This message was self-deleted by its author

[Hortensis]

17. No. Many have developed a mental dysfunction, but

not one considered by most to be an actual illness. More of a disorder. Like Trump's but less disabling.

They HAVE been corrupted by mind-benders who have encouraged them over the past 40 years to abandon traditional political ideology and adopt more and more extreme replacement ideology. The one overriding belief most share is that the Democrats must be stopped.

Studies in psychology have shown again and again that "normal" people can and do become extremists by association with increasingly extreme ideas and groups. The groups themselves typically also become more and more extreme. We are living the result of feeding a receptive population increasingly extreme beliefs over decades.

For many, those beliefs are rock hard by now. They long ago adopted basic frames of belief that are wholly or partially false, and on those bases over the years have built whole belief structures of lies piled on lies.

When they read a respected journal that contradicts those basic frames, just like any of us, they have no need to read further--they KNOW the article is false and the journal corrupt. Just as any of us would if we started to read an article explaining the detailed machinations by which the Clinton had over 60, and perhaps twice that many, people murdered.

It would literally take professional counseling to bring most of them back to reality. And they don't want to be brought back. But they're not mentally ill.