Like most of us, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the thousands of President Trump supporters who violently attacked our United States Capitol. Today, I find myself thinking of Vincent Bugliosi, the attorney who made history for successfully prosecuting the infamous Charles Manson and shared his story in his book, Helter Skelter.
Vincent made history because never before had a cult leader been held accountable for a murder he did not directly commit but who had directed others to commit it for him through the sheer power of his mind-control over his cult members. Unfortunately, Vincent is no longer with us to prosecute Trump for using mind-control to incite the insurrection at the Capitol. However, I'm sure this task would be a no-brainer for a savvy attorney today. The evidence of Trump inciting a mind-controlled mob to commit treason would be virtually in the palm of the attorney’s hands--so easy to gather from all the Trump videos and tweets and his correspondence with QAnon, a cult in itself that sees Trump as their godsend.
In a way, Vincent Bugliosi is still with us. The Charles Manson case set a precedent for the possibility of convicting a cult leader for the actions of his cult members. I hope the prosecuting attorneys on today’s insurrection case are wise enough to notice its parallel to the Charles Manson case and consider using the precedent set by the Manson case for their legal strategy. I pray they succeed in protecting Americans from further influence from Trump and the QAnon cult and not limit their criminal charges to the mind-controlled mob who nearly destroyed every shred of any chance of having a democracy in this nation, not to mention the people who died or who were injured.
I was fortunate to have met Vincent Bugliosi and to have had a long walk and talk with him. I found him to be the very definition a good and brave man who risked his own and his family's lives for justice. Even after Manson was convicted, members of his cult who remained outside the prison walls continued to threaten Vincent and his family for much of the remainder of his life. He had to hire body guards to protect himself and his family. However, by placing Manson and some of his key followers who committed the murder in prison, he was able to significantly reduce the power of Manson’s influence and thereby protect the rest of us.
Imagine, if you will, how the Manson cult could have grown in influence had the internet been available to them. How many thousands of Americans could they have influenced and eventually persuaded to commit endless heinous crimes?
The recent events on Capitol Hill demand that we reflect on the nature of idealism and how cult leaders manipulate people into blindly following their commands without a second thought, believing their cause justifies any means, including violent assaults on others. As I write this, I cannot help but question, is this not also true in war of any kind and anywhere in the world, with troops on both sides convinced they are the good guys and their cause justifies any means? And isn’t is also true that to persuade soldiers to kill the bad guys, they must first be convinced the bad guys are somehow less human and not worthy of life?
We are now learning that among the mob that attacked the Capitol, were people touting racist and Nazi slogans on their T-Shirts, Trump flags in place of the United States flag or together with the United States flag, the Confederate flag, Trump campaign hats, and banners waving around the name, “Jesus.” They apparently believe that “making America great again” means making the United States a nation of only white people who are favored by their idea of Jesus who, like themselves, sees non-white people as inferior and worthless.
Their alleged reason for their insurrection, however, was the belief that the presidential election had been stolen from President Trump, and they were there to defend democracy. However, to outsiders looking in, it appears their real reason was to make Trump a dictator who would support their ideal of a purely white America, and then only those white people who agreed with their incoherent blend of Nazi, racist, and so-called “Christian” beliefs, which is so ironic considering Jesus was a Jew. But ideals don’t have to make sense, apparently. Hitler thought he was a Christian too, never acknowledging the fact that Jesus was a Jew, but if Jesus had been in Germany at that time, the Nazis would have killed him. I guess “Christianity” and Jesus are not always compatible.
If the real reason for the Trump insurgence was to create an exclusively white America to be ruled by their god-ordained dictator, Trump, then showing the insurgents all the facts that prove the presidential election was not rigged, would be futile. Defending democracy was their excuse for attacking the Capitol, not the actual reason. They don’t want democracy; they want all the power and all the privilege, and they believe they can have that under the leadership of their god-ordained dictator.
The heart of idealism is a conviction or set of convictions, true or false, right or wrong, that drives our choices, behaviors, and goals. Even the worst of tyrants such as Hitler had their strong convictions. How are convictions formed? Some might be rooted in fear or the delusions of narcissism. Some might come from the desire for the approval of one’s family or peers. Some might come from the desire to live in a world in which everyone is the same because birds of a feather enjoy flocking together more than birds who are not of the same culture or beliefs.
Some convictions are rooted in empathy and a natural inclination to feel others’ pain and joy. People who have empathy believe their own sense of wellbeing is intertwined with the wellbeing of others. Therefore, their ideal world is one in which everyone wins, and people of all races, genders, and cultures co-exist peacefully. Diversity is not a threat to them, nor is sharing power, which, to them, is the same as sharing food at a potluck community dinner. Theirs' is the conviction of love, and if they believe in a God, their God would be an all-inclusive and loving entity, and if they follow Jesus, they follow his call to treat others with equal respect and kindness. Whether or not anyone believes Jesus was the Messiah is irrelevant to people whose empathy shows them that love and its natural egalitarian values are all that matter. They have no need to feel superior to others. Rather, they enjoy feeling connected in ways that harm no one and everyone can feel welcomed. Personally, I share these ideals, but I recognize that to build this kind of society would require others living here to also possess these ideals, which, are the ideals of democracy.
The only thing that is clear to me from witnessing the recent insurrection at our nation’s capitol is we, the people, will not be able to achieve an authentic and sustainable democracy until the vast majority of citizens share the same ideals and convictions that are the foundation of democracy. In this extremely divided nation, I don’t know how having the same ideals that support democracy could ever happen. Maybe love is the answer, even loving our enemies, which might be worth a try. I believe in love, but I also believe we need to protect ourselves from those who don’t. It’s not an easy challenge. I guess my suggestion is to pray and be kind whenever possible, but run like a Cheetah from anyone who would prefer to have you for lunch than to be your friend. Be careful who you trust. There are those who will tell you exactly what you want to hear, but that could just be the bait to catch you and make you their prey. By their behaviors you can know them, not by their words. People who regularly mistreat or disrespect others are probably not the good guys. Beware, but have faith in yourself and in your own inner voice and instincts. It also helps to verify your sources of information and question whether the information really makes sense, rings true, or feels completely false.
May God, the one who loves us all, bless America.
Photo Credit: Michele Orallo
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