(The opinions expressed in guest op-eds are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of RedState.com.)

By Marc Ang

Americans are finally getting hip to the mass manipulation by the media. I watched as the media did its best to make January 6th a “thing.” But having just taken a road trip across country, the rank and file voter says otherwise. A recent CBS poll also confirms that a vast majority of Americans do not believe that this was an “insurrection” and are a lot less hyperbolic about it than talking heads on liberal cable shows or the Beltway media.

Perhaps what fascinated me the most was the blatant statements many regular people are making about Democrats and Biden. It’s not just the “I did it” stickers at the gas pumps. It is now a cultural phenomenon. Not just a rural one, but it’s spilling over to the suburbs. People are not as afraid to be vocal.

Whether it was visiting one of the tourist traps on Duval St. in Key West on New Years and seeing all anti-Biden paraphernalia for sale, to overhearing loud conversations in Noble, Oklahoma, at a local diner, I noticed that the right is finally getting vocal after being silenced for so long, especially when Trump was president.

What catalyzed this shift? I think as usual it’s the overreach from the left. They’ve bought into their own hype, thinking the last election was some sort of sweeping mandate and have done such nonsensical things that Manchin and Sinema have had to put on the brakes.  In addition, tangible issues like supply chain fiascos affecting Christmas, higher gas pump prices, and inflation have given average patriotic Americans a reason to voice their weariness with wokeist priorities.

Republicans are given this golden opportunity now to lead and propose fresh ideas. The bigger question is, are they able to capitalize on this perfect assist or are they going to blow another golden opportunity?

I have a bigger issue that transcends both parties. Why is the left trying so hard to remove America from being America? This is what is causing so many Democrats to become conservative. If the left keeps poking the bear, and attacking people for their heritage, a polarization effect occurs.

It was never about Donald Trump. Trump was merely a vessel that needed to happen. I’m not even white, but I have felt this attack against American values and heritage for decades now. When I had clientele from the liberal Hollywood elite, one said something powerful to me, “America has no culture.” I chose not to respond but in my head, I was thinking, “Wow, I love American culture, our history, our success.” That shocked me. She was a white liberal who came from the heartland, in the Midwest, but was there so much self hatred, she couldn’t see how great this country is?

Fast forward about 15 years later, the Democrats are even more self-hating about America. I took a road trip across country, one of many I’ve done in my lifetime. Never have I seen so many Trump signs. Rural and suburban America were quiet for so long but now they are tired of being silenced. “Let’s Go Brandon” was the perfect moment for America-loving Americans to express their frustration without being nasty. Compare this to the behavior and nastiness from the left in cities during the Trump years (and even continuing until today).

Self-deprecation can be a nice trait, but let’s not take it too far. The left has now used this to rally cries and irrational behavior such as tearing down statues and throwing the great things about America out, which is the ultimate disrespect and serves no one any good.

Marc Ang ([email protected]) is a community organizer in Southern California and the founder of Asian Industry B2B. He focuses on the minority conservative experience. Marc’s book “Minority Retort” will be released in early 2022