Meanwhile in North Korea…
You can't make this stuff up.
I saw some visuals related to this in passing on social media yesterday and thought it might be AI.
Nope!
Via The Independent: Pastor leads wild dedication ceremony for Trump’s giant gold statue at his own golf course.
A towering gold statue of Donald Trump was unveiled at the president’s golf course in Doral, Florida, during an emotionally charged ceremony presided over by an Evangelical pastor.
Placed on a pedestal in a clearing of palm trees, the 22‑foot colossus depicts the president thrusting his fist into the air, echoing his defiant gesture after the attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania.
[…]
“Today at Trump National Doral Miami, we witnessed an unforgettable moment,” Burns wrote on social media before emphasizing that the gilded effigy was not a false idol.
“Let me be clear: this is not a golden calf,” he said. “This statue is a celebration of life. It is a symbol of resilience, freedom, patriotism, strength, and the will power to keep fighting for the future of America.”
This is the kind of thing that, if it were in a movie making fun of Trump, it would seem ham-fisted and over the top. It is almost too cliched to be real.
And yet, here we are.
From Burns’ X account:
They continue to leave no room for doubt that Trump is a gross egotist who wants to be viewed as the Great Leader (and in the gauchest way possible, it would seem).
How anyone can look at this and not see how authoritarian-coded it is is beyond me.
May the felon’s statue suffer the same fate as those of Lenin, Stalin and Saddam.
It’s authoritarian, but it is also idol worship. Jesus Christ, do these people never listen to their own sermons or read the Bible they love to wave around? Did they forget the whole golden calf story? Did they not read far enough into the Ten Commandments to reach number two?
From the Gospel of Reznor: Bow down before the one you serve, you’re going to get what you deserve.
Where is Savonarola when you need him?
Oh, Trump’s supporters absolutely see it. But they don’t think it’s a bad thing. It’s what they want. They are authoritarians who want an authoritarian President.
@Michael Reynolds:
Technicality. It’s not a golden calf, but a golden ass.
@Mikey: I think some do. I honestly don’t think everyone who voted for him, or who will vote Republican in November, does, however.
And I also think that the ability of many GOP voters to ignore this or rationalize it away will continue.
I only hope that a few percentage points here and there either open their eyes, or at least saty home this election cycle.