“But that fight is really about destroying this country, and has little to do with racism at all”
Exactly. And not so much destroying the country, but rather specifically destroying the self-governing aspect of the country.
The American Dream of a truly free and self-governing people rests not only in the government structure (three seperate branches of government, the constitution, the electoral process) but also in the non-government institutions - freedom of religion, and free enterprise.
While the founders intended for those values to shape the government and not the other way around, it hasn’t always turned out that way.
Tyrants and tyrant wannabe’s hate our overriding sense of individual freedom - it undercuts all of their justifications for the authoritarian government they wish to impose and control.
The way they attack the Republic is to attack the very concept of individual freedom that is its foundation. The way they do that is to discredit it by pointing to its supposed failures.
Their argument is always the same - it’s the Marxist argument that says individuals are selfish and evil when left in freedom to govern themselves. The strong take from the weak and there is inequality. The weak get weaker and the strong amass more power. Unrestrained, individuals will plunder the very planet until its resources are exhausted, all manner of species are extinct and the atmosphere is contaminated.
What better way is there to demonstrate this than to point to wealth inequality, and better yet, to ascribe a motive even more sinister than greed, namely racial contempt?
Is it not true that wealth inequality exists, and that there are racial correlations? Is it not true that people are proud of their heritage? Is it not true that men are part of nature and naturally will fight and compete for their families’ survival?
The part that’s a lie is that an authoritarian government would somehow be more enlightened, more selfless, more restrained. There is nothing in history that bears that out - the opposite is true: power corrupts.
Yes, we’re imperfect, but as self-governing individuals we will fare far better than as subjects of an oversized central government.
If Trump tries to drain the swamp (shrink the government) and deregulate (return the power to the individual) the deep state (the swamp) will fight back - with charges of racism, climate change denial, white privilege - it should come as no surprise - it’s what they do - it’s right out of the Marxist playbook.
Isn’t that the same as destroying the country? In my mind it is. I wouldn’t be surprised if or when successful, they even rename the country.