# Straight, Cisgendered, White Male here and I truly don't understand Alt Right and Trump supporters. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 15, 2019, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500 "2019-11-15T18:48:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/81 "2019-11-18T00:45:16Z")
What value does “Trump is the anti-christ” even add. Dude is bad enough without attributing extrabiblical evangelical religious beliefs to him. It is, **perhaps** accurate to say that Trump is **more** in line with the stated qualities of the anti-christ than Obama was when pointing out the irony inherent in some of the right’s statements, but I can’t see what the accusation adds. Now, of course short pithy statements that aren’t strictly literal are useful from an organizing, solidarity, and motivational perspective (“eat the rich”, “bring out the guillotines”, some flavors of “nazi” accusations, whatever), but I’m not sure “Trump is the anti-christ” really serves that purpose better than a billion other things you could use. Granted, not being a Christian/Evangelical I’ll grant I’m not the intended audience. ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/82 "2019-11-18T01:08:20Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > The number one most potent motivator is to feel they are better than someone else, and most disturbingly that that someone else is harmed - even if they themselves are harmed in the process. Kinda sick, honestly. It’s a politics based on spite. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/83 "2019-11-18T01:09:36Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > I think a better reason for stopping is so you dont sound unstable to the people who otherwise might vote (D). 🙂 I never said Trump was the actual anti-christ. I don’t believe in an anti-christ. But the guy really does personify immorality, and his voters, many of whom consider themselves religious, couldn’t care less. Its confusing. I mean its not ‘that’ confusing when you accept that authoritarianism and white identity politics is what truly motivates his base. But the fact that they don’t even give lip service to morality after talking about it for decades is just weird. Trumps former chief economic adviser once said of him that he is ‘Less a person than a collection of terrible traits’. That is what I was getting at. He embraces almost everything terrible. Incompetence, stupidity, racism, sexism, treason, authoritarianism, greed, lust, pride, insecurity, easy to manipulate, etc. etc. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/84 "2019-11-18T01:12:21Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > But the guy really does personify immorality, and his voters, many of whom consider themselves religious, couldn’t care less. Its confusing. Whose morality are you using to make this judgement? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/85 "2019-11-18T01:29:37Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Whose morality are you using to make this judgement? Sexually abusing people, cheating on your spouse, wanting to fuck your daughter, stealing from charity, lying constantly, ripping off people who worked for you, threatening to sue people who accuse you of sex crimes, making fun of the disabled, sucking up to dictators, using racial and religious bigotry for your own advantage, etc. I don’t understand how people can be so radicalized they can’t even see these things. It would be one thing to see them and not care. But to not even see them is confusing. > **[Lest We Forget the Horrors: A Catalog of Trump’s Worst Cruelties, Collusions,...](https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/the-complete-listing-atrocities-1-1056)** > > To download a PDF of this entire list, click here. > \- - -Early in President Trump’s term, McSweeney’s editors began to catalog the head-spinning num... ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/86 "2019-11-18T01:57:34Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Sexually abusing people, cheating on your spouse, wanting to fuck your daughter, stealing from charity, lying constantly, ripping off people who worked for you, threatening to sue people who accuse you of sex crimes, making fun of the disabled, sucking up to dictators, using racial and religious bigotry for your own advantage, etc. > > I don’t understand how people can be so radicalized they can’t even see these things. > > It would be one thing to see them and not care. But to not even see them is confusing. > > [https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/the-complete-listing-so-far-atrocities-1-546](https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/the-complete-listing-so-far-atrocities-1-546) That does seem pretty bad. Did he order the drone execution of an American citizen? Did he commute the sentence of a traitor? How should a person weigh your accusations against some things that really happened? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/87 "2019-11-18T02:00:51Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > That does seem pretty bad. Did he order the drone execution of an American citizen? Did he commute the sentence of a traitor? > > How should a person weigh your accusations against some things that really happened? Oh gawd! Just stop it! Your schtick gets so tiresome. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/88 "2019-11-18T02:02:16Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Oh gawd! Just stop it! Your schtick gets so tiresome. If by “your schtick” you mean “wondering what people think”, then I’m sorry, I’m not going to “stop it” ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/89 "2019-11-18T02:04:32Z")
I’m a straight, gender-typical white male. I’m pretty sure my thoughts are relevant to this thread. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/90 "2019-11-18T02:06:11Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Paired with the hand-raising in response to whether it should be a crime to so cross the border, then (a) _yes,_ in itself; but also (b) it makes me wonder what the heck _else_ they’re in favor of: if that’s the stuff they shoot their hands up for in public, on live television, when they’re presumably thinking about looking electable, then, yeah, I find myself asking whether they’re fully on-board for open borders but each just manages to keep from saying the _rest_ of the quiet part out loud so far. I understand your concern and I see how you might see it as an action that supports, or even encourages, illegal entry. I can see how you might be inclined to conclude that Democrats and liberals are for open borders. However, I ask you to consider the following: Is it possible that they meant that it would be the right thing to do to provide healthcare to every person, regardless of status, while immigration and illegal flow of people is addressed in a more comprehensive fashion? Refugees in far worse situations around the world are offered a modicum of healthcare. Much of that aid is provided by America, using our tax dollars. Would it be such a travesty to offer healthcare to those who entered the US illegally? Are we not better as a society if we care for those most vulnerable among us? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/91 "2019-11-18T02:07:19Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > If by “your schtick” you mean “wondering what people think”, then I’m sorry, I’m not going to “stop it” No, actually, that’s not what I mean. Try again? ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/92 "2019-11-18T02:09:22Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > No, actually, that’s not what I mean. Try again? Sorry, I’m not going to guess. Why don’t you just tell me? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/93 "2019-11-18T02:19:28Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > That does seem pretty bad. Did he order the drone execution of an American citizen? Did he commute the sentence of a traitor? > > How should a person weigh your accusations against some things that really happened? For a change, it would be refreshing to hear an argument that didn’t start with, ‘What about Obama and/or Clinton.’ Not in an effort of absolving anything they may have done wrong, but just to see if there is a valid argument to be made in defense of Trump’s actions. Is that too much to ask? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/94 "2019-11-18T02:23:17Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > If by “your schtick” you mean “wondering what people think”, then I’m sorry, I’m not going to “stop it” > [@Slash1972](#): > > Sorry, I’m not going to guess. Why don’t you just tell me? Why would I need to tell _you_ what _your_ routine is? You and pretty much every-single-poster who posts and lurks here knows how you like to perform as a poster. ETA: Oh yeah, 🙂 ETA 2: To the OP, sorry for the hijack. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/95 "2019-11-18T02:25:35Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > For a change, it would be refreshing to hear an argument that didn’t start with, ‘What about Obama and/or Clinton.’ Not in an effort of absolving anything they may have done wrong, but just to see if there is a valid argument to be made in defense of Trump’s actions. Is that too much to ask? Sure. “I don’t care what Trump says on Twitter. I don’t care what he says on a campaign rally. I don’t care what he did in his past, because if it was illegal, he’d have been arrested. I don’t care about what you think is moral. I don’t care if you hate him” Does that help? ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/96 "2019-11-18T02:27:26Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Why would I need to tell _you_ what _your_ routine is? You and pretty much every-single-poster who posts and lurks here knows how you like to perform as a poster. Wow! People know how I like to perform as a poster? That’s pretty amusing to me. I can’t believe that people know how I post. That’s cool! ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/97 "2019-11-18T02:39:13Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > That does seem pretty bad. Did he order the drone execution of an American citizen? Did he commute the sentence of a traitor? > > How should a person weigh your accusations against some things that really happened? Those are valid criticisms, so are criticisms of Bill Clintons sexual behavior. But my point is that on the left we’re aware of these issues. Some of the biggest criticisms of Obama’s drone wars or his war on whistleblowers came from the left. It seems the right doesn’t even consciously register Trump’s failings. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/98 "2019-11-18T03:11:02Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Sure. “I don’t care what Trump says on Twitter. I don’t care what he says on a campaign rally. I don’t care what he did in his past, because if it was illegal, he’d have been arrested. I don’t care about what you think is moral. I don’t care if you hate him” > > Does that help? I appreciate the candor. But just to make sure I’ve understood you: It’s not that you don’t think he’s done some questionable, possibly illegal, things. It’s that you, “don’t care”. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/99 "2019-11-18T03:26:08Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > It’s sad that I have to state that I’m a straight white male before I address my confusion; but are these people anarchist? Are they trolling the world at the expense of our reputation and environment and our civility? > > Sure, some prominent left leaning pundits, and internet personalities have, in my opinion and admitted bias, look silly in arguing for things like avoiding the term “guys” when addressing people in general, for example. But… I know a lot of progressive, LGBTQ+ folks and progressive women that don’t care about that stuff right now. > > Actually, it’s not so much that it’s even that silly to me. I NEVER say ‘guys’ unless it’s followed up by ‘gals’ afterwards. It’s just bad timing right now. It’s like… Don’t feed the trolls so you don’t find a list of videos saying how stupid it is on your YouTube feed. > > Overall I’m progressive. I’ve been upper middle class and poor, so maybe that has something to do with it. But even though I’m poor, I understand that I’m still afforded some privileges, and even more so when I was growing up. Actually, maybe I’ve been a prime candidate for the right-wing movement because I’ve had misfortunes and I’m white. But, I still can’t see it their way. I don’t have kids; Why do I care about the environment? I can’t get laid, for Christ sake, but I still believe in consent and women’s issues. > > Anyway, I just don’t understand anyone who hasn’t jumped off the Trump bandwagon. And I don’t understand why whites are scared of be “replaced”. I’m scared shitless when a cop pulls me over with his gun five inches from my head - I can’t even imagine being black and in that situation. > > Sadly, it’s not just males, but females as well… Though I think more women have wised up than men. Why don’t these people understand? Is it that they lack empathy? > > Or is it me? > > Am I ignorant? It’s really not that hard to realize that different people have different points of view. Look at religious history for a sample. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500/100 "2019-11-18T03:31:40Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I don’t understand how people can support such a disgusting, incompetent, and ignorant piece of shit just to get policies they favor. It’s called… politics. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-cisgendered-white-male-here-and-i-truly-dont-understand-alt-right-and-trump-supporters/843500.md?page=6)