TAT readers,
I want to offer a short and succinct look at one of the new, cruel Trumpian EOs/ Executive orders, the one regarding the 14th Amendment and birthright citizenship. It was one of the 200 or so he signed yesterday. Most, like the birthright citizenship issue, are little more than comic book worthy, cartoonish EOs. I will get around to several of these orders in time but will today take just a simple and highly critical view of Trump’s 14th Amendment actions.
To start with, Thomas Jefferson, one of our most prominent founders and a brilliant scholar philosopher, was quite clear about ordinary citizens being able to read and understand the law of the land. In the case of the 14th Amendment, it is quite clear, concise and in many ways, a threat to Trump and his cruel agenda regarding immigration.
Here is the text of the 14th Amendment and I am willing to bet, that no one should be confused as to its meaning.
Section 1
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Section 2
Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.
Section 3
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Section 4
The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.
Section 5
The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
As I wrote yesterday, Trump is a malignant narcissist. This is a personality disorder considered incurable and with the defining traits becoming more pronounced over time and with an increase in status and power for the individual. Trump is now older, has suffered few true consequences and has all of the power imaginable to most. Narcissists will always want more. In the following points from the magazine, Simply Psychology, are a couple of the most troubling traits, especially in regard to how he sees the world and other human beings, his victims.
1. Grandiosity, Superiority, and Entitlement
In line with the DSM-5 criteria of NPD, malignant narcissists have a grandiose sense of self. They are preoccupied with fantasies of their superiority, intelligence, success, power, and attractiveness.
2. Interpersonal Exploitativeness and Lack of Empathy
Malignant narcissists have a limited ability to understand or empathize with the feelings and needs of others – unless they see some kind of self-serving value in the other. In their eyes, other people serve a function but do not hold any intrinsic worth.
3. Machiavellian Goal-Pursuit
To a malignant narcissist, it is a dog-eat-dog world in which there are only winners (predators) and losers (prey) with nothing in between. In their eyes, the end justifies the means, so they will manipulate, exploit, and deceive to accomplish their goals.
They are often pathological liars, telling fanciful stories of their achievements and ruthlessly lying about their true intentions.
4. Shallow Relationships and Intellect
Although they may successfully love bomb and seduce others to fall for them, they are incapable of having deep and intimate relationships. They will only love and care for someone else if that person can fulfill their narcissistic needs. But once they have fulfilled a purpose, they are devalued and discarded.
According to psychologists, malignant narcissists harbor deep feelings of inferiority, boredom, alienation, and emptiness beneath their grandiose façade.
They might portray themselves as extraordinary and impressive, but in reality, they are shallow and worthless.
5. Antisocial Traits
Although malignant narcissists do not necessarily meet the DSM criteria to be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder, they possess many of the same features.
These include
Failure to conform to social norms
Repeatedly engaging in criminal behavior
Deceitfulness (e.g., lying, using aliases, conning others for personal profit or pleasure)
Impulsivity/ inability to plan ahead
Irritability and aggressiveness (often physical violence)
Recklessness and disregard for others’ and their own safety
Failure to sustain consistent work and responsibilities
Lack of remorse
Rationalizing their malicious behavior
6. Aggression and Sadism
A key feature of malignant narcissism is sadism – the disposition to derive pleasure from inflicting pain or suffering onto others.
They may engage in emotional, verbal, or physical abuse, relishing in the control they exert over their victims. They might fantasize about hurting other people or causing others psychological pain. Some may engage in consensual or nonconsensual sadistic sexual activities.
Malignant narcissists view their sadistic tendencies positively and believe they have the right to hurt people.
Additionally, malignant narcissism, like all forms of narcissism, is associated with high levels of aggression. Malignant narcissists are extremely sensitive to criticism, so if they perceive a threat or challenge to their dominance, superiority, or grandiosity, they will become enraged.
Their entitled and sadistic nature means they aim to psychologically and/ or physically punish the person who “betrayed” them.
7. Paranoia
According to Otto Kernberg, the malignant narcissist’s paranoia is the cause of their inflated sense of self. Because they believe that others cannot be trusted and the world is a hostile place, they must protect themselves by exploiting their own grandiosity and superiority.
Kernberg also suggests that they project the unresolved hatred they feel for themselves onto others, consequently mistreating and/ or dismissing them.
If you combine the clarity of the Fourteenth Amendment with Trump’s easily recognized, exploitive personality traits, it is easy to see the potential for enormous and unconstitutional human suffering imposed on to most immigrants. Cruelty is not an American value. A nation of immigrants does not get to break the law, simply to impose cruelty on other human beings, simply because they were born somewhere else. There are laws, both national and international that govern such issues. In theory or until the Chief Justice John Roberts SCOTUS, the US was known as a nation of laws. If we’re talking about American values, Trump and his party, daily demonstrate their ignorance of them.
Yes, we must have comprehensive immigration reform. Both parties have for decades kicked the can down the road, always preferring the issue to be a campaign mainstay. We all know and realize that Trump’s first administration’s border policy was defined by its cruelty. Now he has more power and if you combine that with his malignant narcissism, the US will now be known as a cruel nation, not a compassionate nation of laws. I find this revolting.
Anyone backing Trump’s 14tth Amendment actions is not only backing willful cruelty but are concurrently standing against our constitution. This denies Trump, his henchmen and his voters, any rights to the title, “patriot.”
Okay my friends, I promised short and succinct so off I go to do some chores around the house.
My best for your Tuesday or rather, as good as can be expected with the country run by a cruel dictator and his subservient party.
Paul
