this post was submitted on 11 Sep 2024

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Are there previous historical examples of cult-like followings of US political candidates? (lemmy.sdf.org)

submitted 3 months ago by [email protected] to c/asklemmy

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(This post was intended for [email protected], but as it seems they don't allow text posts, I'm posting it here)

This post will likely not go over well with everyone and some people may not agree with the premise of the question. Mods please remove if not allowed.

I am curious if the MAGA-esque approach to politics is new for the US, or if there have been other examples of similar political movements which may be considered "cult-like". To better define what I mean, here are some examples:

Large amounts of signs bearing a candidate's name being shown by single individuals (e.g. big trucks covered in Trump signs everywhere)
Use of a candidate name over the US flag
Use of a kind of supporter uniform (e.g. the red MAGA hat)
The "alternative facts" of MAGA, where debate can be impossible because supporters believe anyone who is a detractor must be lying
In some cases, voter intimidation or coercion from staunch supporters

It seems to me that some of this is new but I'd love to hear other thoughts. I have heard and seen many relatively obvious parallels to German politics in the 20s-40s, but I'm specifically wondering if anything similar has ever been seen in the US before.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Every election within my life has been a battle between "Literal Reincarnation of Jesus" supporters and "If you don't vote for The Party, we will put your photo in the Two Minutes of Hate for being a fascist" supporters.

That should tell you what you need to know.

[–] Anticorp 12 points 3 months ago (1 children)

How old are you, if you don't mind me asking? Because elections were not like this when I was younger. I'm middle-aged.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

A gentleman doesn't ask, and a lady doesn't tell. I'm too old to think fascism's new, but too young to remember its last go round

[–] Anticorp 8 points 3 months ago

That's quite the range.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I guess that depends on your age. Even for some of the most contested elections in my lifetime (e.g. Bush v Gore 2000), supporters of either side did not have the kind of rabid quality that so many have now.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago

Having lived in the Deep South at that time, I can assure you that there were definitely Bush stans who treated him like Maga treats Trump. The main difference was that they hadn't found a global network of support that could be broadcast to the public 24/7

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago

I remember logging into BBS systems in the 90's and seeing a lot of hate for the Clintons. This was in St. Louis, a fairly blue city, but surrounded by red (the rest of MO as well as southern IL)