Crap! I had hoped to get through the winter without getting sick, and outside of my recent surgery I thought I was doing great. Then some stranger pointed out that I was suffering from T.D.S. It sounded serious. Kind of icky. The person sounded certain that I had T.D.S. and was “probably an unbearable person.” Sounds bad, doesn’t it? Something no one would ever want to come down with . . . but this individual was certain I had T.D.S.
Once I got over the shock of learning I was inflicted with T.D.S., I decided I should probably know what the heck T.D.S. is in the first place.
T.D.S.—uh oh! Gotta a problem. There’s two! Which one afflicts me?
Trump Derangement Syndrome. “This is a term describing an alleged, extreme, and irrational emotional or cognitive reaction to Donald Trump’s actions, policies, or public presence often characterized by intense hostility, paranoia, or instability to distinguish policy differences from personality.” It is primarily used as a put down or insult to describe severe opposition to Trump. It is not a medical condition but those who throw the term around like to imply a mental illness . . . yet it is not a legitimate mental illness that can be found in the latest edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s (A.P.A.) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM5).
Trump Delusional Syndrome. “In this disorder the victim has lost the ability to perceive the factual information related to Donald Trump, instead believing the lies and distortions presented by Trump and his supporters about his behavior.” Again, it is not a medical condition. Those who like to throw it around like to imply that it is a mental illness though it, too, is not listed in the DSM5.
Deranged or delusional? I am certain, from the individual’s statement that the diagnosis leans towards the “deranged” side of the syndrome. Let me explain.
It all started when I responded to a clergy friend’s post on Facebook. This friend re-posted Tyson Durfey’s original post about an evening that he had the opportunity to spend a couple of hours with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her husband after a Trump rally. They spoke about faith, family, and some politics which left him impressed to the point that he thanked God for her leadership. In his opinion she was a person of faith . . . a lover of God . . . and that she put family first. According to Durfey she is the sort of leader America needs.
Durfey admits that he is just an “old cowboy” . . . and he is. He is also a world champion cowboy having made his living competing in rodeos in the U.S. and Canada. Now he is retired from the rodeo circuit and a successful entrepreneur. Look him up on Facebook. Like most of us he obviously has opinions.
Because my friend is a ministerial colleague I questioned Durfey’s Facebook post and endorsement of Kristi Noem based on “faith and family”. My question was about how we (clergy) endorse and support a person who has come out to the public and admitted that she is married and dating another married man. Isn’t that cheating? Doesn’t this (adultery) go against God and God’s will? How is this good family values? I wrote: “I think Durfey needs to clean his glasses off and take a close look at what he admires. What do you think?” Mind you, I was posting this to my clergy friend to in an attempt to understand.
Hoping to hear from my friend and have a conversation, the response to my statement came from another person . . . a stranger . . . A.W. His post stated that my inquiry was a load of B.S., that I have T.D.S., and are probably an “unbearable person”. Because of this I determined that he thinks my syndrome leans into the “deranged” realm.
I appreciate A.W.’s response even though my inquiry was addressed directly to my friend—no one else. Of course, because of my syndrome, I couldn’t resist responding to A.W.’s post. I responded: “Adultery is unacceptable in the Christian faith . . . that is B.S.?” Still waiting for a snappy response. He might want to check out his T.D.S.—on the delusional side.
That, my friends, is how I came about my condition . . . my illness . . . my supposed mental illness. Yes, mental illness. A bill was introduced in Congress by Republican House Representative Warren Davidson (R-OH) seeking the National Institutes of Health to study T.D.S. (derangement side only). Look it up. In the Minnesota legislature five Republican state representatives introduced a bill to have T.D.S. (again, only on the deranged side) defined as a form of mental illness. I thought I was just pissed off . . . pissed off with tRump . . . pissed off with his handling of our nation . . . pissed off with his cruelty . . . pissed off with his revenge tour. Pissed off. Angry . . . but mentally ill . . . I don’t think so! Whatever the case, what I have has a name, I have T.D.S.
I will live. It is not a life-threatening curse unless some other person with T.D.S. (the delusional kind) goes off the deep end and takes me out of my misery. There is no known cure except for losing one’s mind and jumping over to the delusional side. That would be deemed a glorious day . . . a miraculous day . . . by my MAGA associates. Yet, there are some long-shot solutions to the syndrome:
· With the president’s self-proclaimed “excellent health” he could suddenly die.
· The Senate and House could flip in the mid-term elections and they impeach the president.
· And there are some more gruesome scenarios of which I would not endorse despite how pissed off I am.
No matter what, I have T.D.S. I am deranged. Of course, those who have diagnosed me with the syndrome are probably suffering from the delusional form. They might want to check the mirror. Almost feels as if the whole nation is afflicted with some form of T.D.S. right now. We are all suffering. This individual is killing our nation, our Constitution, and us as citizens of what was once a great nation. Because of it we are all suffering from some form of this syndrome.
At first the diagnosis scared me, but not anymore. If people want to describe my anger as a syndrome . . . then fine. Bottom line is that I am pissed. Pissed that the president is a despicable, immoral, vengeful, cruel human being who only seeks power and control for himself and his cronies. Pissed that he has gutted our government, destroyed years of equality and justice, destroyed sacred institutions and values, and fed us a line that this is a “bigger and better” America than we have ever had before. Pissed that inflation is quickly rising, affordability is a joke, and that our national debt is skyrocketing, nothing is affordable or livable. Pissed that he has brought back every “ism” . . . white nationalism, racism . . . if it isn’t in his image we are to hate it. I’m pissed and if you want to call it T.D.S.—fine, just make sure you classify it as the “derangement” version”. I can justify that. I could never justify T.D.S.—the “delusional” version—because of the overwhelming evidence that is available showing how far gone this president has gone. That would be unacceptable and immoral. I am not delusional, I am pissed . . . I mean, deranged! This is a big part of why we are where we are today . . . Trump Derangement/Delusional Syndrome.
So . . . I have T.D.S. Now I have a label and a name for being pissed off at tRump. Who would have thought? Be careful it is starting to become contagious.
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