Decency

Roxane Gay writes in The New Yorker about the pet-eating ludicrous conspiracy theory:

This is all ridiculous to hear. It is ridiculous to even speak of. And it is ridiculous that Trump and Vance’s lies, which in another era would be disqualifying, have seemingly propelled them. Some prognosticators are even suggesting that by inflaming xenophobic passions, Trump and Vance have secured a victory in November. Politicians have always lied, but now they run for office—and hold office—while shrouding themselves in ludicrous conspiracy theories, and they are lauded for it.

What’s even worse is how this story has, so quickly, become a cultural punch line among people of every political persuasion. This is often how extreme conservative rhetoric works. Republicans soften the ground by making outlandish or incendiary claims. They do it over and over until their narrative breaches the perimeter of their little enclaves and bleeds into the mainstream. The bad actors keep repeating these statements. We hear them so frequently that they become part of our vernacular. We capitulate and treat the discursive dominance of the extreme right as an inevitability that we cannot resist, even though we absolutely can. And then we joke about red hats and making America great again and “fake news” and tiki torches and seasoning pets. There’s an endless parade of memes—further capitulation, letting Republicans know that you’re fine with allowing them to dictate reality. You’re letting them know that you, too, believe Haitians are acceptable targets for mockery. You’re welcome to play by their rules. Anything can be fodder for humor. But this is not about having a sense of humor. It’s about having a sense of decency.