Donald Trump not only lies vociferously, but he also relies on America's great myths, a vast storehouse of inaccuracies; longstanding, disproven tales; power-protecting falsehoods that are cultural staples about women and sexual contact--what economist Paul Krugman calls the "zombie ideas," dead ideas that won't die.
But Trump's lies are not tall tales or entertaining fantasies; they are designed to land in the dead zones of American belief. Like fish kills and algae blooms, their existence is evidence of waste and irreparable damage; of greed, ego, and entitlement gone awry. Trump's myths are mainly put forward by surrogates. The top five (below) cast blame away from him for situations he created and articulated.
Myth One
The myth of the infinite lie. "I did not assault anyone."
He owns this one! Trump's favorite myth goes back to the way young children first learn to connect ideas, one after the other, as a chain of events. Except for Trump, each link is a lie--not his lie--a lie of his accusers and enemies, a dirty deal, a living hell, crooked and rigged to thwart his efforts at reforming a system in which he once actively participated--but not in the way he is accused of--he never slammed women against the wall, pushed his tongue down their throats, felt up their skirts to grab their vaginas, or ogled naked teenagers--although he admits to the particulars and specifics, as video and audio evidence attests.
The infinite lie breaks events into small parts and details, and ignores the answers. "Why now?" is the infinite question; it ignores the obvious answer: because Trump's bold denial of committing assaults pushed his victims over the edge of their fears; his denial was a second, more egregious assault, a denial of their pain, hurt and worth. They knew his was a haunted, guilty past unworthy of a President or a candidate and the chasm was too great to have a nation's trust.
Trump created the circumstances for the women to come forth and tell their stories. (A common tactic, seen in episodes of "Law And Order;" broadcast a perp's denial and victims come forth in droves!) Now the a media-rich environment makes a visceral connection possible across time and distance because the scars and suppression of assault and rape never, never go away. Trump's denial changed the balance of his victim's silence: they thought, as MIchelle Obama said, "Enough is enough."
Of course, the First Lady's video addressing sexual assault (linked above), one of the most powerful speeches ever given in our history ("I can't move on like this was just a bad dream.") immediately received comments online that furthered the infinite belief she spoke out against, the idea that "you can do anything you want to to a woman." Under the video are comments which I have inter-cut with her remarks:
Melania is a REAL woman. This fake use to be a man. I'm a REALIST and I have the facts!
(Michele Obama: we are drowning in it" "no woman deserves to be treated this way" "this is disgraceful; this is intolerable" )
F**k this n**ger bitch she's friends with Jayz.
The infinite myth denies "basic human decency" through a endless series of lies and myths. It has no limits to its black hole of horrors. It is Trump's favorite weapon and defense for his deplorable conduct. But as Michelle Obama said "strong men don't need to put down women to lift themselves up."
Myth Two
The myth of victim blaming. Beauty is a trigger and I can't control myself.
This myth says either she made me do or she said I did it. Either way, I am not responsible. Add the Trump corollary of denial: "Look at her." "I don't think so." His corollary implies he would do it if she were attractive by his standards; it's a double put down: she lying and too unattractive for her claim to be true.
This myth embodies intimidation and continues the psychological assault against women by making them into objects and valuing their worth by their physical appearance and blames them for their assault.
Myth Three
The myth of the rites of manhood. Men often talk among themselves about sexual assault as a reality or fantasy. Michelle Obama rebuked this claim in her speech. But it has a long history in American thinking.
Trump's son Donald Trump, Jr. cited its mythical claim in a 2013 radio interview: “If you have a guys’ place you have a guys’ place," Trump Jr. said. if you can’t handle some of the basic stuff that’s become a problem in the workforce today, like you don’t belong in the workforce. Like, you should go maybe teach kindergarten.
Hundreds of men have rebuked this myth. Rudy Guiliani and Ben Carson support the myth. It attempts to make reckless words of sexual violation and deeds of pain normal and commonplace.
Myth Four
The myth of female credibility. Every woman's claim has an ulterior motive.
Money, fame, scorn, instability, desire, revenge, obsession, peer pressure, publicity, shame, fear, rejection, neediness, greed are all commonly cited by as reasons why women's statements cannot be believed and lack credibility. Trump's first refutation says he has evidence (which he is still holding despite the firestorm!) to refute the narratives of women who have been his victims. His campaign has offered the full range of reasons cited above.
Myth Five
The myth of misplaced cause.The entire sequence is a coordinated conspiracy. Trump's conspiratorial reach has come full circle and landed again in Mexico--but this time it's not rapists and drug dealers that are destroying American society by breaching the borders, but the world's wealthiest person, Carlos Slim, whose business enterprises account for 40% of Mexico's stock exchange capitalization and 6% of Mexico's annual GDP!
Slim donated to the Clinton's Foundation and also owns shares in the New York Times corporation. Trump has turned this into a trilateral conspiracy. Slim, along with House Speaker Paul Ryan, the Clintons and the New York Times have used vast amounts of money and influence to rig the election for Hillary, Trump insists with every breath and pout.
Trump now is only given an 11% chance of winning the election (according to the New York Times). Slim's donation and share ownership is a sure sign of the establishment carrying out massive, veiled corruption.
This means Jessica Leeds was a plant, her story was created 35 years ago; the Times is media run amok; Slim is angry at Trump's plans to deny trade and immigration with Mexico; Ryan's power is threatened--these bow-wrapped pieces again suggest the grandiose strength and validation that Trump desperately seeks at every turn as he rises and falls.
Why didn't the writer of the twelve year old article in People Magazine mention the "incident" in her story. Because it did not happen!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 13, 2016
I edited the People writer who says Trump groped her. Here's why she didn't speak out. https://t.co/QZtNZjLqHT
— Walter Rhett, Writer (@walterrhett) October 14, 2016
Journalism aside, everyone knows women's silence about assaults and rapes evolve from a sense of isolation, fear, guilt and self blame, shame and depression, diminishment--all feelings common to assault and rape victims. Trump compounds these feelings.
Donald Trump Mocks Women Who Accused Him Of Sexual Assault | Huffington Post https://t.co/6W5SleEBVX
— Walter Rhett, Writer (@walterrhett) October 14, 2016
Trump's evidence of conspiracy is to cast doubt on the timing of the women who suddenly came forward after he publicly denied ever having committed assault--circumstances he created. If he had confessed and refused to name places and times to protect the women involved who were not at fault, he may have weathered the fury and outrage of the admission--that he and his supporters are stoking by defense.
Saying a woman is not attractive is evidence of the kind of disrespect associated with sexual assaults; his defense bears all of the hallmarks of the attitudes and thinking of predators who see women in terms of power and pleasure, especially their abuse.
Trump getting ready to blame Carlos Slim 4 groping allegations. Quite a huge leap & one of total desperation.
— Sam Josephs (@SamJosephsSN) October 14, 2016
Yet Trump is turning the accusations of sexual assault into a grand conspiracy reaching across international borders, involving members of his own party and wealthy men from other nations, and the Clintons. According to him, they are collectively focused stopping his plans to reform government by engineering his defeat.
His description of the effort against him sounds exactly like the effort he is carrying out against Hillary Clinton. Except when he implied she was unfaithful, no one spoke up to say she groped random men or forced kisses on them or spied on nude teenage boys. No one!
In his case, women have come forward! The most recent, Kristen Andersen, a photographer living in California who was living in New York and relaxing in a club with friends when she says Donald Trump touched her vagina (without permission) through her underwear.
"I came forward when I saw the video, " she told the .Washington Post "People say it's nothing. But it sends an awful message to women that they are nothing. I thought, let me back these girls up!" She said Trump had not introduced himself and was groping her on the fly.
His campaign says she's seeking free publicity.
