Ripped from the headlines, Meet the Deplorables: Infiltrating Trump America ventures deep into Red State territory and explores the current shape of our divided country, providing a fresh, first-hand perspective of right-wing subcultures and the mindsets of the so-called “deplorables” who helped propel Donald J. Trump to the Oval Office.
“A rollicking ride through Trumpland.’ –Harriet Alexander, The Telegraph
In his inimitable Gonzo-style, infiltration journalist HARMON LEON—whose stories have appeared in VICE, Esquire, The Nation, and National Geographic—dons a variety of disguises and goes undercover into the heart of Trump America where his exploits include canvassing door-to-door as a Trump supporter, hanging out with Trump fanatics as they receive free Donald tattoos, demonstrating how easy it is to purchase an assault weapon on Facebook, visiting an anti-Muslim hate group on the same day as a mass shooting, spending time with anti-choice protesters in front of Planned Parenthood, joining a conversion therapy group that tries to “turn” gay men straight, and many, many more.
Adding an innovative extra dimension to the book, TED RALL, two-time winner of the RFK Journalism Award and Pulitzer Prize finalist, enhances the carefully crafted narrative—and connects Leon’s audacious accounts to the greater Trump phenomena—with his own distinctive cartoons and insightful analysis, including a poignant epilogue.
A necessary read in the time of Trump, this unique collaboration by the formidable team of Harmon Leon and Ted Rall holds up a mirror to modern conservative life and reflects a reality that is outrageous, entertaining, and illuminating.
Table of Content
Foreword: The Truth Is Scary
Preface: Where Others Not Dare
Part One: Pure Crazy Trump Fanatics
Introduction: Americans Are Stupid. So What?
Chapter 1: Trump: The Rock & Roll Muse
Chapter 2: Ink Me Some Trump
Chapter 3: Knocking on Doors for Trump
Part Two: Build a Wall and Get ‘Em Out
Introduction: Trump Isn’t Bluffing
Chapter 4: Islamophobes Love Cookies
Chapter 5: Angry Villagers Chasing Aliens
Chapter 6: KKK Restaurants Make Great Pies
Chapter 7: Muslim? No Guns for You!
Part Three: A Match Made in Heaven
Introduction: Don’t Worry, Trump Is Toast
Chapter 8: Best Little Hell House in Texas
Chapter 9: He Blinded Me with Biblical Science
Chapter 10: It’s a Purity Ring Thang
Chapter 11: Unborn Jesus & the Grim Reaper
Chapter 12: Hit Me with Your Best Ex-gay Shot
Part Four: Don’t Take Away Our Guns
Introduction: Armed to the Teeth
Chapter 13: Not on Our Watch
Chapter 14: Janie Got a Gun … on Facebook
Chapter 15: It’s a Shotgun Wedding, Literally
Part Five: Making America Great Again
Introduction: The Tsunami Is Coming
Chapter 16: Here Comes the Repo Man
Chapter 17: Fear & Loathing Beneath Las Vegas
Chapter 18: The Smell of Meth in the Morning
Chapter 19: Knights in Shining White Jumpsuits
Chapter 20: Shout at the Devil
Afterword: Thanks to Trump, a New Left Rises
Acknowledgments
Image Credits
About the Authors