The different faces of loyalty

To the Editor:

Loyalty can be virtuous. Being loyal to your country, your spouse, your team, your family, is oftentimes associated with moral character. It is seen as promoting teamwork, patriotism, true love, and faithfulness to the point of making extreme sacrifices when the situation seems to call for it.

Loyalty can be a problem. Why are you loyal? Is it out of love? Is it because you’re part of a group that shares your beliefs? Is it because you feel you owe a person or group something in return for approval, money or position? Is it because of fear?

President Trump is not stupid. He is an expert at figuring out how to get people to become loyal to both him and his causes. The term Trumpism gets thrown around a lot. He wants you to do more than just support him, he wants you to believe in him. He wants to be an “ism.” I have never in my life before this seen signs from the last election still displayed prominently in peoples yards like they still are now, and no, they aren’t Biden signs. He also knows how to surround himself with loyalists and how to keep them in line. He knows how to get back at those who disagree with him or call him out for any of his wrongdoings. He knows when it’s time to back off for a while. Not because he’s had a change of heart, but because he’s just changing strategies.

This relates to us in a disturbing way. He can’t do all he wants to do by himself, he needs loyal foot soldiers. I have a hard time believing that all the foot soldiers who were called upon to whisk people off the street and take them away in unmarked vehicles, those who arrested judges, were told to fire federal employees whom they knew were essential workers, weren’t at times morally conflicted about what they were asked to do. The man who asked his foot soldiers to do this is the same one who called for the death penalty for the Central Park Five, who were later found innocent. Google that if you have the time. My final thoughts. If you are a loyal Trumpist because you truly believe in him and love things he’s doing, I’m quite sure you will stay the course. If your loyalty has elements of fear, owing allegiance, or group pressure, be careful. History is full of people who were convicted of high crimes. Many of them offered up “I was only following orders,” as their only defense. We can do better, the future of our democracy is relying on us to do better. 

Frank Siedschlag

Rhinelander