It‘s Trump's behavior that’s deranged

Dear Editor,

On January 6, 2021, Daniel Rodriguez repeatedly drove a stun gun into the base of police officer Michael Fanone's skull, causing him to lose consciousness and suffer a heart attack.  Rodriguez was sentenced to over 12 years in prison, and the judge called him “a one-man army of hate."

After his blanket pardon of Rodriguez and his fellow cop-beaters, Trump claimed these violent felons did not attack anyone, and that, in fact, they were the ones who had been attacked.  He further stated that pardoning them was "a great thing for humanity."  

In an interview with ABC's Jonathan Karl, Trump even defended the rioters' "Hang Mike Pence!" chants.  

Trump asserted: “Well, the people were very angry. ... It’s common sense, Jon.  It’s common sense that you’re supposed to protect.  How can you, if you know a vote is fraudulent, right, how can you pass on a fraudulent vote to Congress?”

"Trump derangement syndrome" is a term of propaganda coined to discourage criticism of the appalling statements and decisions for which Trump is responsible.

A central tragedy in American politics is the success of figures such as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Vice President JD Vance, in constructing narratives that normalize Trump's egregious behavior.

For example, Johnson claims that Donald Trump should be the leading candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize—a man who boasted that other countries are “kissing my a**,” and who chose as his ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.  Notably, Huckabee has stated  that "there is no such thing as a Palestinian."  

The danger to America lies not in outrage at Trump’s conduct, but in the silence that greets it.

Terry Hansen

Grafton, Wisconsin