There is a plaque at the Holocaust Museum that lists the early signs of fascism. Got me thinking: I wonder how this current administration measures up to the warnings?
- “Powerful and Continuing Nationalism.” Well, he did run on the mantra of “Make America Great Again” …That phrase sounds familiar: oh yeah, Hitler promised to make “Germany Great Again.” Was Trump’s phrase just a coincidence? Trump’s nationalistic message came armed with scapegoats: Muslims, Hispanics and Afro-Americans. Hitler used Jews and Communists.
- “Disdain for Human Rights.” We need to look no further than the assault on children and immigrants at the border, their rights trampled as families are systematically separated, children herded into cages, and sometimes forced to take psychotropic medications. I seem to recall another movement that separated families…I think they were Jewish families…cages…ovens…
- “Identification of Enemies Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause.” Well, that’s an easy one: it ain’t a good time to be a Muslim, Afro-American, or Hispanic in America. According to our Emperor, they are all terrorists, drug dealers, criminals, rapists, or come from shitty countries like Haiti. He fed this red meat to his followers, much like Hitler fed Jews to the Germans.
- “Obsession with National Security.” Well, it’s more of an obsession with loyalty, or shall we say, a selective obsession with national security. He did prop open the door to Russia, enabling them to compromise one of our most sacred democratic institutions —the right to vote. And he has closed the door to asylum seekers, people seeking sanctuary from fascist regimes, forgetting the fact that America is the world’s haven for people fleeing fascism, forgetting the fact that the soul of America is composed of immigrants. It’s what made us great. And there is that wall he can’t seem to stop talking about. Yes, quite the obsession.
- “Supremacy of the Military.” Our defense budget has exploded, fueled by the gutting of social programs, including education. And let’s not forget the military parade he wants to orchestrate, eerily similar in scope to the Third Reich’s goose-stepping militaristic displays, or his buddy Putin’s weapons arsenal parade, and let’s not forget his bro, Kim Jung, and his nuclear dick wave. So ironic given the fact that our President was a draft dodger.
- “Rampant Sexism.” Well, kind of an easy one…one word, “Stormy” …oh wait, can’t forgot about the Access Hollywood Tape…and I lost track on how many sexual harassment suits he is involved in. And not to mention his assault on gays, the LGBH community, as well as the handicapped.
- “Controlled Mass Media.” He continually labels the media “Enemy of the People.” Stalin originally coined that phrase and again I have to ask the question: is this a coincidence? From Day 1 of his administration, he has sought to intimidate the media, blocking access to the mainstream media and only granting access to the White House’s propaganda arm, Fox News, while labeling them purveyors of fake news which only served as a smoke screen in his assault on the American Constitution.
- “Religion and Government are Intertwined.” The Religious Right has easy access to the White House and are now preaching their right-wing agendas from their pulpits. Our Founding Father’s concept: separation of church and state, is under seize.
- “Corporate Power is Protected.” The Administration unleashed a campaign to roll back regulations that were enacted to protect American Consumers. They can now operate with impunity; they can now pollute the environment with impunity. He bestowed upon the corporations the largest tax break of this century, fueled by the middle class and working class, and despite what he says, he made out really well personally with the tax breaks.
- “Labor Power is Suppressed.” Well, we can start with Trump’s hotel employees whose efforts to organize were met with extreme countermeasures. And then there’s the fact that all of Trump’s products are manufactured overseas, with slave wages, child labor, toxic work environments, and in countries where the concept of a union is suppressed.
- “Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts.” His administration is saturated with sycophants, good old boys, and major campaign donors—no mention of intellectuals. In order to pay for the escalating war machine, the Arts budget has been gutted.
- “Obsession with Crime and Punishment.” He wants to execute drug dealers but gives a pass to the drug companies who have saturated our nation with their deadly poisons. He has labeled immigrants criminals, rapists and drug dealers and continually broadcasts that message, with the implication that only he can save America from the dark hoards.
- “Rampant Cronyism and Corruption.” The list of associates under indictment is staggering. His collusion with Russia to steal the election is unprecedented. His use of Trump properties to bilk the government is beyond arrogant. His appointing friends/major donors/family members to positions of power despite their being totally unqualified is a slap in the face of the American people—Betsy DeVos being the prime example. His financial crimes are slowly oozing out from the infection, the revelations in his tax returns will provide the final roadmap to his sordid crimes and misdemeanors.
- “Fraudulent Elections.” Kind of an easy one. He invited Russia into our house. He even fired the guy whose job it was to investigate the collusion, James Comey.
There you have it.
The question now becomes: will we respond like Neville Chamberlain did with a policy of appeasement; or will we respond as Churchill did with a forceful, patriotic assault?
Do we really need any more evidence?
Curt
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