Thank you for writing about this disturbing topic. "In the case of Epstein, an apparent desire to “seed the human race with his DNA". Hasn't Musk in his eugenic fantasy said something similar?
yes i was going to add him but he does not have a predatory system like Epstein and I am thinking of doing a separate essay on these deluded fantasies of spreading your genes...
See also, the movie "Er ist weider da" (2015). Don't read any spoilers. A dark comedy about the return of fascism in Europe. "Idiocracy", a Mike Judge comedy (2006), is also superb.
Chilling that Trump just fired US Attorney Maurene Comey from DOJ, who prosecuted sex-trafficking predators Epstein, Maxwell, AND Sean P. Diddy Combs. Horrifying.
As one who was victimized by a lot of people, mostly men, as a child, I find it important that (possible/probable) pedophiles be exposed to the world and pay a price for that behavior.
Musk doesn't have a predatory system? I heard he is wanting to set up a kind of breeding colony to spread his genes. He might not have an entire trafficking network like Epstein, but Musk strikes me as quite predatory,grandiose, and sociopathic.
Interesting article. Typical of the White Male Supremacist mentality.
There’s not enough babies being born 😱 - well not enough of the “right kind of babies being born”.
If it’s not rich men’s babies, let’s make it more difficult to deliver and raise the ones who are being born!”. Take away the government subsidized healthcare and food - because that’s the modern way of suppressing the population growth of undesirable babies (remember Elon’s Nazi salute).
Even then - these megalomaniacs, don’t want to be bothered with those offspring, unless it’s convenient for them.
What’s amazing to me is that the trump media has hidden what was going on with Epstein so well, if they find out about the truth, will his cult allow themselves to believe it. They still think Hilary is running a sex trafficking operation. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m enjoying all this.
yes, and not limited to those two.. all part of the colossal egos these folks have, that they are above the law, above the rest of us, and think that they and they alone should seed the human population... why more Americans were oblivious to these traits with trump is beyond me... shows how susceptible civilizations are to being taken over by these madmen
Fascinating as always. Are there examples from other autocratic movements in which the autocrat’s sexual predation becomes their downfall? With all the chatter that the Epstein case is different and will be his downfall, I have my doubts. There are lots of Charlie Kirk’s out there ready to “trust dear leader.” But it also feels like he’s lost his ability to control the narrative.
when autocracy is well established, as in dictatorships, the leader can do what he pleases and it is something else --like a failing war, or mass impoverishment--that moves the needle. But when there is still a democracy they are way more vulnerable, which is why so many try autocratic moves to feel safe.
If the truth comes out about trump's activities with Epstein, it could be his downfall. Especially if the MAGATs really mean it about wanting to see the end of sex trafficking.
There’d have to be very strong evidence. MAGAs dismiss a lot of news reports. They say can’t trust “leftist media” which turns out to be everything but Fox and a handful of other hard right outlets.
Dear Dr. Ben-Ghiat. Unfortunately, the Mussolini/Gaddafi deviant, predatory assaults were not remedied until both dictators lost control of their respective governmental authority. In both cases, the proper reckoning fit their crimes but did not offer justice for the victims. Enough is enough.
I feel both naive and horrified that I haven’t considered sexual predation as one of the aspects of authoritarianism. This subject has both enlightened me and given me another reason to feel so sad for our world. Knowledge is power.
Lavrentiy Beria committed numerous rapes during the years he was Stalin's NKVD chief. Beria was often driven around Moscow in his limousine. He would point out young women that he wanted to be taken to his dacha, where wine and a feast awaited them. After dining, Beria would take the women into his soundproofed office and rape them, reportedly with girls as young as seven years old.
Apparently, our much touted “free press” has not been interested in the degradation of this society. It serves the interests of the powerful and many media people were probably Epstein’s “friends” and clients. He is referred to as a “financier”, although no one seems to understand what his financial expertise was. This rot has been going on for a long time. Trump is just the culmination of that rot.
A woman, Maxwell, is the only person in jail for all of these horrific abuses of his sexual abuses. The hundreds or thousands of men are walking free to abuse more women. Sad and horrific.
Scary and sick, but not surprising. May the systems that enable and reward this behavior be torn down by the millions of angry strong women around the world who have had enough. ✌🏻
As always, thank you for shining a light on this darkness. I appreciate your clarity and careful choices of words when describing things. How sick, sick, sick this predatory practice is, and always has been. I have always wondered how warped someone has to be to do this kind of thing, but I guess when you think you have all the wealth and power possible, you can only start to exploit bodies, and what 'better' way to do it than to take bodies that are vulnerable in this way. Such a perversion of so many things. Disgusting. I find it hard to imagine how it could possibly satisfy anyone doing this sort of activity, but then again they would not 'need' such an efficient, twisted pipeline and all the secrecy if it did satisfy would they? It is a Dorian Gray magnified a thousand times over. Ugh.
Ugh. After having to work at not upchucking breakfast, I realized, "but of course." Power, domination, control, take, take, take....it's sadly the same old story.
It would be interesting to know the history of other dictators who behaved this way, because I know trump wasn't loved as a child, and this kind of thing is about trying to fill the resulting big hole inside.
This was absolutely fascinating to learn. My gut reaction to trump being "good friends" with Epstein, is that the sex trafficking was the reason for that friendship and that Epstein was an enabler for trump. My gut reaction is based on my life experience growing up, and clues I've gotten from things trump has said.
I listened to a video that she made, but her face was blurred. I’m sorry I listened, (it was so awful & sad) although now my suspicions have been solidly confirmed because it. Trump is definitely a predator.
I'm sorry that listening to that video was so hard on you. I know how hard it is because my childhood was full of sexual abuse. I applaud you for being willing to listen and learn.
Thank you, Kat. I spent about half my lifespan (based on my current age) in therapy trying to undo what was done to me. I believe I am a much better person for having had to go through that. It wasn't easy, but definitely worth the work.
Lordy, Ruth, I can only imagine how gruesome and traumatizing it was for you to wade into this filth. Thank you for your hard and dirty work. I hope you had some good detoxification remedies!
Thank you for writing about this disturbing topic. "In the case of Epstein, an apparent desire to “seed the human race with his DNA". Hasn't Musk in his eugenic fantasy said something similar?
yes i was going to add him but he does not have a predatory system like Epstein and I am thinking of doing a separate essay on these deluded fantasies of spreading your genes...
If you have not read it, this book is fantastic: https://www.amazon.com/War-Against-Weak-Eugenics-Americas/dp/0914153293
See also, the movie "Er ist weider da" (2015). Don't read any spoilers. A dark comedy about the return of fascism in Europe. "Idiocracy", a Mike Judge comedy (2006), is also superb.
The book is even better
Chilling that Trump just fired US Attorney Maurene Comey from DOJ, who prosecuted sex-trafficking predators Epstein, Maxwell, AND Sean P. Diddy Combs. Horrifying.
The reason for that firing is that she could expose him for what he is (IMO).
She still can.....but who cares?
As one who was victimized by a lot of people, mostly men, as a child, I find it important that (possible/probable) pedophiles be exposed to the world and pay a price for that behavior.
I do.
I also wonder about how this ties in to the obsession with virgins and virginity for much of the male population. (Not to mention major religions.)
Musk doesn't have a predatory system? I heard he is wanting to set up a kind of breeding colony to spread his genes. He might not have an entire trafficking network like Epstein, but Musk strikes me as quite predatory,grandiose, and sociopathic.
The Tactics Elon Musk Uses to Manage His ‘Legion’ of Babies—and Their Mothers
https://www.wsj.com/politics/elon-musk-children-mothers-ashley-st-clair-grimes-dc7ba05c
Archived: https://archive.ph/9MfG6
Interesting article. Typical of the White Male Supremacist mentality.
There’s not enough babies being born 😱 - well not enough of the “right kind of babies being born”.
If it’s not rich men’s babies, let’s make it more difficult to deliver and raise the ones who are being born!”. Take away the government subsidized healthcare and food - because that’s the modern way of suppressing the population growth of undesirable babies (remember Elon’s Nazi salute).
Even then - these megalomaniacs, don’t want to be bothered with those offspring, unless it’s convenient for them.
Musk is a total creep
What’s amazing to me is that the trump media has hidden what was going on with Epstein so well, if they find out about the truth, will his cult allow themselves to believe it. They still think Hilary is running a sex trafficking operation. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m enjoying all this.
yes, and not limited to those two.. all part of the colossal egos these folks have, that they are above the law, above the rest of us, and think that they and they alone should seed the human population... why more Americans were oblivious to these traits with trump is beyond me... shows how susceptible civilizations are to being taken over by these madmen
agree; i call DOGE the department of grandiose egos
i like that! i call them all sorts of things but best left off of websites.
Fascinating as always. Are there examples from other autocratic movements in which the autocrat’s sexual predation becomes their downfall? With all the chatter that the Epstein case is different and will be his downfall, I have my doubts. There are lots of Charlie Kirk’s out there ready to “trust dear leader.” But it also feels like he’s lost his ability to control the narrative.
when autocracy is well established, as in dictatorships, the leader can do what he pleases and it is something else --like a failing war, or mass impoverishment--that moves the needle. But when there is still a democracy they are way more vulnerable, which is why so many try autocratic moves to feel safe.
If the truth comes out about trump's activities with Epstein, it could be his downfall. Especially if the MAGATs really mean it about wanting to see the end of sex trafficking.
There’d have to be very strong evidence. MAGAs dismiss a lot of news reports. They say can’t trust “leftist media” which turns out to be everything but Fox and a handful of other hard right outlets.
Thank you! Looking forward to reading Part II.
Thanks for this, I think. 🫤
I know!
Dear Dr. Ben-Ghiat. Unfortunately, the Mussolini/Gaddafi deviant, predatory assaults were not remedied until both dictators lost control of their respective governmental authority. In both cases, the proper reckoning fit their crimes but did not offer justice for the victims. Enough is enough.
I feel both naive and horrified that I haven’t considered sexual predation as one of the aspects of authoritarianism. This subject has both enlightened me and given me another reason to feel so sad for our world. Knowledge is power.
It’s not written about much (at least not that I’ve seen)
Lavrentiy Beria committed numerous rapes during the years he was Stalin's NKVD chief. Beria was often driven around Moscow in his limousine. He would point out young women that he wanted to be taken to his dacha, where wine and a feast awaited them. After dining, Beria would take the women into his soundproofed office and rape them, reportedly with girls as young as seven years old.
How absolutely disgisting!
Indeed. Stalin had an affair and impregnated a 13 year old girl while in exile in Turukhansk.
Stalin was a sociopath, which means that he had no conscience. He had no guardrails to stop him from doing immoral acts.
During WW2, it was official Soviet policy that soldiers were allowed to rape women in enemy territory.
Apparently, our much touted “free press” has not been interested in the degradation of this society. It serves the interests of the powerful and many media people were probably Epstein’s “friends” and clients. He is referred to as a “financier”, although no one seems to understand what his financial expertise was. This rot has been going on for a long time. Trump is just the culmination of that rot.
Tina Brown, editor of The Daily Beast when they broke the story, talks about here:
https://youtu.be/xggo5DWV0DQ?si=OmyKHH4R3e5adDfE
A woman, Maxwell, is the only person in jail for all of these horrific abuses of his sexual abuses. The hundreds or thousands of men are walking free to abuse more women. Sad and horrific.
But given what she was doing, I think she deserves to be where she is.
No disagreement about that!
Scary and sick, but not surprising. May the systems that enable and reward this behavior be torn down by the millions of angry strong women around the world who have had enough. ✌🏻
As always, thank you for shining a light on this darkness. I appreciate your clarity and careful choices of words when describing things. How sick, sick, sick this predatory practice is, and always has been. I have always wondered how warped someone has to be to do this kind of thing, but I guess when you think you have all the wealth and power possible, you can only start to exploit bodies, and what 'better' way to do it than to take bodies that are vulnerable in this way. Such a perversion of so many things. Disgusting. I find it hard to imagine how it could possibly satisfy anyone doing this sort of activity, but then again they would not 'need' such an efficient, twisted pipeline and all the secrecy if it did satisfy would they? It is a Dorian Gray magnified a thousand times over. Ugh.
Ugh. After having to work at not upchucking breakfast, I realized, "but of course." Power, domination, control, take, take, take....it's sadly the same old story.
It would be interesting to know the history of other dictators who behaved this way, because I know trump wasn't loved as a child, and this kind of thing is about trying to fill the resulting big hole inside.
"Grab 'em by the p****"
The world is their locker room...
This was absolutely fascinating to learn. My gut reaction to trump being "good friends" with Epstein, is that the sex trafficking was the reason for that friendship and that Epstein was an enabler for trump. My gut reaction is based on my life experience growing up, and clues I've gotten from things trump has said.
In other words, Trump was a client.
IMO, yes. I somewhere heard that the 14 year old girl (who I heard mentioned again yesterday) has said that both trump & Epstein had raped her.
I listened to a video that she made, but her face was blurred. I’m sorry I listened, (it was so awful & sad) although now my suspicions have been solidly confirmed because it. Trump is definitely a predator.
I'm sorry that listening to that video was so hard on you. I know how hard it is because my childhood was full of sexual abuse. I applaud you for being willing to listen and learn.
I am so sorry that you went through that. How awful. No one should ever have their innocence shed that way. Sending serenity & prayers your way. 🩷
Thank you, Kat. I spent about half my lifespan (based on my current age) in therapy trying to undo what was done to me. I believe I am a much better person for having had to go through that. It wasn't easy, but definitely worth the work.
Lordy, Ruth, I can only imagine how gruesome and traumatizing it was for you to wade into this filth. Thank you for your hard and dirty work. I hope you had some good detoxification remedies!
Deeply troubling stuff. Thank you for educating us!
Frightening when I think about a possible tie-in to the goings-on at HHS and its boss. Herd Immunity?