Only a Pawn in Their Game: Then and Now
Dylan’s Anthem of Manipulation and Blame
Growing up in the 1960’s, I vividly remember hearing the songs of Bob Dylan, who captured the pulse of American youth through his powerful lyrics. The Times They Are A-Changin, Blowing In The Wind , Master of War and With God On Our Side reflect the anguish and fear of our generation, amidst the forces questioning why young men were dying in the jungles of Viet Nam, the backlash of violent racist forces in the South angry with the Civil Rights Act (1964) and the onset of authoritarian rule by the Nixon Administration (Kent State Massacre).
In 1964, Bob Dylan released Only a Pawn in Their Game, a haunting account of the assassination of civil rights activist Medgar Evers in Jackson, Mississippi. The song, though rooted in a specific act of racist violence, does not simply indict the triggerman. Instead, Dylan turned his gaze to the power structures that manipulate the poor and the dispossessed for political gain. His lyrics lay bare the mechanism by which Southern politicians and elites stirred up white resentment, fueling racial animus for their own advancement:
“A South politician preaches to the poor white man,
‘You got more than the blacks, don’t complain.
You’re better than them, you been born with white skin,’ they explain.
...He’s only a pawn in their game.”
Dylan’s message was searingly clear for its time: the killer of Medgar Evers was not uniquely monstrous, but rather acting out a role shaped by a system designed by those in power. Poor whites, caught in their own economic hardship, were taught to direct their frustration not at their true oppressors—the political and economic elite—but at Black Americans, who were themselves struggling for equality and justice.
The Modern Chessboard: Power, Wealth and the MAGA Machine
Fast forward to today, and Dylan’s imagery rings with chilling resonance. The United States stands at a crossroads, where economic inequality has deepened and the machinery of political manipulation remains well-oiled—now on a far grander scale.
Billionaires have increasingly come to dominate the fundraising and legislative agenda of the Republican Party. Major donors, including Elon Musk, Miriam Adelson, Paul Singer, Richard Uihlein, Betsy DeVos, and Ken Griffin, have funneled vast sums to the GOP and to Donald Trump’s campaign, in hopes of securing tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks that benefit the ultra-wealthy.
Donald Trump’s “MAGA” movement has used the language and tactics of fear to mobilize white, middle- and lower-income Americans. Through campaigns stoking resentment about immigration, race, and cultural change, and through explicit “white nationalist” appeals, Trump and his allies have capitalized on anxieties—in some cases turning them into active hatred and violence, all while advancing elite interests.
Right-wing authoritarianism is no longer a fringe dynamic but an organizing principle. Trump’s leadership has enabled a politics of retribution, toughened by narratives about loss of status and supposed “attacks” on traditional values. The MAGA agenda centers on grievances, promising protection and restoration—while its policies in practice deliver wealth upward and dismantle safety nets.
Policies that Sacrifice Pawns
The so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” recently passed solely by Republicans in Congress will harm everyday Americans and further enrich Trump’s cronies and apparatchiks.
Draconian Cuts to Social Supports: Recent legislation passed by House Republicans would slash over $800 billion from Medicaid and nearly $300 billion from SNAP (food assistance) over the next decade. The Congressional Budget Office projects tens of millions losing health coverage and millions more losing food security, even as the same bills prioritize tax cuts for the rich.
Greater Economic Burdens: Tariff wars and new trade fights have, in recent years, driven up costs of goods and imposed extra financial strain on working families. Let’s be clear, these “ negotiated tariffs” will result in higher costs for Americans as companies will raise prices to cover them. There is no “free lunch” here - American’ citizens will pay for the tariffs - and the funds received from international trade partners will be passed on to Billionaires through tax cuts and raising the U.S. debt even higher. At the same time, attacks on programs like Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, and WIC leave the most vulnerable—including children—at greater risk of suffering and deprivation.
Fear as a Political Weapon: The movement fosters a climate of fear and retribution, targeting dissent and concentrating power. Everyday people who buy into the rhetoric and scapegoating are urged to defend those in power—at the cost of their own well-being, rights, and security. Institutions across our entire country - businesses, universities, hospitals, nonprofits, free press. Media outlets - are all being threatened financially and with trumped up criminal charges - unless they fall in line with the dangerous Trump authoritarian administration. And his kakistocracy of minions, led by Stephen Miller, Pam Bondi, Peter Hegseth, Scott Bessent, Marco Rubio, Brooke Adams, RFK Jr all carry out these orders regardless of the legality and dangerous impacts.
Once again, ordinary Americans—middle-class and poor, mostly white—find themselves pawns, encouraged to give their loyalty to those who exploit their anxiety while taking away the very supports that keep them afloat.
Dylan’s “Pawn” Metaphor & Today’s Voters
Bob Dylan’s “Only a Pawn in Their Game” paints a powerful image: individuals—particularly poor and working-class white Americans—become instruments used by those in power to achieve their own ends, never serving their own interests but those of the elite. This metaphor remains highly relevant to contemporary American politics.
Manufacturing Division and Grievance: Political and media figures amplify issues involving immigration, race, and social change, framing these as existential threats to white Americans. This stirs resentment and distracts attention from economic policies that undermine their stability and security. These narratives direct anger away from root causes like wage stagnation or inequality, encouraging white voters to blame marginalized groups rather than examine decisions made by wealthy political donors and powerful corporations.
Policy Sacrifices Cloaked in Identity Politics: Many policies advanced by current right-wing movements (such as cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and WIC) disproportionately harm poorer and middle-class Americans, including the white voters who support these movements. The benefits of these policies tend to flow upward: billionaires and major corporate interests receive tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks, securing more wealth and power.
Authoritarian Appeals and Retribution: Some leaders, notably Donald Trump, wield language of “protection” and “restoration” to evoke a sense of loss and grievance in white communities. Authoritarian rhetoric promises to restore traditional hierarchies, all the while funneling resources and power to the ultra-wealth
Young Men in the 2024 Election - Regret is Setting In
Many young men across racial backgrounds—white, Black, and Latino—cast their ballots for Trump in 2024, driven by promises of restored opportunity, strong leadership, or cultural renewal. In the aftermath, some are coming to the sobering realization that their voices, too, were harnessed not for their benefit, but as powerful leverage in service of those whose priorities lie elsewhere. Economic hardship, lack of affordable healthcare, and vanishing upward mobility persist, while policies championed in their name often channel resources and influence toward the wealthiest few. As these young men watch the same old patterns repeat—jobs remaining scarce, social divisions deepening, and communities still left behind—they confront the difficult truth: regardless of background, they have been positioned as pawns in a grander game, their needs and hopes instrumentalized to secure victory for others.
Trump, Epstein, and the Machinery of Deception
The recent revelations about Donald Trump's close ties to Jeffrey Epstein illuminate a long-running pattern of deception, obfuscation, and grifting. Trump’s relationship with Epstein, a convicted sex offender and alleged trafficker, has been clouded by years of denial, shifting accounts, and refusal to release official inquiry documents. This conduct is not an isolated episode but part of a larger tapestry of misleading the public and protecting personal interests through layers of secrecy and distraction.
Deception and Denial: Trump has repeatedly minimized and distorted the nature of his relationship with Epstein. Despite photographic evidence, public statements, and reports of extensive socializing, Trump has alternated between claiming they were not close and refusing to discuss substantive details, all while blocking the release of information that could clarify the extent of these interactions.
Lies to the Public: The pattern mirrors Trump’s broader approach—denying wrongdoing, projecting blame onto others, and spinning conspiracies to deflect scrutiny. This tactic keeps supporters focused on external enemies and blinds them to real abuses of power within their own movement.
Grifting at Scale: At the same time, Trump has consistently used the tools of political office and campaign influence for personal gain. Fundraising not only bankrolls campaigns but covers legal and personal expenses, while policies serve the ultra-wealthy and special interests rather than ordinary citizens.
Americans as Pawns in an Authoritarian Game
These manipulations play directly into the metaphor of the public as "pawns." The vast majority of Americans—regardless of political belief—are set against one another by cycles of misinformation, culture wars, and manufactured outrage. While the powerful orchestrate these divisions to protect themselves and secure their wealth, ordinary people bear the brunt of regressive policies: cuts to healthcare and food assistance, higher costs, and systemic erosion of democratic norms.
Distraction from Accountability: When leaders traffic in lies and conspiracy, it erodes the public’s ability to hold anyone accountable. The real story—abuses by those in power—gets buried beneath waves of fearmongering and blame-shifting.
Concentration of Power: This dynamic enables a small circle of ultra-wealthy individuals and their enablers to concentrate power ever further, while exploiting the loyalty and fears of those whose interests they routinely betray.
Why This Matters:
Threat to Democracy: Transparency, accountability, and truth are the cornerstones of a functioning democracy. When figures like Trump obstruct investigations into their wrongdoing and whip up division to cover their tracks, it is not just their supporters who suffer—it's the entire country’s democratic fabric that is at risk.
Personal and Societal Harm: The refusal to confront or disclose evidence of ties to criminals like Epstein sends a chilling message: the law and public trust do not apply to the powerful. This deepens cynicism, normalizes corruption, and leaves millions vulnerable—economically, socially, and morally.
Restoring Agency: Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward breaking free from manipulation. As long as Americans remain divided and distracted, authoritarian figures will continue to play the nation as pawns in their game. Demanding transparency, justice, and solidarity across political lines is essential to restoring integrity and actual self-determination.
Americans deserve leaders who serve, not deceive. The exposure of Trump's longstanding ties to Epstein, and his subsequent attempts at obfuscation, shine a light on the urgent need for vigilance, accountability, and united resistance to authoritarian manipulation.
A New Verse for an Old Song
In the spirit of Dylan’s prophetic writing, here is a new verse for “Only a Pawn in Their Game,” speaking to our present moment:
A billionaire’s wallet fans fires of blame,
While nursing homes close and they gut Medicaid’s name,
They shout about borders, about pride and race,
Feed fear and resentment, pit class against face.
But as tariffs bite down and the breadlines expand,
They pocket the winnings and tighten their hand.
And the worker and young men who cheer—unaware of the shame—
Is only a pawn in their game.
Dylan’s lyrics (at the end of this article) chronicled are not merely echoes—they are headlines, policy choices, and lived struggles in America today. The task is to see the board for what it is, and to remember: pawns can change the game, when they choose to stop playing it for someone else.
Break Free from Manipulation & Demand Accountability
To all Americans - especially those awakening from the contrived web of conspiracies. It's time to face uncomfortable truths. For years, many have been persuaded to see enemies everywhere—taught to distrust, fear, and blame, all while leaders exploit these divisions for their own gain. Now, as evidence mounts that those in power may be guilty of horrific acts and are actively blocking transparency by withholding Epstein inquiry documents, let this be a wake-up call.
Leaders like Trump who once claimed to “drain the swamp” or fight for the people are themselves hiding the truth, making a mockery of claims to moral authority. They use propaganda, ring wing outlets and social media to manipulate people to further consolidate power. Divisive rhetoric, conspiracy-fueled campaigns, and fearmongering have kept everyday people distracted while public resources are slashed and wealth is concentrated at the very top. And their refusal to release the truth about crimes that damage the most vulnerable shows a contempt for justice, honesty, and the wellbeing of society.
What You Can Do
1. Question Everything—Even Those You Once Trusted
Demand transparency from any leader, regardless of party or past allegiance.
Scrutinize narratives that shift blame to the powerless rather than those who wield real influence.
2. Resist Division
Talk to your neighbors, coworkers, and family—humanize those you were told to fear or hate.
Refuse to let politicians use culture wars or conspiracy theories as a smokescreen for corruption and abuse.
3. Stand for the Vulnerable
Oppose any who use fear or secrecy to protect the powerful from accountability for crimes, especially against children.
Support organizations and candidates who commit to truth, transparency, and protection for all—no exceptions.
4. Hold Leaders Accountable
Demand the unsealing and full investigation of Epstein-related documents and any other evidence that implicates those in authority. No leader is above the law.
Contact your representatives, attend town halls, and insist on real answers—not deflections or distractions.
5. Unify Around Shared Values
Justice, honesty, and dignity matter more than party loyalty or past beliefs.
America grows stronger when citizens demand more from those in power and look out for one another—not when we are divided for someone else’s profit.
As we look around today, it’s impossible to ignore the repetition of Dylan’s warning—ordinary Americans, regardless of race or background, find themselves divided and manipulated by those who stand to gain the most from our fear and suspicion. We are too often set against one another while the real architects of our struggles—billionaires, politicians, and media moguls—consolidate power and wealth out of sight. But just as pawns on a chessboard have the potential to change the game, so too do we. The only way to break this cycle is to recognize the patterns, refuse to be played against each other, and demand leaders who honor truth, transparency, and basic human decency. The future of our democracy depends on it. If we open our eyes and stand together, we are no longer pawns—we are the ones who can rewrite the game.
Only a Pawn in Their Game
Song by Bob Dylan ‧ 1964/ Video: March On Washington (1963)Bob Dylan
A bullet from the back of a bush took Medgar Evers’ blood
A finger fired the trigger to his name
A handle hid out in the dark
A hand set the spark
Two eyes took the aim
Behind a man’s brain
But he can’t be blamed
He’s only a pawn in their game
A South politician preaches to the poor white man
“You got more than the blacks, don’t complain
You’re better than them, you been born with white skin,” they explain.
And the Negro’s name
Is used it is plain
For the politician’s gain
As he rises to fame
And the poor white remains
On the caboose of the train
But it ain’t him to blame
He’s only a pawn in their game
The deputy sheriffs, the soldiers, the governors get paid
And the marshals and cops get the same
But the poor white man’s used in the hands of them all like a tool
He’s taught in his school
From the start by the rule
That the laws are with him
To protect his white skin
To keep up his hate
So he never thinks straight
’Bout the shape that he’s in
But it ain’t him to blame
He’s only a pawn in their game
From the poverty shacks, he looks from the cracks to the tracks
And the hoofbeats pound in his brain
And he’s taught how to walk in a pack
Shoot in the back
With his fist in a clinch
To hang and to lynch
To hide ’neath the hood
To kill with no pain
Like a dog on a chain
He ain’t got no name
But it ain’t him to blame
He’s only a pawn in their game.
Today, Medgar Evers was buried from the bullet he caught
They lowered him down as a king
But when the shadowy sun sets on the one
That fired the gun
He’ll see by his grave
On the stone that remains
Carved next to his name
His epitaph plain:
Only a pawn in their game