Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right

by Arlie Russell Hochschild

In speeches to large, excited crowds, over the days to come, Trump tells his fans what he offers them. “I’ve been greedy. I’m a businessman . . . take, take, take. Now I’m going to be greedy for the United States” (wild cheers). He also draws a clear dividing line between Christians, to whom he promises the return of Christian public culture on one hand, and Muslims and protestors holding Black Lives Matter signs on the other. Some protestors he refers to as “bad, bad people. . . . They do nothing . . . you hear that weak voice out there? That’s a protestor. . . . They aren’t protestors. I call them disruptors.” In other speeches Trump said, in reference to a protestor, “I’d like to punch him in the face” (February 23, 2016). “In the good old days they’d have ripped him out of that seat so fast” (February 27, 2016). “Knock the crap out of him, would you? Seriously . . . I promise you I will pay for the legal fees. I promise. I promise” (February 1, 2016). “Some are very violent. . . . Let’s ruin . . . they’re going to ruin . . . the rest of their lives . . . if they want to do this, let them have a big arrest mark. . . . Their lives are going to be ruined. . . . I’ll press charges” (March 13, 2016).