President Gollum J Trump
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| RJ Matson/CQ Roll Call |
This political cartoon invaded my brain not too long ago. I've played host to it ever since. RJ Matson hit the nail on the head hard enough to make the business end poke out of the ground somewhere in China.
There are differences between the sputtering and hissing Trump and Gollum himself. Both lost something they craved. Both didn't take that loss very well. Both squandered precious energy to seek the thing out, to make it theirs once again. However, even as a child, I had pity for Gollum. I can't say the same for Trump; I've loathed him since the 80s.
It was the one ring that warped poor Gollum. He murdered his beloved friend just to steal the ring from him. The world around him became too painful to bear and so he slunk into a dark hole and never looked back. Well, until it was found by Bilbo, of course. Still, in the trilogy, Gollum serves as a symbol of how the ring can transform a basically decent person into a dirty, smelly, swamp creature.
Trump hasn't any excuse for his demeanor, lies, and treachery. He stayed afloat via the long con. His charisma drew people to him. He fashioned himself into the perfect caricature of a successful businessman.
Much like in Matson's depiction, the bullshit continues to pile up. The lies and the conspiracy theories, the lawsuits and rumors. The insistence that he won. Trump is out of the White House but, like Gollum, he continues to chase what he believes to be his.
Unlike Gollum, he has a host of ass-kissers and swamp leeches to do his bidding, to further his agenda, to proclaim "America First" while attempting to cull everything that doesn't fit their agenda. This insanity must end if we are to survive as a true democracy
Gollum perished in the fiery bowels of Mount Doom. He had his Precious. His actions inadvertently took down Sauron and his minions. Middle Earth broke free of that dark grasp.
So what would happen if Trump or one of his tools regained the Presidency? I can see them missing a step or too while capering about. Would they meet the same demise, perhaps taking us all with them?
I honestly don't know the answer.
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"But what about Biden?!" you ask?
Biden fucks up, too. He's human. He's done stupid stuff, made stupid decisions. But this opinionated article focuses on the cartoon and the frequently made parallels between Trump and Gollum.
What would a Gollum-Trump reference be without the Master himself reading Tweets in-character?!