I’ve always been repulsed by flags. I’ve never sung along to a national anthem. I speak Catalan, one of Spain’s minority languages. And in the next World Cup I’ll be rooting for Holland, not Spain, because I’m a fan of their beautiful history of losses. No one would accuse me of being a patriot.
Nevertheless this week, when I heard President Trump say that Spain is a terrible ally and has nothing that the United States needs, when I saw that the leader of the so-called free world was threatening to cut off all trade with Spain, I felt an unusual pride in being Spanish. There is something epic about being on the receiving end of the fury of a tyrant, especially when that fury is brought about by a refusal to be his vassal.
The Spanish government triggered Mr. Trump’s ire after our prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, announced he would not allow the United States to use jointly operated military bases in the war against Iran. Those bases have been America’s to use since 1953, a time when Spain was isolated from the world, living under the dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco. In that era a shameful pact between our countries was sealed: Spain agreed to allow the United States to use military bases on its territory in exchange for money and what was essentially diplomatic recognition of a bloody, repressive regime.
There is a reason this editorial caught my eye. I recently watched the movie "Nuremberg" on Netflix and was struck with two particular scenes. In one, a US Army psychiatrist who was assigned to determine if the Germans accused of war crimes were competent to stand trial asks Hermann Goring what first attracted him to Hitler. Goring said, "He made us feel like Germans again. He told us we can reclaim our former glory." (Something that needs to be understood in the context of what happened to Germany after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.) A light bulb came on..............
MAGA.
Later in the movie while Goring is on the witness stand he is asked if he would follow Hitler again, knowing what he knew then. He answered in the affirmative.
No, I'm not going down the silly road of comparing trump to Hitler. And I'm not implying trump is a fascist, though there are echoes of fascism in what he aspires to for the country.
But I did come away from the movie thinking it was perhaps the best explanation for why trump fans are so devoted to him absolutely, positively, no matter what.
trump makes them feel emotions they like feeling. It could be resentment towards the "elites," anger towards illegal immigrants or anyone comprising "the other," frustration with their circumstances, a feeling of nostalgia for the past, or hatred towards those they believe have taken the US down the wrong path. IMO, only such powerful emotions could have created the permission structure allowing them to dismiss his many, many, MANY, shortcomings. Too many to repeat.
The movie concludes with the psychiatrist doing a radio interview about the book he wrote based on his observations. Citing his belief what happened with the citizenry of Germany could happen anywhere. He's been proven to be correct.
