Today I read an article about the increase in hate crimes against transgender people in LA county. One of the most progressive states in the nation, and yet, hate crimes in that county are up 125% in 2023 over the previous year. That’s a staggering number, and that was before people like me were used by Trump and his surrogates as a political football.
For anyone who hasn’t heard the term, stochastic terrorism is, per Britannica:
the repeated use of hate speech or other vilifying, dehumanizing rhetoric by a political leader or other public figure that inspires one or more of the figure’s supporters to commit hate crimes or other acts of violence against a targeted person, group, or community.
There is no doubt that Donald Trump and his surrogates are using stochastic terrorism to gain power. It is a common method used by fascists to achieve their dictatorial goals. In this case, it wasn’t only transgender people who were targeted. Immigrants have been heavily targeted as well. No doubt that community is seeing a similar rise in hate crimes.
Wikipedia has an article on the topic of stochastic terrorism that delves deeper into the topic. It is well worth the time to read. This quote is particularly relevant:
A key element of stochastic terrorism is the use of media for propagation, where the person carrying out the violence may not have direct connection to any other users of violent rhetoric.
Republicans spent at least $215 million on anti-trans ads in this past election cycle. That number doesn’t include cable or streaming ads, so the real number is no doubt much higher. Still, that’s an estimated $134 for every trans person in the nation.
They know what they are doing when they spend that kind of money. They know what the likely outcome of that will be. They don’t care. If a few members of an incredibly small minority, estimated to be 1% of Americans, die as a result of their stochastic terrorism? So what. It got them elected and they have more power than ever. That’s their only true goal.
The journey continues. It looks like it will be a lot more dangerous in the future. Thank you Republicans.
An Aging Trans Woman 
Hi Janet. Yes they know what they are doing. They want to drive public opinion and hate against trans people then they will move to attacking the entire rest of the LGBTQ+.
These people are following the same game plan they had during Bubba Bush’s terms. That was when the right decided the way to get elected and drive their moral cred was to attack gay people including trying to make a constitutional amendment against the gays. The religious people lost that culture war and now are repeating the same play book hoping for a better result.
The democrats were slow to support the gays but they came around when polls showed the support in the public, that is why these fundamentalist keep hammering total lies about mutilating the genitals of children. That phrasing gains more sympathy than the reality which is saving children’s lives by helping them be who they know they are. Plus what is this lie that puberty blockers are seriously dangerous if used for trans teens but totally fine if used by cis kids?
Janet thank you for the post and all the people who support the rights of people to live as they are openly and proudly no hurting anyone else need to seriously now increase our voice despite the danger as they did in the past to fight anti sodomy laws and the hate against the LGBTQ+ in the past. Hugs
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