For me, it’s hard not to observe the most die-hard followers of our now former president and not think about their devotion to him – to the point that if anyone expresses a critical view of the former president or his policies, the devotee may become vehemently defensive.

Defensive the way a teenager might become when their beloved pop idol is criticized by a friend or loved one.

Yes, that is a grand simplification, of course, There’s many complex factors involved, like economics and political ideology and I don’t pretend to understand and delve into their frustrations.

But just on the surface, it is astonishing to me how intense the reactions are of the former president’s most fervent followers to any words that don’t praise and glorify him.

When I was in junior high school during the ‘70s, I had a huuuuuuuge crush on a pop star and was teased mercilessly by my friends. My family allowed me my obsessive infatuation though their indifference was palpable, the way one might feel if she’d announced what she thought was a great idea to friends and acquaintances – only to be met with obligatory, patronizing half-nods and thin, toothless smiles.

I’m guessing my family was likely concerned I was idolizing him to a ridiculous, time-consuming level…instead of focusing on more important things like doing my homework.

But hey, I was a young teenager! And what teen isn’t tormented from riding on a daily emotional rollercoaster, whether at home or at school, or both? My tender feelings felt like they’d been harshly and unjustly attacked when I was criticized in the slightest for fawning over my beloved pop star.

As in: how dare you attack me for liking what I like! Don’t I have the right to enjoy music I like, just like you do? Humpf!

I joined a fan club for this pop star, bought a goldtone necklace of his image (that might now resemble an icon on a road sign if it were massively enlarged), and I also had a t-shirt of him smiling, to let the whole world I was in love with him… to tell the whole world he was the best singer in the world!

I got a couple of his records for Christmas and listened to his songs a million times til I could memorize all the lyrics, and I tried to catch him on tv holiday specials through the years.

So yeah, I had a pretty strong girl crush on him. Any criticism of him – or by extension, me (to my mind), was intolerable. An unwarranted, malicious attack. He’s my man, dammit! You leave him alone.

I was head over heels “in love” with him. And often when one is in love – and I imagine, particularly when it is only one-sided, reason goes out the window. Fiery emotions rule the day!

My beloved pop star and our now former president are apples and oranges, but when I look at the unhappy, most die-hard followers of the latter, it seems they are like I was as an obsessed, young teen when presented with opposing viewpoints: unable to handle even the slightest criticism (or perceived criticism) of their dear pop star – quick to go on the defense.

Vehemently so. Enamored of his words. Wanting to listen to him a million times.

Can never get enough of him. He’s an addiction.

Like my family and friends who didn’t understand my great obsession with my pop star, perhaps those who didn’t vote for the Dear Leader are similarly concerned for their friends and loved ones who are obsessed with him, maybe thinking to themselves:

he’s not God, for crying out loud!

If the former president’s most die-hard fans are worked up about any particular criticism of him, they might go on the offensive, saying something negative about “the other side”, usually in an accusatory tone: Why don’t they investigate the VP’s son or They’ve been mean to him [Dear Leader] from the start!

Oh, that elusive they! WHO are they, I ask you?

It’s hard to be clear and reasonable when you’re as hoppin’ mad as Yosemite Sam.

Hard, when you’re a tormented teen, with raging hormones and trying to find your way in the world amid parental and familial “control” over your life, coping in the presence of your fellow tormented teens, and feeling that you must fiercely defend all you hold dear to your heart – including your beloved popstar, from the slightest prick of criticism.

But what’s with the grown-ups who can’t even handle mere words expressing opposing views of their demigod without going nearly ballistic, as if their guy can do no wrong and is above the law?

Will these fervent followers of the former president ever outgrow their obession of him?

I still enjoy “my” popstar’s music, for sure! Am certainly not in love with him. He’s married for one thing. And to another man. More power to him!

There was a time, about 34 years ago when my pop star was scheduled to come to the city I was working in, to a bookstore near my workplace, to sign autographs of his newly released autobiography. I planned to go after work.

But then there was a bomb threat at the store; I don’t remember if it was because of him or not. There were literally hundreds of women openly weeping because his visit was announced by store management that it would be cancelled for safety concerns.

And then suddenly, I saw the local news cameras! Cameras focusing on the screaming, weeping women.

Oh dear, I thought! I’ve got relatives in the area…I don’t want the cameras to catch me! I couldn’t bear the thought of being caught on camera like a person sneaking away for a secret rendezvous and risk the possibility of my relatives calling my mom to tell her they saw me on the evening news among hundreds of women crying because they couldn’t see “our” pop star! No way.

Nevertheless, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping for a just a tiny, fleeting moment of star-gazing at one of my favorite popstars. I was only half-hearted about the prospect of buying his book and standing in line for god knows how long just so he could autograph it! I’d already had a looong day at work and was very tired. But the novelty of seeing a celebrity I liked was kind of a fun idea…until I saw the tear-soaked women. More so than seeing the local news crews.

I was not weeping, just feeling disappointed…and maybe a bit startled when I saw the huge and nearly hysterical crowd. Their reaction to the news that he wouldn’t be there embarrassed me a bit; it looked to me that they had invested so much of their individual identities in the popstar. I certainly did not want to go there!

That vivid scene permanently cured me of any vestige of idol worship of him, though that incident occurred a good decade after my teen obession by that point.

Now that the Dear Leader is not in office anymore, I wonder if his most fervent followers’ obsession with him will fade with time, as mine did with my pop star? That maybe at best, they’ll still like him and admire his words, but won’t be the least bit offended at the slightest criticism of him. That they would be sorely embarrassed and startled by his die-hard fans’ worshipful behavior towards him. And that they can wholeheartedly divorce their individual identities from him.

I hope so.

They might discover there are many interesting people and things outside their attachment to him.

If our sense of self, our values and our ideals, do not originate from within – but are instead largely influenced, shaped or fashioned by celebrated characters – we fall under the spells of idol worship without realizing we have ‘souled out’.
~ T.F. Hodge