No one writes better about authoritarian governments than Ruth Ben-Ghiat. The threat to democracy in our country is very great now. Stay glued in to understand your place to defend our children and grandchildren from this threat. #SupportDemocracy
People are being used, as they were in Germany. Lawlessness must become unfashionable again This starts at the local / state levels holding the line. It must become distasteful for one to govern one's life for addictive purposes of greed of power or money. Thank you Ruth for highlighting the deligient public servants that maintained their Oath. These acts should be amplified, like the 9/11 heroes were.
The photo is unusual, I never recall a photo of a United States President having so many people following him. Usually it's a photo of the President with a few people surrounding him in close proximity. Looks like people being dragged there.
The process of ‘the chain of command’ in the American military was paralyzed on January 6 because the ‘initiator’ of action through the chain was in fact leading a coup against our government.
After the rioters had breached the Capitol police line , which were composed os sacrificial lambs, only then did VP Pence call for the National Guard.
The civilian political cabinet level appointees next in line to the ‘initiator’ failed to uphold their oath of office in fear of offending the ‘initiator’! They along with others who had the responsibility to act to prevent the deaths of Capitol Police personnel MUST be held accountable for abetting the loss of lives!
Absolutely brilliant play of the Hitler/Trump card! For seven years, we’ve been inundated by inappropriate comparisons between Trump and Hitler. Most have been superficial at worst, and hyperbolic at best. Finally! The comparison made with deep understanding of history, in the context of this vital moment in the DOJ’s prosecution of the Trump crime family and syndicate.
In response to the Former Guy's comment, people online have commented that Hitler's supporters also tried to assassinate him. This is true, but only a tiny number of them---he still had overwhelming support from his military. On that fact, the Former Guy was right. I hate to admit he got a historical fact correct! It being about Hitler is unfortunate but not surprising...
Will you write about how fascists are enabled through actions such as denial, incompetence, and inability to face reality by those in power on the ‘other side’ who say they are against such groups and people and could take drastic steps to counter them but don’t? This also includes those who privately support fascism’s rise because they think they will benefit through financial rewards and plain old greed/power. I would like to see this written about by an expert to show how those who fail to confront it and those who privately support it are as responsible for fascism’s rise as those who are deliberately and as the RFP is doing, outwardly and proudly, trying to implement it. I am referring to what is happening here in America right now, not any other country or time. America, 2022.
Respectfully, Kasumii
PS. RFP - my term for what is now the Republican Fascist Party
I was just about to write something similar to this when I read your post. I was just talking to a cashier today, who said something along the lines of ...."well it's always been that way, they'll just find another way." Like said & done. Fellow Americans cannot allow this to become common place, or a fatalistic attitude --- because then we are complicit. Lawlessness must become unfashionable again.
This hopelessness of lawfulness ever returning is soul-defeating. A couple weeks ago, my computer was hacked. Upon the suggestion of neighbors, I filed a police report. When asking the police, there is basically no followup. So it's a futile effort and waste of taxpayer dollars for them to visit me in my apartment to fill out the report --- if it sits in a drawer and no federal agency is collecting / working the data. So this incident took about 6 hours, visiting the phone carrier, getting a new bank account, new checks, paying my bills late and getting my laptop rebuilt., associated costs. So multiply that out in terms of lost productivity (citizens/ customers) and gained interaction with providers. And this must occur thousands of times a week - - - and law enforcement shrugs their shoulders that there is nothing that can be solved on a broader level. Not for me personally but, golly, if you don't try to stop this -- then what? Seems like this should be funneled to federal agencies. But it is this lax attitude that .. . we must accept crime. This is a wrong foundation for lawfulness. It is not the America I grew up in. Something must click back into place. We, as a country have slipped off the tracks -- and must regain the original footing to continue to build forward. Rather than normalizing it, Down with crime, I say! I would think with grant monies the DOJ awards to localities, this could be a component of programming.
No one writes better about authoritarian governments than Ruth Ben-Ghiat. The threat to democracy in our country is very great now. Stay glued in to understand your place to defend our children and grandchildren from this threat. #SupportDemocracy
People are being used, as they were in Germany. Lawlessness must become unfashionable again This starts at the local / state levels holding the line. It must become distasteful for one to govern one's life for addictive purposes of greed of power or money. Thank you Ruth for highlighting the deligient public servants that maintained their Oath. These acts should be amplified, like the 9/11 heroes were.
The photo is unusual, I never recall a photo of a United States President having so many people following him. Usually it's a photo of the President with a few people surrounding him in close proximity. Looks like people being dragged there.
Excellent! Now just bring Mussolini into the picture and you have the Unholy Trio
of Modern Devils of the past century.
The process of ‘the chain of command’ in the American military was paralyzed on January 6 because the ‘initiator’ of action through the chain was in fact leading a coup against our government.
After the rioters had breached the Capitol police line , which were composed os sacrificial lambs, only then did VP Pence call for the National Guard.
The civilian political cabinet level appointees next in line to the ‘initiator’ failed to uphold their oath of office in fear of offending the ‘initiator’! They along with others who had the responsibility to act to prevent the deaths of Capitol Police personnel MUST be held accountable for abetting the loss of lives!
Absolutely brilliant play of the Hitler/Trump card! For seven years, we’ve been inundated by inappropriate comparisons between Trump and Hitler. Most have been superficial at worst, and hyperbolic at best. Finally! The comparison made with deep understanding of history, in the context of this vital moment in the DOJ’s prosecution of the Trump crime family and syndicate.
In response to the Former Guy's comment, people online have commented that Hitler's supporters also tried to assassinate him. This is true, but only a tiny number of them---he still had overwhelming support from his military. On that fact, the Former Guy was right. I hate to admit he got a historical fact correct! It being about Hitler is unfortunate but not surprising...
Questions for Ruth -
Will you write about how fascists are enabled through actions such as denial, incompetence, and inability to face reality by those in power on the ‘other side’ who say they are against such groups and people and could take drastic steps to counter them but don’t? This also includes those who privately support fascism’s rise because they think they will benefit through financial rewards and plain old greed/power. I would like to see this written about by an expert to show how those who fail to confront it and those who privately support it are as responsible for fascism’s rise as those who are deliberately and as the RFP is doing, outwardly and proudly, trying to implement it. I am referring to what is happening here in America right now, not any other country or time. America, 2022.
Respectfully, Kasumii
PS. RFP - my term for what is now the Republican Fascist Party
I was just about to write something similar to this when I read your post. I was just talking to a cashier today, who said something along the lines of ...."well it's always been that way, they'll just find another way." Like said & done. Fellow Americans cannot allow this to become common place, or a fatalistic attitude --- because then we are complicit. Lawlessness must become unfashionable again.
This hopelessness of lawfulness ever returning is soul-defeating. A couple weeks ago, my computer was hacked. Upon the suggestion of neighbors, I filed a police report. When asking the police, there is basically no followup. So it's a futile effort and waste of taxpayer dollars for them to visit me in my apartment to fill out the report --- if it sits in a drawer and no federal agency is collecting / working the data. So this incident took about 6 hours, visiting the phone carrier, getting a new bank account, new checks, paying my bills late and getting my laptop rebuilt., associated costs. So multiply that out in terms of lost productivity (citizens/ customers) and gained interaction with providers. And this must occur thousands of times a week - - - and law enforcement shrugs their shoulders that there is nothing that can be solved on a broader level. Not for me personally but, golly, if you don't try to stop this -- then what? Seems like this should be funneled to federal agencies. But it is this lax attitude that .. . we must accept crime. This is a wrong foundation for lawfulness. It is not the America I grew up in. Something must click back into place. We, as a country have slipped off the tracks -- and must regain the original footing to continue to build forward. Rather than normalizing it, Down with crime, I say! I would think with grant monies the DOJ awards to localities, this could be a component of programming.
Her book "Strongmen" covers these issues, if I remember right.
I’ve read it. I would still like her to address these issues with today’s situation specifically. If she would.