Brooding Parasite

Artwork by Michael DiMilo

The brown-headed cowbird has a notorious reputation as a brood parasite, a bird that relies on other species to raise its own young. A cowbird will find a host nest, destroy or evict one of the original resident’s eggs, and replace it with one of her own. The host bird will then unsuspectingly raise the fledgling as her own. The fledgling intruder grows more quickly than the other youngsters, demanding more of the food supply and sometimes crowding out its brothers and sisters. 

            There are a number of these parasite bird species. They crowd out legitimate members of the host brood, suck up resources intended for others, and sometimes kill their adopted nest mates. In what has been termed “mafia behavior” by ornithologists, if the mother cowbird returns to an invaded nest and finds her own egg removed or destroyed, she will destroy or eat the other eggs as an act of retribution. 

            Another parasite has snuck into our midst recently, masquerading as a public servant, a man of the people, an avatar of democratic principles, and a candidate who would “Make American Great Again.” He fooled us all, manipulating himself into a niche into which he does not belong.  He is none of the things he claims he is. He is an impostor, a huckster. He is taking up space, crowding out those who do belong, and selfishly helping himself to all he can take. He is a glutton, he is a bully, and—at times—he does not seem like one of our own species. He is, of course, the President of the United States. 

            Donald Trump exhibits none of the characteristics associated with effective leadership. He is not intelligent, he is not empathetic, he has no sense of history or community, and he is completely and almost unspeakably selfish. He is boorish, cruel, and racist. He is a misogynist. He lies like other people eat, and he eats like other people breathe. He is an alleged sexual predator. He has engaged in questionable, or what might allegedly be called treasonous, behavior by encouraging foreign nations to interfere U.S. elections. He is not a decent man. And we all know it.

            So all of this begs the question: how did he get there? Why is this creature sitting in the Oval Office fluffing up his feathers? Somehow this charlatan co-opted the democratic principles on which our country is based. How? Was it all the result of a perfect storm of election night factors, national temperament, and luck? Was it Hillary? Or is there something deeply entrenched in the American psyche that allowed, or even encouraged, this man’s rise to power? And why are we letting him get away with the lies, the cover-ups, the fraud, and all his other sundry criminal activities?

            Our country is based (still) on the democratic principles outlined in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Embedded in these principles are the maxims of fair-mindedness, equality, and justice. This is what America is supposed to be all about. But alongside this belief is a stubborn respect for authoritarianism. 

            A significant portion of the American political spectrum, usually conservative, has always evinced a strong belief in fixed social values: traditional marriage, the nuclear family, and strong religious values. But post-2016 the political climate has, according to the New York Times, encouraged “an authoritarian moment.” The article cites an upcoming work by political scientists Christopher Federico, Stanley Feldman, and Christopher Weber, that states, 

“Three trends — polarization, media change, and the rise of what many people see as threats to the traditional social order — have contributed to a growing divide within American politics. It is a divide between those who place heavy value on social order and cohesion relative to those who value personal autonomy and independence.”

            In other words, Trump has, either by blind luck or design, exacerbated this American authoritarian streak. A part of this is due to the political atmosphere; another part of it is due to Trump himself. Some of his followers admire his brashness, his willingness to speak his mind, and to do whatever he pleases, to brag he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and still get elected. 

            When he denigrates the free press, marginalizes minorities, creates false crises, exercises flagrant nepotism, breaks the rule of law, and distorts or recreates the truth, Trump exemplifies the classic traits of an authoritarian ruler. And he has done of all the above and more. Now he is talking about staying on past his duly elected term. 

            Why, when faced with this laundry list of alleged crimes, cover-ups, and misbehaviors, do other branches of the American government do nothing to check this president’s power? Why has the Senate not censured this man for alleged criminal and civil violations? Why isn’t there more of an outcry within the Republican party for his utter lack of decency? 

            Our government is predicated on the rule of law. Most of our public servants understand that it is the glue that holds our country together and respect the offices and the powers of each office even more than the people actually inhabiting them. In his now famous report, Robert Mueller implied that Trump had engaged in a cover-up, but because of the rule of law, he could not indict a sitting president. That is respect for our Constitution and our courts. 

            The Republican Party has a vested interest in keeping a representative of their party in the White House, so much so that they are willing to shrug and look the other way during his shenanigans. Besides, he has furthered their agenda, helping to pass a huge tax break for the ultra-rich and to nominate two conservative (and under-qualified) Supreme Court justices. 

            Some Democrats find their hands tied by their own liberal leanings. Part of the liberal philosophy empathizes understanding, equity, and inclusiveness, all of which are in some degree of opposition to the authoritarian mode of thinking. Authoritarian thinkers don’t want inclusion; they want to be safe. They don’t want to empathize; they want their fair share. They don’t want fairness; they want security.

            Understanding an authoritarian is like trying to fathom how that big ugly fat bird got into your nest. He eats all the food, beats up his brothers and sisters, and keeps making that annoying tweeting noise. He won’t share, can’t be reasoned with, and won’t tell you who he really is or where he comes from. You’ve tried everything you can to help, but he’s ruining your home. The only thing left to do is to kick him out. 

            Kick him out.