Laura Hollis: Hyperbole, Hysteria and Hatred

Following another school shooting, it’s necessary to examine the role that increasingly intense political, cultural, and social debates play in America.

Politicians have always demonized their opponents, but this has become much worse in recent decades. Political opponents are now being compared to mass-murdering dictators or accused of having malevolent intentions. This leaves the public with a view that a national election will make them hate entire populations, not care for struggling families or leave poor children starving.

Comparatively, nothing can compare to the reaction of Donald Trump’s election, which was mass hysteria. People rioted in the streets of Washington DC and other cities. Why? Trump’s opponents had decided that the usual political hyperbole wasn’t strong enough, and so they had to paint Trump as Satan, who wouldn’t stop until he destroyed democracy along with the country.

Unfortunately, this trend is no longer just confined to politicians or politics; instead, it’s entrenched in society; it’s their donors, supporters, and any voter who votes for them, according to Former President Barrack Obama. In the same regard, Hillary Clinton called Trump supporters “a basket of deplorables.” This trend is even spreading across academics who publish social theories that smear wide sections of society, involving every form of hatred. These theories flow out into the general culture, where they’re made the basis of public policy without the possibility of being questioned or challenged.

Activists have moved beyond rationality to an unreasonable or extreme point. If you don’t overhaul your life according to their computer-generated models of “climate change,” “overpopulation,” and “mass starvation,” they declare that everyone on the planet is going to die. Opposing this theory or resisting the notion that “gender is a social construct” or that a man cannot become a woman (or vice versa) despite the use of pharmaceuticals or surgeries is deemed phobic and something akin to having “blood on your hands.”

The resultant rage from this has created serious problems within society; misunderstandings, or perceived slights are described as “microaggressions.” Due process in campus sexual assault cases is termed “another form of rape,” and the all-purpose rage inflator: “Words are violence,” is also frequently used.

This is not only irresponsible but also dangerous. While politicians and social cynics may not believe in their press packages, large sections of the public buy into what they are being told and react accordingly.

One of the worst aspects of this trend is that some who support the “words are violence” philosophy are so offended by opposing views that they resort to actual violence with alarming frequency. This is particularly prevalent in antifa mobs across various cities who protest against fascism by rioting, breaking windows, burning down buildings, and assaulting innocent civilians. Groups supporting abortion have been reported to vandalize and firebomb crisis pregnancy centers. Conservative speakers are shouted down on college campuses, and some have even been physically attacked.

It’s critical to note that this trend has created manufactured hysteria driven by a combination of mental illness and artificial outrage, which leads people to commit senseless violence. The only person responsible for the recent Covenant School shooting in Nashville is the woman who pulled the trigger. However, the incident appears to have been fuelled by a combination of mental illness and manufactured hysteria. Proper treatment for mental illness is necessary, but manufactured hysteria must stop.

To learn more about Laura Hollis and the works of other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: PublicDomainPictures at Pixabay