When trust in institutions and their ability to regulate is undermined, society becomes fearful, fueled by paranoia and suspicion. The exercise of citizenship depends on a common and neutral basis governed by universal and unchanging principles. without him, without him … The possibility of appealing to a third party that transcends particular interests, blind to the philias and phobias that pervade society, the only thing left is us: tribes, trenches, identities and mafia mutual support pacts.
Politics is crucial for guiding the nation and gathering social demands, moral sensibilities, and options, but it becomes harmful when it goes beyond its mandate and floods neutral territory, institutions that must treat people as individuals rather than as parties. And perhaps there is no more flagrant example of this phenomenon, of politics being naturally allowed to invade areas where it should not, than the words of White House Counsel Ed Martin, who justified the recent pardons of Rudy Giuliani and 77 others involved in the January 2021 coup insurrection: “We will not leave any MAGA behind.”
In doing so, he has proven and made clear the rewards that Trump supporters deserve who are willing to push fiction over fact, break the law, and even resort to violence to meet their leader’s demands. An entire world and political worldview is encapsulated in that phrase, and it goes without saying that anyone who is with Trump is above the law. That’s not all. Also that there is a reward for loyalty, that the organization’s ideological neutrality is a lie, and that there is no way to survive without allies and trenches. As some politicians would like, life is a war to impose truths in our favor and to prove that there are no neutral actors to contradict them.
In another recent statement, Mr. Trump confessed his hatred for his opponents and how much he wished for their destruction. He is not the only president, but he is the one most brazenly aware that he is governing for himself and not for the country as a whole. His statement represents a further blow to the concept of citizenship and a victory for political tribalism. From individuals, we become part of the clients of the powerful, forced MAGA fans, or worse. Please forgive them, because it is the surest way to make a profit. We Latin Americans know that world very well. In this field, it’s more convenient to have a member of Congress or a party bigwig by your side than a competent lawyer. Vulnerable citizens are dependent on the system. Without them, only rifts between people and leaders, cultures, and concerned promises of aid and relief remain.
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