The Republican Story: What Will It Be?

 The Republican Story: What Will It Be?

Writers have generally accepted that there are seven story types. All narratives throughout history can be categorized into one of seven classic types. The struggle within the Republican Party to mold its narrative to gain the approval of a receptive audience continues. We can rule out Comedy and Rags to Riches even though elements of both can be found in isolated incidents. The Quest might be a contender where a protagonist and a collection of companions seek a common goal only to face temptations and obstacles. If this is to be the storyline type, would it be more Raiders of the Lost Ark or Monty Python and the Holy Grail?

No, I think we need to delve further into our classifications. Voyage and Return doesn’t fit here either as that would require learning lessons from past mistakes. Rebirth might fit as the Republican Party sought to change its ways to become a better party. If that were our story type we would certainly find that our Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol plot failed and Scrooge only became more of a scoundrel.

This leaves us with the final two categories; Tragedy and Overcoming the Monster. Now I think we are on to something. In the former, the protagonist has a major character flaw which is ultimately their undoing. Bonnie and Clyde, Hamlet, and Citizen Kane are examples of Tragedy. Certainly, honest critics could easily find parallels with the trajectory of the current Republican Party story arc. Also tied for top consideration is Overcoming the Monster. Here an evil force threatens and must be defeated to avoid disaster. Examples here include Dracula, Jaws, and any of the James Bond series.

To help the reader decide I will leave you with the latest in the quest for Republican Party identity. While our story up to now has had more villains than a Batman marathon, this one might prove to be a unique nemesis. We have already seen the Joker (Rudy), Catwomen (MTG, Lauren Bobert, Laura Loomer), The Penguin (Roger Stone), The Riddler (Steven Miller), and Two-Face (Steve Bannon). I bring you North Carolina’s Lt Governor, Mark Robinson, the Black Nazi.

Mark’s story starts off in the Rags to Riches category where he was a furniture maker who became a politician. His Batman moniker is up for grabs, but he has called himself, The Black Nazi. This was his handle on a porn website according to CNN. Trump called Robinson, “Martin Luther King on steroids.” Robinson’s thoughts on abortion are that “women should be responsible enough to keep their skirts down.” Robinson fits right in with the Republican ideology calling transgenderism and homosexuality filth and links them to pedophilia. In a recent rant, Robinson went on about a broad list of “evil-doers” and while not specific in which of these were included among his “some folks” category, he shouted, “Some folks need killing.” He went on, “It’s time for somebody to say it. It’s not a matter of vengeance. It’s not a matter of being mean or spiteful. It’s a matter of necessity!”

Robinson’s vague list included those “torturing and murdering and raping,” and “wicked people,” and socialists and communists. He has called for the arrest of trans women and has pushed antisemitic conspiracies. He described Michelle Obama as a man. He denies that Nancy Pelosi’s husband was assaulted and has opposed federal law enforcement. His violent rhetoric declares, “We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.” His insinuation is that violence would be a consideration if the MAGA forces don’t win this election.

Trump’s handlers, if there is such a thing, were preparing to distance themselves when word that “The Robinson Story” was about to break. They already knew that Robinson had quoted Adolf Hitler and taunted the Parkland school survivors, but visions of a Black Nazi wouldn’t help Trump’s attempt to call for support of the state of Israel. Get ready for the standard Trump reply to such controversy, “I barely knew the guy.”

So, will this be a Tragedy or Overcoming the Monster story for the Republican Party? Will Donald John Trump be their Charles Foster Kane whose corruption of power and personal emptiness forces them to slide into oblivion aboard a metaphorical Rosebud? Whatever story type prevails, I think it is safe to assume that Ebenezer Scrooge will not redeem himself. For me, I find that: It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.