1pbGxpb24tZnJvbS1zdXBwb3J0ZXJzLXRvLWZ1bmQtc3VpdHNidXQtaGlzLXBhYy1wb2NrZXRzLW1vc3Qtb2YtdGhlLWNhc2gtcmVwb3J0L1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) election, so I was used to seeing this reaction. And they will get no argument from me. One really can't deny that Trump's supporters had bad motives and that no one should feel sorry for them. The problem is that the vast [majority of Trump's supporters will never admitÂ](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0R8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTMvamFuLTYtY29tbWl0dGVlLW1ha2VzLXRoZS1jYXNlLWNsZWFyLWZvci1tZXJyaWNrLWdhcmxhbmQtZmFpbHVyZS10by1wcm9zZWN1dGUtaXMtcG9saXRpY2FsL1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)that they've been had. So it's up to the rest of us to insist that this large-scale cash grab be taken seriously and investigated as a potential crime. [Read more from Amanda Marcotte.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTQveWVzLXN1cHBvcnRlcnMtYXJlLXZpY3RpbXMtb2YtdGhlLWJpZy1saWUtc2NhbS1uby15b3UtZG9udC1oYXZlLXRvLWZlZWwtc29ycnktZm9yLXRoZW0vVwNzcGNCCmKiwbupYliBMDpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Crypto Is Crashing. It Deserves to." [Intelligencer](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0ROaHR0cHM6Ly9ueW1hZy5jb20vaW50ZWxsaWdlbmNlci8yMDIyLzA2L2NyeXB0by1pcy1jcmFzaGluZy1pdC1kZXNlcnZlcy10by5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmKiwbupYliBMDpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Your kids’ apps are spying on them," [The Washington Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RaaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL3RlY2hub2xvZ3kvMjAyMi8wNi8wOS9hcHBzLWtpZHMtcHJpdmFjeS8_Y3VyYXRvcj1NZWRpYVJFREVGVwNzcGNCCmKiwbupYliBMDpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Why Strangers Are Good for Us," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RKaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wNi8xMi9vcGluaW9uL3N0cmFuZ2Vycy10YWxraW5nLWJlbmVmaXRzLmh0bWxXA3NwY0IKYqLBu6liWIEwOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "‘Pack Your Stuff and Get Out of My House,’ Says Patriot Front Member’s Mom," [The Daily Beast](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZGFpbHliZWFzdC5jb20vcGFjay15b3VyLXN0dWZmLWFuZC1nZXQtb3V0LW9mLW15LWhvdXNlLXNheXMtcGF0cmlvdC1mcm9udC1tZW1iZXJzLW1vbT9yZWY9aG9tZVcDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "A Woman Who Spent Years Telling Sandy Hook Parents Their Kids Were Never Killed Explains Why She Did It," [Slate](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RgaHR0cHM6Ly9zbGF0ZS5jb20vaHVtYW4taW50ZXJlc3QvMjAyMi8wNi9zaG9vdGluZy1zY2hvb2wtdGV4YXMtdXZhbGRlLXNhbmR5LWhvb2stY29uc3BpcmFjeS5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmKiwbupYliBMDpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "The Six Forces That Fuel Friendship ," [The Atlantic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlYXRsYW50aWMuY29tL2ZhbWlseS9hcmNoaXZlLzIwMjIvMDYvc2l4LXdheXMtbWFrZS1tYWludGFpbi1mcmllbmRzLzY2MTIzMi8_Y3VyYXRvcj1NZWRpYVJFREVGVwNzcGNCCmKiwbupYliBMDpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) [Buffalo-vigil] Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images A month after Buffalo: Is white America ashamed — or has it already forgotten? Within less than a month, the Buffalo massacre has largely been forgotten by America's mainstream news media, white opinion leaders, and the white public as a whole. White America is entirely too comfortable with Black and brown people's misery, pain and death — and has used it as the scaffolding for a larger culture of cruelty, oppression and exploitation. Has the Buffalo massacre led to a collective reckoning or great awakening for white America, finally willing to purge its racism and its allegiance to white supremacy? It has not. In post-civil rights America — especially since the rise of Trump — we no longer hear the pretense that we need a "national conversation on race," in Barack Obama's famous phrase. For many Republicans and Trump followers, overt white supremacy and racial authoritarianism have been mainstreamed, franchised and laundered into something positive and noble in the alternate reality of MAGA World. A recent poll found that almost three-fourths of Trump voters and more than 60% of Republicans believed the fantastical claim that "discrimination against white people has become as big a problem as discrimination against Black people in the U.S." There is no substantive evidence to support such beliefs: White people control every major social, economic and political institution in America. Other research has repeatedly shown that white victimology is highly correlated with support for Trump, other types of anti-Black and anti-brown racial animus, and "old-fashioned" racism and bigotry as well. [Read more from Chauncey DeVega.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkjEDBP0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMTQvYS1tb250aC1hZnRlci1idWZmYWxvLWlzLWFtZXJpY2EtYXNoYW1lZC0tb3ItaGFzLWl0LWFscmVhZHktZm9yZ290dGVuL1cDc3BjQgpiosG7qWJYgTA6Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. 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