i don’t usually comment on this stuff on ‘wild lemmy’ to this depth,

What is this in reference to?

Okay, so in my minds eye, my comment was really for any scientist/stakeholder with an ongoing specific interest in an ongoing green project or something of that nature.

This context was important, thanks. This definitely work on neocons, because they actually care about this country. Unlike fascists, for whom the nation is just a means of implementing their racism. The issue at the end of the day, is that Trump and his cronies he wants to put in the White House are grifters. They know it’s a scam, so there’s nothing to manipulate on the nationalist side for the actual individuals in power. Trump’s a fascist, he probably does believe in some kind of racial superiority for white people. But he has no loyalty to other white people or any people, only himself.

I agree, its murky at best.

I would say what the people in the MAGA movement classify as MAGA is murky. A lot of Trump’s cabinet picks think they are MAGA, but a lot of MAGA people seem to disagree. Trump is one of elites. He inherited wealth from his dad. If his supporters can spot problems with his cabinet picks why can’t they spot those same problems with him? It’s like the cabinet picks don’t match up with the Trump that lives in their head. Because they definitely match up with the Trump who lives in real life.

I’m definitely uncomfortable classing MAGA as a cult in the traditional sense. Maybe its a movement. My key point here is the strong and continued correlation between Trump voters and Bernie, and AOC voters. This is key in my understanding. It means theres a broad rejection of the status quo.

There’s definitely a desire for populism that rejects the status quo from the electorate. As far as MAGA being a cult, if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, and shoots lasers from a minigun, then it’s a duck with a laser minigun. MAGA has grown to include attributes beyond a cult. It’s a full christo-fascist movement, but it also still contains the elements of a cult within it. Thus it can still be classified as a cult.

Lastly, appeals to nationalism aren’t MAGAs or fascists, or Conservatives, or what-evers exclusive domain. If your proud of where your from, even if its in the most roundabout ways, then you have some nationalism. Don’t let a words bad reputation hold you back from making the place you love somewhere you can be even more proud of, Liberals, leftists, whatevers can be nationalistic to. Use that USA flag of yours in your own ways, theres no need to cede that shit to authoritarians.

That’s the distinction between patriotism and nationalism. Patriotism being a healthy love of one’s country that can include the belief the country has something worthwhile to offer its citizens and the world. Nationalism being an unhealthy and destructive belief in the country’s superiority that excludes a peaceful or cooperative coexistence with the rest of humanity. We can definitely have and many of us do have a sense of patriotism for our country. There’s no sense in letting fascists claim everything good in the world for themselves.