Dissident Politics: Jack Smith's filing against DJT's crimes; The psychology of belief in the White Replacement conspiracy

Everyone is reporting about Jack Smith's court filing that lays out DJT's crimes in his 1/6 coup attempt.

In a 165-page legal brief unsealed by a federal judge (albeit with some redactions), the special counsel fleshed out detailed evidence he would use against Trump at trial, if the case ever makes it that far. Smith also presented his arguments for why Trump is not immune from the charges, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling over the summer that granted presidents broad immunity for official acts.

Much of Smith’s brief focused on Trump’s state of mind in the weeks leading up to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Smith described a slew of conversations suggesting that the then-president knew his claims of election fraud were spurious. And Smith laid out evidence that Trump’s sole objective was to stay in power — not, as he and his lawyers have claimed, to exercise legitimate authority over election integrity.

[Trump's] tweet criticizing Pence coincided with one of the most perilous moments of the riot: the precise minute Pence was being evacuated from his Senate office to a loading dock below the Capitol. Rioters had come within 40 feet of where he was sheltering just before this moment.

When Trump was told by an aide of Pence’s evacuation, prosecutors say Trump responded: “So what?”

DJT is clearly an authoritarian kleptocrat and a criminal. In my opinion, he's a traitor. The open question is whether it will matter. Few MAGA rank and file supporters will defect because of this. Few or none of the MAGA elites will change their mind. If DJT is elected next month, he will make the federal law suits simply go away. Even if he is not elected, it is possible that the USSC will protect him by saying that what DJT did was legal because (i) it was not an attempt to overthrow the government, and (ii) was an "official act" that protects DJT from criminal prosecution. His lawyers argue that the 1/6 coup attempt was DJT simply exercising his legitimate authority over "election integrity."

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PsyPost writes:

Belief in “White Replacement” conspiracy linked to

anti-social traits and violence risk

A recent study published in Politics, Groups, and Identities has found that up to one-third of Americans believe in the “White Replacement” conspiracy theory. The study provides evidence that these beliefs are linked to personality traits such as anti-social tendencies, authoritarianism, and negative views toward immigrants, minorities, women, and the political establishment. Surprisingly, however, partisanship and ideology did not significantly predict belief in this conspiracy theory, suggesting that these views transcend typical political divides.

The White Replacement conspiracy theory, often referred to as “White Genocide,” has gained attention in recent years due to its promotion by media figures and political leaders, as well as its association with acts of mass violence. Proponents claim that white people are being systematically replaced by people of color, particularly through immigration policies that favor non-white populations. This idea has been cited as a motivation for multiple violent attacks, including the mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“There have been numerous mass shootings tied to these beliefs. Numerous media personalities, such as Tucker Carlson, have expressed these beliefs,” said study author Joseph Uscinski, a professor of political science at the University of Miami and co-author of Conspiracy Theories: A Primer.

The study found that belief in the White Replacement conspiracy theory was more prevalent than might have been expected. Around one-third of participants agreed with statements suggesting that white people are being intentionally replaced by people of color through the actions of powerful elites. This belief was not confined to any particular racial or ethnic group; both white and non-white respondents expressed similar levels of agreement with these ideas.

The survey also revealed several key psychological and social factors that were associated with belief in the conspiracy theory. People who believed in White Replacement were more likely to score higher on measures of anti-social personality traits, such as narcissism, psychopathy, and a desire for chaos. They were also more likely to express authoritarian views, including a preference for strict social hierarchies and distrust of those outside their group. In terms of social attitudes, believers in White Replacement exhibited stronger negative views toward immigrants, minorities, and women, and expressed higher levels of racial resentment and anti-immigrant sentiment.

If this data is a reasonable description of the reality of public sentiment about the WRC (White Replacement conspiracy), it suggests a deep seated source of non-trivial fear. The fear is not partisan here, it is primal human. Presumably, (i) most of the fear is grounded in bigotry or racism, and (ii) the fear is mostly or completely irrational and exaggerated by authoritarian radical right demagoguery (dark free speech).

This data raises a question. Is it possible that by constant use of dark free speech to enhance feelings of fear, bigotry and racism, that could create a backlash from targeted and dehumanized groups who themselves feel resentful and vengeful of those who vilify them without any good, evidence-based reason? Could the WRC, though false at present, become a self-fulfilling prophecy?

If I were in one of those targeted, dehumanized groups, I would probably feel at least some resentment and maybe even an urge to get some payback if an opportunity presented itself.

But, how big a deal is the belief in the WRC? Apparently, it is a fairly big deal in MAGAlandia and the GOP, and if the data here is accurate, it is a fairly big deal in all of American society:

Q: How common is belief in the White Replacement theory among Trump supporters?

A: Belief in the "White Replacement" conspiracy theory appears to be quite common among Trump supporters and Republicans more broadly, according to recent polling data. A May 2022 Yahoo News/YouGov poll found that 61% of Trump voters believed that "a group of people in this country are trying to replace native-born Americans with immigrants and people of color who share their political views." .... This belief was more prevalent among conservative media viewers, with 45% of One America News Network and Newsmax viewers and 31% of Fox News viewers agreeing.

Researchers note that the White Replacement conspiracy theory has moved from fringe white supremacist circles into mainstream conservative discourse in recent years. High-profile Republican politicians and media figures have promoted versions of the theory, contributing to its wider acceptance among conservative voters.