AUTOCRACY IS NO JOKE!
AUTOCRACY IS NO JOKE!
It sure is fun to mock the cruel, corrupt narcissists who lie, cheat and steal to gain power and profit. That’s our Constitutional right as red, white and blue-blooded Americans! In autocratic countries, laughing at Dear Leader is generally illegal (and may be fatal). Our right to ridicule is a sign that the U.S.A. isn't an autocracy...yet. But there is ample evidence that we are well on the way to losing our democracy – and our freedom with it.
Trumpy Kardz are designed as a form of edutainment: bite-sized sugar-coated bitter pills to help people choke down the acrid medicine of political reality. Though lightly humorous in tone, these cartoons are not intended to minimize the danger democracy faces. Instead, they aim to entice people with a candy-colored taste of current events in the hope that this junk-foody snack will whet their appetite for more substantial information.
What does it all mean?
Democracy – Government of, by and for the people, enacted directly by the people and/or their elected representatives.
Autocracy – Government by a single leader or a small group without accountability to people’s rights.
Authoritarianism – A style of governance that demands submission to authority and curtails civil liberties.
The autocratic threat
A 2024 Pew Research poll found that nearly one-third of Americans favor autocratic leaders. One prominent theory claims these people have an authoritarian personality. That means they’re predisposed to unquestionably obey authority figures. These tendencies are latent in many people’s subconscious, and only become activated under a specific set of sociopolitical circumstances.
To activate the authoritarian personality:
Identify an “Other” – Target a marginalized minority group (e.g., by race, religion, nationality, etc.) that lacks political power and protection.
Emphasize the Other’s differences – Frame them as negative and threatening to mainstream society’s values, security and survival.
Stoke fear of the Other – Spread a conspiracy that the Other is enacting a secret, nefarious, widespread plan to take over the country.
Use fear to justify repressive actions – People with an authoritarian personality personally identify with their leader, so when the leader punishes the Other, they feel personally empowered. This reinforces their authoritarian tendencies and support for further repression.
People who love freedom must take the threat of autocracy very seriously –
because once we lose our democracy, we may never get it back.