Cults, MAGA and Hannibal Lecter’s Barbecue

Is it an insult to call Donald Trump's movement a cult?

Is it an insult to all Donald Trump voters to say that his MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement is a personality cult? It should not be taken as one. 

Saying that MAGA is a personality cult is not the same thing as saying all Trump voters are cult members. Trump’s potential voters show a range of commitment levels to his candidacy: “single-issue” voters, long-time loyal Conservatives as well as MAGA true believers. Individual experiences will vary. 

By analogy, let’s say Hannibal Lecter invites people to a barbecue he’s hosting in the park. People may attend his barbecue with different motivations and expectations. Some may come just to meet others from the neighborhood. Some may come to discuss psychiatry with Dr. Lector and his professional friends. Vegetarians might come just because they like his fava beans. And some may come because they are actually cannibals. Yet they may all be serving Lecter’s interests in promoting cannibalism or finding new victims.

Now, are all the attendees cannibals? No – some are even vegetarians! Do most have good intentions? Probably. Would everyone feel afterward that they had attended a cannibal barbecue? Probably not (Note: I have no idea why Trump has mentioned Hannibal Lecter in his speeches).

So it is with Trump’s voting coalition. Not everyone who votes for Trump will think of MAGA as a cult, nor themselves show the traits of cult members. Some have always voted Republican. Others have a single issue that compels them to vote for Trump. Some may have systematically looked at Trump’s policies, and decided they like these more than they like Trump’s personality. Some may simply find Trump’s rallies fun. Others are true believers in most everything Trump says, who will think they are part of something patriotic and important.

But here’s the rub (pun intended). Just like the vegetarians who go to Lecter’s barbecue, if MAGA is a cult, Trump voters are supporting it. They are lending legitimacy to it by their presence. They are increasing the chances of a personality cult once again running the US government. They are voting for the chaos that Trump, the cult leader, will bring. They are empowering people who could cause another January 6, or worse. Like Lecter’s barbecue, by showing up, they are increasing the chances other people will be harmed. Voters should consider this. 

Also remember: If you get invited to Hannibal Lecter’s barbecue, don’t forget to pay attention to what’s on the grill.