The Thinking ‘Kat: A Kingly Tale
Irony is an overused term these days, but sometimes it’s perfect. One such demonstration of irony can be found in Donald Trump’s birthday parade, which wasted millions of taxpayer dollars for a meagre, poorly-attended display. That however, is not the point.
The irony comes from the president of a country that held a revolution to throw off royal rule, embracing a chest-thumping act of power more suited to a monarch, or a dictator. Trump no doubt hoped the parade would be similar to the pomp and ceremony of the marches that Putin and his ilk have used for decades. He wanted the same ego-stroking, preening demonstration of authority. The parade might have rather miserably failed, but the meaning behind it was clear. This desire stands spectacularly at odds with the founding principles of the USA.
What’s worse, many (not all, not by a long shot, but many) conservatives are rejoicing at this performance. They seem to love the waste of taxpayer money on a parade designed to elevate Trump’s authority and status. This sort of display is usually the domain of royalty and dictators, so why are so many conservatives all for it, all of a sudden? It seems some rather worryingly buy into Trump’s narrative without any critical thought.
In the end though, many Americans – including Republicans and Democrats alike – are furiously against this sort of ceremonial preening. The No Kings protests dwarfed the parade. Whilst Trump’s ego trip met with meagre crowds, confused planning and rude staff, the No Kings protests were attended by as many as 4 million people.
It seems Trump’s efforts to enhance his authority have failed.
