The right's hatred of AOC isn't just racism and sexism: It sums up the entire toxic Trump era

[marmar]

The right's hatred of AOC isn't just racism and sexism: It sums up the entire toxic Trump era
All the right-wing paranoia that led to Trump and Jan. 6 is visible in the exaggerated hatred for one woman

By CHAUNCEY DEVEGA
FEBRUARY 11, 2021 11:00AM


(Salon) Last week, on the verge of Donald Trump's second impeachment trial, Republicans and their hate media launched a coordinated attack on Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York progressive Democrat. Why? Because she publicly shared the emotional trauma that she and many others suffered during and after the Jan. 6 mob attack on the Capitol — and because she compared that to her personal history as a survivor of sexual assault.

As Salon's Amanda Marcotte observed, the "targets of right-wing mockery aren't usually people traumatized by car accidents or combat experiences, but people whose trauma is politically uncomfortable for conservatives." Such mockery is often "leveraged against victims of sexual violence, as happened when Donald Trump made fun of Christine Blasey Ford for her story of being sexually assaulted by now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh." Marcotte continued:

Mostly, conservatives who engage in victim-mockery tend to keep it in their own spaces (Trump attacked Ford at a rally, not a press conference) where they can high-five each other for their abusive behavior without drawing the attention of others who rightfully will be grossed out by it. But after the Capitol insurrection of January 6, this habit of reflexively mocking and denying the pain of trauma victims is being rolled out for a more national audience, as Republicans frantically try to minimize the violence of that day, looking to deflect from their own complicity in both causing and excusing it.

After Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., took to Instagram to detail her horrific experiences during the insurrection, the right-wing noise machine moved into action, deploying the usual sexist stereotypes about hysterical, manipulative, deceitful women typically employed to discredit victims of rape or sexual harassment.

These most recent attacks on Ocasio-Cortez — a favorite punching-bag of the right ever since she came to national prominence — are more than an example of bullying, crude and antisocial behavior. They are an illustration of how today's Republican Party has already embraced the worst kind of political deviance, and a warning of the even more extreme fascist and authoritarian dangers to come.

....(snip)....

The annihilation of emotion. Fascism in its various forms involves destroying the capacity for targeted groups (the enemy Other) to experience any emotions other than fear. Chronic fear in turn creates a state of learned helplessness and lack of resistance. .......(more)

https://www.salon.com/2021/02/11/the-rights-hatred-of-aoc-isnt-just-racism-and-sexism-it-sums-up-the-entire-toxic-trump-era/

[NewDayOranges]

1. The Right recognizes the potential in AOC...

She may be the next Hillary Clinton. Conservative voices are pre-emptively smearing her to create the "divisive" history with which they saddled Hillary Clinton...

[Wellstone ruled]

2. Learned years ago

while Canvassing for local Dem Candidates. Got first hand in your face Raciest hate response from people in certain neighborhoods. They down right hated the idea of a female of Color becoming a elected official with power.

Probably did not hear all the spew,after a while you just tune them out until they slam the door in your face or call the Cops.

[Nitram]

3. I don't think I've seen the same treatment of Harris by conservatives. Could it be that AOC

pushes their buttons because she speaks so honestly and straight about the injustices she sees and experiences?