So it turns out that for much of my academic career I focused on the question of how conservatives rationalize “loving the Constitution” and “backing the blue” while endorsing the anti-government militia and, more recently, the Jan 6th insurrectionists. QAnon and the Proud Boys stand on similar grounds.
My focus was on the political right, so I am NOT arguing leftists aren’t inconsistent hypocrites; I’m just discussing right wingers because that’s what I focused on.
Elevator pitch version? Conservatives and radicals have a picture in their heads of the “real” Constitution and the “real” legitimate powers of government that – to turn a phrase – trumps the *actual* Constitution and the legitimate *actual* powers of government. Since they know the “real” Constitution and powers of government, they are free to reject abuses of them (as they define abuse). The 14th amendment is illegitimate because it isn’t the “real” Constitution. So birthright citizenship is unconstitutional. And the officers at the Capitol on January 6th needed to be gotten out of the way to protect the “real” Constitution.
Admittedly, it was a long elevator ride. But I think I’m pretty much right.
amhrancas 