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MAGA Delenda Est
Carthago delenda est (“Carthage must be destroyed”) is a Latin oratorical phrase pronounced by Cato the Elder. The phrase originates from debates held in the Roman Senate prior to the Third Punic War (149–146 BC) between Rome and Carthage. Cato is said to have used the phrase as the conclusion to all his speeches, to push for the war.
I have always understood the phrase as a declaration of single-minded focus. I post on politics for only one reason — to add my voice in opposition to Trump and his MAGA following. If Trump weren’t a threat, I’d be writing about other stuff, mostly for my own amusement. But MAGA must be destroyed, and I am saying so at the end of every post and comment I submit to Medium.
What is MAGA?
Defining something like MAGA just leads to trouble. I prefer the Jeff Foxworthy approach: I won’t offer a definition; I’ll just cite some markers and let the meaning emerge.
If you think Donald Trump is smart, rich, or strong, you might be MAGA.
If you are a Christian who doesn’t care that Trump is angry, envious, gluttonous, greedy, lustful, prideful and slothful, you might be MAGA.