America First...Is Definitely Not That

 

I'm not ever not going to hammer home that the various iterations of MAGA hat mentality often display racist and actually anti-American (or at least, anti-Constitutional) vibes. Of the slogans that I've had the least use for, the worst is "America First". The America First movement I always think of was the Hearst/Lindbergh pro-Nazi wanks. And that is not auspicious at all.  And of course, I also think about the Klan. 

The funny thing about America First is that it never represents the actual America that we have, but the America certain people want. It isn't about the vibrant, culturally diverse nation united under the rule of law. It's white bozos wrapping themselves in a flag and casting shade on the Constitution. It's overtly hostile to what is best in us in favor of a kind of white, Christian identity politics and vastly decreased empathy and morality in favor of militant social control. 

So I want to give you this image of Nick Fuentes, whose AFPAC has hosted Paul Gosar and Marjorie Taylor Greene, saying some nonsense about the US and why he backs Russia:

White nationalist Nick Fuentes encourages prayers for the brave Russian soldiers who are fighting to "liberate Ukraine from the Great Satan and from the evil empire in the world, which is the United States." pic.twitter.com/RdVrXHCapn

— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) March 16, 2022

The "Great Satan" is an Iranian term for the US, and it's really interesting that Fuentes uses it, because this dipshit is supporting Russia which has allied with Iran and Syria. Both middle eastern, Islamic nations. Iran may say "Marg bar Amrika", but they aren't doing it with Fuentes' fucking twist of proclaiming America First while he basically shits all over the entire concept of Western Civilization. He doesn't want civilization. He just wants whiteness. 

But he's basically singing the same tune as Nixon-lover, Roger Stone:

Roger Stone slammed America and sided with "the Soviet Union" in a rant about Ukraine over the weekend.

"Putin is acting defensively. He is not acting offensively." pic.twitter.com/m5UpKVU9rc

— David Edwards (@DavidEdwards) March 20, 2022

Invading a country and committing genocide is apparently the best defense against another country just being a functional democracy.  Always bracing and enlightening, are Stone's (a fellow-traveler of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, and why not also a Groyper?) views (ironically). 

There's an explanation, of sorts, for why open racists are sympathetic to Russia. There's also a lot to be said for the idea that conservative politicians despise people they see as 'lower class". In the US, conservative politicians want to see us sicker (without affordable health care), poorer (without a minimum wage or a social safety net), and less educated (they despise the public school system and want it gone). They despise a lot of people--LGBT, minorities, feminists, socialists, trade unionists, atheists. You could write a poem about who they'd like to come for. 

Just as Russia feels threatened by a small "l" liberal, small "d" democratic country on its border (giving folks the wrong idea about what is politically possible, for authoritarian values of Putin ain't doing that shit), arch conservatives in the US are threatened when small "l" small "d" governments (Clinton, Obama, Biden) show that such government is possible and actually really effective at creating jobs, growing the economy, and efficiently managing crises. Without demonizing minorities or creating conspiracy theories to distract from horrific incompetence and cronyism. 

So anyway, in my humble opinion, if people like MTG or Fuentes or Gaetz or Thomas Massie or Roger Stone really feel the way they seem to about America and our Constitutional government, they can go defect to Russia. This is my country, and you love it enough to support its first principles or you get the hell out. And the folks who are dodgiest are also insurrection-supporters, so there you go. 

I'm not saying they are specifically traitors, but should traitors get second chances?