Conservatives and reactionaries are triggered by fear. They fear the unknown and the future and worship and cling to the past. They hate change and anything that is outside the "norm" turns them into reactionary, wilting, whining snowflakes. They also gravitate toward authoritarianism and paternalism. They have a narrow definition of their ingroup and rigidly define and maintain it, while discriminating against, hating and blaming all others as outgroups. This is what leads them to "hate" minorities and blame them for their worsening economic condition, while often embracing the obscenely wealthy as authoritarian father figures even though they are responsible for their economic free-fall. And, they don't want their racism or its long history to be talked about, taught to their children or used to change the privileges that they feel entitled to. That makes them feel uncomfortable and under assault from change as they more vigorously try to cling to the past. Gay and transexual people are more than they can handle, it isn't what they are used to and it threatens the dogma that their worship of the past and constancy requires. They don't want to hear about them; they want to sweep them out of sight, ban them, and blame them for the discomfort they feel in the face of change and when they think outside their safe, straight, "normal" past-worshipping box.

Fear and insecurity are what drives them and that is exactly what the GOP, right-wing media and wannabe autocrats use to control them like puppets, scare them into voting and poison them to any policies that they, or their obscenely wealthy masters, object to like raising taxes or taking away white privileges. This is one reason they routinely vote against their own self-interest. Fear and insecurity make them easy suckers for the Barnums of the political world and the rest of us pay the price.

Tennessee Education Bill Would Ban Discussion of Systemic Racism at Colleges - Truthout https://truthout.org/articles/tennessee-education-bill-would-ban-discussion-of-systemic-racism-at-colleges/

#GOPUsesFear
#GOPManipulatesTheirBase
#InsecurityComplex
#ConservativesFearOthers

"Shortly after Democratic state Representatives Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson were sworn back into office on Tuesday, the Tennessee legislature passed a bill that would limit discussions on race on college campuses across the state.

House Bill 1376, also known as the Tennessee Higher Education Freedom of Expression Act, would ban the discussion of 16 “divisive concepts,” including the idea that “the United States is fundamentally or irredeemably racist or sexist.” The bill — which Pearson has said will likely curtail conversation on issues like white privilege or unconscious biases in classrooms — is currently awaiting the governor’s signature after passing in a 68 to 26 vote..."