Following the events in Charlottesville, Virginia which with “Public violence and intimidation [unmasked] raw hateful prejudice and resurgent white supremacy”, in this episode of Interchange on WFHB, "The Same Old Hate: The Reactionary Right Rides Again", a divided America under the harsh reality of a Donald Trump presidency is discussed.
The discussion is split into three parts, the first speaking about this idea of the Obama effect as well as speaking about the tea party and Trumps “reactivation” of the Tea Party. The first section of the discussion also speaks about the rise of Donald trump amidst the resurgence of reactionary right politics.
In the second part of the discussion, the conversation turns towards history. Prof. Parker walks a straight line from discussing the clan of the 1920s to the John Burch society and finally the Tea Party. Finally the conversation turns towards the Trump era and the campaign of “Make America Great Again” which Parker describes as “the siren song the reactionary right has been waiting decades to hear”.
The last and final segment speaks on the ideas of nationalism and patriotism in contrasting the two. Prof. Parker speaks on the differences between the two vastly different political modes, stating that they have been long conflated by the Republican Party. The discussion finally leads to how the left must reengage with “the language of patriotism” especially in response to the violent nationalism that was displayed at Charlottesville, Virginia.
Please click here for link to the interview.