Re: 'Ahrens: Christian nationalism isn't Christianity' [Village News, Terrell Letter, 11-24/22]

You may have come across "Gaslighting," Merriam-Webster's word of 2022, and figured that it was just a hip way of saying someone lied, but it's more than that. It's been described as a manipulative tactic to gain power and control of others, plant seeds of uncertainty in another person's mind. The self-doubt and constant questioning slowly cause people to distort their reality.

Thus, the actual improvements in national security, employment and business prospects for all citizens under the Trump administration are gradually twisted by the gas lighters (network news, cable news, late night "comedy," big-city newspapers) into an alternate reality of a nation saturated with oppressive racism and right-wing violence. The victims of this effect can no longer see these things objectively, or as the saying goes, they can no longer believe their "lying eyes."

Which brings me to a recent letter by John H. Terrell. This one may be the most outrageous example of his bizarre loathing of Trump and conservative voters. He seizes on conservative Christians as evil villains, intent on having complete power over the U.S.A. "by any means necessary." Terrell is convinced that Trump and his followers, i.e. the 74,223,300 Americans who preferred him being President rather than Obama's toady Biden, actually are attempting to implement what he calls an extremely racist and misogynist "White male nationalism."

In his gaslit mind, this huge block who voted for the Republican are actually at war with Blacks and other non-White citizens, despite many millions of these Trump voters being non-White themselves. These devious people, he asserts, try to suppress knowledge of discrimination and bias. He knows all of this because, as he says, these things have been revealed in "Critical Race Theory!"

To make doubly sure that you know who's in charge of these misogynistic racists, Terrell repeats that Trump is "the face of Christian Nationalism...that bears his indelible, toxic taint." The media's gaslighting of Mr. Terrell makes him blind to seeing that Mr. Trump delivered on most of his campaign promises, despite constant negative propaganda, baseless accusations, and investigations.

Like all Terrell letters of late, the Jan. 6 "insurrection" makes another appearance. Yet, that unruly fracas was less violent and destructive than a typical nightly Antifa riot in 2020, or many a national soccer match. Mr. Terrell seriously believes that this un-armed, excited crowd could overthrow the U.S. government. Gaslighting!

David Lewis