Trump, The Purge, Black Nazis and the Language of Apocalyptic Lies and Violence

Photo by Bianca Berg

At a campaign rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, Trump invoked a chilling convergence of law, order, and violence—a cornerstone of what can only be described as his politics of disposability. By referencing The Purge, a dystopian film where the government legalizes all forms of violence, including murder, for 12 hours, Trump escalates his rhetoric to a dangerous metaphor. In his hands, “the purge” becomes more than just a narrative device; it embodies a vision in which state-sanctioned...