Constructed Victims Dehumanize Others

Responses to Canadian Wildfires

There have been quite a few pieces written, social media posts, and public rants about the American response to the Canadian wildfires. I do not wish to be divisive here and as you will see I give equal time to the people from both America and Canada who are choosing politics over humans and animals. What these individuals share is a sense of what I call constructed victimhood, a desire for ragebait clicks, and using natural disasters to dehumanize others to validate their political positions.

Constructed victimhood is a self declared victim stance for not just yourself, but for your ingroup, and your nation. When you perceive yourself as a victim, someone oppressed or harmed by another, there are characteristics you project onto the group you deem as “evil” or the oppressor. The pain or injustice inflicted upon you or your group is then translated into blaming the other for everything that happens. So if you believe you are victim of liberal politics who have destroyed your ability to attain your dream job, or home, or get married, you will eventually blame the liberals for everything that feels a failure or obstacle in your world. With the blanket blaming for your situation, the other will eventually become so hated, that you will demand their loss of rights to “protect yours.” With this comes a loss of empathy for the other. No longer do you think of them as people who you may have commonalities, or who may be suffering from harm as well. This lack of connection and inability to see their emotional state, leads to the dehumanization of the other. If you want to learn more about constructed victimhood, or how it shapes Canadian politics my book on this topic will be published in November.

This constructed victimhood is incredibly apparent in some of the responses to the fires raging across Canada. There are many people who have written the science of why these fires are happening, why they are difficult to reach, and the failures of the Ontario government in funding fire fighting in the province. I will say a somewhat brief, but very informative piece about all of this was posted by Hudson Valley Weather.

Let’s begin our analysis of the American political response with Republican Senator Bernie Moreno (Ohio). He has not only been vocal about his ire about smoke from Canadian fires having the audacity to cross the border (thanks Mother Nature!), he has put forward a bill “Countering Atmospheric Nuisances Arising from Drifting Airborne Foreign Incendiary Residuals Emissions Act” (CANADA FIRE ACT), he had a very interesting rant on Fox News as well. He argues that assets should be frozen for Canadian politicians and their visas revoked, the point of his bill. Essentially he has said that Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Doug Ford asking America for help with fighting the fires is “Disgusting.” Instead he is demanding additional tariffs be placed on Canada (again in his bill), to reimburse Americans who have suffered due to the smoke. The fact that Americans themselves would be paying for the tariffs in purchasing products has been something that the GOP and the Trump supporters have not understood since Tariff-Ageddon began, is not even worth trying to explain. Yet, I wonder if Canadian fire fighter, Nicholas Dale, who died last week helping America fight their forest fires, is a price enough to pay for Moreno and the others I will be highlighting? Or perhaps the loss to his wife and two sons is enough of a reimbursement for them?

This is an example of using constructed victimhood to push a political narrative. Here Moreno is focused on the harm to his constituents, to “America,” and the strongman politician he and other GOP officials are. There is zero acknowledgment of the loss of life of a Canadian assisting their nation. Dale is not a consideration, but poor Americans are having their summer ruined. The clip above of Moreno having his political tirade is cut off as he begins to blame liberals for what is happening. Not only do we have victimhood for Americans, the whole of the liberal Canadian world is at fault. I would like to remind non-Ontario readers, our Premier is a Conservative. I would also like to point out that the link comes from one of Canada’s most conservative reporters, so even our right-wing media contingent is not impressed.

Moreno’s X account focuses on stolen election narratives, attacking the Democrats, liberals, and demeaning the lives lost through ICE detainment. Know what is missing from his X feed? Any comments about climate change, fires raging in the United States (569 Active US wildfires on 1.2M acres), or the parasite that is affecting the constituents in his state. You know, the parasite that the GOP and Trump stopped protecting people from. Keep this lack of posts in mind, because they will be consistent throughout.

It would seem the state of Michigan is where much of the attacks on Canada, in our hour of need, are coming from. Mike Detmer, a failed Republican politician (loses every election he runs in) is very vocal of his hate of Canada, liberals, and his love and support for the Alberta separatists.

Apparently we are a failed state, and Ontario specifically is comprised of “whipped British Loyalists" who ran from the patriotic forefathers of the USA. The entire population of Canada are “sniveling Socialists” who are destroying our beautiful country and resources. Good news though, Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, you’re all American cowboys, “trappers,” loggers, and miners. Methinks that Canadian history was not part of his course work at Oakland University. Someone should also inform him, that the American cowboys, trappers, miners, and loggers in Manitoba are also seeing significant fires in their province, so it’s not just us sniveling socialists in Ontario under Conservative rule. Mike’s social media posts focus on hatred of socialists, democrats, and liberals, racism, and what a great Christian he is. Know what is missing from his X feed? Any comments about climate change, fires raging in the United States (569 Active US wildfires on 1.2M acres), or the parasite that is affecting the constituents in his state, more than another other state.

Mike is not the only person in Michigan posting attacks on Canada for political points. Michigan seems to be really upset with Canada. Senator Mike Rogers has much blame to lay on our nation. Based on his posts he is creating a narrative where Canada is doing this on purpose. Wind, fires in his own nation, and offering assistance play no role in his understanding. This is the epitome of constructed victimhood where Canada’s “crippling environmental regulations” are highlighted as well as lack of accountability. This statement promotes capitalism at any cost, denies climate change as a factor in the fires, and denigrates a nation, while Rogers again ignores American fires, and the parasite that is harming his state. Congresswoman Maky Abugu, also had some points to make about breathing “Canada’s negligence.”

Perhaps my favourite people complaining were those wannabe influencers ragebaiting with their posts, who hold positions where compassion is the foundation, or good strong Christians. Example A, is Blane Sloan who works for a housing commission who thinks we censor speech in Canada and we should be chiseled off of the American border. There is the compassion that leads the Grand Rapids Housing Commission, perhaps they can offer some shelter for all of people who have lost everything in these fires? Or perhaps John James who informs Canada, that there are no more excuses, we need to stop the smoke, with Ted Nugent’s lovely music as emphasis. James, also proclaims “Faith and Family, God and Country, Service Before Self” in his bio. Not to belabour this, but perhaps service before self would translate into demanding your elected officials send help to Canada.

Maple Magas have also lifted the American flag and conspiracy theories as well. Their victim status reflects the oppression of what they perceive as a tyrannical liberal government and their policies that harm not only them, but the great nation of America. Perhaps Canada first the rallying call of the right got lost in translation at the border.

Maple Maga’s are concerned that Americans can’t breathe, but Canadians who have lost everything, the burning land of their country, and their fellow citizens affected by the smoke, would not support their narrative that climate change is a hoax. For these groups, Premier Ford asking for help, as Canada burns and it being ignored is retribution for Ontario removing American alcohol from our shelves. I mean, I guess adding alcohol to the fires would help? These Canada Firsters also post conspiracy theories that the fires were arson, which once again is reflective of not understanding science. This arson comes in many forms, including direct energy weapons. These were the lasers conspiracists believe were used to start the Hawaii fires, and conspiracists believed the elite painted their property blue so that the lasers would bounce off, and not catch fire. With this logic perhaps our planes should stop dropping water and drop blue paint on the periphery of the fires to stop the spread? Perhaps they went to American schools too? The need to be suppressed and oppressed is stronger than the need to assist, to care, or to stand up for Canada. Their victim status is burning as brightly as the flames of their fellow Canadian’s homes.

This is the the power of constructed victimhood: hate is stronger than love. Those perceived as the enemy are simply dehumanized. Populist leaders promise to investigate and alleviate the “problem” to ensure that those victimized are provided with both retribution and restitution. This provides a hero strongman narrative for the populist, and a vindication for their followers for the pain and suffering they inflict. These followers demand a solution, no matterthe cost, to these politicians. As is the new reality, even Iran Lego Propaganda videos are providing more logic, more information, and in this case more compassion.

I must end this post with some humour. One American had some great advice for Canadians to stop these forest fires: installing a sprinkler system. Good luck with that my friends. Canada has also offered a responding bill to the one put forward by Michigan politicians.