By the End of Summer, Trump will Co-Opt the Thin Blue American Flag
The loyalty of his base will continue to frustrate and shock media pundits and conscientious citizens. To shore up his reelection, he’ll use the thin blue line flag to promote one single theme: law and order.
When protestors were dispersed in front of St. John’s church near the White House, it provided the means for Trump to send a message. Tear gas canisters dispersed a large crowd before he held a bible high in his hand.
The symbol of President Trump doing so sent an unspoken message to his base about where his loyalty rests. This took place when the George Floyd protests accelerated across the country. The speed of Trump’s decision process astounded many local D.C. officials tasked with providing citizens the opportunity to express their first amendment rights. Even Trump’s own Defense Secretary, Mark T. Esper, distanced himself from the chaos that ensued several days later.
The protests we have seen, and calls for justice, will continue in the weeks and months to come. Video will capture new examples of injustice, for better and worse as media outlets have the power to distort and magnify a storyline to serve their own needs: i.e. to drive higher viewership and ratings.
This will create a narrative to the President’s disliking: weakness, chaos, and an overall lack of law and order.
Donald Trump will feel compelled to send another “message,” and it may take place smack dab in the middle of the Democratic National Convention. It may come sooner if protestors galvanize themselves in front of the White House.
Donald Trump will opt to fly the thin blue line American Flag atop The White House. It will represent the first time in American history a President has chosen a flag other than Old Glory and it will further divide the nation. There will be an outcry from elected officials and established leaders for Trump to remove it.
‘Law and order’ will represent Trump’s message throughout the Summer and lead-up to the election. This theme represents his best chance to win reelection so he will co-opt the thin blue American Flag, like the Tea Party and White Supremists did with the Gadsden and Betsy Ross flags, respectively.
And in true Trumpian fashion, the media world will go crazy trying to interpret this new “message.”
The term, “law and order,” was a catch phrase used extensively by Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon during the 1960s to cater to the electorate’s desire to fight crime. It goes back further in history, but regarding the current election cycle, it will again be used to speak to the “silent majority.” This phrase is associated with citizens who live in a free society but opt not to publicly display their opinions. As Nixon did, he spoke to these constituents by emphasizing the phrase, “law and order” when the Vietnam protests continued unabated for years. He emphasized strength during an era of national peril and disunion, which is not unlike what we are seeing today.
For Trump to win, he will have to do the same, and he will appeal to these same constituents. He will wave the thin blue flag atop The White House, perhaps only for a few brief hours, to shore up his base and appeal to Americans who want the protests and chaos to end.
He will position himself as the only candidate who can restore order, despite the fact that to the rest of the world, he represents both the arsonist and the firefighter.
He’ll continue to use Twitter to distract his opponents and sow chaos with one hand, while his other hand communicates in a manner that appeals to his base and to the silent majority.
On the surface, one may feel powerless to confront and identify this kind of manipulation. There are countries that would like nothing more for America to step down from the world stage and be humbled. It begs the question, what can the average American do to confront this abuse of power?
The answer — demand the facts. Hold elected officials responsible, in town halls, letters, and emails, to either clarify their loyalty to the Constitution or to Trump himself. Chose to engage with reputable media outlets that deliver news, not opinions, in order to form a balanced point of view. Social media outlets that do not provide fact-checking on a candidate’s platform are not worth our time and involvement: close your account and note why you’re doing so.
And lastly, assume the worst when a President has to communicate in unspoken terms. The most powerful person in the world, a leader with access to nuclear codes, the military, and the oval office, should possess enough competence to speak plainly and honestly to all Americans.
